Ship types

[Jetnerd1123]

This is awesome. WEPS is exactly my long term goal. It sounds as if aiming down that path really starts at the second tour. However, and I understand the first tour should mainly be about getting the pin, would a DDG be more advisable for the first tour as far as getting more relevant experience for WEPS further down the road?

 

[BigRed389]

This is awesome. WEPS is exactly my long term goal. It sounds as if aiming down that path really starts at the second tour. However, and I understand the first tour should mainly be about getting the pin, would a DDG be more advisable for the first tour as far as getting more relevant experience for WEPS further down the road?

WEPS is a Department Head on DDGs and Cruisers.

If you really want to be WEPS, do CRUDES 1st tour, do CRUDES again 2nd tour as an ASW Officer or Fire Control Officer, try to get into the WTI program, and then you're pretty much guaranteed to be a WEPS/Combat Systems Officer on a Cruiser or DDG as a Department Head.

Supposedly.

 

[azguy]

WEPS is a Department Head on DDGs and Cruisers.

If you really want to be WEPS, do CRUDES 1st tour, do CRUDES again 2nd tour as an ASW Officer or Fire Control Officer, try to get into the WTI program, and then you're pretty much guaranteed to be a WEPS/Combat Systems Officer on a Cruiser or DDG as a Department Head.

Supposedly.

Yes. WTI is, at the very least, a guarantee to not be CHENG; IMO only a weak officer needs that as bait. But WTI, at its best, it's a golden ticket to the best training that any SWO has received in decades. I imagine it's a good feeling to show up to a ship as DH knowing that you are truly an expert at employing your weapons system.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Great story!

To expand on my brief post, NRC spends quite a bit of money taking college kids/recent graduates on NUKE VIP trips, it is really to solidify them to going into the nuke program, most are going subs so it shows them what both surface and sub communities look like, these are people that are often waiting to go to an interview or pretty close to it. In every trip there will be attrition as some just go on the trip and decide it isn't for them, this attrition is a "known value" and is low, by the time they have gone through the work to go on the trip they are pretty committed which is why it is low. The time they took them to see a LCS for a surface tour the attrition went through the roof (heard over half stopped the process), it turns out the the crew of the LCS talked about long hours, short duty rotations, undermanned, equipment issues, on and on and on with all negative comments.

 

[AllAmerican75]

WEPS is a Department Head on DDGs and Cruisers.

If you really want to be WEPS, do CRUDES 1st tour, do CRUDES again 2nd tour as an ASW Officer or Fire Control Officer, try to get into the WTI program, and then you're pretty much guaranteed to be a WEPS/Combat Systems Officer on a Cruiser or DDG as a Department Head.

Supposedly.

Yeah, the PCs are a bit weird in this regard. You'd be WEPS, but you'll be leading a 6 man "department." But if you want to be a WEPS/CSO fleet-up, then go CRUDES early and often. Also, the WTI program would be a big help. Those dudes and dudettes are getting top notch training and are really taking the development of surface tactics forward.

 

[Pags]

If I were an Ensign with career aspirations I'd go DDGs out of Yoko. SWOs belong on ship and ships belong at sea. And 7th fleet ships are at sea a lot giving a nugget ENS far more training opportunities than their stateside peers.

 

[ClassyGent23]

Any information on the amphibious assault ships? Any difference with the America class?

 

[Too_Tall34]

Is there any height restrictions on certain surface ships? I'm 6'8 and want to know if my selection of ships will be limited in a few years. I've already found out I am too tall to fly, does my height cause an issue if I want to go SWO as well?

 

[VoodooNova]

Is there any height restrictions on certain surface ships? I'm 6'8 and want to know if my selection of ships will be limited in a few years. I've already found out I am too tall to fly, does my height cause an issue if I want to go SWO as well?

You'll just have to duck a little more than everyone else. There's no height restrictions on surface warfare ships.

 

[Too_Tall34]

You'll just have to duck a little more than everyone else. There's no height restrictions on surface warfare ships.

Nice that's awesome! Are certain ships more favorable than others? I have visited a few museum ships and couldn't even stand in the bridge on those. I couldn't imagine the bridge/other areas on these newer ships bring as small/low ceilings as the older ships that are now museums.

 

[VoodooNova]

Nice that's awesome! Are certain ships more favorable than others? I have visited a few museum ships and couldn't even stand in the bridge on those. I couldn't imagine the bridge/other areas on these newer ships bring as small/low ceilings as the older ships that are now museums.

This thread has some pretty good information about the differing ships, so read through it and see what you might prefer.

 

[azguy]

Is there any height restrictions on certain surface ships? I'm 6'8 and want to know if my selection of ships will be limited in a few years. I've already found out I am too tall to fly, does my height cause an issue if I want to go SWO as well?

You'll probably bump your head more than average, but I think you'd have to be significantly taller (7'6"ish) to legitimately worry about not fitting on the bridge, in a rack, etc.

 

[Jetnerd1123]

Is there any height restrictions on certain surface ships? I'm 6'8 and want to know if my selection of ships will be limited in a few years. I've already found out I am too tall to fly, does my height cause an issue if I want to go SWO as well?

I'm 5'6". I have the exact opposite problem, haha.

 

[Too_Tall34]

You'll probably bump your head more than average, but I think you'd have to be significantly taller (7'6"ish) to legitimately worry about not fitting on the bridge, in a rack, etc.

That's not too much of a problem for me I've gotten used to ducking a lot HA! Another couple of questions related to SWO life:
1.What is the typical daily schedule like for a JO on each type of ship? Do you stand a watch everyday and are in an office setting for most of the day?
2.Does a JO on an AMPHIB go through different quals and tests than a JO on a DDG would? Obviously they're two different types of ships but in order to get the SWO pin do you need the same quals?

My top 2 ship preferences are either a DDG or AMPHIB for now.

 

[ClassyGent23]

That's not too much of a problem for me I've gotten used to ducking a lot HA! Another couple of questions related to SWO life:
1.What is the typical daily schedule like for a JO on each type of ship? Do you stand a watch everyday and are in an office setting for most of the day?
2.Does a JO on an AMPHIB go through different quals and tests than a JO on a DDG would? Obviously they're two different types of ships but in order to get the SWO pin do you need the same quals?

My top 2 ship preferences are either a DDG or AMPHIB for now.

not to mention the different types of Amphibs. I'm assuming each type is a bit different.