SWO vs Supply, Pros and Cons: Decisions Decisions

[Thisguy]

4. No 6 month school out of OCS, I know there is a SWOS but from what I have read it isn’t 6 months, correct me if I am wrong. Get to hit the fleet immediately. This isn’t a major factor.

I fail to see how this is a SWO pro. 6 months in Athens for supply school after you commission? Shit, we should all be so lucky. The fleet isn't going anywhere young grasshopper. You'll see it's good to be paid to go to school and hang out with sorostitutes from UGA.

 

[egolnick]

I fail to see how this is a SWO pro. 6 months in Athens for supply school after you commission? Shit, we should all be so lucky. The fleet isn't going anywhere young grasshopper. You'll see it's good to be paid to go to school and hang out with sorostitutes from UGA.

Touche Sir. I can tell you that the sorostitutes in Athens are top notch...I had no idea that supply school was close to Athens. shit, I'm even looking into supply now!

 

[atriste]

4. No 6 month school out of OCS, I know there is a SWOS but from what I have read it isn’t 6 months, correct me if I am wrong. Get to hit the fleet immediately. This isn’t a major factor.

Mainly deals with the fact that I am graduating with my MBA in May and another 6 months of similar material is not exactly exciting. Of course I would be getting paid to go to school rather than I paying them, which is a plus.

The soroities do little for me as I am married and by the time I make it to Supply school, it will probably be in Newport.

Supply would personally look better on my resume, I have an MBA, it deals with logistics and operations management, which Supply revolves around.

 

[BackOrdered]

Touche Sir. I can tell you that the sorostitutes in Athens are top notch...I had no idea that supply school was close to Athens. shit, I'm even looking into supply now!

Bulldog country is literally a walk away from NSCS.

 

[BigRed389]

Couple of points which I want to throw my 2cents in on:

Management:
SWOs do a lot of management, true. But the DISBO on my ship has far more people than any other DIVO. The title is actually ASUPPO now, as he's the "DIVO" for 3 divisions. That said, he has much less interaction w/the troops than SWO DIVOs do/or should at least.

Redundant School:
I haven't been through an MBA program or supply school, but I highly doubt they will be teaching you redundant stuff at Supply school. Pretty sure it will be focusing on teaching you how the Navy supply system works, and how you will be expected to utilize it. And yes, a paid Navy school is probably going to be much less work than what you'll do in the fleet...for the same pay.

Responsibilities:
DISBOs handle ridiculous amounts of money from the get go.
As SUPPO DHs, they tell the CO how much money he has left before the SUPPO has to ask for more.

Warfighter vs pussy argument:
This is kinda a bad argument IMO. To be honest, the SWOs aren't doing much warfighting. Not that it's not important, but we're not getting into gunfights all the time. And what little there is to be had is a lot about being in the right place at the right time. If getting into a no shit shooting war is your goal, there are better ways to go about improving your odds.

I would also throw in another "pro" for SUPPLY...you can go to any community, not limited to surface.

 

[The Renegade]

Couple of points which I want to throw my 2cents in on:

Management:
SWOs do a lot of management, true. But the DISBO on my ship has far more people than any other DIVO. The title is actually ASUPPO now, as he's the "DIVO" for 3 divisions. That said, he has much less interaction w/the troops than SWO DIVOs do/or should at least.

Redundant School:
I haven't been through an MBA program or supply school, but I highly doubt they will be teaching you redundant stuff at Supply school. Pretty sure it will be focusing on teaching you how the Navy supply system works, and how you will be expected to utilize it. And yes, a paid Navy school is probably going to be much less work than what you'll do in the fleet...for the same pay.

Responsibilities:
DISBOs handle ridiculous amounts of money from the get go.
As SUPPO DHs, they tell the CO how much money he has left before the SUPPO has to ask for more.

Warfighter vs pussy argument:
This is kinda a bad argument IMO. To be honest, the SWOs aren't doing much warfighting. Not that it's not important, but we're not getting into gunfights all the time. And what little there is to be had is a lot about being in the right place at the right time. If getting into a no shit shooting war is your goal, there are better ways to go about improving your odds.

I would also throw in another "pro" for SUPPLY...you can go to any community, not limited to surface.

I’m up for the March board and I’m applying for Supply and SWO in that order. After reading all this… I’m almost tempted to apply just for Supply .

-PS2(AW)

 

[BigRed389]

I didn't mean to straight out bash the SWO community.

There are some rewards to being a SWO, but they're definitely the less tangible kind.

 

[atriste]

On the retention bonus, is it really 100K? On the navy.com site it lists 50k.

How is that bonus paid, 25k each year? How is that bonus taxed?

Also, is it for 4 years, which means 2 DH tours? Are both of those tours at sea? Which would mean you are at sea basically 100% of the time? Or am I just confused?

I am currently still leaning towards supply but 100K could shift the balance, 100k is quite tangible in my book!

I appreciate all of the responses!

 

[SWOHopeful]

On the retention bonus, is it really 100K? On the navy.com site it lists 50k.

How is that bonus paid, 25k each year? How is that bonus taxed?

Also, is it for 4 years, which means 2 DH tours? Are both of those tours at sea? Which would mean you are at sea basically 100% of the time? Or am I just confused?

I am currently still leaning towards supply but 100K could shift the balance, 100k is quite tangible in my book!

I appreciate all of the responses!

From what I have read the bonus works something like this:

Re-up for 4 years = 50k

Sign on for 2 DH tours = 25 k

Then there is another 15k per year during those tours.

Now keep in mind that all the money is paid out in chunks each year.

 

[snizo]

I've been in Supply for a while now and love it. I enjoy the responsibility and type of work I do. More so, I like the opportunity to go to pretty much any command in any community anywhere in the world. The parts that I haven't enjoyed as much have to do with the community I've been with at the time - and as you said, you change communities with every tour.

Most of the stuff above is true - but it is just from observations. Every community has their good and bad officers - aviation and supply are no different. Choose whatever you're most interested in for the future. If you want to get in to logsitics/biz/mgt, supply is right up your alley. If you want leadership, but not necessarily on the business side, look elsewhere.

Feel free to PM me if you've got supply-specific Q's.

Oh yea - Supply Corps School is moving to Newport, RI. Athens is cool as hell, but don't base your decision just on that

 

[navy09]

On the retention bonus, is it really 100K? On the navy.com site it lists 50k.

No, that's my bad- I must have been high when I wrote that yesterday...it's actually 75K. Though there's been talk of increasing it, there are certainly no guarantees. 50K for "SURFACE WARFARE OFFICER CONTINUATION PAY" and 25K for "JUNIOR SWO CRITICAL SKILLS RETENTION BONUS." You sign up for them at the same time and the total resulting 75K is commonly referred to as the the "SWO Bonus"...aka..."Blood Money."

How is that bonus paid, 25k each year? How is that bonus taxed?

You can check out the NPC site for specific payment plan. You get a signing bonus when you sign up for it @ the 3-4 yr mark, then the rest is paid during your DH tours. It's taxed just like any other pay (it's not an allowance).

Also, is it for 4 years, which means 2 DH tours? Are both of those tours at sea? Which would mean you are at sea basically 100% of the time? Or am I just confused?

It's for 2 DH tours, generally about 3 years. "Sea tour" means you're assigned to a ship. How much you're actually gone/underway depends...A LOT. You could get a ship in the yards that never goes to sea or you could get a ship in FDNF that's deployed 75% of the time.

 

[bubblehead]

I've been in Supply for a while now and love it. I enjoy the responsibility and type of work I do. More so, I like the opportunity to go to pretty much any command in any community anywhere in the world.

You still a submarine CHOP?

I don't know about skimmers, but at least on submarines, CHOPs can qualify and stand DOOW (Diving Officer of the Watch). The first CHOP I had on my submarine was shit-hot and was the best DOOW on the boat!

 

[atriste]

75k is still certianly a lot.

I wonder how this sits with Suppo's serving alongside SWO's that are making substantially more than them? At the 03-04 level that is.

According to a PPT on the SWO community there is again another bonus availble at the 05-06 range.

Straight from Pers 41: Surface Warfare Officer Spouse Brief

"

§Senior SWO Bonus – Under CSRB Payment Authority
Funding received in FY05, Started 10NOV04
Tied to Select Operationally Oriented O5 & O6 Billets
Pays Up to $30K to O5s and $40K to O6s Over 2 Years" ​

Any comments from any SC Officers on this? I know on Warchop there was a post about some grumblings regarding no retention bonus. There is also a post pointing out, Supply Corps officers, if they are to be respected in the wardroom, should stand watches, earn quals and what not above what is required for SWSCO pin. Seems like Suppo has nearly as many duties of a SWO, without the perks of the bonus. But I digress....

With all of these bonuses available to a career officer, good promotion rates, command at sea, limitless shore duties and possible career alternatives, SWO seems like a very attractive community for a young individual looking to make a career out of the Navy.

Send your broadside salvo downrange as you please...

 

[navy09]

I'd never looked at those, as I'm 15-20 years away from even thinking about being a O5/O6.

There's the SWO Critical Skills Bonus which appears to be a retention bonus (46K) for O4s...ie they just take the money and agree to stay in a few extra years.

But note that the 'Senior' SWO CSRB of 30/40K is restricted to certain billets (there's a list on that page)....EDIT: 90% of them are CO/XO Afloat or Numbered Fleet/CSG/ESG/DESRON Staffs.

 

[HH-60H]

I wonder how this sits with Suppo's serving alongside SWO's that are making substantially more than them? At the 03-04 level that is.

Probably similar to the way it sits with SWOs and Suppos who serve along aviators getting $650/mo flt pay + 125K bonus over 5 years.