SWO vs. Supply

[phrogpilot73]

Now call me crazy, but considering that Supply Corps. has taken on a substantial role and has a sizeable footprint in theatre filling in the logistics/contracting roles in Iraq, roles that cannot be filled with Pilot/NFO or SWO due to the lack of experience in the logistics arena.

You don't need any special experience to run a convoy. I'd rather have a SWO running a convoy than a Chop.

There must be a reason that the Supply Corps. O's being augmented to Iraq are all being issued body armor and weapons after completing thier infantry familiarization.

There must be a reason that everyone who goes into Iraq is issued body armor and weapons. It's not just the chops.

So, in closing, who has the higher odds of actually getting a combat action ribbon? The SWO standing a bridge watch on a destroyer? The Helo pilot flying a VERTREP? Or the Supply Corps Officer running a convoy from here to there through Iraq?? :icon_rage Next time do a little reading before you post some BS about one function being pussies!!

I'm a helo pilot that has a CAR, do you? It looks like the Chops have some catching up to do, as the crew of this ship got a CAR...

 

[ASHWND]

-1 Rep.

Currently the Army is facing a shortage of JO's and mid range enlisted. In order to free up Army O's to lead platoons, etc. they are pulling thier O's out of S-4 rolls wherever they can. This has created a gap in the logistics capabilities of the Army. This gap has/is being filled by a fast and frenzied pace of IA assignments coming out of the Supply Corps. both active duty and reserve components. In fact, as a Supply Corps Officer, affiliating with a drilling reserve unit pretty much results in a guarenteed a set of orders to Iraq within less then 2 weeks in order to free up Army O's. Additionally, many of the Officers I've served with came off of Sea duty and went straight to Fort Hood or Benning for infantry training with orders to augment Army commands and were boots on the ground in Iraq 2 months after thier sea tour ended on 12-15 month augmentation orders. Now call me crazy, but considering that Supply Corps. has taken on a substantial role and has a sizeable footprint in theatre filling in the logistics/contracting roles in Iraq, roles that cannot be filled with Pilot/NFO or SWO due to the lack of experience in the logistics arena. I would say that there is significantly higher chance of actually getting in a little trigger time as well as more risk to life and limb being in such close proximity to the insurgency then say standing a bridge watch in the gulf. There must be a reason that the Supply Corps. O's being augmented to Iraq are all being issued body armor and weapons after completing thier infantry familiarization.

So, in closing, who has the higher odds of actually getting a combat action ribbon? The SWO standing a bridge watch on a destroyer? The Helo pilot flying a VERTREP? Or the Supply Corps Officer running a convoy from here to there through Iraq?? :icon_rage Next time do a little reading before you post some BS about one function being pussies!!

I didn't know that many Supply Officers were being used in Army roles, though I know that the military is trying use more joint operations instead of relying solely on the individual branches. Is there anywhere you can send me to so I can read more about this? news article, forum posts, etc.

I would never consider the Supply Corp pussies, and I think that we are all WAR FIGHTERS, just some of us have more supporting roles (Including SWO) and some have more direct comabt roles (SEALs and Aviators), but we all make the military work as one. I appreciate everyone's input!

 

[Clux4]

I think HAL was joking but he definitely rubbed you the wrong way.
I totally agree with you, Supply is not what it used to be. Everyone is augmenting the Army, even the Airforce. On the Marine side, both Air and Supply Officers are doing Transition Team work.
To the OP, beware. Do what you really like. As to getting in the fight, you will probably get more boots on ground time than any of your SWO guys or aviatiors.

 

[HAL Pilot]

$Trader$ - I applaud any chop with boots on the ground in Iraq or Afghanistan. But this is an usual scenarios in unusual times. 95% of the time, Supply Officers are REMFs. Normally Chops sit behind their desks, refuse to stand bridge watch, get to watch the movie and eat popcorn. and get plenty of sleep at night. In other words, they're pussies.

I'll also bet there are a lot more SWOs and URLs with boots on the ground doing similiar missions.

So ASHWND, for the remaining 95% of the time, do you want to be a warfighter or do you want to be a pussy?

 

[ASHWND]

$Trader$ - I applaud any chop with boots on the ground in Iraq or Afghanistan. But this is an usual scenarios in unusual times. 95% of the time, Supply Officers are REMFs. Normally Chops sit behind their desks, refuse to stand bridge watch, get to watch the movie and eat popcorn. and get plenty of sleep at night. In other words, they're pussies.

I'll also bet there are a lot more SWOs and URLs with boots on the ground doing similiar missions.

So ASHWND, for the remaining 95% of the time, do you want to be a warfighter or do you want to be a pussy?

I want to be a war fighter that gets pussy... how about that, seems like a nice compromise. I am going SWO, and I am excited about it, I would also gladly accept any ground time that I might be able to get in.

 

[navy09]

...the crew of this ship got a CAR...

Phrog: Can you give some backstory here?

 

[OccamsRazor]

I believe that's USS Kearsarge, the crew of which was eligible for the Combat Action Ribbon as it was attacked by rockets while in port in Jordan in 2005.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Phrog: Can you give some backstory here?

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1541302/posts

 

[ASHWND]

I'm not sure when YOU were a Supply Officer, but it certainly doesnt work that way, the only Supply Officers that get that type of schedule are the ones given some duty that wont let them do to much harm. This is because as any ship CO will tell you, there are only 2 departments on the ship that can stop it dead in its tracks, Supply and Engineering. So you can rest assured that any CO wants the best SUPPO and best CHENG.

As for giving advice to anyone about the Supply Corps., you arent qualified. Perhaps you should stick to your area of expertise, which isn't SWO or Supply.

I know how important both of those are, you need to eat and you need to be able to drive... but also none of that would even matter if you didn't have the SWOs, Aviators, Intel, etc. because that is the main purpose of the ship, get the troops to the battle and support them while we are there. Everyone is important, in fact, just as important as the next person, there is no sense in arguing because it will always be a "my cock is bigger" type situation... I know I would be a great Supply Officer, however, I don't want to do that, I would rather go SWO and have those duties and experiences, that is just me.

Again, we are all WAR FIGHTERS... and most importantly, we are all AMERICANs on the SAME TEAM.

 

[S.O.B.]

So ASHWND, for the remaining 95% of the time, do you want to be a warfighter or do you want to be a pussy?

Did you paint your face in the back of the p3?

 

[BullGator]

I know how important both of those are, you need to eat and you need to be able to drive... but also none of that would even matter if you didn't have the SWOs, Aviators, Intel, etc. because that is the main purpose of the ship, get the troops to the battle and support them while we are there. Everyone is important, in fact, just as important as the next person, there is no sense in arguing because it will always be a "my cock is bigger" type situation... I know I would be a great Supply Officer, however, I don't want to do that, I would rather go SWO and have those duties and experiences, that is just me.

Again, we are all WAR FIGHTERS... and most importantly, we are all AMERICANs on the SAME TEAM.

Good post man. I agree. For the record, I can piss the furthest. Heh

 

[BigRed389]

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1541302/posts

Interesting how low profile that story is, honestly the first I've heard of it.

More interestingly I heard the question asked in our wardroom recently..."When's the last time a ship was attacked pierside?" as we prepare for Force Protection assessments.

Always seems to require lives lost to get somebody's attention.

 

[SWCS242]

I was recently selected for SWO BDCP and possibly Supply BDCP (still waiting for board results from September) and I want to get everyones opinion on which choice they would take. I would appreciate it if you could provide an argument for your decision, as I will be using this to potentially help me in my decision. This poll is open to everyone and anyone.

I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but because it happened to me I figured I would share it with you.

I applied SWO BDCP as my first choice and Supply BDCP second choice. I wanted supply as my first choice, but was told that it didn't actually matter what order you applied. After my application went through the boards, I was accepted BDCP SWO and BDCP Supply, however was only slotted for SWO BDCP because it was my first choice. If I wanted supply BDCP, I was told I would have to reapply.

Moral of the story, if you get both, you are gonna get stuck with your first choice unless you reapply.

 

[HAL Pilot]

I'm not sure when YOU were a Supply Officer, but it certainly doesnt work that way, the only Supply Officers that get that type of schedule are the ones given some duty that wont let them do to much harm. This is because as any ship CO will tell you, there are only 2 departments on the ship that can stop it dead in its tracks, Supply and Engineering. So you can rest assured that any CO wants the best SUPPO and best CHENG.

As for giving advice to anyone about the Supply Corps., you arent qualified. Perhaps you should stick to your area of expertise, which isn't SWO or Supply.

17 years active duty Navy (with Army enlisted time prior) interacting with Suppos at every command, I even owned one when I was a FASO OIC

3 year on Theodore Roosevelt with Desert Shield / Desert Storm deployment. Always had a Suppo roomate, 3 of them over the 3 years.

2 months on Carl Vinson as a VP liaison officer during deployment, bunked with Flag Staff Suppo.

6 months on a Spruance DDG in Caribbean doing anti-drug ops. TAD from TR while TR in the yards to earn my SWO qual. Since I was a frocked LCDR, I spent the 6 months as acting XO (under real XO). Suppo and other DHs reported to me.

All 3 ships - the Suppos, Medical officers (CVNs) and Chaplains (CVNs) were the only ones who never stood watches, watched the movie every night and got plenty of sleep.

But the Suppos all had both winter and summer green flight jackets....

Your turn.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Did you paint your face in the back of the p3?

You mean when I flew P-3s?