The Enlisted Air Warfare Specialty (EAWS) instruction (OpNavInst 1414.2A) defines the eligibility for shipboard enlisted personnel to attain EAWS designation as "deployable aviation squadrons and their detachments and aviation capable ships (limited to CV, CVN, LPH, LHA, LHD, and MCS)." This excludes a significant part of the surface force: sailors assigned to destroyers, frigates, and cruisers with embarked light helicopter antisubmarine squadron (HSL) air detachments. The instruction should be modified to include these surface warfare sailors because their ships are capable of supporting the LAWS qualification.
Currently, air detachment personnel are allowed to qualify in one of two ways: sailors complete qualifications during deployment and the paperwork is relayed to the HSL commanding officer for approval (and then sent back to the ship for award or held until the sailors return to the squadron); or they qualify after the deployment at the parent squadron. In each case, HSL EAWS qualifications require coordination with the appropriate ships.
On deployment, the ship's company of a guided-missile destroyer, for example, is integrated in air detachment operations—as are air detachment personnel in ship's operations. The enlisted surface warfare specialist (ESWS) instruction (OpNavInst 1414.ID) affords air detachment personnel embarked for a minimum of 90 days the opportunity to earn the ESWS qualification. This promotes an unnecessary disparity between sailors in the surface and helicopter communities. The only requirement that prevents ship's company from gaining the EAWS qualification is the statement in the EAWS instruction that limits the definition of air-capable ships to "big deck" ships.
Thorough review of the EAWS common and unit-specific personnel qualification standard (PQS) reveals no line items that cannot be completed on destroyers, frigates, and cruisers with embarked air detachments. Their sailors can comply with all other requirements specified in the EAWS instruction. While the USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) deployed with the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) Battle Group, her embarked HSL detachment flew an average of 150 hours per month. Fifteen Oscar Austin sailors completed a pilot program that included all EAWS PQS line items: written tests and oral boards, with a level of knowledge commensurate with that of air detachment personnel who earned EAWS pins. They also completed the prerequisite on-line courses on their own time. I think they deserve to wear an EAWS pin—but the Navy's instruction prohibits them from doing so.
Questions and Answers
- Won't the EAWS qualification be "watered down"?—Not if we trust the command master chiefs and commanding officers to set and enforce the same standards they do for all qualifications.
- Won't it diminish the EAWS qualification for those in aviation ratings?—See for yourself. Interview the Oscar Austin's, sailors (crew and air detachment). They say NO.
- Can the HSL detachment support EAWS qualifications for ship's company in addition to their own personnel?—Ours did, in small groups spread throughout the deployment.
- Isn't the EAWS qualification the rightful domain of the ship's and HSL squadron's command master chiefs?—Yes, but a well-trained, qualified crew with good morale is the commanding officer's domain.
- Haven't we gone down this road before?—Yes, but times have changed and so have sailors.
Conclusions
Allowing ship's company and air detachment personnel to work together toward similar goals stimulates professional growth and breaks down barriers. It fosters esprit de corps between the two communities and results in a more positive command climate. I know because I have seen it work. Qualifying ship's company as air warfare specialists in addition to surface warfare specialists will enhance warfighting readiness. Therefore, the Navy's EAWS instruction should be changed as soon as possible.
Commander Cordle just turned over command of the USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79). He is assigned to the staff of the Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Eight.