A wise master chief once told me, “Junior officers don’t know what they don’t know.” This is especially true for newly-commissioned division officers, eager to begin surface warfare careers. This article is the first in a seven-part series aimed at sharing lessons I have learned from my own experiences, mistakes, and mentors. These lessons, or “truths,”are shared so ensigns can avoid making the same missteps, implement positive ideas sooner, and boldly take their first steps on the path to “knowing.”
Truth #1: Achieving the surface warfare qualification is the top priority for a first-tour surface warfare officer (SWO).
Division Officer Duties and the SWO Qualification
A newly commissioned officer will immediately be put in charge of a division of sailors, a humbling privilege and opportunity to develop leadership skills—the best part of being a division officer! Yet, too many consider division officer duties to be in conflict with, and even more important than, the responsibility to complete the SWO qualification. Officers who fall behind their peers in pursuit of qualification often blame their tardiness on “caring too much about the division,” suggesting their concern for sailors outweighs their professional progress. While this sounds noble, it reflects poor time management, an inability to prioritize, and confusion about the division-officer role.
The shiny gold pin on the division officer’s chest establishes a new level of credibility in the wardroom and allows subsequent thoughts and opinions to be more loudly heard—to the benefit of the division. Once qualified, an officer can move to more advanced qualifications, while also having more time to dedicate to the division. Aggressive pursuit of this qualification also sets a great example for divisional sailors working toward their enlisted surface warfare specialist (ESWS) qualification or other qualifications in rate.
Making the SWO qualification the top priority requires accepting a simple fact—the show goes on without the division officer. This can be hard to accept, as it is only natural for a leader to want to be needed. But the Navy is designed so sailors are frequently transitioning to and from commands, constantly adjusting and endlessly adapting. Division officers must learn when to be present and when to delegate. They need to know when to say, “Hey chief, I will be in the wardroom studying for my test. The number is x1234 if you need to reach me.”
Healthy Competition and Mentors
To foster healthy competition, a tracker is posted outside most wardrooms that shows the progress of officer qualifications. “Ensign Chart-table already has that qual? I had better get moving.” This is the intended effect—but junior officers should resist engaging in gossip or drama about who has qualified for what. No one benefits from conversations that include lines such as, “Ensign Flagship has been conning officer for sea-and-anchor detail three times now, but I have only been once. So unfair!” Or, “I can’t believe Ensign Island got his officer-of-the-deck letter. I have stood watch with him before, and he is just awful!”
Division officers should instead use the qualification tracker as a positive tool. “Look! Ensign Buoy has her combat information center watch officer (CICWO) qualification. I am going to ask her to go over my notes with me!” When not included on the watchbill, ensigns should plan to be present for major ship evolutions. Even observing these evolutions will prove helpful when that ensign is on the watchbill during the same evolution in the future. After years of formal schooling and test taking, most ensigns know what type of studying best suits them. However, getting qualified is a professional and not a social activity. Some people work well in study groups and some do not.
In addition, junior officers need to find a good mentor, one who can guide them through the process and teach them how to schedule the necessary qualification boards. Shipboard life can make it difficult to get all required members in the same room at the same time, especially when the board requires the commanding officer. These opportunities should not be wasted.
A rockstar mentor can make a huge difference and can be identified by the following attributes: professional, SWO-qualified or close to being so, and widely respected by enlisted and officers. If this mentor is a first-tour officer as well, the processes they had to go through and people they had to talk with are going to be generally the same. Best case, this officer meets with the mentee regularly to discuss progress, share notes and insights, and outline a game plan.
The Point of the Qualification
Sometimes ensigns equate passing the next qualification board to their recent experience cramming for a final exam in college—guzzling coffee through the night and jamming as much information into their head as possible in those final hours. But a qualification is not the same. It is instead required to perform a specific function or duty (unlike, for example, a physics final for a student who would be happy never to see another physics problem). While aggressive pursuit of SWO qualification is key, it is also important for junior officers to do so at a pace in which the information is retained and the officer is prepared to shoulder the responsibility associated with the corresponding watch station.
Qualification is an important way to contribute to the team. An officer’s absence on the watchbill means other junior officers are in fewer sections, having to stand more watches, and are unable to move to their next watch qualification goal. Qualification is the ticket needed to spend hours standing a specific watch, growing knowledge, building experience, becoming the best and most reliable watchstander, and eventually helping those that follow in achieving the same level of expertise. Junior officers, therefore, must balance urgency of getting qualified with the imperative to ensure they gain the comptetency to safely and effectively stand the relevant watch officer position.
The officer-of-the-deck (OOD) qualification is ultimately about one thing—earning the trust of the commanding officer. A signed OOD letter can be summarized as, “I trust you to drive the ship safely, execute evolutions efficiently, and call me when you need help.” Trust in this sense is the same as any other trusting relationship in life—it must be earned. All instances of communication with the commanding officer leave an impression, either positively or negatively affecting this trust-building process. For example, dedicating time to work with the navigator to prepare slides for the sea-and-anchor brief will be evident in delivery, leaving a positive impression. Failing to adequately prepare and practice will undoubtedly leave a poor impression.
In every capacity, professionalism is the goal of the division officer. This should be most apparent when standing watch, particularly as the OOD. I was grateful to have a mentor that advised me to “volunteer to be uncomfortable on the bridge,” teaching me to understand this as a necessary part of the process and the only way to truly grow. As I gained experience, and my competence grew, eventually I demonstrated the ability to conn alongside, give clear and loud orders to the helmsman, stand a proper watch, lead a team as a qualified OOD, and ultimately join the ranks of SWO-qualified officers.
Debrief: Achieving surface warfare officer qualification extends far beyond a career milestone that must be met. Aggressively pursuing this important professional goal serves the division and positively contributes to the greater ship team. On the way, division officers should steer clear of any unnecessary drama with their peers, and instead find a mentor who can legitimately help. Understanding what a qualification really is provides the right mind-set with which to bravely face the challenge and achieve the competence and confidence it requires, specifically when earning the commanding officer’s trust.
For more tips on how to be a successful division officer, check out The Division Officer's Guide from the Naval Institute Press.