<p>Could one of you guys rough out some advanced examples of career tracks within a field. I am asking for 0-3 through 0-5 as much has been answered as far as 0-1 to 0-3. I get the impression that there are avenues toward 0-6 that are not ship drivers, CAG's etc... I would like to hear how Lt. W.T. Door got to be CAPT. W.T. Door. I would like to see posts from Nuke, SWO, Intel, and Air. Spec ops also if there is any out there. Thanks.</p>
<p>Well, this may be a little dated, but here goes on the aviation side...anybody with more recent experience, please correct me.</p>
<p>Usually after the O-3 squadron tour is a shore tour - everyone will say, "1st shore tour you can do anything you want," but that isn't necessarily true. Most folks on the "fast track" want to stay flying, and the best place to do that is the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) where you train the new pilots and NFO's (if you fly in an aircraft where there are NFO's) in your community.</p>
<p>Second best assignment is probably the training command in a flying/teaching billet. Some folks also opt for PG School in Monterey, NROTC teaching, USNA, or lots of other tours.</p>
<p>After that, you will probably wind up in a "disassociated" (non-flying/occasional flying tour) on a seagoing carrier group staff, or as ship's company in a carrier ("in" not "on"). The desirability of staff versus ship's company depends upon your community. That's usually 2-2.5 years. You'll probably promote to O-4 early to mid-point on that tour.</p>
<p>Sometimes there's time to hit Naval War College, Air Command and Staff, or Army War College. Depends on timing. You get a Master's degree out of it as well. Good deal. </p>
<p>Then, you will go back to a squadron as a department head. Most guys want the Operations or Maintenance Officer job. Those are the top assignments. That tour is 2'ish years, and you'll probably select for O-5 on that tour, if you're successful. I think command screen is around the same time - somebody else please verify.</p>
<p>After the DH tour, you wait to see if you get a squadron. That's another opportunity for War College, etc., a staff tour, or some other assignment in DC.</p>
<p>If you pick up command, great. There are also CO billets for training squadrons for folks who don't quite make it. If you get a CO billet, and do well, O-6 is a pretty likely occurrence. You can make O-6 without command, but it is far less likely.</p>
<p>If you don't pick up command, there are a variety of assignments you can do, but most do not involve flying, or only occasional flying. Currently, Commanders (O-5) can serve for up to 28 years before retirement.</p>
<p>There are lots of other potential paths, twists and turns. That's just an example of a typical aviator career path.</p>
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<p>The statutory retirement is 26 years for O-5.</p>
<p>Thanks for that!</p>
<p>Thanks for the post we would still like to see other disciplines and career tracks post here next. This is going to a high school career project.</p>
<p>*What is Surface Warfare? *
Surface Warfare is the community within the Navy that involves the use of the surface fleet's ships for the missions of forward naval presence, sea control, and projection of power ashore. Surface Warfare Officers (SWO's) are the men and women who, as junior officers only a year out of college, lead the sailors within the many specialized divisions of a ship's crew. Many of these young officers aspire to someday command their own ship. </p>
<p>Where are SWOs Stationed? **
From Norfolk, Virginia, to Yokosuka, Japan, the Navy has many homeports for its surface fleet, and will try to give you as much choice as possible as to where you will be stationed and what kind of ship you will serve on, should you become a SWO. The surface fleet consists of many different types of ships, each contributing in their own unique ways to the success of the Navy as a whole. The abbreviation for each subtype of ship within each main type is in parentheses.<br>
[ul][<em>] Cruisers (CG) protect the fleet from airborne threats by using their advanced AEGIS radars and anti-air missile systems, and also have the capability of striking targets ashore with their deck guns and long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.<br>
[</em>] Destroyers (DD/DDG) - protect the fleet from surface and submarine threats; many also have AEGIS, as well as the capability to use their deck guns and Tomahawk cruise missiles to strike targets ashore.<br>
[<em>] Frigates (FFG) - small, tough convoy escort ships that provide anti-air and anti-submarine protection.<br>
[</em>] Aircraft Carriers (CV/CVN) - home to over seventy aircraft, ranging from F/A-18 strike fighters and F-14 interceptors, to S-3B sub-hunters, EA-6B radar-jammers, and E-2C early-warning/command and control aircraft.<br>
[<em>] Amphibious Ships (LHA/LHD/LPD/LSD) - carry up to 2,000 Marines, and their equipment, vehicles, and supplies. The Amphibious Assault subtype, or LHA's and LHD's, double as small aircraft carriers that are home to various kinds of helicopters and the Harrier vertical take-off and landing jet fighter. The LHA's, LHD's, and LSD's all carry modern, high-speed Landing Craft, Air-Cushion (LCAC) to ferry Marines and their gear ashore.<br>
[</em>] Minesweepers (MCM/MHC/MCS) - detect and clear naval mines from areas in which other ships soon will be operating.<br>
[<em>] Patrol Craft (PC) - small, speedy ships that patrol coastlines as well as insert and support SEAL special operations forces ashore.
[</em>] Auxiliary Ships (AE/AO/AOE/AS/ARS) - keep the fleet supplied with fuel, ammunition, food, and other crucial stores needed on long-term forward deployments.[/ul]What Will Be My Role as a SWO?**
As a junior SWO, you will command a division of sailors aboard one of the above types of ships. This division is responsible for a certain component of your ship, such a specific electronic, weapon, or engineering system. Immediately after graduating from NROTC, you will report to your first ship as a division officer. You will also learn how to "drive" your ship as a "Conning Officer" and later as an "Officer of the Deck," control your ship's engineering plant as the "Engineering Officer of the Watch," and then to "fight" your ship as the "Combat Information Center Watch Officer" or "Tactical Action Officer." You will have two division officer tours of 27 months and 18 months, respectively. </p>
<p>Surface Warfare Officer School
After learning the basics of shipboard life and attaining your "Officer of the Deck" qualification, you will complete a month-long training course at the Surface Warfare Officers School Command(SWOSCOM) Newport, Rhode Island. There you will be assigned a "wardroom" of other junior officers with diverse ship and billet assignments. By participating in seminars, exercises, and simulators you will learn from each other's experiences and broaden your SWO knowledge. Upon returning to your ship, you will be ready to complete your SWO qualifications and earn your Surface Warfare Officer Pin. </p>
<p>Surface Warfare officers are assigned 45 months of initial sea duty to an afloat command split into a 27 month and an 18 month tour. During the spring semester of their senior year, Midshipmen will have the opportunity to select one ship throughout the fleet for their initial division officer tour. Upon completion of his or her first tour, a Surface Warfare qualified officer will then choose and transfer to another ship for their second tour. </p>
<p>SWO Nuclear Power Training
Some SWOs choose to take on additional responsibility and train to be nuclear engineers on aircraft carriers. During their senior year of college, candidates for Surface Warfare Nuclear Propulsion Training must first go to Washington, D.C. and be personally interviewed by Admiral Bowman, the Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion. If accepted into the program, they will follow a similar path to all other SWO's, except that their second sea tour will be a 24 month division officer tour aboard a nuclear powered aircraft carrier. During the first tour aboard a conventional surface ship, they earn their Surface Warfare Qualification. After the initial sea tour, they attend the six month Naval Nuclear Power School in Charleston, SC. Nuclear Power School is an academic environment where students are instructed in math, physics, chemistry and theory of reactor plant design and operation. After Nuclear Power School, they receive hands-on experience for six months at the controls of an actual nuclear reactor at one of the two Nuclear Power Training Units (also known as Prototypes). Upon completion of Prototype, they go on to the 24 month division officer's tour in the engineering plant of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. </p>
<p>Assignments
SWOs do shore tours, usually lasting no more than two years, in-between their sea tours. For example, after your division officer tours you might have a staff job at the Pentagon or a Navy command, or serve as an instructor at SWOS, the Naval Academy, or a NROTC unit. If you perform well in your shore tours, you can expect to be promoted in your following sea tours and command a ship's department. In other words, you will command all of the divisions that fall under a particular category, such as engineering, combat systems, or operations. This tour lasts thirty-six months. Later, after another shore tour on a command's staff or at a military postgraduate school, you will serve as a ship's Executive Officer for three years. After the following shore tour and corresponding performance-based promotion, you will achieve the goal of all career SWOs: captain of your own ship! </p>
<p>Commitment
Your initial commitment after graduation from USNA as a SWO is five years. Nuclear SWOs, due to their extra training requirements, incur a six year commitment after commissioning or a 24 month CVN tour, whichever is longer. Acceptance of promotion to lieutenant commander or above incurs an additional service obligation for every promotion accepted.</p>
<p>Now any intel, Spec ops, Nuke(Sub) or other fields could post up. GA thanks for the catalog reference, I was hoping for something along the lines that Graddad did though from a personal aspect.</p>
<p>Does anybody know anything about a career track in the new RIVRON riverine units?</p>
<p>I think that would be an awesome billet for a junior officer.</p>
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<p>I think that would be an awesome billet for a junior officer.
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<p>You hit the nail on the head. Junior Officer. It would probably be the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding thing you could do as a JO. You are on the right track in being concerned about your career track as such. It could very possibly be detrimental to your career. </p>
<p>These special units can both stand-up and stand-down fairly easily based on necessity. This would probably place you back in the fleet unable to compete with your contemporaries. You would also have to forego valuable shore duty billets, necessary for subspecialties , in order to double up on operational billets required to remain competitive.</p>