Countdown to SERVICE ASSIGNMENT

Devil Doc said:
I can't imagine any of your kids not excelling in anything they do. Everybody needs a leader. Everybody needs a role model. The term "deck plate leadership" was born on destroyers. I was on three of them. My third ship was an oiler. Lots of fun. Hard working. Hard partying. I deployed on amphibious ships. Gator freighters. Great experience. SWOs get a head start in their leadership education compared to new officers who go on to years of training before getting their first division. They are thrown immediately into the mix and their division Leading CPO will snuggle them up under their wing and keep them out of trouble while allowing the room for growth. The new SWO should latch onto the LPO who knows the sailors better than the Chief in many respects. The second class petty officer work center supervisor who was in boot camp when the new officer was in Plebe Summer is valuable beyond description. That E-5 knows the gear inside and out and is either about to get out or is all-in for a career and about to re-enlist. Soak up that kid's advice as much as anybody on the ship. The new SWO will be in the middle of getting PQS signed off, standing watches, and the mountain of paper work officers have to do. They should stop and smell the smells and talk to their sailors. Get to know them and actually give a darn about what they are saying. I miss those smells and the rumble of the ship's engines under my boondockers. This site and my son's adventures keep me engaged. It's a great life and one that most of us feel privileged to have led.
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@Devil Doc - I wanted this thread to go on for a few days so that the service assignments could be properly acknowledged and celebrated. But I did want to call out your fine advice to new SWO's.

Your advice for a new SWO applies to new Marine Officers as well. MWA (Management by walking around) is so important. Get to know your Marines and look out for their welfare. You will be their mother, father, chaplain, financial advisor, warden, bail bondsman, and a host of other unofficial supervisory roles. You can't do this job from behind a desk or sitting in an office. Seek to understand the "real fleet" vs the Basic School lesson plans and determine which standard should be the goal. Work with your SNCO's and NCO's - their experience and guidance is invaluable in flattening your learning curve and finding your way towards a respected unit leader.

Seek out the experience of your peers - they are also running into challenging situations every day. Comparing notes, laughing from your mistakes, and learning from others is a great way to increase your knowledge and toolbox.

If you are lucky, you may have an XO or other officer who can mentor you. Listen to them and heed their advice.

Continue your professional development. It doesn't stop with TBS. Seek to be the best professional you can be.

As @Devil Doc said: "It is a great life and one that most of us feel privileged to have led."
 
Management by walking around is great advise @USMCGrunt. I always liked the ”O” that showed interest and liked the ones that even pitched in once in a while even more. No one likes the seagull manger who flys in craps on everyone and leaves a mess to be cleaned up. At that point I’d rather they stayed in their office. Those guys not only mess up moral but made the job of the SNCOs and NCOs harder.

I once had a CO who noticed how hard we were working getting ready for a deployment. We hot seated pilots all day long and into the night when we got back after the last hop and finished post flight there was an old school styrofoam cooler with a big note on there that said ”beer for my maggots“ I‘ll never forget that. What ever those beers cost him he made it back ten fold after motivating us with his appreciation.
 
USMCGrunt said:
Your advice for a new SWO applies to new Marine Officers as well. MWA (Management by walking around) is so important.
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This is invaluable advice that I’m passing on to Marine-to-be DD.

After climbing the mountain, from plebe to firstie and then commission, new officers from SAs feel justifiably proud. But once on active duty, they’re at the bottom again. Having been there in the civilian world, I know that humble open-mindedness is the best way to learn and earn respect.
 
Looking at the final tally following Service Assignment, I believe the most impressive number is lack of attrition seen despite all that has transpired. June 28, 2018, in Alumni Hall, all of us Plebe parents were shown a slide showing the Class of 2022 Profile. Class Size: 1,199 U.S. +14 International students. Since the international students to do move into a service, I read this to mean 1,108 of those 1,199 stayed the course and did not give up. That is a loss of a mere 91 MIDN over the four years. Granted, there may have been some carryovers, etc.. but in my book that is a testament to their grit and the outstanding leadership on the Yard.
 
MidCakePa said:
This too caught my eye. I attended the same I-Day briefing as you and recall the Supe saying that the goal was to graduate at least 1000. They beat that goal by a lot.
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Considering how bad Covid was and the lockdown, isolation, stay at homes, St Johns, online learning either at home, sponsors, friends or Bancroft. Crap food. No family visits Limited liberty, masks, lack of eca’s, no rewards to minimize the suck. There had been rumor of so many dropping. And yet these numbers say they persevered. Notable to me the ability to maybe hate the suck while it’s happening, and gripe about it, but regroup, rechart their course and finish the race. Inspiring.
 
Attrition for my class was 135. 91 is not bad at all.

I think many had expected (and prepared for) a significant hit due to separations for general morale and issues like vaccination compliance, but it has been less than significant.

I'm guessing folks that said they would separate over whatever happened to make them upset that day ended up deciding not to die on that hill.
 
C/O 22 signed 2/7’s before MUCH of the weird ‘suckage’ occurred. They signed after returning from their extended stay at home/summer school. They signed before the year of in room learning that was last year…and before another summer of cancelled block that was last summer. And before the vax ‘sf’. So imo they were locked in (and couldn’t leave) before the really bad stuff hit.

IMO c/o ‘23 will be the truer measure of this wonky Covid overcoming. They had an added ‘suckage’ of loosing their PROTRAMID opportunity due to the change in year to after plebe summer. They experienced the worst of the worst, yet still had a choice to return and sign on the dotted line. ‘23 will be the better gauge of adapting and overcoming. They still had a choice, ‘22 didn’t. It will be most interesting to see their numbers for me!

*not a debate on anything, just an observation*
 
justdoit19 said:
C/O 22 signed 2/7’s before MUCH of the weird ‘suckage’ occurred. They signed after returning from their extended stay at home/summer school. They signed before the year of in room learning that was last year…and before another summer of cancelled block that was last summer. And before the vax ‘sf’. So imo they were locked in (and couldn’t leave) before the really bad stuff hit.

IMO c/o ‘23 will be the truer measure of this wonky Covid overcoming. They had an added ‘suckage’ of loosing their PROTRAMID opportunity due to the change in year to after plebe summer. They experienced the worst of the worst, yet still had a choice to return and sign on the dotted line. ‘23 will be the better gauge of adapting and overcoming. They still had a choice, ‘22 didn’t. It will be most interesting to see their numbers for me!

*not a debate on anything, just an observation*
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As I recall from Supe’s talk at 2C weekend in October, ‘23 was still over 1,000. That surprised me given what you discuss + the Physics 1 issue.
What is the typical attrition rate after 2-for-7?
 
ders_dad said:
As I recall from Supe’s talk at 2C weekend in October, ‘23 was still over 1,000. That surprised me given what you discuss + the Physics 1 issue.
What is the typical attrition rate after 2-for-7?
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That’s great news! Sounds like they, too, are grinding through 😤

(I don’t know ‘normal’ attrition)
 
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