Plebe experience at USMMA

Showing my Army roots but does SWO = Special Warfare Officer or Surface Warfare Officer?
Surface Warfare Officer, the classic warfare community serving on a surface ship, as opposed to submarine warfare officer, aviation warfare, etc.

Add to your joint vocabulary by knowing SWOs are often referred to as “shoes” or “blackshoes.” For decades, surface warfare officers wore black shoes, aviators brown shoes, with the khaki uniform. Funnily enough, some years ago, they edited Uniform Regulations to allow a choice, theoretically to achieve supply chain savings. SWOs continued to wear black, aviators brown, for the most part. “Shoe” is used in the same gentle teasing context as “jet jockey,” “rotor head,” “bubblehead,” etc.
 
Ok...gotcha. In that case, in a previous post I meant NSW is a sexy choice. I've been wet and sandy...not fun. But that's on him.
 
Ok...gotcha. In that case, in a previous post I meant NSW is a sexy choice. I've been wet and sandy...not fun. But that's on him.
It’s not often SWOs get confused with NSW types. I fondly recall an episode, in an O’ Club bar naturally, where a group of SWOs were clustered, and a lone SEAL (well, I was his +1) were among the convivial mix. SWO guy says to SEAL, “hey, I heard you guys know how to kill someone 30 different ways.” SEAL, deadpan, “pick a number.”
 
One of my cool(er) SWO memories is deploying with SEALs aboard my Amphib and getting a chance to work out with
the SEAL O's on the regular.
 
It’s not often SWOs get confused with NSW types. I fondly recall an episode, in an O’ Club bar naturally, where a group of SWOs were clustered, and a lone SEAL (well, I was his +1) were among the convivial mix. SWO guy says to SEAL, “hey, I heard you guys know how to kill someone 30 different ways.” SEAL, deadpan, “pick a number.”
Perfect!
 
How did this SWO conversation get this far without mentioning the newly authorized sweet SWO black leather jacket?
 
How did this SWO conversation get this far without mentioning the newly authorized sweet SWO black leather jacket?
And here it is:

My big question, is it warm? And is there a suitably cut version for women?
DH loved his I’ve-flown-there brown leather flight jacket with patches in that style but secretly confessed his green one was insulated and a lot warmer.
I loved my woolly-pully sweater with shoulderboards, the one that was actual wool and not instant-pill acrylic. And my officer reefer, which quite handily keeps your butt warm and has that big collar to turn up against the wind. After I retired, I took the officer gold buttons off and replaced them with plain ones, except for one officer button hidden away, out of sight, under the collar. I still wear it on cold windy days. It oozes salt.
 
And here it is:

My big question, is it warm? And is there a suitably cut version for women?
DH loved his I’ve-flown-there brown leather flight jacket with patches in that style but secretly confessed his green one was insulated and a lot warmer.
I loved my woolly-pully sweater with shoulderboards, the one that was actual wool and not instant-pill acrylic. And my officer reefer, which quite handily keeps your butt warm and has that big collar to turn up against the wind. After I retired, I took the officer gold buttons off and replaced them with plain ones, except for one officer button hidden away, out of sight, under the collar. I still wear it on cold windy days. It oozes salt.
As the child of a long serving flight crew chief, I have owned flight jackets since the age of 10 and always enjoyed them. I wore mine with proper name patch w/SWO insignia at sea for a long time. Eventually, I ended up on a fleet battle staff aboard the LCC and watches were COLD. Just about everyone who could get one had one of the green nomex jackets and when I borrowed one for a try run was hooked. As soon as I could I called my (by then) retired father for procurement assistance and although I had to endure a bit of "why would you wear THAT" from him, he did come through and the next time I went to sea I had a green jacket with multiple ship patches as my watchstanding attire. Now, I rarely wear either of them but I definitely wear the green more often than the leather.

The new black SWO jacket looks nice and I expect it will be as comfortable as the brown aviation jacket.
 
How did this SWO conversation get this far without mentioning the newly authorized sweet SWO black leather jacket?
I considered this as part of "Only SWOs think SWOs are cool and sexy". Only SWOs think the new jacket is cool.
 
I considered this as part of "Only SWOs think SWOs are cool and sexy". Only SWOs think the new jacket is cool.
Actually, most do not think so. The community seems to have very mixed opinions about it.
 
The AD SWOs I’ve talked to from 0-3 to 0-6 are more of the “🙄 There are bigger issues to fix, and I really don’t want to spend money on a new uni item.”
 
So SWO's are going to wear AF A-2 jackets?

Hmm...

Steve
 
As the child of a long serving flight crew chief, I have owned flight jackets since the age of 10 and always enjoyed them. I wore mine with proper name patch w/SWO insignia at sea for a long time. Eventually, I ended up on a fleet battle staff aboard the LCC and watches were COLD. Just about everyone who could get one had one of the green nomex jackets and when I borrowed one for a try run was hooked. As soon as I could I called my (by then) retired father for procurement assistance and although I had to endure a bit of "why would you wear THAT" from him, he did come through and the next time I went to sea I had a green jacket with multiple ship patches as my watchstanding attire. Now, I rarely wear either of them but I definitely wear the green more often than the leather.

The new black SWO jacket looks nice and I expect it will be as comfortable as the brown aviation jacket.

For those of us with no background, would someone please provide a photo reference of said ‘green jacket’ for comparison? My Army Brat self goes to a version seen in Army life and I do not think it’s the same...
 
For those of us with no background, would someone please provide a photo reference of said ‘green jacket’ for comparison? My Army Brat self goes to a version seen in Army life and I do not think it’s the same...
It is actually also issued by the other services. Typically, Navy would have more patches incl front back and arms.

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