Ship Selection 2023

Color Codes
  • Yellow - SWO Option
  • Red - SWO Nuclear Only - Go SWO first, then go to Nuclear Power school
  • White with Red Lettering - SWO Nuke Available
  • Green - Engineering Duty Officer (EDO)
  • White with Green Lettering - EDO Available
  • White with Blue Lettering - SWO
  • Blue with White Lettering - Blue Chips - Reserved spot for those who performed exceptionally on summer cruise and were offered a spot on a ship by a Commanding Officer
 
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posted at the same time as Navy Hoops. A visual!
 
@justme I didn’t know the answer so I asked my son and this is what he text me:

SWO option is for people who went SWO intel/crypto/METOC

They get their SWO pin and then immediately laterally transfer into the second community
 
Heatherg21 said:
@justme I didn’t know the answer so I asked my son and this is what he text me:

SWO option is for people who went SWO intel/crypto/METOC

They get their SWO pin and then immediately laterally transfer into the second community
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Thanks. That ended up being my logical assumption... maybe this stuff is starting to sink in.
 
Wonder why no walk up music this year?
 
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I love this event! I believe it’s a perfect embodiment of the USNA experience and the reward that awaits. I wonder if the mids consider ship selection as the moment when they actually “become” SWOs.

I say that because DD, who went Marines, made an interesting comment recently. She said many of her USNA shipmates who went USMC consider TBS graduation as the day they “really became” Marines.

To paraphrase: We were mids, and then on graduation day we put on a Marine uniform and took an oath. But that was it. Meanwhile, those who came through OCS went through a whole ordeal and then had a big ceremony to mark its completion and then officially became Marines.

So she’s really looking forward to TBS graduation. Partly because it means TBS is over. Partly because it will truly mark her transformation to Marine. And again, I wonder if the analogous moment for SWOs is ship selection.
 
My oldest stated that he really felt like a SWO, when he was done with his two additional schoolings, and then boots on his ship. A couple weeks now!

I think this night is monumental, but a step along the way to a REAL SWO.
 
MidCakePa said:
I love this event! I believe it’s a perfect embodiment of the USNA experience and the reward that awaits. I wonder if the mids consider ship selection as the moment when they actually “become” SWOs.

I say that because DD, who went Marines, made an interesting comment recently. She said many of her USNA shipmates who went USMC consider TBS graduation as the day they “really became” Marines.

To paraphrase: We were mids, and then on graduation day we put on a Marine uniform and took an oath. But that was it. Meanwhile, those who came through OCS went through a whole ordeal and then had a big ceremony to mark its completion and then officially became Marines.

So she’s really looking forward to TBS graduation. Partly because it means TBS is over. Partly because it will truly mark her transformation to Marine. And again, I wonder if the analogous moment for SWOs is ship selection.
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It’s a well-known fact at TBS every drop of Navy blood is drained from them.
 
Is Hampton Roads, the same as Norfolk? That’s different than prior years??
 
MidCakePa said:
I love this event! I believe it’s a perfect embodiment of the USNA experience and the reward that awaits. I wonder if the mids consider ship selection as the moment when they actually “become” SWOs.
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If you talk to SWOs AFTER they've served a full tour or two aboard ship, I venture that most would either choose, when they stood their first "Full" (not Under Instruction) watch as OOD Underway or when they actually completed their SWO Qualification.
 
OldRetSWO said:
If you talk to SWOs AFTER they've served a full tour or two aboard ship, I venture that most would either choose, when they stood their first "Full" (not Under Instruction) watch as OOD Underway or when they actually completed their SWO Qualification.
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Agree with this assessment. I would pinpoint it further to getting that SWO qual signed off and looking down to see the SWO pin on their chest. Their officer designator changes from 1160 (Unrestricted Line Officer in Training for Surface Warfare) to 1110 (Qualified Surface Warfare Officer), the same as any 4-star SWO admiral. The training wheels are off.

Of course, that just means there are more quals ahead to get to the coveted command at sea qual.
 
Capt MJ said:
Agree with this assessment. I would pinpoint it further to getting that SWO qual signed off and looking down to see the SWO pin on their chest. Their officer designator changes from 1160 (Unrestricted Line Officer in Training for Surface Warfare) to 1110 (Qualified Surface Warfare Officer), the same as any 4-star SWO admiral. The training wheels are off.

Of course, that just means there are more quals ahead to get to the coveted command at sea qual.
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I took the inquiry to mean, when they feel like they are no longer USNA/students. And are big Navy member. That moment wasn’t ship selection, but rather after he reported to his ship. That is how I took the prompt. I may have misunderstood. Just last night my new JO sent an excited text (lots of !!!! 😂) that he ‘saved the taxpayers half a million dollars’ by finding a part that wasn’t needed anymore and cancelled the order. It has hit, that he is doing something real now, vs studying/learning as a student. And it’s exciting and interesting.

The other thing he texted was ’wow, that was a year ago already??!!?’ when I told him I was watching ship selection. Another ‘ahaa’ moment for him.…how fast time goes, at least for now.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
My son said that the first to choose Japan got a katana??? :eek2:
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"Hai-Ya!" - Miss Piggy

Yes, members of the Spanish and Japanese Navy were on-hand to present the first pick in Rota/ various ports in Japan (Sasebo et al) a sword. Examples posted- had to lower resolution to meet size criteria on most.

classy move to blue-chip the midshipmen who are returning to their home country navy.

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Do the mids pick the ships based on the location, or the class of ship? I would imagine most mids would have location as a priority for this first tour.
 
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