Surface Warfare Officer; SWO

About

If you’re a Surface Warfare Officer (SWO), you have what it takes to lead by example. Maintain and operate the most advanced fleet of ships in the world—along with the crews that support them. Your team of Sailors will look to you for guidance, so you’ll need to become an expert on everything engineering to combat systems to
navigation. Communicate your mission and goals with your crew to ensure everything is smooth sailing. If you see yourself commanding a Naval ship as a Captain one day, this is the role that
will get you there.

Surface Warfare Officers (SWOs) are involved in virtually every aspect of Navy missions. As a SWO, you may be in charge of any number of shipboard operations and activities
while at sea, working with or within any of these specialized forces:

• Aircraft Carrier Forces:
  Provide and coordinate air, submarine and surface ship defense for aircraft carriers.
• Cruiser-Destroyer Forces:
  Provide ship attack and defensive measures with a wide array of missile and fire power capabilities, providing anti-air,
  -submarine
  and
  -surface warfare support.
• Amphibious Forces:
  Embark and transport vehicles, equipment and personnel for amphibious assault operations.
• Combat-Logistics Forces:
  Provide combatant ships with fuel, ammunition, food and supplies, and provide repair, maintenance and rescue capabilities through Fleet Support Ships.
• Mine Warfare Forces:
  Detect, identify and neutralize threats from hostile use of maritime mines.

You may also be interested in becoming a Surface Warfare Officer within the prestigious Navy Nuclear community where you will have the opportunity to work on some of the
world’s most powerful nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers.

As a Surface Warfare Officer, you will work at sea and on shore, in a variety of environments. Sea duty could place you aboard ships within the fleet. Shore duty may involve a tour of duty at the Pentagon, a student assignment at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey,, or command and management positions at shore bases and stations around the world.

A degree from a four‑year college or university is a minimum educational requirement to become a Commissioned Officer.

• There are different ways to become a SWO. If you're a high school student or an undergraduate, you can enter through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps
  (NROTC) or through the U.S. Naval Academy. Those already having a degree attend Officer Candidate School (OCS), a 12‑week Navy school in Newport, RI.
• All candidates must also be U.S. Citizens.
• General qualifications may vary depending on whether you’re currently serving, whether you’ve served before or whether you’ve never served before.

There are part-time opportunities available as a Surface Warfare Officer.