I should probably start out by stating what I think should already be obvious…but then again a little CYA never hurt anybody:
Everything contained in this post – and within my entire blog for that matter – does not reflect the opinions, official position or policies of the Department of Defense, the United States Navy, or the Olmsted Foundation. The opinions are strictly mine alone – so please don’t fire me or cite me as a mouthpiece of any official institution that currently keeps me fed and watered.
Thanks, Shipmate.
Top SWO: “We’ll come to all stop….they’ll float right by.”
“Hey XO, what’s the warfare device on that officer’s uniform?” – Young blue shirt “That there’s a ‘Never Been To Sea’ Pin.” – Anonymous XO afloat
So while alone and unafraid in West Africa, I have not done a very good job at keeping abreast of the happenings within my community of naval professionals. Indeed, the closest I usually get to hearing about the latest and greatest comes while shopping online via Skype with my best friend, an ashore XO (Executive Officer) stationed in Japan.
Her: “You know we have to wear the new warfare pin above our SWO pin, right?”
Me: “No way! I actually had to earn that SWO pin! Maybe you’ll do that since you’re an XO, but I think that’s just ridiculous. Hey, what do you think of these shoes?” (insert shopping link here)
One of these two keeps the other very military…
Out of a uniform for over a year, I have been blissfully ignorant of the changes afoot in my employer’s world. Until this morning. Today that interest was violently reinvigorated when I woke up to an e-mail from an old friend and shipmate:
“Have you been following the fun news about the Information Dominance Warfare Corps? Make sure you complete your grandfather qual before the due date so you don’t have to do the whole PQS [personal qualification standards] thing.”
Behold the new Information Dominance Warfare Pins. A mandatory addition to my increasingly-shiny uniform shirt, and it comes free with a book full of signature lines if you miss the exemption deadline…
PQS?! Exemption deadline? AwwCrap!
I apologize to those readers who know nothing about PQS books and the hoops that we sailors jump through to earn our warfare badges. Just know that each pin (worn on your uniform) takes a varying degree of legwork (and brainpower) to earn. For me the SWO pin PQS process was more than sufficient in testing my ability to collect signatures; I certainly don’t desire to go through a similar process to earn another warfare badge.
And another thing, I initially scorned this new warfare pin. To me it reeked of the modern “everybody gets a trophy” line of thinking that only cheapens the original warfare pins. I mean, I suffered like every good SWO junior officer to earn my pin (and who doesn’t enjoy being systematically upbraided by their commanding officer while standing watch as Officer of the Deck?). Certainly no Information Dominance pin was every going to be equal to what one goes through to earn a SWO pin…
Then I went to brush my teeth, take a shower, and get ready for my day. The more I thought about it, the more I picked apart this groundlessly arrogant line of thinking.
Most of the people on this list never had SWO pins. Does that mean they were lesser sailors? I think not.
Let’s not even discuss the fact that the SWO pin is a relative newcomer in the naval tradition. The bigger reality that I was ignoring is that no warfare pin is a visual indicator of one’s superiority as a sailor (but SEALs, I do have much love for you guys).
I have served with countless “information dominance professionals” who outworked many surface warfare qualified sailors- and they did it without any hardware on their chest. When I left the SWO community, I got a certain amount of flak for joining the “restricted” line of “intel weenies” that promised a cushier life in a cubicle. Well, if you know anything about the current state of global affairs, you know that this is not the case. ALL of us are out on the ground (yes, not just at sea) and we are doing jobs and executing tasking that merit much appreciation. We’re one team, and there is no reason whatsoever that a hardworking community such as my own should not be recognized for their accomplishment with a pin.
So I still welcome you to send me hate mail for my talking smack about these new community initiatives. Just realize that in no way do I think I am the best naval officer, or am somehow superior to you because I went through one (okay two) SWO boards. I’m proud of my SWO service, but I am equally proud of my years in my current community. I even placed an order online this morning to get the new (and back ordered) pin- because there is still no way in Hell that I am going to complete another round of PQS quals.
…while the other influences both to be a little less military.
