Surface Warfare Officer
The Surface Warfare Officer Insignia is the first milestone qualification an eligible commissioned officer may receive in surface warfare. This device is commonly called the "SWO Pin" in the U.S. Navy since "badge" is more of a European rather than American term for metal military insignia, and, jokingly, "water wings." Those receiving the Surface Warfare Officer Pin must qualify as an unrestricted line Surface Warfare Officer and must hold certifications as Officer of the Deck (both underway and inport), Small Boat Officer, Combat Information Center Watch Officer, and must be trained in shipboard engineering, damage control and quality maintenance (3M), and attend Surface Warfare Officers' School (SWOS) in Newport, Rhode Island. The Surface Warfare Officer Badge is typically a prerequisite for Tactical Action Officer (TAO) training and is the basis for screen for operational command of a warship and award of the Command-at-Sea Pin.
Junior officers, typically ensigns, assigned to the Surface Warfare community are known as “unqualified” or "non-quals" until they receive qualification as a Surface Warfare Officer and receive the Surface Warfare Officer Badge. Such junior officers are granted 18 months to qualify Surface Warfare and may be transferred to a different branch of the Navy or separated from the Navy administratively if qualification is not obtained in the required amount of time. Such officers are known as “SWO non-attainees” with this designation entered into their permanent military records.
The Surface Warfare Officer Pin was designed to depict the traditional and typical elements of Naval service: waves breaking before the bow of a ship, overlaid on crossed swords, rendered in gold. The insignia recognizing Surface Warfare Officers was introduced in 1975.
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