Upon graduating from the US Naval Academy, officers are commissioned into one of 10 career fields. Those fields are (1) Surface Warfare (SWO) the most common, (2) Submarine Warfare, (3) Naval Aviation, (4) Marine Corps, (5) Special Warfare (Seals), (6) Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD), (7) Cyber Warfare, (8) Supply Corps, (9) Civil Engineering Corps (CEC), (10) Medical Corps (Limited Direct Commissioning Post-Graduation).
And why did I investigate this? When the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier recently collided with a merchant vessel just outside the Suez Canal, I noted that the Captain (Commanding Officer) of the carrier was not from the Surface Warfare group but from the Naval Aviation group. Evidently, it is a tradition that aircraft carriers (unlike any other surface ship) are commanded by an aviator. What do you think about that?
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Appreciate the blog topic today, Pat. Service selection night is one of the most exciting, anxiety filled nights of a Mid's four years at USNA. Will you get a shot to do what you've been working so hard for and dreaming about doing post-commissioning? Re: aviator's captaining the carriers...as you say, it's been that way for as long as I've known. Important for the aircraft and the pilots that someone who understands their priorities is ultimately overseeing operations. However, it's still the SWO's doing the actual navigating and ensuring the safe movement around the clock. Disappointing whenever there is a mishap, like this one near the Suez.”
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