What are the options for a Navy SWO that gets non-attained?

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel - You're correct, I addressed some of your comments above.

CPT Lawrence Cable - There are separate enlisted and officer qualifications that cover somewhat different areas. Officers with a trainee designator have a certain time limit to complete a qualification path unless there are extenuating circumstances. The ENS is designated as a surface warfare trainee. When/if he finishes all his qualifications he will be a Surface Warfare Officer. The enlisted version is Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist.

LT (Join to see) - Yes, I understand that part, although I just barely understand Naval Officer career progression. On both the Officer and NCO side in the Army, career progression is dictated by formal schools and duty positions and it seems that most of that training is OJT in the Navy.

It is a combination of OJT and schools, some positions require a formal school before you start it, and certain watch standing qualifications have a school as well, but yes most training is OJT including most seamanship training. Unfortunately this is not necessarily for the best and naval ship handlers have a certain reputation among both merchant mariners and the two other sea services.

Been there, got lucky and got a new CO, NAV plead my case, 7 days later had an OOD board . . . 8 months is a significant amount of time.

How much actual time at sea have you had? Is your ship deploying between now and then? How many OOD murder boards? Unlike an aviator you will not get a chance to re-designate, you will be out of the Navy. What about SWO engineering and starting EOOW?

Technically you have up to 24 mos to qualify, if your CO writes a letter to SWOS on your behalf. Failing out will not help you get an inter-service transfer . . .join the VBSS team if you want some more "tactical duties" but focus on becoming the most motivated up and coming OOD on the ship, volunteer for special details, etc. If you think you know your stuff and just need a board, start pushing for one . . .be a complete pest in pushing at lest for a murder board with the DH's, but make sure you know COLREGS inside and out first.

Lateral transfer usually doesn't happen until after you make LT and as I said before failing at the duties you are given will not help you get an inter-service transfer. Having everything except SWO and OOD completed in 10 mos. hardly makes you sound unmotivated, this sounds more like a personality issue or the CO being butt hurt because you are not interested in his chosen career.

We're actually currently deployed, I have about 8-9 months of sea time. I had one OOD murder board and two OOD boards, the first one went pretty well, the second one did not. In both cases my personality differences, desire to be a SWO, and attitude came into play. I did make mistakes, and I did have a negative attitude at certain points. It's not a question of my aptitude or ability...it's purely personality. I'm trying to change his and the XOs mind..but it's an uphill battle.

Unfortunately that is a tough nut to crack. The CO's signature on your OOD letter is a personal endorsement of your ability as a mariner and a symbol of trusting you with his career and the lives of everyone on board. If for whatever reason he does not trust your judgement it can be neigh impossible to change his opinion. Since you are deployed this may not be an option but if he is dead set on not qualifying you, you could ask if there is a possibility for going to a different ship. After your boards were you given any feed back for areas of improvement? Make sure you know your stuff inside and out before you request another board. One murder board question I had (the NAV was trying to prove a point to the XO) was "How many navigational stars are there?", "Name them." "Name two you would expect to see from our current position." "Walk me through the process of taking a cel fix." Try to get assigned as OOD U/I rather than JOOD or CONN with an OOD you get along with and let leadership see you taking the deck and how you handle things. One of the things that helped me the XO, NAV, and CHENG pointing out that I had been standing the watch in all but name for months. Take your DIVO job and excel at it, learn everything your division does, same with CICWO or whichever combat watches apply to a first tour on your ship. Try to demonstrate your ability to juggle multiple balls at once and think on your feet . . . especially on watch. I wish you the best, this is not an easy place to be.