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USS Stephen W. Groves Earns Silver Surface Warfare Excellence Pennant

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060913-09
Release Date: 9/13/2006 10:26:00 AM

From USS Stephen W. Groves Public Affairs

EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The crew of USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG 29) reached a major professional milestone when they were awarded the Silver Surface Warfare Excellence Pennant by Capt. Dave Robertson, commander, Destroyer Squadron 14 in early August.

Stephen W. Groves earned this award during the second half of a counter-narco terrorism operations deployment for U. S. Naval Forces Southern Command.

"Your dedication to both personal and professional development and surface warfare excellence is evident in your attainment of this milestone,” Robertson said.

This award signifies that every enlisted Sailor between the paygrades of E-5 to E-9, who has served on Stephen W. Groves for at least 18 months, has earned the coveted Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS) pin. ESWS designation signifies that a Sailor has achieved a level of excellence and proficiency in surface ships. The ESWS pin signifies that a Sailor is competent in his/her rate and has acquired an increased knowledge and understanding of warfighting, mission effectiveness, and command survivability.

Additionally, the ESWS designation signifies the Sailor has competently displayed general knowledge of Stephen W. Groves' overall mission, engineering plant capabilities, combat systems capabilities, basic deck seamanship and equipment, and other mission essential systems.

This achievement has been orchestrated by the Stephen W. Groves’ chief's mess, led by Command Master Chief (SW) Billy J. Hill.

“This program has been energized by the entire chain-of-command. Seventy Sailors have earned the coveted ESWS pin so far on this deployment, and we expect many more to qualify before our return home in October,” said Hill.

Command ESWS coordinators have kept busy with ESWS classes every night, and as many as four oral boards each week.

“The availability of training and support of the entire chain of command have made this program such a success,” said Hill. “Our Sailors have put a lot of effort into earning their ESWS pins, usually studying together, pushing each other to learn, quizzing each other. By making our Sailors more knowledgeable, this initiative has had a dramatic affect on the readiness of the ship.”

Though ESWS qualification isn’t required for E-4 and below Sailors, 46 of the 85 E-4 and below Sailors assigned to Stephen W. Groves have earned their pins so far, with many more closing in on the completion of their qualifications. Stephen W. Groves Sailors, such as Operations Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Gerald Turner, view it as a way to get ahead.

“I know how important it is for my career,” said Turner. “Besides improving a ship’s readiness, ESWS qualification is a must to be competitive for advancement.”

Homeported in Mayport, Fla., Stephen W. Groves is a Commander, Destroyer Squadron 14 ship. During the ship’s deployment, the crew is patrolling nearly 4 million square nautical miles of water in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, interdicting narco-terrorists vessels in support of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Southern Command and Joint Inter-Agency Task Force-South.