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SWOS Takes Instruction to Sea During Joint Warrior 11-1

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110406-14
4/6/2011

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jamica Johnson, Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Surface Warfare Officers School (SWOS) staff members embarked with Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 24 and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) in support of Joint Warrior 11-1, March 24, to train junior officers while underway.

"My mission is three-fold: one - solicit from the fleet the effectiveness of the training that officers receive from SWOS; two - observe and participate in exercises to see if SWOS is on par with actual procedures and directives of the fleet; three - bring the classroom to the fleet," said Lt. Cmdr. Adam Goldberg, SWOS Undersea Warfare instructor.

Bringing SWOS instructors out of the classroom and on board ships provides junior officers another avenue to learn during their SWO training.

"I hope to be going up for my SWO board in the next six months," said Ensign Michael Cullen, USS Forrest Sherman junior officer. "I've been receiving most of my training from fellow junior officers while on watch, but I like the idea of having an instructor on board. The instructor has given numerous training sessions and they've all been informative and interactive."

The mission of SWOS, located in Newport, R.I., is to prepare officers to serve and ultimately command at sea through professional education and training.

Junior officers on board were thankful to have Goldberg's knowledge and expertise to help them better understand the SWO world.

"Lt. Cmdr. Goldberg is great," said Cullen. "He is a knowledgeable man that has a keen knack for presenting topics in a manner that keeps the audience's attention. I have received a better understanding of anti-submarine warfare, both our capabilities and the threats we face."

Goldberg said it is not just about training future SWOs, but the seasoned ones as well, because there is always something new to learn in the community.

"For those officers who have already attended SWOS, it will give them a refresher to what they already know," said Goldberg. "To those who will attend, it gives them an idea of what they can expect at SWOS when it comes to ship handling, tactics and administration."

In the end, the overall goal of taking SWOS instructors out of the classroom is to see firsthand the effectiveness of SWOS training in the Fleet, observe and participate in exercises to ensure SWOS procedures and directives are on par with the Fleet, and to maximize training opportunities in the Fleet.

Joint Warrior is a semi-annual 2nd Fleet exercise that encompasses multinational and multi-warfare exercises designed to improve interoperability between allied navies.