As the year comes to a close it can be fun to look back, and reflect, on the many changes, events, successes of Surface Warfare Officers School Unit (SWOSU) Great Lakes during 2018. 

The students and staff of the command have created a year that was memorable in many ways; too many to include in a single article.

SWOSU Great Lakes bid farewell and following seas to Lt. Cmdr. Andre Cleveland as Lt. Megan Leis to over as executive officer.

Jenni DeNicola was appointed by Cmdr. Terrance Patterson, commanding officer of SWOSU Great Lakes, as the new ombudsman.

Sixteen SWOSU Sailors were pinned chief petty officers (CPOs) at Ross Theatre and 11 staff advanced to the rank of first class petty officer.

This year saw a number of foreign and domestic visits letting SWOSU Great Lakes show and share successes in getting Sailors ready for the Fleet.

Visits included Mr. Kirk Harris, Special Assistant, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense with direct assignment to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Education and Training; Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer, commander of U.S. 7th Fleet, and 7th Fleet Command Master Chief Benjamin Howat; Seven Royal Saudi Naval Force (RNSF); Twenty senior foreign students from Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA) Foreign Students; and Congressional aides and members of the Federal Executive Board.

SWOSU’s hull maintenance technician (HT) staff and students gathered at their "A" school building to honor the Navy rating established in 1972, although the work they do has existed since the first ship took to water.

The command held the graduation ceremony for Sailors who completed the Surface Ship Electronics Advance Maintenance Course (SSEAMC) “C” School following an update in the curriculum at Electricians Mate (EM) School House.

The course was revised to include new partial task trainers, virtual training delivery, updated and or replaced technical training equipment and a number of new systems.  All intended to produce a highly skilled electrical technician, capable of transferring the new skills learned to a wide array of shipboard systems in fleet. 

The command hosted a Nondestructive Testing (NDT) working group to review processes as they apply to Navy ships.

In addition to SWOSU Great Lakes Staff, personnel from Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Shipyards, Regional Maintenance Centers, Supervisors of Shipbuilding, Contractors who apply NAVSEA specified NDT, Type Commanders/Fleet Activities, and Defense Contract Management Agency were present to share ideas, information, successes, best practices, and failures.

NDT is the Method of inspecting welds and materials without harming the product so the quality is built into the product from the beginning is not destroyed.

SWOSU Great Lakes hosted its annual Board of Visitors (BoV) with a specific focus on material readiness and engineering training. Key topics for discussion included journeyman electrical maintenance training, Machinist Mate's auxiliary system technician pipeline, LCS Engineering systems maintenance training, along with various community issues.

The SWOS BoV is a recurring forum designed to review SWOS curricula and ensure training wholeness and effectiveness, and to maintain alignment with the vision of Navy Surface Warfare leadership.

Sailors continue volunteering their time in the local community improving lives outside of the command.

The Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) Great Lakes held a ribbon cutting at Naval Station Great Lakes Thrift Shop, following rehabilitation with support from command staff. Volunteers ripped up carpet from the floor and placed items in boxes, moving all the items into the only room that was not damaged after a flood.

Sailors from SWOSU Great Lakes are fixtures in Neal Math and Science Academy spending time students assisting in any way they could including in the Sea Perch program. Sea Perch is an underwater robotics program that helps students have a deeper understanding of the design and engineering process.

Staff were also found making a difference volunteering at Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center Women’s Veteran Clinic and cleaning the beach area at North Chicago’s Foss Park.

The past year’s review, along with previous ones, is impressive. SWOSU Great Lakes has created a long annual tradition of successes proving that the command can look forward to great accomplishments in training, volunteerism and continued support with the surrounding community.

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