Sailors aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66) work and study to earn their Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS) pin, but what does the ESWS pin signify?

"This program gives you a brief knowledge of everyone's job on the ship and gives you an overall understanding of the ship and it's capabilities and mission," said Operations Specialist 2nd Class Jeremy Ables, the assistant ESWS coordinator.

The program is a big part of mission readiness in the fleet. The information that the ESWS program encompasses equips Sailors with the basic knowledge about the ships they serve on to be successful during their naval careers.

"ESWS was always talked about on my first ship, USS Vicksburg, and my division pushed me and motivated me to get it. It was through the ESWS process that I realized and learned about the other Sailors jobs and what they do on a day-to-day basis. It is important for Sailors to know their ship's mission capabilities to be a better and more knowledgeable asset to the ship," said Ables.

Ables, from Brookhaven, Mississippi, joined the Navy in 2012 and quickly earned his ESWS pin aboard his first ship. Now, as the assistant ESWS coordinator aboard Hue City, Ables is on a mission to be able to fly the ESWS pennant before the end of the ship's deployment, which signifies that 100% of the crew aboard Hue City is warfare qualified.

"Immediately after getting the position, the ESWS coordinator and I came up with a plan to make the ESWS program better. With support of the first class petty officers, we have been diligently working on qualifying more people by the week," said Ables. "We've promoted ESWS training on the mess decks as well as motivating as many Sailors we can to obtain their qualification."

Ables said he is thankful for his division on his first ship who motivated him to earn his ESWS pin.

"They got me to where I needed to be for my qualification which is why I am so persistent in motivating Sailors to get their ESWS aboard Hue City," said Ables.

As a second class petty officer, Ables was not sure if he would qualify for the assistant ESWS coordinator position.

"The position came available and I immediately jumped on the chance. I didn't think I would get it because the position usually goes to a first class, but the CMC [command master chief] gave me the opportunity to be the assistant coordinator for Chief Durbin," he said.

For many, the program is time consuming and extremely difficult. A gauntlet of written and oral examinations, where Sailors must prove their knowledge to shipmates who have already qualified, looms between the individual and pin.

"The extra study time in the mess decks is definitely helping us Sailors, but Sailors also have to take their own initiative to take matters into their own hands and get their qualifications," said Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Sydni Lockhart. "I feel like the ESWS program is finally directed by the right people."

In accordance with NAVADMIN 268/10, the Navy mandates that all Sailors earn their primary warfare pin no later than 30 months after reporting aboard a warfare qualifying command.

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