Newly commissioned officers in the surface warfare officer (SWO) community have a number of qualifications to attain upon reporting to their first ship. If that ship is undergoing an extensive shipyard maintenance availability, what options exist to ensure qualifications are attained on time?

A pair of ensigns from guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) have cross-decked to guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) for nine weeks to receive some much needed experience and training.

"My executive officer recognized that with our ship being in the yards for the majority of my tour, it was going to be difficult to get us to become qualified SWOs in the allotted 18 months," said Ensign Joshua McDowell. "He reached out to the Mobile Bay to get us aboard for part of their deployment."

Conducting various operations at sea is a large part of the SWO qualification. Departing San Diego in January on Mobile Bay, part of the John C. Stennis Strike Group, McDowell and his counterpart, Ensign Steven Vitug, have received a wide variety of hands-on training related to deployed shipboard operations.

"Bunker Hill has been in the maintenance phase since I joined the crew," said McDowell. "I [have been] focusing primarily on learning about the administrative side of being an officer for my division. Once I got onboard Mobile Bay, it gave me an opportunity to not only conn the ship, but to see how the bridge watch team operates and also examine what the watchstanders in combat do."

Vitug reported to Bunker Hill immediately after commissioning, while the ship was deployed. He had a few months to learn on the job, but the maintenance phase has stalled his qualification process. Vitug said because Bunker Hill and Mobile Bay are the same platform, the duties and the missions are largely the same.

"Coming to Mobile Bay has been a great opportunity, the cross-platform operations are a forward-progression in my career," said Vitug. "I am surrounded by real-time situations, with great responsibility and being out to sea, I can get the most experience."

Since reporting, McDowell has been able to focus on his combat information center watch officer and officer of the deck underway qualifications without having the added pressure of managing a division.

"Getting experience underway is the biggest takeaway from this," said McDowell. "The crew on Mobile Bay has made this experience a lot of fun. From the food service assistants filling the mess decks with music while the crew eats, bingo nights, lip sync competitions, to the boatswain's mates having competitions to see who can play the boatswain's pipe the longest on the 1MC, it's obvious this crew not only knows how to have a good time, but also knows how to do their jobs very well."

The situation is mutually beneficial; the host ship has an increased number of under instruction watchstanders and the junior officers go back to their own ship as experienced watchstanders. The program has worked well for Mobile Bay and the ship plans to continue it in the future.

"I do recommend the cross-platform operations for other junior officers," said Vitug. "It's a more challenging route in the path to qualifying, but you can never turn down an opportunity to get some sea time. The experience cannot be replicated in training guides or simulators."

For more news on USS Mobile Bay and John C. Stennis Strike Group visit



For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element, visit http://www.navy.mil/.