The top two community managers for the Navy's limited duty officer (LDO) and chief warrant officer (CWO) program visited Training Support Center (TSC) Great Lakes to speak with Sailors about the process for joining their ranks, April 21.

"The limited duty officer program and the chief warrant officer program are programs that are essential in the Navy," said Capt. John B. Vliet, TSC commanding officer. "Looking out five, 10, 15 years in the Navy, it's a way to create the future for the Navy and then also to be technically astute and display leadership qualities in today's 21st century Navy."

During the visit, Navy Personnel Command's (NPC) Cmdr. Bill Johnson, head LDO and CWO community manager, and Lt. Leo Peterson, assistant LDO and CWO community manager, spoke with LDO and CWO selects as well as Sailors interested in applying and their family members to explain the application process.
Peterson also told the Sailors his team is able to assist in the LDO and CWO application process, but stressed the need to find a local mentor to help guide the Sailors through their Navy career.

"It's a long, tedious process at times. We are here to try to ease the strain of that process by providing guidance and mentorship," he said.

LDOs and CWOs are able to offer unique insight in the wardroom. They are recruited straight from the enlisted ranks to put their wealth of technical knowledge to use.

"A lot of times LDOs and warrant officers are looked at for that sort of information because of what they've been through and the amount of time they've been doing the job," Peterson said.

Additional information about the LDO and CWO program and how to apply are available at the Navy Personnel Command website (http://www.public.navy.mil/BUPERS-NPC/OFFICER/COMMUNITYMANAGERS/LDO_CWO/Pages/IdentifyingCandidates.aspx).

For more news from Training Support Center, Great Lakes, visit www.navy.mil/.