Charleston Native Trains as a U.S. Navy Surface Warrior

By Alvin Plexico, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Dusty Good

NEWPORT, R.I. – Lt. Eric Clark applied the lessons learned from Charleston, South Carolina, to become one of the most elite surface warriors.

“You have to take care of everybody, no matter who they are or where they come from,” said Clark. "I lost my parents when I was young, and I had a lot of help along the way. Without my foster parents, teachers and coaches I wouldn't be where I am today."

Those lessons turned into an opportunity to learn leadership and the most innovative tactics of surface warfare at Surface Warfare Officers School, located in Newport, Rhode Island.

“I would like to continue my career as a surface warfare officer to take our fight to the seas in defense of our country,” said Clark.

Considered one of the Navy’s greatest assets, surface warfare officers must first train and be mentored at Surface Warfare Officer School. These students must pass a rigorous course structure in order to serve as surface warfare officers.

The mission of Surface Warfare Officers School is to ready sea-bound warriors to serve on surface combatants as officers, enlisted engineers, and enlisted navigation professionals to fulfill the Navy's mission maintaining global maritime superiority.

Once service members finish training they are deployed around the world putting their skill set to work aboard Navy ships, such as aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, amphibious warfare ships, mine warfare ships and littoral combat ships.

“At Surface Warfare Officers School, we are committed to training, developing and inspiring our Navy’s surface warfare officers,” said Capt. Scott Robertson, SWOS commanding officer. “Our graduates leave our courses ethically, intellectually, professionally and physically prepared to deliver professional leadership on every surface vessel in the fleet.”

Clark is a 2006 graduate of R.B. Stall High School and a 2010 graduate of The Citadel.

There are many sacrifices and goals one must achieve to be selected as a surface warfare officer and Clark is most proud of earning his surface warfare qualification as well as serving as a Naval ROTC instructor at Maine Maritime Academy.

“Earning my surface warfare qualification was one of the hardest things I've accomplished in my life,” said Clark. "It required overcoming a lot, mentally. Teaching students was also a challenge because I felt an obligation to help them get the support they needed to succeed."

The future of surface warfare is rapidly changing, so the course and materials at Surface Warfare Officer School are constantly evolving to create the most dynamic, lethal, safe and professional warfighting team for the Navy the nation needs.

“It is critical that students report to the fleet with the academic baseline required to perform as warfighters in today’s maritime environment,” said Lt. Matt Gallagher, the command’s public affairs officer. “SWOS training is at the epicenter of professional development for surface warfare officers throughout their careers.”

Surface warfare has been a part of world history for more than 3,000 years, and the United States has its stamp on that history with actions ranging from the American Revolution to modern day operations at sea around the world.

Clark is continuing a family tradition of military service.

“My birth mother was a Navy nurse and my birth father was an Air Force pilot,” said Clark. "My adopted father was a career Air Force firefighter who retired as a senior master sergeant.”

As Clark and other surface warriors continue to train, they take pride serving their country in the United States Navy.

“Putting your own personal drive and desires to contribute to a larger team is very rewarding,” said Clark.