Photo by Dusty Good
NEWPORT, R.I. – Chief Petty Officer Donald Ganes applied the lessons learned from Columbia, South Carolina to become one of the most elite surface warriors.
Those lessons, along with training and application learned during Ganes’s 19 years of naval service, turned into an opportunity to teach the most innovative tactics of surface warfare at Surface Warfare Officers School, located in Newport, Rhode Island.
“My favorite part of teaching here is that I get to interact with officers from different nations around the globe,” said Ganes. "It's rewarding to learn from their experiences."
Considered one of the Navy’s greatest assets, the instructors of Surface Warfare Officers School train and mentor the students who will use what they learn to lead sailors at sea. The 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.”
Ganes is a 1998 graduate of Airport High School.
There are many sacrifices and goals one must achieve to be selected as an instructor, and Ganes is most proud of having a positive impact on other sailors during his 19-year navy career.
“Doing something unselfish for the greater good is very rewarding,” said Ganes. "Having a positive impact through others is important to me."
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.
Ganes is continuing a family tradition of military service.
“My father, mother and two brothers all served in the military,” said Ganes. "It's a family business."
As Ganes and other instructors train future surface warriors, they take pride in what it means to serve their country in the United States Navy.
“The military offers personal growth and opportunities for education and learning on the job,” said Ganes. "By being a leader, I get to experience a lot of different skillsets that exceed what I can do myself."