SAN DIEGO – Ensign Marcus Cronin, a native of Brigham City, Utah, was inspired to join the Navy by the legacy of the military.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
“I wanted to serve like the veterans in my community,” Cronin said.
Now, six months years later, Cronin has the opportunity to learn leadership at the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC), part of Surface Warfare Officers School San Diego.
“It’s a challenging learning environment,” said Cronin.
BDOC is an intensive, nine week course of instruction designed to provide foundational classroom training to prospective surface warfare officers.
Cronin credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Brigham City.
“I learned hard work from my family, my chuch and my teachers,” Cronin said. “My community is service-oriented both to the country and to others.”
Cronin, a 2012 graduate of Box Elder High School, is training to become a surface warfare officer.
“We fight and win battles on sea in ships,” said Cronin.
The course places emphasis on classroom instruction and Conning Officer Virtual Environment (COVE) simulators, which simulate every class of ship in the U.S. Navy and all their homeports, in addition to many routine ports of call around the world. COVE reinforces concepts in navigation, seamanship, and shiphandling. BDOC also provides instruction on maritime warfare, divisional officer fundamentals, engineering, leadership and damage control.
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.
There are many sacrifices and goals one must achieve to be selected as a surface warfare officer and Cronin is most proud of earning an officer commission.
“It’s being in the legacy of serving the country and knowing that you can do it,” said Cronin.
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.
A key element of the Navy the Nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, according to Navy officials, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
As Cronin and other surface warriors continue to train, they take pride serving their country in the United States Navy.
“Serving in the Navy means being able to see the world and assist other countries in defending freedom and supporrting democracy,” said Cronin.
Now, six months years later, Cronin has the opportunity to learn leadership at the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC), part of Surface Warfare Officers School San Diego.
“It’s a challenging learning environment,” said Cronin.
BDOC is an intensive, nine week course of instruction designed to provide foundational classroom training to prospective surface warfare officers.
Cronin credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Brigham City.
“I learned hard work from my family, my chuch and my teachers,” Cronin said. “My community is service-oriented both to the country and to others.”
Cronin, a 2012 graduate of Box Elder High School, is training to become a surface warfare officer.
“We fight and win battles on sea in ships,” said Cronin.
The course places emphasis on classroom instruction and Conning Officer Virtual Environment (COVE) simulators, which simulate every class of ship in the U.S. Navy and all their homeports, in addition to many routine ports of call around the world. COVE reinforces concepts in navigation, seamanship, and shiphandling. BDOC also provides instruction on maritime warfare, divisional officer fundamentals, engineering, leadership and damage control.
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.
There are many sacrifices and goals one must achieve to be selected as a surface warfare officer and Cronin is most proud of earning an officer commission.
“It’s being in the legacy of serving the country and knowing that you can do it,” said Cronin.
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.
A key element of the Navy the Nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, according to Navy officials, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
As Cronin and other surface warriors continue to train, they take pride serving their country in the United States Navy.
“Serving in the Navy means being able to see the world and assist other countries in defending freedom and supporrting democracy,” said Cronin.