SAN DIEGO – Ensign Adam Biethman, a native of Edwardsville, Illinois, was inspired to join the Navy by his family.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
“All the men in my family were in the service so I knew I wanted to do my part,” Beithman said. “I wanted to join the Navy because I knew it would give me the most opportunities in terms of travel, adventure and making an impact.”
Now, four years later, Biethman has the opportunity to learn leadership at the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC), part of Surface Warfare Officers School San Diego.
“The most exciting thing is you get to have experiences that nothing else could offer you in life,” Biethman said. “The opportunities are unbelieveable.”
BDOC is an intensive, nine week course of instruction designed to provide foundational classroom training to prospective surface warfare officers.
Biethman credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Edwardsville.
“Growing up in a smaller town I learned how to work hard,” Beithman said. “I had summer jobs growing up and played sports and it instilled in me a work ethic.”
Biethman, a 2015 graduate of Edwardsville High School, is training to become a surface warfare officer.
“My job is to lead sailors, take care of maintenance and operate ships,” said Biethman.
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 Biethman is most proud of being selected as Montor Leadership Scholar at the Naval Academy through the Stockdale Center.
“It was recognition from my peers and my supervisors that I was going above and beyond and inspiring the people I was working with,” said Biethman.
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 Biethman and other surface warriors continue to train, they take pride serving their country in the United States Navy.
“It's the hardest and most rewarding job I could have ever imagined,” said Biethman
Now, four years later, Biethman has the opportunity to learn leadership at the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC), part of Surface Warfare Officers School San Diego.
“The most exciting thing is you get to have experiences that nothing else could offer you in life,” Biethman said. “The opportunities are unbelieveable.”
BDOC is an intensive, nine week course of instruction designed to provide foundational classroom training to prospective surface warfare officers.
Biethman credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Edwardsville.
“Growing up in a smaller town I learned how to work hard,” Beithman said. “I had summer jobs growing up and played sports and it instilled in me a work ethic.”
Biethman, a 2015 graduate of Edwardsville High School, is training to become a surface warfare officer.
“My job is to lead sailors, take care of maintenance and operate ships,” said Biethman.
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 Biethman is most proud of being selected as Montor Leadership Scholar at the Naval Academy through the Stockdale Center.
“It was recognition from my peers and my supervisors that I was going above and beyond and inspiring the people I was working with,” said Biethman.
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 Biethman and other surface warriors continue to train, they take pride serving their country in the United States Navy.
“It's the hardest and most rewarding job I could have ever imagined,” said Biethman