SAN DIEGO – Ensign Mary Morocco, a native of Marcellus, New York, was inspired to join the Navy by her parents.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
“My parents were in the Navy and it gave me the desire to serve and be involved in an organization that does so much good in the country,” Morocco said.
Now, four years later, Morocco has the opportunity to learn leadership at the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC), part of Surface Warfare Officers School San Diego.
“I'm looking forward to working with sailors for the first time and being part of a commmand that will be forward deployed,” said Morocco.
BDOC is an intensive, nine week course of instruction designed to provide foundational classroom training to prospective surface warfare officers.
Morocco credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Marcellus.
“I learned the importance of taking care of the people around you and desiring the best for them and working hard to achieve your goals,” Morocco said. “Nothing is ever handed to you. You have to work hard to get to where you want to be.”
Morocco, a 2015 graduate of Manlius Pebble Hill School, is training to become a surface warfare officer.
“I will be leading sailors who will be maintaining electrical equipment onboard an aircraft carrier,” said Morocco.
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 Morocco is most proud of being selected as a SWO-METOC option.
Now, four years later, Morocco has the opportunity to learn leadership at the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC), part of Surface Warfare Officers School San Diego.
“I'm looking forward to working with sailors for the first time and being part of a commmand that will be forward deployed,” said Morocco.
BDOC is an intensive, nine week course of instruction designed to provide foundational classroom training to prospective surface warfare officers.
Morocco credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Marcellus.
“I learned the importance of taking care of the people around you and desiring the best for them and working hard to achieve your goals,” Morocco said. “Nothing is ever handed to you. You have to work hard to get to where you want to be.”
Morocco, a 2015 graduate of Manlius Pebble Hill School, is training to become a surface warfare officer.
“I will be leading sailors who will be maintaining electrical equipment onboard an aircraft carrier,” said Morocco.
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 Morocco is most proud of being selected as a SWO-METOC option.
“This means I'll transfer laterally from SWO over to the meteorology and oceanography field once I get my SWO qualification,” Morocco said. “It's something I feel very passionate about. I'm really excited to be able to work in an area I feel very strongly about.”
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.”
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 Morocco and other surface warriors continue to train, they take pride serving their country in the United States Navy.
“Serving in the Navy means an opportunity to give back to my country and protect and take care of the people I love,” Morocco said. “It means an opportunity to lead people who are intelligent, talented and motivated and who also love their country. That opportunity is so rare.”