SAN DIEGO – Ensign Brandon Sawyer, a native of Rosemount, Minnesota, wanted to continue a tradition of service in the Navy.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
“My father was a P-3 pilot and my brother is in the Navy now," said Sawyer. "It runs in the family.”
Sawyer, a 2015 graduate of Rosemount High School, is training to become a surface warfare officer and getting his leadership training at the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC), part of Surface Warfare Officers School San Diego.
“Before I came here, I didn't have much exposure to surface warfare and what we do," said Sawyer. "It's a lot of information thrown at you in a short time, but it prepares you for a successful career as a surface officer.”
BDOC is an intensive, nine week course of instruction designed to provide foundational classroom training to prospective surface warfare officers.
Sawyer credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Rosemount.
“Discipline is a big one," said Sawyer. "It was instilled in me growing up by my father and mother. Putting your best effort forth in every thing you do is important and so is being a great role model for your peers and those younger than you. In the Navy, you are constantly learning and having integrity is valuable.”
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 Sawyer is most proud of being selected for surface warfare oceanograpyhy which is a specialized program.
“I was the only one in my commissioning class that was selected,” he said. “After four years of hard work at Penn State, it was very rewarding to be granted the opportunity to serve in a career that I love and enjoy.”
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.
America is a maritime nation, and 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.”
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 Sawyer is most proud of being selected for surface warfare oceanograpyhy which is a specialized program.
“I was the only one in my commissioning class that was selected,” he said. “After four years of hard work at Penn State, it was very rewarding to be granted the opportunity to serve in a career that I love and enjoy.”
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.
America is a maritime nation, and 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 Sawyer and other surface warriors continue to train, they take pride serving their country in the United States Navy.
“Having the opportunity to lead and serve sailors and the citizens of this country, is what Navy service is about,” said Sawyer. “Plus, serving in the armed forces does a lot for your own personal growth and character building.”