SAN DIEGO – Ensign Katelyn Dallmus, a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, was inspired to join the Navy by her grandfather.
 |
| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Brown |
“My grandfather was in the Army and he talked about the friendships he made and that was something I wanted to be a part of,” Dallmus said. “I wanted to be a part of something greater than myself. Being in the Navy fulfilled that.”
Now, Dallmus has the opportunity to learn leadership at the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC), part of Surface Warfare Officers School San Diego.
“My favorite thing about my class is that all of us are staying in San Diego, so those friendships will carry over into the fleet,” said Dallmus.
BDOC is an intensive, 9-week course of instruction designed to provide foundational classroom training to prospective surface warfare officers.
Dallmus credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Scottsdale.
“Growing up I worked around horses and I learned a lot about hard work,” Dallmus said. “Those are very unique life experiences that I relied upon going forward.”
Dallmus, a 2014 graduate of Scottsdale Preparatory Academy, is training to become a surface warfare officer.
“It is my job to understand the big picture, and eventually, I would be driving the ship,” Dallmus said. “Right now my responsibility is to learn so I can do that.”
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 Dallmus is most proud of being commissioned as an officer.
“I'm excited to be out in the fleet and experience what I've been working for several years now,” said Dallmus.
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 Dallmus and other surface warriors continue to train, they take pride serving their country in the United States Navy.
“To me, serving in the Navy means being part of a proud heritage and tradition and also being part of something greater than myself and being part of a team environment where I get to serve others,” said Dallmus.
Now, Dallmus has the opportunity to learn leadership at the Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC), part of Surface Warfare Officers School San Diego.
“My favorite thing about my class is that all of us are staying in San Diego, so those friendships will carry over into the fleet,” said Dallmus.
BDOC is an intensive, 9-week course of instruction designed to provide foundational classroom training to prospective surface warfare officers.
Dallmus credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Scottsdale.
“Growing up I worked around horses and I learned a lot about hard work,” Dallmus said. “Those are very unique life experiences that I relied upon going forward.”
Dallmus, a 2014 graduate of Scottsdale Preparatory Academy, is training to become a surface warfare officer.
“It is my job to understand the big picture, and eventually, I would be driving the ship,” Dallmus said. “Right now my responsibility is to learn so I can do that.”
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 Dallmus is most proud of being commissioned as an officer.
“I'm excited to be out in the fleet and experience what I've been working for several years now,” said Dallmus.
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 Dallmus and other surface warriors continue to train, they take pride serving their country in the United States Navy.
“To me, serving in the Navy means being part of a proud heritage and tradition and also being part of something greater than myself and being part of a team environment where I get to serve others,” said Dallmus.