Principal Warfare Officers attended a special two-week course there. In my post-Navy career, I have had extensive interaction ...

“ The time was a century ago for the SWO officer corps to accept that the future had arrived, and it is past high time for ...

“Despite the remarkable developments in military technology, despite the weapons and machines which have vastly expanded our ...

The time was a century ago for the SWO officer corps to accept that the future had arrived, and it is past high time for them ...

The debate over whether Surface Warfare Officers (SWOs) should be “generalists” or “specialists” is an old and vigorous one. 1 For more than 125 years, SWOs have followed a generalist career path. 2 ...

This week CIMSEC is publishing submissions sent in response to our Call for Articles on whether U.S. Navy surface warfare officers should specialize. The long-running debate between specialized and ...

SWO specialization was a good idea for the last generation of officers, but time is now too short. Implementing it in 2026, with the possibility of great power war looming, would be self-destructive.

As they weigh future career paths, today’s surface warfare officers should inform their preferences and policy decisions with a critical understanding of past specialization debates, guided by several ...