Musings, leadership tidbits and quotes posted by a retired Navy Captain (really just a high performing 2nd Class Petty Officer) who hung up his uniform a bit too early. He still wears his Navy service on his sleeve. He needs to get over that. "ADVANCE WARNING - NO ORIGINAL THOUGHT!" A "self-appointed" lead EVANGELIST for the "cryptologic community". Keeping CRYPTOLOGY alive-one day and Sailor at a time. 2015 is 80th Anniversary of the Naval Security Group.
In early 1973, when SWO community was considering creating a pin, I was a "Fleet JG" and part of a group that was asked if we needed a pin and, if so, what that pin should look like. I commented that "...we don't need no stinkin' pin..." (or words to that effect) and recommended that instead we could take away the line star from anyone who wasn't a Fleet OOD.
SWO Bob caps the "T," mercilessly rakes the IW line of battle, then sets full sail and makes good his escape into the mist, leaving the shattered remains of the IW community frantically scanning the EM spectrum hoping in vain to get a fix.
SWOBOB, I think that the IW pin is a joke myself, but...
if you want to travel blind through the seven seas without the extreme advantage of having IW assets supporting you, then be my guest. Every one of my 11 deployments, the skippers loved us Cryppies, but there was always someone (usually one of the snipes) who hated us for some reason. Go figure!
@SWOBOB: Last time I checked (about 1983 or so) restricted line could not earn a SWO pin (something about ineligiblity for command at sea). Have things changed or is this still the case? BTW, I still don't think we need an IDO pin!
I ran into a man at OCS during the late 70's who was multi-tour SF in Vietnam, got out, got bored, came back in went SEAL. Wonder what he was entitled to wear?
Ran into another guy who was a qualified SEAL and wearing flight (pilot) wings. He had some sort of accident that removed him from diving but not flying.
No shit: My dad flew in the AF with guy in the early 60's who emigrated from Germany after WWII. He had spent his entire Wermacht time fighting the Russians. So he got to wear his foreign and his USAF awards. Really turned some heads at inspection time.
SailorBob, really? There has to be a reason for you to balk at the IDC, but all I can come up with is that you either old or tired, or merely jealous.
Try pointing a Tomahawk at something without the various components of the Intel Community. You’d quickly be relegated back to shore bombardment with your 5” 54s.
I am old enough to know that when the SWO community got their pin, the only “true” pins were dolphins. The SWO’s were challenged that the only reason they were creating their pin was to compete with Submariners and Pilots, which had some truth in it.
These pins are about being distinguishing those that “know enough to be dangerous” from those that “simply don’t know”. If you think the SWO pin defines anything more than a basically competent Naval Officer, then there is no use arguing with you.
There has been so much flak about this, from both inside and outside the IDC community coming from those that are resistant to change and those threatened by it. In the end, we are all on the same team, fighting threats that come at us from multiple fronts, and some of these threats you simply can’t hit with missiles from planes, ships, or boats.
13 comments:
IWs are lame. Earn a SWO pin! Prove your worth.
Sailors belong at sea...Earn a "WARFARE" pin not a piece of medal the represents your community.
In early 1973, when SWO community was considering creating a pin, I was a "Fleet JG" and part of a group that was asked if we needed a pin and, if so, what that pin should look like. I commented that "...we don't need no stinkin' pin..." (or words to that effect) and recommended that instead we could take away the line star from anyone who wasn't a Fleet OOD.
Needless to say that idea didn't go anywhere.
C-dore 14
Yea SWOBOB!?!? Wonder if you could even get one signature from an IW JQR.
The never ending quest to prove the worth of the IW community within the Navy. Kinda like a community with 7 Flags/Flag-Selects and no Flag Command.
SWO Bob caps the "T," mercilessly rakes the IW line of battle, then sets full sail and makes good his escape into the mist, leaving the shattered remains of the IW community frantically scanning the EM spectrum hoping in vain to get a fix.
"Wonder if you could even get one signature from an IW JQR"
WHO CARES?
SWOBOB, I think that the IW pin is a joke myself, but...
if you want to travel blind through the seven seas without the extreme advantage of having IW assets supporting you, then be my guest. Every one of my 11 deployments, the skippers loved us Cryppies, but there was always someone (usually one of the snipes) who hated us for some reason. Go figure!
Have a fine Navy Cryppie day!
Signed CRYPPIEBOB
@SWOBOB: Last time I checked (about 1983 or so) restricted line could not earn a SWO pin (something about ineligiblity for command at sea). Have things changed or is this still the case? BTW, I still don't think we need an IDO pin!
LCDR Morrison
1610s and others can now earn the SWO pin legitimately by Navy Instruction.
Thanks for the comments.
Mike
Speaking of Pins:
I ran into a man at OCS during the late 70's who was multi-tour SF in Vietnam, got out, got bored, came back in went SEAL. Wonder what he was entitled to wear?
Ran into another guy who was a qualified SEAL and wearing flight (pilot) wings. He had some sort of accident that removed him from diving but not flying.
No shit: My dad flew in the AF with guy in the early 60's who emigrated from Germany after WWII. He had spent his entire Wermacht time fighting the Russians. So he got to wear his foreign and his USAF awards. Really turned some heads at inspection time.
SailorBob, really? There has to be a reason for you to balk at the IDC, but all I can come up with is that you either old or tired, or merely jealous.
Try pointing a Tomahawk at something without the various components of the Intel Community. You’d quickly be relegated back to shore bombardment with your 5” 54s.
I am old enough to know that when the SWO community got their pin, the only “true” pins were dolphins. The SWO’s were challenged that the only reason they were creating their pin was to compete with Submariners and Pilots, which had some truth in it.
These pins are about being distinguishing those that “know enough to be dangerous” from those that “simply don’t know”. If you think the SWO pin defines anything more than a basically competent Naval Officer, then there is no use arguing with you.
There has been so much flak about this, from both inside and outside the IDC community coming from those that are resistant to change and those threatened by it. In the end, we are all on the same team, fighting threats that come at us from multiple fronts, and some of these threats you simply can’t hit with missiles from planes, ships, or boats.
Oh oh, my pin is better than your pin.
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