NEWPORT, R.I. – Surface Warfare Schools Command (SWSC) launched the pilot convening of the Officer of the Deck Phase II (OOD-II) course in Newport, Rhode Island, March 15.

The new course is intended for surface warfare officers (SWO) in between their first and second division officer tours.

OOD-II has been under development since early 2020 by a team of naval officers and civilian mariners. The pilot convening is meant to identify training gaps and scheduling issues which may exist within the course material prior to the course’s official start date, scheduled for October 2021.

The OOD-II course length is three weeks and is a continuum of education for fleet OODs after completion of the Junior Officer of the Deck Course and qualification on their first ship.

The course includes Mariner Skills Assessment (MSA) No. 3, one of ten assessments conducted across the span of a SWO’s career. MSA No. 3 is a milestone assessment, determining whether the Sailor will continue on within the SWO community. It is preceded by an OOD Competency Check (MSA No. 1), conducted during the JOOD Course, and an OOD evaluation (MSA No. 2), conducted by the individual’s commanding officer. OOD-II course and the MSA No. 3 assessment are designed to produce proficient mariners, consummate OODs, and officers ready to undertake qualifications in advanced warfare and engineering watch stations.

Held on the first day of the pilot convening, MSA No. 3 involved SWSC assessors evaluating students in a low complexity scenario designed to test their ability to maintain situational awareness, apply the nautical rules of the road, and execute decision making at a reasonable tempo.

The students expanded their mariner skills level and fine-tuned their OOD skills in both classroom and simulator environments.

For those that didn’t pass the OOD assessment in their initial attempt, the last week of the course provided two additional opportunities. These attempts were graded by former commanding officers and civilian mariners with equivalent ship command experience.

In addition to the MSA event, the OOD-II pilot convening required students to pass Rules of the Road, navigation, and shiphandling exams.

“The new program is a great checkpoint for the students and provides a foundational knowledge reset,” said Lt. James Maley, an OOD-II instructor.

The pilot convening received positive feedback from students.

Lt. j.g. Arthur Busick-Schneider, of Poughkeepsie, New York, said the course “re-baselined me and ensured I have all the practical skills I’ll need on my next tour as navigator.”

Another student, Lt. j.g. Grace Miller of Atlanta, Georgia, said the course was “a good opportunity to be challenged and to hone our skills through application and experience.”

The March 15th pilot class consisted of 19 SWOs en route to their second division officer tours.

The students came from a variety of platforms, including: destroyers; cruisers; amphibious assault ships; and littoral combat ships. All the students are heading to an equally diverse group of platforms for their second division officer tours. These junior officers will also complete the pilot convening of the modified Advanced Division Officer Course (ADOC) in Newport —a course designed with much more extensive maritime warfare training and practice.

OOD-II will be introduced to the fleet concentration areas in October 2021 and will be taught at SWSC’s Mariner Skills Training Command Pacific (MSTCPAC) in San Diego and Mariner Skills Training Command Atlantic (MSTCLANT) in Norfolk.

SWSC’s mission is to ready Sailors to serve on surface combatants as officers, enlisted engineers, and enlisted navigation professionals to fulfill the Navy’s mission to maintain global maritime superiority.