Skip to main content

Navy Readiness: Actions Needed to Evaluate and Improve Surface Warfare Officer Career Path

GAO-21-168 Published: Jun 17, 2021. Publicly Released: Jun 17, 2021.
Jump To:

Fast Facts

Following two deadly ship collisions in 2017, the U.S. Navy looked closely at Surface Warfare Officers who command and operate surface ships at sea. The Navy made minor changes to the officers' career path, such as extending training and tours of duty. It hadn't regularly evaluated or changed this career path in over a century.

Most officers believe that specialized career paths would better prepare them for their duties, compared to the generalist path that the Navy currently has.

Our recommendations include that the Navy routinely evaluate current and possible alternative career paths to best train and retain Surface Warfare Officers.

Awarding of U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer Insignia

U.S. Navy officer being awarded an insignia

Skip to Highlights

Highlights

What GAO Found

U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officers (SWOs) separate from the SWO community earlier and at higher rates compared with officers in similar U.S. Navy communities, and female SWOs separate at higher rates than male SWOs.

Retention Rates for U.S. Navy Officers and Surface Warfare Officers by Gender

Retention Rates for U.S. Navy Officers and Surface Warfare Officers by Gender

Note: GAO compared the U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer community separation rates with those of the other unrestricted line officer communities in the U.S. Navy: Naval Aviation, Submarine, and Explosive Ordinance Disposal and Special Warfare.

GAO found that after 10 years of service, around the first major career milestone:

  • 33 percent of SWOs remain in their community, compared with 45 percent of officers from similar U.S. Navy officer communities, and
  • 12 percent of female SWOs remain in their community, compared with 39 percent of male SWOs.

By using existing information to develop a plan to improve SWO retention, the Navy will be better positioned to retain a diverse and combat-ready community.

The career path for U.S. Navy SWOs differs from those in similar positions in selected foreign navies and other U.S. Navy and U.S. maritime communities.

Career Path for U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officers Compared with Others

Retention Rates for U.S. Navy Officers and Surface Warfare Officers by Gender

The U.S. Navy made incremental career path changes for SWOs following the 2017 collisions, but has not regularly evaluated or fundamentally changed its SWO career path for over a century. GAO found that by a factor of four to one, SWOs believe specialized career paths would better prepare them for their duties than the current generalist career path. Without periodic evaluations of current approaches, including alternative career paths, and the use of those evaluations, the U.S. Navy may miss an opportunity to develop and retain proficient SWOs.

Why GAO Did This Study

SWOs are U.S. Navy officers whose primary duties focus on the safe operation of surface ships at sea. In 2017, the Navy had two collisions at sea that resulted in the death of 17 sailors and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to Navy ships. Following the collisions, the Navy identified deficiencies in the SWO career path and staffing policies, and took action to improve these areas.

The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 contained a provision that GAO assess issues related to the U.S. Navy SWO career path. Among other things, this report (1) assesses trends in separation rates of SWOs with those of similar U.S. Navy officer communities, and trends in SWO separation rates by gender; (2) describes how the career path of U.S. Navy SWOs compares to those of selected foreign navies and other U.S. Navy and U.S. maritime communities; and (3) assesses the extent to which the U.S. Navy has used or evaluated alternative career paths. GAO analyzed U.S. Navy officer personnel data; selected foreign navies and U.S. maritime officer communities for comparison; and surveyed a generalizable sample of Navy SWOs.

Recommendations

GAO is making 7 recommendations to the Navy, including developing a plan to improve SWO retention; regularly evaluating its current approaches, including alternative career paths; and using these to improve SWO career options and proficiency. The Navy concurred with GAO's recommendations.

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Navy
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of the Navy should ensure the Commander, Naval Surface Forces, uses information gathered on Surface Warfare Officer separation rates to develop a plan with clearly defined goals; performance measures that identify specific retention rates or determine if initiatives to improve retention are working as planned; and timelines to improve Surface Warfare Officer retention rates. (Recommendation 1)
Closed – Implemented
The Navy concurred with our recommendation. In September 2022, in response to our recommendation, the Navy issued a corrective action plan for improving Surface Warfare Officer retention. The corrective action plan uses information gathered on Surface Warfare Officer separation rates to establish goals, performance measures, and timelines for improving Surface Warfare Officer retention. The plan also includes a periodic evaluation of the Surface Warfare Officer retention model. By developing a plan to improve Surface Warfare Officer retention rates and periodically review that plan, Commander, Naval Surface Forces is better positioned to improve Surface Warfare Officer retention and capitalize on the significant investments it has made in Surface Warfare Officer training. In addition, these actions position the Commander, Naval Surface Forces to more effectively meet its personnel needs and retain a more combat-ready force.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should ensure the Commander, Naval Surface Forces, develops a plan to identify actions to increase female Surface Warfare Officer retention rates that includes clearly defined goals, performance measures, and timelines. (Recommendation 2)
Open
The Navy concurred with our recommendation. In December 2021, Congress included a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 that directed the Secretary of Defense to sponsor independent research and analysis on the gender gap in retention of Surface Warfare Officers in the Navy. In May 2023, the Navy reported that the Center for Naval Analysis was conducting the independent review of the gender gap in retention of Surface Warfare Officers to address the legislative provision. According to the Navy, the report from the Center for Naval Analysis is expected to identify and inform more specific actions the Navy can take to address female Surface Warfare Officer retention. In addition, the Navy noted that the Commander, Naval Surface Forces' goal is for female retention rates, across the Surface Warfare Officer career path, to mirror the retention rates of their male counterparts. Further, the Navy reported that it has an ongoing female officer study to generate further ideas for improving female Surface Warfare Officer retention and that it is considering an unrestricted line 0-4 through 0-6 deferral option for female Surface Warfare Officers who elect to complete operational deferment following the birth of a child. Finally, the Navy explained that it has and will continue to increase female representation in recruiting events and recruiting commercials/ads to increase female officer accession rates. The Navy expects to complete its efforts to implement our recommendation by summer 2023. We will continue to monitor the Navy's efforts to implement this recommendation and will provide updated information as applicable. To fully implement this recommendation, the Navy should document its planned strategy including goals, performance measures and timelines and track its progress in increasing female Surface Warfare Officer retention.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should ensure the Commander, Naval Surface Forces, analyzes relevant logbook data for trends between the number of Surface Warfare Officers aboard ships and competition for limited training opportunities, and evaluates the extent to which its commissioning practices are affecting training opportunities for Surface Warfare Officers. (Recommendation 3)
Open
The Navy concurred with our recommendation. In May 2023, the Navy reported that the Surface Warfare Schools Command, in concert with Surface Warfare Officer Assignments (PERS-41), were working to determine the minimum number of bridge watch standing hours and types of mariner skills evolutions generally required to qualify as Officer of the Deck and maintain proficiency in that watch station. They are also working to determine the extent to which Navy commissioning practices affect training opportunities aboard ships. Officials stated that 1,000 data sets are required to provide an accurate analysis and assessment of the logbook data. As of December 2022, the Navy had 480 data sets on hand and anticipated that it would reach 1,000 data sets by summer 2023. The Navy expects to complete its efforts to implement this recommendation by the end of September 2023. We will continue to monitor the Navy's efforts to implement this recommendation and will provide updated information as applicable. To fully implement this recommendation the Navy should document its data analysis plan, perform their analyses, and use the information to make decisions.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should ensure the Commander, Naval Surface Forces, in coordination with other U.S. Navy communities, evaluates the extent to which the requirement to train junior officers who will not remain in the Surface Warfare Officer community limits training opportunities for those who will remain in the Surface Warfare Officer community and make any related adjustments to their respective career path. (Recommendation 4)
Open
The Navy concurred with our recommendation. In May 2023, the Navy reported that the Commander, Naval Surface Forces is working with the Restricted Line Officer communities and Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Military Personnel Plans and Policy (OPNAV N13), to develop an accession plan without restricted line officers for consideration by the Commander, Navy Personnel Command. The Navy noted, however, that each community will need time to develop, implement, and fund a new accessions plan in a future budget cycle. The Navy estimates 60 fewer Surface Warfare Officers could be hired each year, saving approximately $45,000 in training costs per officer which equates to approximately $2.7 million in training costs savings annually and frees up limited training opportunities aboard ships. The Navy expects to complete its efforts to implement this recommendation by the end of December 2023. We will continue to monitor the Navy's efforts to implement this recommendation and will provide updated information as applicable. To fully implement this recommendation the Navy should share the results of its evaluation of training Restricted Line Officers, any actions taken, and any cost savings or efficiencies achieved as a result.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should ensure the Commander, Naval Surface Forces, reevaluates the need for nuclear-trained Surface Warfare Officers, assesses the effects of the current training approach, and makes any related adjustments to their respective career path. (Recommendation 5)
Closed – Implemented
The Navy concurred with our recommendation. In June 2023, in response to our recommendation, the Navy completed its evaluation of nuclear-trained SWOs. As we recommended, this evaluation addressed the need for nuclear-trained SWOs, the effectiveness of the current training approach, and alternative career paths to staff reactor departments aboard nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The Navy concluded that it will maintain its current approach with nuclear-trained SWOs but will continue to track the health of the community annually in coordination with Naval Reactors; Commander, Naval Surface Forces; and Commander, Naval Air Forces. By completing a comprehensive analysis of promotion rates, training, test scores, and shiphandling performance the Navy made an informed decision on the career path for nuclear-trained SWOs while weighing appropriate benefits and drawbacks.
Department of the Navy
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of the Navy should ensure the Commander, Naval Surface Forces, establishes and implements regular evaluations of the effectiveness of the current SWO career path, training, and policies in successfully developing and retaining proficient SWOs. The initial evaluation should include at a minimum: (a) an evaluation of the Navy's approach against other career path and proficiency models of other navies and maritime communities, such as specialized career tracks and ship command requirements, identified in our review and (b) input from SWOs at all levels. (Recommendation 6)
Closed – Implemented
The Navy concurred with our recommendation. In April 2022, the Chief of Naval Operations established the Surface Warfare Officer Task Force Billet Specialization to examine the Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) career path. In December 2022, Task Force Billet Specialization issued its report to the Chief of Naval Operations entitled: Options and Impacts to Transition from SWO Generalists to SWO Specialists. The report included a discussion of specialization options that evaluated the Navy's approach against other career path and proficiency models of other navies and maritime communities, such as specialized career tracks and ship command requirements, as we recommended. The report notes that the Navy will continue to regularly review policies affecting the possible transition to a billet specialization model for the Surface Warfare Officer Community. Also in December 2022, Commander, Naval Surface Forces instituted regular (yearly) evaluations of the effectiveness of the current SWO career path, training, and policies in an instruction, as we recommended. In May 2023, the Navy provided a report entitled: On Surface Warfare: Results of the 2022 Officer Surveys that details the Navy's efforts to obtain Surface Warfare Officer perspectives at all levels on career path specialization, as we recommended. Regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the Navy's current approaches, including alternative career path and proficiency models and implementing any strategies to address key findings of such evaluations, positions the Navy to improve the health and competence of the Surface Warfare Officer community.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should ensure the Commander, Naval Surface Forces, implements workforce strategies—changes to SWO career path, training, and policies as well as the implementation of pilot programs to evaluate potential changes—that address the results of the Navy's initial evaluation. (Recommendation 7)
Open – Partially Addressed
The Navy concurred with our recommendation. In May 2023 the Navy reported and provided documentation that a number of changes have been implemented to Surface Warfare Officer career training as a result of the Navy's initial evaluation of the Surface Warfare Officer career path. These changes include expanded career path flexibility and early command opportunities for Division Officers; additional training, early command opportunities, and prioritizing graduate education for Department Heads; and increased career path flexibility and more opportunities for graduate education for Warfare Tactics Instructors. The Navy reported that a potential change that requires further exploration is the implementation of a Surface Warfare Officer specialized career path. As a result, Commander, Naval Surface Forces is considering a potential Surface Warfare Officer specialized career path, along with a pilot program that offers the opportunity to implement the new career path. The Navy expects to complete its efforts to evaluate specialized career paths and implement workforce strategies by the end of December 2023. We will continue to monitor the Navy's efforts to implement this workforce strategies and will provide updated information as applicable. To fully implement this recommendation the Navy should explore the implementation of a Surface Warfare Officer specialized career path; develop a pilot-program that offers the opportunity to implement the new career path; and make any applicable changes to the Surface Warfare Officer career path.

Full Report

Office of Public Affairs

Topics

Career planningCommunitiesEngineeringMilitary forcesMilitary personnelNaval aviationNaval operationsNavy shipsOfficer trainingSubmarinesTraining programsWarfare