This is not good news. The Navy just can't stop getting in its own way.
We've lowered enlisted recruiting to accept non-high school graduates, lowered standards at the Naval Academy, have major production programs that are over-budget and behind schedule without a plan, can't audit the budget, have completely ruined the naming conventions for ships, can't seem to find the right uniform at sea after several changes, a long list for sure ... and now, this. Line Officers, by regulation, are those officers eligible for command-at-sea (i.e., aviators, surface and subs). Simple, clear, and consistent since the late 1800s. Restricted Line Officers are "restricted" to their specific discipline. They can be contracted or have normal career path. It doesn't mean they don't contribute to the fleet or other disciplines, or are somehow "lesser officers", but simply they are not eligible for command-at-sea. If we follow this "new logic", then Intelligence Officers should be Line Officers, and what about Engineering Duty Officers, SEALS, or perhaps Cryptologists? To say this "new logic" better aligns the IO Community with the broader warfare community is a verbal facade.... they're already successfully detailed and leveraged in direct support. This redesignation serves no real purpose other than maybe providing an illusion of increased value to perhaps help with retention. What's next on Navy's "change menu?"
#Navy
Big news in US Navy IW history!
Information Warfare Officers will transition from Restricted Line officers to Line officers performing information warfare duties.
This change underscores the critical role IW plays in modern naval operations, aligning IW officers more closely with the broader warfighting community.
Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e6P-9vSu
#InformationWarfare #NavalInnovation #StrongerTogether #SeaServiceLeadership