Six Officers Graduate the First Senior Amphibious Warfare Officer Course

SAWOC focuses on providing naval officers selected as prospective commanding officers (PCOs) and prospective executive officers (PXOs) for amphibious ships and staffs a solid foundation in the practical skills and amphibious doctrine required to command, plan and execute operations prior to their afloat tours.

“We are providing our amphibious commodores, commanding officers and executive officers with a solid foundation in the practical skills and doctrine that will help these officers thrive in a dynamic blue-green environment,” said Capt. Neil Krueger, facilitator of SAWOC.

This was the first convening of the new five-week course that consists of four weeks of Amphibious Warfare Indoctrination (AWI), Amphibious Air Operations Coordination (AAOC), fleet engagement and facilitated discussion, followed by one week of Amphibious Warfare Staff Planning (AWSP).

“We will rely on feedback from this first iteration of the course on the west coast, continuing to improve the instruction and adding value for the amphibious community leaders coming through the course in the future,” said Krueger.

SAWOC is designed to provide surface warfare officers the baseline knowledge to plan and execute amphibious operations.

“My personal amphibious experience is limited, and amphibious operations are arguably the most complicated joint evolutions that we conduct,” said Lt. Cmdr. Paul Tortora, PXO of the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47). “This course gave me the tools necessary to confidently assume my next job as the executive officer of Rushmore.”

EWTGPAC trains, educates, and advocates doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures of Amphibious Warfare to Joint and Combined forces in order to enhance operational commanders’ ability to conduct expeditionary operations around the globe.