Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Devin Lowe | SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Aug. 23, 2021) Vice Adm. John B. Mustin, chief of Navy Reserve,...... read more read more
Chief of Navy Reserve Vice Adm. John B. Mustin visited Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander, commander, Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC), and discussed Reserve support at SMWDC, Aug. 23.
SMWDC’s active duty component comprises of Headquarters in San Diego, and four divisions – two located in California and two in Virginia. Navy Reserve units support each of those commands as battle watch captains in the exercise control center and intelligence watch during Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) exercises. Reservist members also support the Submarine Commander’s Courses, Surface Warfare Improvement Program, and Mine Warfare (MIW) exercises.
“The Reserve Force is transforming and modernizing to our maritime roots after two decades of land-based Individual Augmentee support,” said Mustin. “The warfighting readiness the SMWDC Reserve units are training to, working side-by-side with their gaining command in their mobilized billets at SMWDC, aligns completely with our “Train the Force” Line of Effort in the Navy Reserve Warfighting Instructions.”
SMWDC’s mission is to increase lethality and tactical proficiency of the surface force across all domains. Top-talented surface warfare officers (SWOs) are developed into Warfare Tactics Instructor (WTIs), who are surface warfighting tactical experts in one of four warfare specialty areas: amphibious warfare (AMW), anti-submarine warfare /surface warfare (ASW/SUW), integrated air and missile defense (IAMD), and MIW.
“There are currently 17 WTIs in the Navy Reserve; SMWDC is always looking to attract WTIs leaving Active Duty to join one of SMWDC’s Reserve units,” said Alexander. “The demand signal for Reserve Force support will increase as the demand signal continues to grow within the active component for WTI support, and SWATT execution.”
The Reserve component continues to actively provide watchstanding support for SWATT exercises, as it has since 2018. A limited number of the Reserve personnel are WTIs, but SMWDC receives support from Reserve personnel not attached to SMWDC Reserve units. SMWDC is currently working on three initiatives to fill 30 new junior officer billets with Reserve WTIs in fiscal year 22.
The first initiative is direct assignment of WTIs transitioning from active duty to the Reserves, a change from current policy that requires new Reserve accessions to apply for billets. The second initiative involves tracking and close coordination of scheduled rotations, to transfer Reserve WTIs to SMWDC Reserve units, using the current Junior Officer Apply billet assignment process. The third nitiative is to establish an exception to policy that will allow Reserve WTIs assigned to non-SMWDC commands to transfer to vacant SMWDC billets ahead of their projected rotation dates. In addition to these three initiatives, Mustin and Alexander discussed the challenges ahead and possible other incentives based on direct feedback from WTIs.
“First, we have to clearly identify where Reserve personnel can be best utilized and meet mission requirements,” said Alexander. “One of our main focuses is WTI outreach and providing personal and individualized attention for WTIs transitioning from active duty to the Reserves with emphasis on WTI placement into SMWDC Reserve units.”
Top-talented junior surface warfare officers interested in becoming WTIs can send an email to SWO_WTI@navy.mil for more information about the WTI program and their graduate education opportunities. For more information visit www.facebook.com/SMWDC.
| Date Taken: | 09.07.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 09.07.2021 14:58 |
| Story ID: | 404634 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 251 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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