Surface warfare tactics instructor returns home for Cincinnati Navy Week 2026 NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO — A West Chester, Ohio, native assigned to the Surface Advanced Warfighting School in San Diego is returning home to participate in Cincinnati Navy Week, scheduled for Sept. 13-20, 2026. Nick Kossen serves as an anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare tactics instructor at the Surface Advanced Warfighting School (SAWS) aboard Naval Base San Diego. SAWS operates under the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC), the command responsible for driving tactical excellence across the surface fleet.
More than 65 Sailors will arrive in the Queen City for Cincinnati’s second Navy Week, marking the first time the event has been hosted locally since 2011. Serving as the 10th stop on the Navy’s nationwide "Road Trip to 250" outreach tour leading up to America’s 250th anniversary, Navy weeks bring the sea service directly to landlocked communities that lack a major fleet presence.
"When I heard about Cincinnati Navy Week, I jumped at the opportunity to return home," Kossen said. "Navy weeks are largely based around removing barriers between the military and the communities we serve, and showing the public that though we travel to far-flung places, we're still local kids at heart. Reconnecting with my hometown community is an amazing experience and an opportunity to give back to the city that made me the person I am today."
As a surface warfare officer (SWO), Kossen belongs to the backbone of naval operations, officers trained to drive, fight, and command the Navy's surface fleet, from guided-missile destroyers to amphibious assault ships. SWOs manage complex combat systems, lead operational teams, and maintain a global posture to protect freedom of navigation and defend vital sea lanes.
"Growing up, my parents always encouraged me to push myself and to never settle," Kossen said. "I joined the Navy to do just that and to be a part of something bigger than myself. Serving in the Navy has given me countless opportunities to learn, grow, and travel the world while protecting and defending our democracy." Within the SWO community, serving at SMWDC represents the apex of tactical expertise. Functioning as the surface fleet’s direct counterpart to naval aviation’s TOPGUN weapons school, SMWDC trains select officers to become warfare tactics instructors (WTIs). These experts are tasked with developing doctrine, conducting high-level fleet training, and ensuring warships enter operational theaters prepared for high-end combat. As an instructor at SAWS, Kossen is actively shaping the next generation of surface warfighters.
"The life lessons from my hometown are endless, but the two that stand out to me most are to 'never forget where you came from' and 'never ask someone to do something you wouldn't do yourself,'" Kossen said. "Both are about staying grounded, humble, and approachable in life, which I try to practice every day with sailors." Despite his specialized role in San Diego and deployments across the globe, Kossen's focus this week remains on the community that raised him.
SMWDC is the Navy’s warfighting development center for surface warfare and mine warfare. Its mission is to increase the lethality and tactical proficiency of the surface fleet across all domains by providing tactical expertise and solutions through the development and assessment of warfighting doctrine, concepts, tactics, techniques, and procedures.