So at the station last night a bunch of us were BSing while we were watching the military channel.  Somehow we got on the topic of the officers what we served with.  In the Marine Corps, to be an AO officer, you must have been an enlisted AO, then go to WO and further if you wanted.  I thought (and I said) it was the same with the Navy.

My Captain, who was in the Navy, said there was no way this was true and raised the BS flag.

So, are there any Navy guys who can confirm this for me?  In the Navy, to be an AO officer, would you have to be an enlisted AO then work up to WO?

I was an AO Warrant however I was never an AO enlisted.  I was a Gunnersmate Chief when I was promoted to W-1 and there were so few slots for Surface Ord that they made me Air Ord.  I knew nothing about air ord and didn't serve in any air ord slots until my last two duty stations.

ETA I was in the Navy.. I also served with a para rigger and a Signalman who were promoted to AO Warrant

Quoted: I was an AO Warrant however I was never an AO enlisted.  I was a Gunnersmate Chief when I was promoted to W-1 and there were so few slots for Surface Ord that they made me Air Ord.  I knew nothing about air ord and didn't serve in any air ord slots until my last two duty stations. ETA I was in the Navy.. I also served with a para rigger and a Signalman who were promoted to AO Warrant

Interesting.  I figured the Marine Corps and the Navy would do the same thing...  Guess not.

Thanks

ETA.  Maybe I'm wrong about the Marine AO officers too.  Although, this is what I was always told going through school and while in the fleet.  I've never met a Marine AO officer that wasn't prior enlisted AO.

When I first got to MALS-12 in Jan 00, our AOIC was a Aviation LT but was filling in for a couple months until we got our AO AOIC.  Don't know exactly why or how that happened.  He was actually an awsome guy who wasn't afraid to talk to the enlisted.  Of course always respected him and his rank but he was the type of guy you'd want to be friends with outside of the Corps.