Surface Warfare insignia The Surface Warfare Insignia is a military badge of the United States Navy which is issued to those Naval personnel who are trained and qualified to perform duties aboard United States surface warships . The Surface Warfare Pin was first proposed in 1972 and , by 1980 , several classes of the Surface Warfare Pin had been approved for issuance . There are presently five classes of the Surface Warfare Pin , being that of Line , Supply , Staff , Special Operations , and Enlisted . The Line and Enlisted Surface Warfare Badges may be earned by United States Coast Guard personnel assigned to Navy commands . The various badge types are as follows : Surface Warfare Officer . The Surface Warfare Officer Insignia is the first milestone qualification an eligible commissioned officer may receive in surface warfare . This device is commonly called the " SWO Pin " in the U . S . Navy since " badge " is more of a European rather than American term for metal military insignia , and , jokingly , " water wings . " Those receiving the Surface Warfare Officer Pin must qualify as an unrestricted line Surface Warfare Officer and must hold certifications as Officer of the Deck ( both underway and inport ) , Small Boat Officer , Combat Information Center Watch Officer , and must be trained in shipboard engineering , damage control and quality maintenance ( 3M ) , and attend Surface Warfare Officers ' School ( SWOS ) in Newport , Rhode Island . The Surface Warfare Officer Badge is typically a prerequisite for Tactical Action Officer ( TAO ) training and is the basis for screen for operational command of a warship and award of the Command - at - Sea Pin . Junior officers , typically ensigns , assigned to the Surface Warfare community are known as “ unqualified ” or " non - quals " until they receive qualification as a Surface Warfare Officer and receive the Surface Warfare Officer Badge . Such junior officers are granted 22 months to qualify Surface Warfare and may be transferred to a different branch of the Navy or separated from the Navy administratively if qualification is not obtained in the required amount of time . Such officers are known as “ SWO non - attainees ” with this designation entered into their permanent military records . The Surface Warfare Officer Pin was designed to depict the traditional and typical elements of Naval service : waves breaking before the bow of a ship , overlaid on crossed swords , rendered in gold . The insignia recognizing Surface Warfare Officers was introduced in 1975 . Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist . On 1 December 1978 , Chief of Naval Operations Admiral T . B . Hayward approved the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist ( ESWS ) Qualification Program . This approval followed immediately by the promulgation of OPNAV Instruction 1412 . 4 , which provided the specific details of the program . Since the introduction of the Surface Warfare Officer ( SWO ) Qualification Program in 1975 , a strong advocacy for a similar program for surface enlisted was started . The program was initiated in 1977 when the Surface Warfare Commanders ( DCNO Surface Warfare , COMNAVSURFLANT and COMNAVSURFPAC ) gave their conceptual approval to the development of a Surface Enlisted Qualification Program . Initial guidelines for the program at that time were : 1 . It was to reflect a level of qualification above and beyond the normal level of professional and performance criteria necessary for advancement . 2 . The qualification was applicable to and reasonably attainable by all " surface " ratings . 3 . Qualification was an attainable goal for dedicated enlisted serving on ships and afloat staffs . 4 . Management of the program would not become an administrative burden on the ship . 5 . Qualification criteria would be well defined and specific . 6 . Participation was voluntary , and there was neither a financial reward nor hazardous duty associated with the qualification . The silver cutlass was available for the first time in April 1979 . Specifically the criteria in 1979 to qualify was as follows : 1 . Be a Petty Officer 2 . Have 24 months on a surface ship 3 . Have a performance mark and Leadership marks of top 30 % for CPO ' s and 3 . 4 for Petty Officers . 4 . Complete the PQS for Damage Control , Damage Control Petty Officer , Repair Party Leader , and Work Center Supervisor . 5 . Qualify in all watch stations for rating and pay grade . 6 . Perform an oral board held by the Commanding Officer , Executive Officer or LCDR . 7 . Be recommended by the chain of command , and approved by the Commanding Officer . OPNAVINST 1414 . 9 is the Navy instruction that governs the Enlisted Warfare Qualification Programs . This instruction also cancels OPNAVINST 1414 . 2A . The Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist Insignia ( also known as the " ESWS pin " ) is authorized for wear by any enlisted member of the United States Navy who is permanently stationed aboard a navy afloat command and completes the Enlisted Surface Warfare qualification program and personal qualification standards ( PQS ) . The Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist Badge can be obtained at any time after reporting to a ship , if in the paygrade of E - 5 ( Petty Officer Second Class ) and above . It has become common for commanding officers of Navy ships to award the ESWS pin to those in paygrades E - 2 and E - 3 after they complete the requisite qualifications . Sailors for whom ESWS is their secondary community ( mostly those in the Air Warfare community ) are not required to requalify . An enlisted person who has qualified for his or her ESWS Pin places the designator ( SW ) after his or her rate and rating ; for example , Boatswain ' s Mate Second Class Jones , having qualified for his ESWS Pin , is identified as BM2 ( SW ) Jones . For those enlisted personnel who are subsequently commissioned as officers and are shipboard SWO ' s the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist Badge is replaced . Unlike other warfare pins available to both enlisted and officers , the ESWS and SWO pins differ by more than just color ( gold for officers and silver for enlisted is a common theme in U . S . Navy uniforms ) . The blade weapons behind the hull on the SWO pin are sword s . The blade weapons on the enlisted pin are cutlass es . This can clearly be seen in the curvature of the blades and the shape of the handguards . This derives from the sword being a symbol of naval officers and their authority , while cutlasses were traditionally the sidearm of the enlisted men . Medical Corps Officer . Surface Warfare Medical Corps Insignia : A gold metal pin , with a spread oak leaf surcharged with a silver acorn on two crossed swords , on a background of ocean swells . Nurse Corps Officer . Surface Warfare Nurse Corps Insignia : A gold metal pin , with a spread oak leaf on two crossed swords , on a background of ocean swells . Dental Corps Officer . Surface Warfare Dental Corps Insignia : A gold metal pin , with a spread oak leaf , a silver acorn on each side of the stem on two crossed swords , on a background of ocean swells . Medical Service Corps Officer . Surface Warfare Medical Service Corps Insignia : A gold metal pin , with a spread oak leaf , attached to a slanting twig on two crossed swords , on a background of ocean swells . Supply Corps Officer . The Surface Supply Corps Insignia is granted to those members of the Navy Supply Corps who qualify as Surface ( Warfare ) Supply Officers . Such officers are trained in damage control , flight operations , shipboard supply systems , and receive a limited amount of training as an Officer of the Deck . For advancement in the Surface Supply Community , the Surface Warfare Supply Pin must be obtained by junior supply officers within 18 months from reporting on board a naval vessel . Those failing to qualify as a Surface Supply Officer are transferred to permanent ground assignment as Shore Supply Officers . This provides ample motivation for Supply Officers to qualify for a Surface Warfare Supply Pin . Other versions of the Supply Corps Pin include the Submarine Supply Corps Badge and the Aviation Supply Corps Badge . Coast Guard . The United States Coast Guard does not issue the Surface Warfare Pin . Coast Guard personnel who are permanently cross assigned to afloat Navy commands may qualify for the Surface Warfare Badge through the standard Navy qualification system . Coast Guard personnel serving on Coast Guard cutters are eligible to receive either the officer or enlisted version of the Cutterman Insignia . NOAA Commissioned Corps . The NOAA Commissioned Corps Deck Officer Pin is a gold - colored pin displaying breaking waves , with a central device consisting of a fouled anchor surcharged with a NOAA Corps device . NOAA Corps officers certified as Senior Watch Officer may wear the NOAA Deck Officer insignia after authorization by the Director of the NOAA Corps .