Finally IDW!!

After 5ish months, I am finally PO2(IDW)!!!!

EIDWS (Enlisted Information Dominance Warfare Specialist) pin on DCUs (desert cami uniform).

EIDWS is one of the searches that gets my blog enough hits for me to consider them significant.  That and the myspace turd girl, which almost makes me want to remove that picture, but it was an integral part of that post, so it survived.. for now.  I still can't believe there is still so much interest in that photo.

Let's talk about my EIDWS process.

I technically started the EIDWS program in March, or at least that's when I routed the chit, because that was the month after the program was finalized at NAVCENT and they started doing training briefs, which meant that the program was actually available.  I didn't get to start going to the training until April/May because I was on nights.

Once I started going, I got lucky enough that it was at the same time they decided to do Saturday briefs, which was many sections all at once, which was how I was able to get my signatures so quickly.  Since no one really had had the pin yet, going to the briefs was the easiest way to get the signatures.  For the different shop sections you could go and get qualifiers to sign, but it was much easier to just go to the briefs, get the signature, and call it a day vs finding time in your schedule and theirs to meet one on one.

Now that more people have their pin, they can sign off for the common core, and you can still go to briefs/to qualifiers to get 200 section signatures, which makes things a little easier, and at a more personal pace for those super motivated/unmotivated.  I was pretty motivated once I got started.  I got all my sigs in under 2 months.  I tested at the beginning of July.  Then I went on leave.

Then I took a 1.5 month break.  Yeah, its the truth, I won't deny it.  The reason?  I slept better at night not worrying about IDW.  I wasn't constantly stressed about it.  It was delightful.  I was very hesitant to get back to the grind because I liked the weight of IDW not being on my shoulders.

I didn't need these for too much of the IDW process,
but I think I will remember this idea for later.  (image)

So the day came when someone asked me, Have you boarded yet?
Me: nope.
Them: Why?
Me: Because I enjoy sleeping.
Them (confused): Do you want to board?
Me: When?
Them: Soon.
Me: Sure.

He was leaving soon, so he wanted to get this knocked out before he left, which was a smart idea, in my opinion.  He had another guy that was interested in boarding with him, so we sent an email to the Senior Chief who arranges the boards and requested that we all be able to board together since they do the boards in groups of 3.  Despite having heard there was a fairly long wait to get a board, we had a date within 2 weeks, so I was impressed.  Then it was time to get down to business.

SOOOO many flashcards!
I used at least 5 packs of index cards.

After spending the end of July and most of August telling Teh Bear I was going to/needed to study, the fire under my ass was lit.  Board time was coming.  The 3 of us got together a few times and studied.  I had made flashcards for every line item in the book, and the amount of flashcards was overwhelming, but writing all of them helped me, since writing something down is the primary way I learn.  We also had Teh HP Wizard's flashcards, which were extremely helpful.

I also arranged for a PO1 to do a murder board for us.  For my non-Navy/military readers, that is like a pretend board.  The person(s) doing your murder board asks line item questions to test what we (the boardees) know.  It helps people who are going up for board to see what they need to study, see what they don't know at all, and have practice at boarding, because a lot of going up for a board and answering someone's questions is about confidence.

We had an awesome 2 part murder board.  It was long and tedious, but sooooooo worth it.  Many many thanks to the PO1 that helped us out by taking the time out of his days to help us.  He drilled us for 2 hours on the first day and then 2.5 hours on the second day.  We covered almost every item in the book.  We walked away with 1 day left till our board and we decided to come in that day and strengthen up on the things we weren't so good at (instructions and people in charge of things, like OPSEC-O, SSO, Information Assurance Manager/Officer (who aren't the same), etc).  We weren't going into our board knowing everything but as much as we could know.

We had a Senior Chief and 2 Chiefs on our board.  One Chief was actually my departmental Chief, and having went through the program, we were familiar with the other Chief and the Senior Chief.  They each took turns asking us their different sections.  My Chief covered the beginning of the 200s section (C5F/NAVCENT history) and most of the common core.  Senior Chief covered the mid 200 section (EW/IO stuff) and some random common core that applied to his sections.  The other Chief covered the end of the 200 section (technical/network/messaging stuff) and the random common core that applied to his sections.

Unrelated break time (you're welcome):

We each missed questions, which we knew was going to happen.  As it happens, most of the questions we had to do look-ups on, out of the 3 of us, someone knew the answer, which I think was part of what made us a solid group.  After about an hour worth of being questioned, which honestly didn't seem like that long, thank God, they kicked us out for a few minutes, then told us all to come back in.  We were told we didn't do great, but we didn't do the worst.  I was completely satisfied with that.  Then they congratulated us on making PO2(IDW)'s (we, the boardees, we are all 2nd classes).  Along with all being PO2, we were all pinless until now, which makes it even more exciting for the 3 of us.

The most painful part of the process was the parts that I made painful, mostly with the procrastination problem I had going on.  Had Teh Bear not been coming to Bahrain and I didn't take leave in July, I probably would have gotten my pin with Teh HP Wizard or Teh Lumberjack.  After my test in early July I was ready to board.  I had that motivation turned on high.  I was ready.  Then I went on leave and definitely got comfortable not having to worry with IDW.

I lied, the 2nd most painful part is waiting for the paperwork to be signed so I can actually sign my name w/ IDW and actually getting to wear the pin.  The shittiest part is that despite our board being on September 6th, the 2 of us who aren't leaving next week prob won't get it "awarded" to us until the awards ceremony at the end of the month..  Which I think is crappy on principle.  I earned it, I want to wear it.  I'm trying not to bitch too much about it, because the process is over now, and its just a matter of waiting...  But anyone that knows me knows that patience definitely isn't my virtue... ever.

Despite not being able to wear it or sign my name with my designator, every now and then someone calls me PO2(IDW) and I smile really big because thats freakin' awesome.  The program started in late March and within 6 months, I was qualled.  That makes me pretty proud of me.

If you already have a different warfare pin and are trying for the IDW, it should be fairly easy since the common core is the same from other warfare qualifications.  If you aren't a rate that falls within the IDW community trying to get the pin, it will probably be a little more difficult.  Because we boardees all do the same job, they had to leave out a significant portion of the 200 section because they knew we knew that stuff (and if we didn't, wellllll.... we won't talk about that).  When my Chief asked us a question that pertained to my job, I felt like I was showing off because I knew the answer.  I really wanted some network questions so I could really show off, but it was probably for the best the other Chief didn't really go into that stuff since the other 2 guys weren't quite as nerdy as I am.

As for being pinless.. till now, this is the first opportunity I've had to get a pin.  That's the plight of the job I do.  Most of us are now being sent to shore commands till a ship deploys, then we get sent to the ship as a rider, where you can then get the SW/AW (depending on the ship) quals.  And if you're only going on a short deployment, you may not actually have the time to complete the program.  I do know of some folks who get sent to shore commands that deploy to AF/Iraq who are able to get their EXW (expeditionary warfare qualification).

When I got to GTMO I asked the Master Chief if there were warfare qualifications I could get.  He said no.  I was pretty disappointed since GTMO would have been considered an expeditionary command, and that's a pretty badass qualification.  Since I'm going to a squadron next, I've already inquired about getting my air warfare qual.  I figure since I'll be there for 3 years it shouldn't be an issue to get the pin, since I'm assigned to the squadron.  I was pinless for almost 3 years though, so if I wasn't able to get it (which I might be a little upset about) I'd still be satisfied with my IDW pin.

Lessons:
-Don't take leave in the middle of the process.
-Find people to study with.
-Do whatever you need to do to learn the information.  Whether that is reading over the manuals/briefs/writing 5 packs of flashcards w/ crayola markers.
-Don't let the process overwhelm/stress you out (especially if you're easily overwhelmed/stressed (like me)), its just like any other test/qualification you've ever done.  If you know it, you know it.  If you don't know it, learn it.
-Don't expect to know everything.  While the board would be super impressed if you were that genius that knew everything, that's a lot of pressure to put on yourself.
-Be confident in what you know and don't over think the questions.

 
 

Shameless plug for how excited I am!

So, I'm finally to the point in my tour in Bahrain that I'm allowing myself to take leave.  AND I'M SO UNFREAKIN' BELIEVABLY EXCITED I CAN HARDLY STAND MYSELF (emphasis necessary), to include the inability to sleep and the desire to write an entire blog post about how freakin' excited I actually am.  Ahhh, yay blog.

PIN. PIN. PIN. PIN...... (image)

Apparently, I forgot to post a blog yesterday.  Oops, my bad, I was studying my brain full of EIDWS...  Instructions, report types, terrorist organizations, electromagnetic spectrum, message types, form numbers.. sadly nothing on my test about ADM Grace Hopper, the flagships, wave characteristics, LCDR Fox shooting down the first enemy jet in the Gulf War, WW2 battles, intelligence significance, supply related crap...  all the other stuff that was on the 6 packs of flashcards that I made (that LOTS of people are now requesting to partake ownership of).  Of a 12 hour shift, I spent over 8.5 hours studying, an hourish doing laps, 30 minutes for a shower, the rest was spent bsing, eating, struggling to stay awake (once that glazed over feeling from studying started to hit), and staring into space.

And then at 09 this morning (after being awake since 5pm the night before), I took my test.  Pretty sure we got the dreaded "imagery" test, which I mostly flew through until I got to the nerdy tech stuff, because this stuff surpasses any tech nerd quals that I already had.  I mean, I did start my Cisco cert after college, but I think I got through section 3/4 before I no longer had the motivation or need to finish it.  3-300KHz=VLF, EHF, ELF VEHLF (very extremely high low frequency for those of you who haven't seen that one)??, idk, my head hurts.  Either way, hell yeah 88.75%!  Most of the ones that I got wrong were ones that I wasn't sure about, so I didn't feel as bad.

I do think he had at least removed
the seeds (image)

Side note.  This morning, I was sitting in my vacation seat on the watchfloor (cause I don't normally sit on the watchfloor), and I started smelling something funky.  Not a bad smell, just not a 5am smell.  And I hear a crunch, someone is eating, at what most would consider breakfast, due to time over target of day... I start looking around to recce what this occurrence was.  I look over and there is an officer with something green in his hand, and at first I thought it was a clump of celery, because something had a green, funky smell.  But it was too dark for celery, then my next thought was the leafy base of cauliflower because it was round-ish, but who eats that?  Then, I watched him take a bite out of this object like it was an apple and it hit me, A GREEN PEPPER?  Who the fuck eats a raw green pepper for breakfast?  Wait, who the fuck eats a raw green pepper, period.  That guy, apparently.  WTF.  (side, side note.  Since its Wednesday, this reminds me of WTF Weds.)

But back to being SO UNFREAKIN' BELIEVABLY EXCITED I CAN HARDLY STAND MYSELF..  For the first time ever, I told Teh Bear I'll see you soon when we got off Skype this morning at my 5am (that whole not sleeping part really was true) and I actually get to see him in less than 24 hours.

I'm one of those people that like to wait until they absolutely can't stand their command and/or anyone's faces related to that command and finally take leave..  Well, not everyone, but the point is..  I'm tired of NAVCENT, and that's putting it nicely.  I need a break, and I've needed one for a while.  I've been here 9 months and NAVCENT is a special realm of hell where everyone's hair is on fire, everything was needed 2 days ago, how did you not know that?!, and "are you SURE?" is asked about every call ever made on things that aren't even questionable.  I'm not actually sure how people stand being here for 2+ years (maybe their job is more satisfying than mine and they don't have to deal with idiots questioning everything you say?).

But, Teh Bear is headed to MCO right now.  He's jumpin properly boarding on his 7something7 plane (that he said has power outlets, woah so high tech) and hoppin the pond to visit the middle east in the middle of the summer for me... well, and for him too since its also his vacation, but I'm a pretty awesome reason too.  (that sentence made more sense in my head, only 4 hours of headache-d sleep, don't judge me.)

Remember me?

I've got some super awesome things scheduled.  Specifically, we're doing a Mini GP race in Go Karts at the Formula 1 track.  Hello, Opportunity of a Lifetime, I'm Teh Megan, lets make this happen.  We're also going to one of the water parks here..  In addition to the normal touristy stuff (the Mosque, the souq, Tree of Life, potentially a fort if I can motivate myself), we're getting massages (much needed), hanging out with my peeps (and one of his peeps, yay GTMO friends in Bahrain (aka island hoppers)!), we are dressing up to go to on a brunch date at the Golden Tulip (I heard you can pick out your own steak there..  Reservation=made, now to see if they have a crepe stand), watching The Pacific (which we've been waiting to be together to see), and we are being generally unmotivated and lazy, because that's how I like my vacations..

So now, the United flight status page has been added to my bookmarks so I can internet stalk Teh Bear while he's in transit.  <3 technology.  Is it go to the airport time yet?!?!???!?!?!?!?  No?  Ok, fine, I'll go to base and write my eval and brag sheet like a good little sailor girl to pass the time.. and maybe go to the gym because I have nothing better to do..  and it better pass by quickly....

Summary (because this blog was slighty random and I care for you, Gentle Reader):
Oops, my bad no blog yesterday.
Yay 88.75% on my EIDWS test.
Who the fuck eats a green pepper for breakfast?
SUPER YAY Teh Bear is coming!
Schedule of good times.
plans to pass the time.


you're welcome.


 

EIDWS.. and no thats not a dirty word.

I am really lazy.  I start this post off with such a strong statement because its true.  That said, this month, I've been impressively NOT lazy...  Let me explain.

In the Navy (not like the song), you can get warfare qualifications.  Hooyah, go navy.  /roll eyes.  You can get them pretty much on any platform, ship, sub, aircraft and even if you're deployed to say AF/Iraq you can get the expeditionary pin, as a SEAL you get a pin, as a diver you get a special pin...  But, when you're unlucky lucky like me, you don't get stationed at places that offer pins (lookin at you, JTF-GTMO) or have a job that you qualify for a pin.  The thing with not having a warfare pin is that you're grouped with those sailors who... don't have pins.  And for some, not having a pin actually makes you not a "real" sailor.

Well, I've never had the opportunity to GET a pin, so when a particular PO1 wants to tell me that he doesn't have to listen to me (speak in general) because I'm not a real sailor because I don't have a pin...  I get enraged and usually cut him short mid-speech with, Some of us have not been afforded the opportunity to GET a pin, so your dissertation is invalid, next subject.  Rude?  Hell yes.  Appropriate?  Probably not, but after hearing it 2-3 times all the way through, I feel like he is being just as rude as me interrupting him...  I mean, I did hear him the first 3 times, with respectful acknowledgement, which is a BIG thing for me.

The Navy decided that people in certain rates (aka jobs for you non-Navy) often aren't given the opportunity to get warfare qualifications, and since having a pin is practically a requirement (if not a full on requirement) to advance to certain paygrades, they had to make a pin that was obtainable for those of us who are not "real" sailors.

Enter the Information Dominance Warfare (IDW) Qualification.  Aka the Nerd Pin.

Oh wait not that one!

Enlisted IDWS Pin...  Isn't that lightning bolt snazzy? (source)

"Real" sailors agreed that this pin was a joke.  If you don't get your pin on a water vessel, you're not a real sailor, but what does that say for people who have the expeditionary pin, that they didn't try as hard because they weren't on a boat or sub?  Most people who earned 2 pins already refuse to put the IDW on or even bother getting it.

But.. I'm pinless.  So, I'm getting my EIDWS (Enlisted Information Dominance Warfare Specialty, there is also an officer equivalent, which has been around for about a year already) and I'm proud of it.  Because of the wacky schedule I work, I was on nights when the EIDWS program was completed and we could begin training..  I didn't go to training, because it was during my sleepy time, and I need all the sleep I can get (to the point of taking naps during lunch break when I was still a student in VA Beach, I was a much nicer person if I got my nap in, it was proven).  Also, I go out of my way to NOT go to base on my days off.  NAVCENT is kinda like a black hole that just sucks you in and you can't ever escape once you enter, so its safer to just not go to base at all.  Sadly, sometimes the only way to get to hang out with your work friends is to go into work and hang out, but I digress.

This month I've been on days.  There are morning and evening training briefs and I since I am unable to attend the morning ones due to work load, I attended evening briefs when they were offered.  But this month was special.  They also did Saturday training sessions where we knocked out 10+ sections in a few hours.  Worth my time to go to base, even if it meant being sucked into the black hole?  HELL YES!

I started my EIDWS at the beginning of the month, and with 10 days left in the month I've only got a handful of sections left to get signatures on.  Now I just need to start studying (anyone wanna make a study group?) to prep for the board and test, and I'll have it.

Honestly, I'm proud of myself and I'm bragging right now, because I've done something awesome.  It doesn't matter to me that this qualification isn't necessarily the hardest qual to get or the fact that I didn't get it while I was stationed on something floating in the water.. well wait, I am on an island... again.  :)  The fact that I said, I'm doing the damn thing and I've done it, makes me proud of me.  Because, I'm lazy, its no jk.  But I've gone out of my way, and went to work on 2 of my Saturday's off to accomplish a hefty amount of work.

And another caveat.  I'm not Jane Navy.  I'm appreciative that the military has given me a paycheck and a job that I love, but I'm not that person that is anal about the fact that someone's pants aren't bloused to the 2nd eyelet on their boots or the fact that their black backpack has a label on it.  Getting a pin for me is a two-fold win.  1, I'll have a pin, so PO1 Pinman can stfu.  2.  I'll have earned a qualification, which looks good on my eval, which is hurtin because I don't do nearly as much volunteer work as I'd like.  But because I have a pin and there are other sailors that don't doesn't make them not good at their job or not as good of a sailor, if not better than someone with 10 million warfare pins.  I will NOT look down on another sailor because they don't have pins, in the same way that I don't look down on lower enlisted because they aren't PO (petty officers for the non-Navy).  Just because you don't have a crow or a pin doesn't make you less than anyone else.. unless you're a shitbag, and thats a horse of a different color.

So, maybe I'm only just lazy.  ;)

PS.  One of the first questions I asked my Master Chief in GTMO was if I could get a pin.. so ha!  10 pts, me.

Me trying to be taller than Master Chief the day I got frocked to PO2 (Personal photo)