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will keep its bond to the oath; it expects no less from
its officers.
Our nation never seeks war; but by staying
prepared and vigilant, our enemies know we will
retaliate to any act of aggression. As a result, naval
officers’ responsibilities in the uneasy times in which
we live are impressive. Naval officers are charged
with doing everything in their power to maintain and
increase national strength. They accomplish that by
being proficient in professional skills, properly
training and guiding their subordinates, and
developing improved devices and methods. Our
nation relies on its naval officers to exercise the most
exacting and diligent care of the men, women, and
materials placed in their trust.
In considering the demands of the nation,
military officers are entitled to ask what benefits they
will reap from a naval career. First, career officers
may expect the gratitude of their nation. That
gratitude is expressed in tangible ways. Their pay
and allowances are established and maintained by
law. In the event of sickness or disablement, their
welfare is ensured. By virtue of their status as
officers, they are held in respect by their fellow
citizens and have an inherent prestige that few other
professions can equal.
Second, officers will find in their tours of duty a
varied and challenging way of life. Their active duty
often takes them to many parts of the world.
Regardless of their position as a line or staff officer,
they will be called upon to perform a great number of
different tasks. Their educational opportunities
enhance their naval career as well as any future
career they might have upon their return to civilian
life. They serve and become comrades of an almost
infinite variety of men and women. They encounter a
minimum of personal favoritism. That provides a
continuing opportunity for them to advance based on
their own merits and abilities. In short, their lives are
seldom routine and never dull. They do not live a
haphazard existence, despite its intriguing variety.
Their lifestyle is balanced by their membership in a
competently
administered,
well-organized
professional Navy.
Figure 3-1.-A number of programs serve as the Navy's source for procuring trained officers.
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