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The US Navy "Mustangs"
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Navy Limited Duty Officers (LDOs) and Chief Warrant Officers (CWOs) are a very unique part of the Naval service. Commonly referred to as "Mustangs," the LDO or CWO serves in a role like no other commissioned officer can. LDOs and CWOs are enlisted people who are commissioned as Officers, and have been called to serve from their senior enlisted ranks as technical managers. An LDO or CWO has the necessary experience and technical background to perform tasks that call for the "officer" rank and protocol to carry out, but require the enlisted heart and experience to get accomplished. Currently, the US Navy and Marine Corps are the only branches of the armed forces to have such commissioning programs in place. Limited Duty Officers are so called because they are always limited to assignments for which they have been trained and possess the necessary technical background. For example: a Naval Aviator's (regular Line Officer) primary job is to fly airplanes. When they are not flying, however, they are typically assigned duties as "Division Officer," "Personnel Officer," "Admin Officers," and other administrative jobs for which an officer is needed to perform. These officers typically rotate their jobs every six months or so, to get a varied background in command administration. The career track of the Naval Aviator is to eventually command a Squadron, Air Wing, Aircraft Carrier, or eventually even a Battle Group. Their technical expertise is usually limited to what they need to know about flying and operating the aircraft systems, and their ultimate concern is aviating, combat tactics, and winning battles. An LDO or CWO assigned to the same squadron, in the above example, will always perform duties directly related to the mission of assuring battle ready airplanes or equipment. The LDO or CWO will typically serve as the Maintenance/Material Control Officer (MMCO), directly responsible for maintaining the aircraft and coordinating logistics. This frees up the Naval Aviators to focus on their primary job of flying and fighting the airplane. The LDO's or CWO's knowledge of the aircraft is detailed and intimate. Even though they do not fly the aircraft, the LDO or CWO was once the enlisted technician who maintained the airplane, and thus knows every nook and cranny of that airplane. The career path of the LDO/CWO will always be to serve in the same types of technical management roles, from one assignment to the next. An LDO will never be called upon to command an operational combat unit. Direct commission officers are typically given their commissions, and allowed into the Navy, providing they have the necessary education and physical abilities. The "Mustang" has to pass a very rigorous selection process to become an officer. The average selection rate for enlisted people to become LDOs or CWOs is usually around 6% to 15% of those who apply each year. For direct commission officers, the primary requirement is a college education (Bachelor's Degree). For the LDO and CWO, it is experience and performance that determines their selection, often times coming from the ranks of the Chief Petty Officer community, or from a select few Petty Officers (E-6). Although a college education is not a prerequisite for selection, many LDO/CWO selectees are those enlisted people who had enough motivation to earn a college degree on their own time anyway. An LDO or CWO is an officer by appearance and in the minds of the "top brass," and an enlisted technician at heart. The creed of the LDO/CWO, upon receiving their commission is: "I did it the hard way... I earned it."
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