By now, if you haven’t heard of the highly touted SWO jacket, you’ve probably been stuck at home for several months. Few things have energized the surface warfare officer (SWO) community as much as this streamlined piece of cowhide. Indeed, military bearing and inspection readiness have never seemed more attainable, or fashionable. Beyond these intangible qualities (which most certainly have retired Admiral James Stavridis leaping for joy), the SWO jacket is endowed with a number of tangible aspects that simply cannot be overstated.
Take, for instance, the collar. Don’t let those leisurely flaps fool you. In the blink of an eye, the collar can be flipped upright to double as an FDA-approved, COVID-19 facemask. This feature became a major sticking point for the Navy design team, but it only delayed distribution by a few weeks. In this way, SWOs are better prepared for ongoing and future pandemics, they maintain their unswerving support for safety first, and they prove once again their superiority over aviators.
How so, you ask? First, the no-nonsense collar is 100 percent leather without a thread of aviator fluff. Second, the SWO jacket comes decked with two enormous front pockets (and the back has bellows that can double as flotation devices if needed). Measuring twice the size of aviator pockets, they offer definitive proof that SWOs work twice as hard as aviators. Third, aviators adorn themselves with a plethora of patches, but SWOs need only one for their name and current command. Fourth, while aviator jacket designs cave to political pressure, the SWO jacket’s straightforward design leaves ample room for professional tools such as Division Officer’s Guide, notepads, and metal compasses to spare (not to mention loyalty to allies). For years, it seems, black shoes have run a close second to brown shoe style, but with the advent of the tactical black SWO jacket, the tide has begun to turn.
Finally, we get down to the immaculate, knit waistband. President Ike himself could not have envisioned a better harmony between hip and hem. This symmetry is only matched by the knit cuffs at the wrists just above the SWO’s hands. Indeed, the SWO jacket is the crowning achievement of all SWO hands—side pockets be damned: a SWO’s knife-hands are never sheathed. The jacket’s tough skin and multiuse features are masterful reflections of seafaring lore. The jacket bespeaks an historic rendezvous, one where renaissance meets millennial, and ship drivers young and old find common ground to protect the global commons.
The long-awaited SWO jacket has arrived. Without question, it will enable SWOs to go where no one has gone before. As we have protected sea lanes, we will protect space lanes. As we have evolved with the times, our attire has come alongside. The SWO jacket is ready and will not be denied. Be sure to follow the instructions online. Order your SWO jacket today.