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STSE5

Sonar Technician (Submarine)

E-5 (Sergeant) · Navy

E1–E3E-4E-5E-6E-7E8–E9
HEADS UP

STS2 is the first rank where the sonar picture during your section belongs to you — not to the supervisor standing over your shoulder. The sonar supervisor watchstation qualification and the STS1 NWAE are running simultaneously, and on a fast-attack the chief knows both timelines. If commissioning programs are on your radar, the CO recommendation conversation starts now.

The Honest MOS Read
STS2 (Petty Officer Second Class) is the working senior watchstander. The STS3s in your section are learning contact prosecution by watching how you run the shack. The OOD's acoustic picture for the watch period is what you produce. That is the job, and it is a heavier accountability than the rank change alone suggests. On an attack submarine with a three-section rotation you are standing watch as the senior tracker in your section, holding contacts from initial detection through full prosecution — broadband classification, narrowband tonal analysis, bearing-rate track development, TMA solution building, contact brief to the OOD and the fire-control party. The contact format is not something the sonar supervisor corrects anymore; if it is wrong, the chief finds out at watch turnover. Your section's acoustic picture during a high-value contact prosecution or torpedo-evasion training event is the tactical picture the submarine is maneuvering on. Target motion analysis at STS2 is not an exercise — it is the analytical product the fire-control coordinator uses to build the fire-control solution. The STS2 who can develop a bearing-rate plot, apply range estimation from sonar geometry, and brief a course-speed-range solution that the fire-control coordinator can immediately work with is the petty officer the department head is noticing. The one who hands off an ambiguous solution with a shrug is the one the sonar chief is counseling after the debrief. On the maintenance side you are writing the section's PMS compliance input for the department head readiness brief. Not just completing PMS cards — you are owning the section's completion rate, deferred items list, and CSMP inputs at the LPO interface level. If the section falls behind, the department head hears about it from you through the LPO before the inspection cycle surfaces it. The STS3 and STSSN advanced PQS qualifications in your section carry your signature. At STS2 the signature weight is meaningful — if the STS3 you signed off cannot execute the qualification at the sonar chief's standard, the chief traces the sign-off back to your judgment. Qual cards are not paperwork exchanges; they are professional certifications. The STS1 NWAE is the visible advancement competition. On a fast-attack with two or three STS2s the sonar chief knows every advancement score before the official results publish. The eEVAL ranking the chief submits to the department head is the second most important input behind the exam score. Build the study log on the chief's timeline — bring it to section sync, not to the chief three weeks before the exam. If commissioning programs — LDO, ECP, Seaman-to-Admiral — are in consideration, the conversation with the career counselor and the CO starts at STS2. The time-in-service window closes faster than it appears and the CO recommendation has to come from a CO who knows you for the right reasons. The LDO technical track in the submarine force is a legitimate career extension for a strong STS performer who wants the officer side of the acoustic-technical mission.
Career Arc
  • 01STS2 pin-on via NWAE; first patrol as senior watchstander in the watch section.
  • 02Sonar supervisor watchstation qualification earned on platforms where E-5 billets permit — typically within first 12-18 months at STS2.
  • 03TMA proficiency to the level where the fire-control coordinator works with your output without revision.
  • 04PMS section ownership — completion rates, deferred items, CSMP input — at the LPO-interface level.
  • 05STS3 and STSSN advanced PQS qualification sign-offs; your name on the qual cards in the division.
  • 06LDO / ECP / STA-21 consideration window if commissioning is in the plan — CO conversation starts here.
  • 07STS1 NWAE preparation documented on the sonar chief's timeline; advancement competition visible inside the division.
Common Screwups
  • ×Signing off an STS3's advanced PQS qualification without physically testing the watchstation execution. At STS2 your signature is the professional certification. If the petty officer you signed off cannot perform the procedure under the chief's observation, the chief returns to your name on the qual card and that recalibration of your judgment is permanent.
  • ×Presenting a TMA solution to the fire-control coordinator that the bearing-time data does not support. The fire-control party acts on the acoustic picture. An overconfident solution built on a weak data set is more dangerous than a reported 'unresolved, tracking bearing rate.' The OOD who drives a torpedo defense maneuver based on your confident-wrong solution is the start of a debrief that does not go well.
  • ×Letting the section's PMS completion rate drop without briefing the department head through the LPO before the inspection cycle surfaces it. The department head who learns about the deferred maintenance from an inspection finding rather than from your advance reporting treats the gap as a readiness failure, not a maintenance management issue.
  • ×Missing the LDO/ECP window. The time-in-service eligibility window for LDO does not extend indefinitely; the STS2 who waits until STS1 to decide whether commissioning is a path loses the window that was open at STS2.
  • ×NJP, DUI, or financial trouble — any integrity incident at STS2 on a submarine closes the commissioning program window, affects the security clearance, and the submarine community on a single hull is small enough that the read propagates from the goat locker to the CO in the same watch period.

A Day in the Life

  • 0500Reveille at sea. Check the watch bill and the overnight contact log from the previous section before leaving berthing.
  • 0530-0545Pre-watch brief: receive the full acoustic picture from the off-going senior watchstander. Every contact — bearing, classification, tonal associations, TMA solution status, any watch-period anomalies. The STS3 relieving the other section is briefing his supervisor; you are receiving the picture you will own for the next six hours.
  • 0545-1145On-watch as senior watchstander. Broadband monitoring, narrowband tonal analysis, contact classification maintenance, TMA plot development. Brief the sonar supervisor when a contact classification changes or a new contact develops. Manage the STS3s on watch with you — assign sectors, correct format errors immediately and quietly, build their TMA proficiency by talking through the current plot during quiet periods. Log the watch events in real time.
  • 1145-1230Watch relief brief: give the incoming senior watchstander the complete acoustic picture. Every contact, every tonal association, every developing situation. Nothing verbal-only — if it is in the watch log, brief it; if it is not in the watch log, log it and then brief it.
  • 1230-1330Lunch. Then PMS execution on section equipment — MRC pulled, read, executed in sequence, logged in real time.
  • 1330-1530Off-watch: STS1 NWAE study (45-minute focused session, every off-watch day), STS3 / STSSN PQS walk-through if scheduled, TMA review of the last watch period's contact solutions with the sonar supervisor if debriefs are scheduled.
  • 1530-1700PMS completion log management, classified material accountability maintenance for the section, watchstander qualification tracking updates. The LPO reviews these inputs at the weekly section sync — they need to be current before that meeting, not during it.
  • 1700-1800Dinner.
  • 1800-2200Rack time or STS1 study. The rotation back to watch begins at 2345 on a standard three-section cycle; sleep discipline is a readiness issue, not a personal preference.
  • 2345Pre-watch brief from off-going watchstander; relieve and hold the acoustic picture through the 0000-0600 section as the senior watchstander.
  • In port / ASW exercisesIn port: section duty rotation, PMS scheduling during duty days, STS1 study during liberty windows. ASW exercises and operational events compress the watchbill and run intensive contact prosecution sequences — these are the events the department head and CSG staff are watching. Log clean, analyze honestly, ask questions in the debrief.

Weekly Cadence

At sea the watch rotation is the structure — six on, twelve off, continuous. The STS2's week at sea is defined by watch quality, PMS completion against the section schedule, and the off-watch development work the sonar chief expects to see evidence of at the next section sync. The chief who walks through the sonar shack during a quiet watch period and finds the STS2's study log and PQS sign-off plan on the table is the chief who writes the EP ranking input. The chief who never sees evidence of off-watch work writes to what he observed on the deckplate. In port the week is structured around the LPO's plan of the week. Monday sync sets the week's PMS assignments, watchstander qualification walk-throughs, training events, and any division administrative work. Tuesday through Thursday are the execution core — PMS evolutions, STS3 mentoring sessions, section admin. The sonar supervisor typically schedules the week's TMA and tactical procedure training on Wednesday or Thursday when the watch bill allows a training block. Friday is the plan-of-next-week review and the section sync where the sonar chief reviews PMS completion, qualification status, and advancement preparation progress. The STS2 who runs the section admin and the advancement preparation on the LPO's timeline — not on his own estimated timeline — is the one the chief can predict. Predictability at STS2 on a submarine means the chief can put his name in the department head's brief without having to verify the numbers first. That predictability is the single most visible input into the eEVAL ranking above the exam score.

Key Skills — How to Drill Each

  1. 01
    Hold a contact through a full watch section from initial detection to OOD brief — broadband classification, tonal association, TMA bearing-rate plot, course/speed estimate.
    The full prosecution sequence at STS2 is not compartmentalized — classification, TMA, brief. They run in parallel as the contact develops. Initial broadband detection produces a bearing and an energy profile; tonal analysis against the library produces a classification hypothesis; TMA bearing-rate development over time refines the course-speed estimate. The brief to the OOD packages all three into a format the fire-control coordinator can immediately work with. Practice saying the brief out loud during training watches; the sonar supervisor who hears you brief clean will schedule you for the more complex prosecution events. The one who hears you equivocate under pressure schedules someone else.
  2. 02
    Stand the sonar supervisor watchstation during contact prosecutions, torpedo-evasion training, and ASW exercises.
    The sonar supervisor watchstation is a command qualification — get the applicable PQS and review it with the sonar chief before you approach the evaluation. The walkthrough for this qualification is not the same as an entry-level PQS board; the evaluation includes live watchstation performance during a real or exercise event, and the sonar chief is present for the evolution. Prepare by reading the applicable tactical procedures cold, not by summarizing them from memory. When you run the watchstation during an actual event, brief the OOD with the same format and confidence level whether the chief is watching or not — because the chief is always watching the watch log afterward.
  3. 03
    Execute towed-array operations — stream, depth/geometry management, retrieval — per installed technical procedures.
    The towed-array technical manual is the procedural authority; the physics of array geometry and the performance tradeoffs between shallow and deep array depth are what make you useful as a senior watchstander rather than a button-pusher. Understand why the array performs differently at different depths and trail distances before you are the one managing it during a contact prosecution. The sonar supervisor who asks 'why did you choose that array depth' during a debrief is testing whether you made a technical decision or followed a default setting.
  4. 04
    Sign off STS3 and STSSN advanced PQS qualifications with your name on the actual knowledge standard.
    Each qual sign-off is a test, not a check. Walk the STS3 through the actual watchstation or equipment interface, ask the question the chief would ask, and evaluate the answer against the standard — not against whether you like the sailor or want to move the PQS forward. When the knowledge is not there, document what needs to be reviewed and schedule a follow-up. The qual cards in the division represent the sonar division's professional certification of its watchstanders; your name on a line that does not hold up to a chief's spot-check is a professional judgment error.
  5. 05
    Teach narrowband analysis — tonal identification, frequency tracking, library correlation — at the level where junior watchstanders can hold a contact under supervision.
    Narrowband tonal analysis is the skill that separates contact classification from contact guessing. The teaching method is repetition on real data during watch periods and structured debriefs after each prosecution event. Sit with STS3s during the debrief and walk through the tonal display: what the frequency signature looked like at initial contact, how it developed, what the library match confidence was, what conditions affected the analysis. The STS3 who asks 'why did you classify it as X instead of Y' is the one who will be able to hold the next contact independently. Answer the question precisely — not dismissively, and not with 'you'll know it when you see it.'

Manuals & References — What Chapters Matter

  • NSTM Chapter 565 — Sonar Systems
    At STS2 you are the technical reference the STS3s check before approaching the sonar chief. Own the chapter sections relevant to your assigned equipment — system architecture, alignment procedures, performance parameters, casualty procedures. When the sonar supervisor asks 'what does chapter 565 say about that,' the STS2 who knows the answer does not check the book in front of the watch team.
  • NWP 3-21 series — Anti-Submarine Warfare
    You operate within NWP 3-21 as a watch lead. The contact prosecutions, barrier patrols, and torpedo-evasion procedures you execute are expressions of ASW doctrine. The STS2 who can explain the doctrine basis for a prosecution procedure — not just execute it — is the one the department head references when explaining the acoustic picture to the CSG staff. Read the current edition and understand the doctrinal intent behind the procedures, not just the procedures themselves.
  • On-board Sonar Acoustic Doctrine and Classification Procedures (hull-specific, controlled)
    This is the procedural authority for your watch. The STS2 who knows which procedure applies before the sonar supervisor asks is the one who runs the watch with authority. Request access from the LPO during the first week aboard a new hull and read it before the first operational underway — not during the first contact prosecution.
  • MILPERSMAN — LDO/ECP/STA-21 commissioning program articles
    If commissioning is in consideration, read the applicable MILPERSMAN articles before the CO conversation. Know the time-in-service eligibility window, the educational requirements, the security clearance requirements, and the performance history standard. The STS2 who walks into the CO's cabin for the commissioning conversation having read the instruction is the one who gets an honest assessment of whether the package is competitive.
  • NWAE Bibliography for Advancement (BIB) for STS1 cycle — current edition
    Pull the current BIB from MyNavyHR / NETC the week you pin STS2. The sonar chief on a fast-attack knows every STS2 advancement score before the official results publish — the eEVAL ranking conversation has two inputs, and the exam score is the one you control most directly. Study the BIB chapter by chapter; document the sessions in writing. The chief who sees the study log at section sync has a concrete input for the EP block; the chief who has never seen evidence of preparation writes to what he observed.

Standards — How to Hit Each

  • NWAE for STS1 prep documented and on schedule.
    Forty-five minutes of focused BIB study per session, four sessions per week, starting from day one at STS2. Not a marathon before the exam — a sustained habit the chief can observe across the whole time-in-rate. The study log entries should show chapter progression, not random topic coverage. When the cycle date is announced, you should have covered the BIB and be doing review, not starting from the front of the document.
  • Sonar supervisor watchstation qualification earned or actively in-progress.
    Brief the sonar chief your qualification plan in the first 30 days at STS2. The plan should include the PQS sections, the projected evaluation date, and the watch events you are planning to use for the practical demonstration. The chief who sees the plan in writing before asking for it is the chief who schedules the live evaluation events that make the qualification possible. Do not wait for the supervisor to track your progress — the STS2 who manages the qualification timeline proactively is the one who holds it before the next STS1 exam cycle.
  • PRT Good High or better; BCA in standard.
    The trend matters more than the single score — Good High maintained through two consecutive cycles shows fitness discipline. The shore rotation after a long deployment is when PRT performance characteristically drops; the STS2 who builds a physical readiness maintenance plan during the post-deployment period is the one whose next PRT does not require remedial discussion with the chief. The sonar supervisor on a submarine is watching the physical readiness trend as a leading indicator of discipline — consistently Good High means the petty officer runs the same standard whether the chief is watching or not.
  • PMS section completion rate at or above department average every patrol cycle.
    Own the number. The STS2 who knows the section's PMS completion percentage without looking it up is the one the LPO presents to the department head without revision. Track the deferred items against the operational schedule and brief the LPO on any item that cannot be completed before the next readiness deadline — do not let the department head learn about deferred maintenance from an inspection finding.

Technical Mistakes — Concrete Consequences

  • Signing off a junior watchstander's PQS qualification without verifying the actual watchstation execution.
    At STS2 your signature on the qual card is the professional certification that the watchstander can perform to standard. The sonar chief who spot-checks a qualification by sending the newly-signed-off STS3 to the watchstation will trace any gap back to the STS2's sign-off. The recalibration of your professional judgment that follows is permanent — the chief's eEVAL ranking input changes, and it is visible in the next cycle's results.
  • Presenting a TMA solution that the data does not support because it is the answer the fire-control party seems to want.
    The fire-control coordinator builds the targeting and defense picture from the sonar solution. An incorrect range-course-speed estimate that drives a maneuvering decision means the submarine is operating on bad data. When the solution diverges from subsequent contact development, the sonar supervisor walks the watch log with the department head and identifies the point where the acoustic analysis was wrong. The STS2 who reported honest uncertainty ('unresolved, bearing rate tracking') is learning; the one who presented confident-wrong is in a different conversation.
  • Running a towed-array casualty recovery procedure outside the technical manual's scope without formal authorization.
    An unauthorized modification to a towed-array system means the acoustic performance of the repaired system cannot be certified. The submarine's sonar capability assessment is compromised until the system is formally inspected and accepted. The STS2 who improvised the repair because it seemed faster is named in the casualty report and the chain investigates why the published procedure was not followed.
  • Treating sonar classification briefings to the OOD as an opportunity to demonstrate confidence rather than to report honest uncertainty.
    Confidence and accuracy are not the same thing. The OOD takes real actions — torpedo defense maneuvers, contact prosecution decisions, periscope depth planning — based on the classification the sonar shack provides. A confident-wrong classification during a real prosecution has tactical consequences and the sonar supervisor who reviews the watch log afterward identifies the classification decision point. The STS2 who reports honest uncertainty and tracks the contact correctly is the one the debrief commends.
  • Bypassing the sonar supervisor to brief the fire-control coordinator or OOD directly on a developing contact.
    The acoustic picture flows through the sonar supervisor to the fire-control party — that chain exists because the submarine's watch team synthesizes the tactical picture through defined contact points. The STS2 who briefs around the supervisor because 'it was faster' teaches the STS3s that the chain is optional when convenient. The sonar chief who finds out about the chain violation — and he will, because the OOD and fire-control coordinator are both aware of how the information arrived — discusses it in terms the STS2 does not want discussed in front of the division.

Career Decisions at This Rank

  • LDO (Limited Duty Officer) — technical submarine officer track
    The LDO application cycle has time-in-service windows and requires a CO recommendation, a strong performance evaluation record, and typically a bachelor's degree in progress or completed. The STS2 who is building toward LDO needs to start college coursework through NCPACE or off-duty enrollment, maintain the eEVAL performance record, and have the CO conversation before the application window opens. The submarine-force LDO (1120) and submarine-specific technical officer designators offer career extension for the STS sailor who wants the officer side of the acoustic-technical mission without leaving the community. The ADSO (Active Duty Service Obligation) for LDO commissioning is typically three years — factor this into the reenlistment math.
  • Second enlistment / reenlistment bonus vs. ETS
    The STS2 reenlistment window arrives with SRB on the table. The current SRB for STS and submarine ratings is published by NAVADMIN — pull the message before talking to the career counselor. The honest evaluation: if the submarine lifestyle is working, reenlist with specific career goals (sonar supervisor qualification, NEC pipeline, second hull, commissioning program consideration). If the lifestyle is not working — patrol schedules, time away from family, physical environment of a submarine — the SRB does not fix the lifestyle, it only delays the decision. ETS with an STS credential, a submarine duty record, and a security clearance is a competitive civilian job search, not a setback.
  • Advanced NEC pipeline path at STS2
    The advanced NEC options for the STS rating open billets that a straight sonar supervisor track does not. The NEC source-rating message from NPC describes the qualification path and assignment options for each. The STS2 who identifies a specific NEC path and briefs the LPO on the plan before the pipeline slot comes available is the one who gets the recommendation when it drops. Read NAVPERS 18068 Vol II current edition; identify the NEC; brief the LPO. The career counselor conversation is more productive when you already know which pipeline you want and can explain why it fits the career plan.
  • STA-21 (Seaman-to-Admiral) — fully funded commissioning program
    STA-21 is the Navy's fully funded commissioning program that pays tuition, fees, and salary while the sailor completes a bachelor's degree and commissions as an ensign. Selection is competitive and requires a strong academic record and command recommendation. The STS2 window is when the application preparation should start — not when the deadline arrives. The STA-21 selectee walks into the program with a submarine acoustic background and a security clearance that the officer community values. If the academic preparation is in progress and the CO recommendation is attainable, STA-21 deserves serious consideration before the window closes.

How the Seat Varies by Unit Type

  • Fast-attack SSN (Los Angeles-class or Virginia-class) — primary ASW mission
    The core STS community experience. TMA proficiency, contact classification, towed-array management, torpedo-evasion drills — these are daily job content on an attack submarine. The sonar division is the primary mission-generation element. The sonar chief and the department head are both close observers of STS2 performance because the sonar picture is what the CO briefs to the squadron commander after every ASW exercise.
  • Ohio-class SSGN — strike and SOF-support primary mission
    The sonar suite is the same Ohio-class acoustic architecture; the primary mission is Tomahawk land-attack and special operations support rather than ASW. The operational profile differs from a fast-attack — longer transit times, different exercise cadence, different contact prosecution priorities. STS2s assigned to an SSGN develop deep acoustic watchstander proficiency but in a mission context that is less ASW-intensive than the fast-attack community.
  • Shore tour — Naval Submarine School instructor, SUBRON staff, NUWC technical support
    The STS2 who earns shore orders after the first sea tour is coming off a submarine community that values deckplate experience. An instructor billet at Naval Submarine School puts the experienced STS2 in the pipeline teaching STSSN students and shaping the next generation's acoustic fundamentals. SUBRON staff billets support multiple boats from the squadron administrative and operational support layer. NUWC technical support billets are less common at STS2 but exist for technically distinguished performers.
  • Joint and inter-agency billets (rare at STS2, more common at STS1/STSC)
    Some STS sailors in advanced NEC pipelines or with specific cleared technical backgrounds serve in joint or inter-agency support billets outside the submarine force structure. These assignments are competitive and generally reserved for more senior petty officers, but the STS2 who understands this career option exists can build toward it deliberately rather than discovering it at STS1.

What Good Looks Like at This Rank

The good STS2 is the watchstander the sonar supervisor puts on the section where the operational contact density is highest and the OOD needs a senior acoustic voice — because the contact format will be clean, the classification confidence will be honest, and the TMA solution will be one the fire-control coordinator can work with immediately without revision. The watch log from his section shows clean bearing tracks, classification updates as the picture develops, and no gaps in contact continuity during watch section transitions. His sonar supervisor qualification went on the watchbill before the sonar chief had to ask for a plan. The PMS section completion rate for his equipment is at or above the department average on every patrol cycle, and the LPO does not revise the numbers before the department head brief. The STS3s he signed off on advanced PQS qualifications can execute the procedure cold when the chief sends them to the watchstation — the qual card traces back to real professional certification, not a paperwork courtesy. His STS1 NWAE study log is documented in a physical notebook with dates, chapters, and flagged questions. The sonar chief has seen it at section sync twice in the last quarter and the EP eEVAL ranking input was decided before the advancement cycle results were announced. When the commissioning program conversation comes up at the next career counselor meeting, the STS2 has read the MILPERSMAN articles, knows the time-in-service eligibility window, and is asking the CO the right question — not whether a commissioning program exists, but whether the package is competitive and what it needs to get there.

Preview — The Next Rank

STS1 (E-6) is the Lead Petty Officer of the sonar division — the senior enlisted daily manager of watch scheduling, PMS compliance, watchstander qualification, and personnel readiness for the entire sonar section. The accountability shift from STS2 to STS1 is not gradual; it is a step change in daily load and visibility. As STS1 you own four to six eEVALs per cycle that drive the advancement slate for the STS3s and STS2s in your division. The eEVAL is not a performance summary you fill in — it is a professional document that the department head defends at a board and that the Chief selection board reads. The STS1 who writes an eEVAL that accurately reflects ranked performance and uses the language the Chief board recognizes is the LPO the department head trusts. The one who writes inflated eEVALs because the sailors are likeable loses the department head's confidence permanently. The Senior Sonar Supervisor watchstation is the qualification the Chief board reads at STS1. If you are not qualified as Senior Sonar Supervisor on a hull where the billet is open when you appear before the Chief board, the board notices. The qualification plan needs to run from the first week at STS1, not after the LPO duties are organized. The Chief selection board is not a future abstraction at STS1 — it is the primary professional focus of the paygrade. Every eEVAL, every qualification outcome in the division, and every classified material accountability result traces to the LPO's professional record. The LCPO is reviewing the package before the board announces the review date.
FAQ

STS E5 — Frequently Asked Questions

Q01What does a E5 STS (Sonar Technician (Submarine)) actually do?
You are a qualified sonar watchstander running the sonar section during your watch as the senior contact tracker and, on some platforms, as the junior sonar supervisor.
Q02What's the most important thing to know as a E5 STS?
STS2 is the first rank where the sonar picture during your section belongs to you — not to the supervisor standing over your shoulder.
Q03What does a typical day look like for a E5 STS?
Time-blocked day at the E5 STS rank tier: 0500 Reveille at sea. Check the watch bill and the overnight contact log from the previous section before leaving berthing, 0530-0545 Pre-watch brief: receive the full acoustic picture from the off-going senior watchstander. Every contact — bearing, classification, tonal associations, TMA solution status, any watch-period anomalies. The STS3 relieving the other section is briefing his supervisor; you are receiving the picture you will own for the next six hours, 0545-1145 On-watch as senior watchstander. Broadband monitoring,…
Q04What mistakes get E5 STS soldiers fired or relieved?
Signing off an STS3's advanced PQS qualification without physically testing the watchstation execution. At STS2 your signature is the professional certification. If the petty officer you signed off cannot perform the procedure under the chief's observation, the chief returns to your name on the qual card and that recalibration of your judgment is permanent; Presenting a TMA solution to the fire-control coordinator that the bearing-time data does not support.…
Q05What career decisions matter most at the E5 STS rank tier?
LDO (Limited Duty Officer) — technical submarine officer track — The LDO application cycle has time-in-service windows and requires a CO recommendation, a strong performance evaluation record, and typically a bachelor's degree in progress or completed. The STS2 who is building toward LDO needs to start college coursework through NCPACE or off-duty enrollment, maintain the eEVAL performance record, and have the CO conversation before the application window opens.…
Q06What's next after E5 for a STS (Sonar Technician (Submarine)) in the Navy?
STS1 (E-6) is the Lead Petty Officer of the sonar division — the senior enlisted daily manager of watch scheduling, PMS compliance, watchstander qualification, and personnel readiness for the entire sonar section.
Q07What manuals and regulations does a E5 STS need to know cold?
NSTM Chapter 565 — Sonar Systems; you own the technical reference for your assigned sonar equipment sections and brief the applicable chapter to STS3s before they sign the MRC.; NWP 3-21 series — ASW doctrine; you operate within this framework as a watch lead and brief the doctrine basis for contact prosecution decisions when the sonar supervisor asks.; On-board Sonar Acoustic Doctrine and classification procedures (hull-specific,…

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Published by the Honest MOS Editorial DeskVerified against DoD/.gov sourcesUpdated May 2026Editorial standards