Pros
Serving as a Surface Warfare Officer is a great job with a sense of mission accomplishment. Many opportunities exist for advancement and career development. Educational opportunities for master's degrees exist, but be prepared to sign up for additional years of service. You will have the chance to lead personnel from the start of your naval career and your responsibilities increase with rank. You will be advanced automatically for about the first 10 years of your service and then it will become competitive. The Navy offers a fantastic retirement plan and you will receive your monthly payments starting immediately after you serve 20 years of service. Get commissioned at age 21 and retire at 41 and start earning your retirement payments. A great deal! Plus you get to travel the world and see some great countries.
Cons
Prepare to deploy and be at sea for extended periods of time. Limits and places a strain on your family and social life. It is very difficult to find a balance between your personal and professional life. Many officers are able to achieve this, but it is a difficult task. Long working hours and work on weekends are the norm depending upon your billet. If you are at an operational command (ship or submarine), expect long hours and prepare to deploy for at least 4-6 months out of each year. Also be prepared to deploy to war zones (Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, Kuwait) to support the Army, Marines and Air Force on the ground.