To the guy joining the navy

[trapper9260]

When you join .Remember you belong to the gov and that is it and there will be places that you will be station that you can not bring anyone with you no matter if they are you wife.it all depend on what your job is and also there is no over time pay no matter if you work 20 hours days in port.and more out at sea.I have a friend that end up going through 2 marriages because of how things was for him in the navy.Also one of my sisters son was in the army end up divorce after being gone for some time.just remember that if you mess up off base you pay that price for what ever it is but the mil will have there turn also.You pay twice for messing up.For how things are now they want you do more then you think and alot of times you will not work in your MOS.I did not.They put you will you are needed that is it.

[silverado]

I heard if you join the air force advancement is based off of video game scores.

[Mallard57]

I heard if you join the air force advancement is based off of video game scores.

That and staying out of jail. Does the Navy still have DUI scoreboard by the front gate?

[Ickisrulz]

I heard if you join the air force advancement is based off of video game scores.

No, it is off the Weighted Airman Promotion System (WAPS) that takes into account job performance, decorations, time in service, time in grade and the scores on two tests (Air Force knowledge in general and job specific knowledge). It is as fair as I can imagine it can be (although I could think of a couple changes). Airmen compete against others in their own careerfield throughout the entire Air Force. Competition is one time each year. Also, no one is stagnated because of the careerfield (the way these posts claim Sailors are).

[Love Life]

We get judged by a round table of E-9's and Senior officers. No tests. Just performance.

[silverado]

That and staying out of jail. Does the Navy still have DUI scoreboard by the front gate?

Not in norfolk but guam did when I left in 2011, I think the guy holding up the sign would be a great idea but someone would call it hazing...

[beezapilot]

I'm retired Navy- did my fist 6 years at sea and the next 15 on shore duty. In that 15 years of shore duty I was transferred once, had no duty days, stood no watches, wore a uniform about half the time- I was on call to travel, but was never gone more then 3 weeks at a time. My spouse enjoyed a career that transferred when I did, she was successful in her field and when we transferred it came with a promotion for her as well as myself. I rarely worked in the field I was initially trained in. During my tenure in the USN, my wife and I both earned our degrees, enjoyed many of the benefits of MWR, travel, and the hospitality of Army and Air Force base personnel.
I've been retired now for 16 years, am still in contact with many friends from different services. Yes, there are many stories of how things can go wrong in the military (and NO, I'm not a combat vet, those guys are heroic, and deserve every bit of respect we can all muster), but there are as many success stories too.

[silverado]

I'm retired Navy- did my fist 6 years at sea and the next 15 on shore duty. In that 15 years of shore duty I was transferred once, had no duty days, stood no watches, wore a uniform about half the time- I was on call to travel, but was never gone more then 3 weeks at a time. My spouse enjoyed a career that transferred when I did, she was successful in her field and when we transferred it came with a promotion for her as well as myself. I rarely worked in the field I was initially trained in. During my tenure in the USN, my wife and I both earned our degrees, enjoyed many of the benefits of MWR, travel, and the hospitality of Army and Air Force base personnel.
I've been retired now for 16 years, am still in contact with many friends from different services. Yes, there are many stories of how things can go wrong in the military (and NO, I'm not a combat vet, those guys are heroic, and deserve every bit of respect we can all muster), but there are as many success stories too.

I hate to say this but the navy is trying to crank down on people who do shore careers. I don't know the details about your situation but there are a lot of people who are basically scamming the navy and skipping out on sea duties.
http://www.navytimes.com/article/201...-duty-slackers

[Alvarez Kelly]

I hate to say this but the navy is trying to crank down on people who do shore careers. I don't know the details about your situation but there are a lot of people who are basically scamming the navy and skipping out on sea duties.
http://www.navytimes.com/article/201...-duty-slackers

I can't read the article unless I subscribe to the Navy Times. Can you post the article?

[HollandNut]

It happens , always has , didn't read the link , but someone like myself as a GMG , in a definite sea going rate , would be hard to pull off shore duty beyond normal rotation ..

I know one guy who retired as a Captain , he was on my ship as an Ensign , and recently retired from a teaching billet at an AF base here ..

He told me that about fifteen years into his career , he was told the Navy had nothing for him , so he got out , hooked with this US senator , whom he had taken on a cruise on a reserve can , and the senator got him a job somewhere , the next fifteen years he never saw a Navy base or ship , all teaching billets at various bases of the other branches ..

Now he is sitting on a fat retirement check because he sucked up to somebody

that aint right

[snaketail]

Is it harder to advance in rank today - than it was during the Vietnam conflict? I made E-5 in 3 years, but I'm seeing guys take 12-50 years to get beyond PO3. I understand you have to advance to have a Navy career, but it is more difficult now?

I got out at the end of my 4 years, but I do with I'd stayed in the Navy.

M

[Love Life]

We have what we call "Fleet Dodgers" in my service. We have been at war for over a decade, and have service members who have been in as long and haven't chipped in on the war effort. I remember being a Cpl with a larger stack than the SgtMaj of 8th Marines.

[HollandNut]

may be they claimed they got sea sick and couldn't ride a gator across the pond ?/

that isn't right

you also notice that a lot of those senior NCO's who end up with staff jobs like SgtMaj of 8th marines or Fleet Master Chief , have had very political careers , sucking up to the right peeps at the right time

[crazy mark]

I'm at work on the last day I work this week. Monday I come in for the retirement party and then I can be on the net whenever I want. I asked my boss what he wanted me to do and was told do whatever you want.

[beezapilot]

I hate to say this but the navy is trying to crank down on people who do shore careers. I don't know the details about your situation but there are a lot of people who are basically scamming the navy and skipping out on sea duties.
http://www.navytimes.com/article/201...-duty-slackers

I was an EW (Electronic Warfare), did 4.5 years out of my first 6 at sea. Then I was told the rating was going to be phased out, I applied for IS as a rate conversion and was stationed with an Intell group (nothing like Tom Clancy- moderately boring analysis), the IS rate dead ended me at year 16, my detailer asked if I would consider rectruiting duty (I think I would have rather gone to sea) and retired from there.

[silverado]

I was an EW (Electronic Warfare), did 4.5 years out of my first 6 at sea. Then I was told the rating was going to be phased out, I applied for IS as a rate conversion and was stationed with an Intell group (nothing like Tom Clancy- moderately boring analysis), the IS rate dead ended me at year 16, my detailer asked if I would consider rectruiting duty (I think I would have rather gone to sea) and retired from there.

Good to know... There are some that are pretty much scamming the navy and screwing the guys covering for them at sea duty.

[silverado]

Is it harder to advance in rank today - than it was during the Vietnam conflict? I made E-5 in 3 years, but I'm seeing guys take 12-50 years to get beyond PO3. I understand you have to advance to have a Navy career, but it is more difficult now?

I got out at the end of my 4 years, but I do with I'd stayed in the Navy.

M

In some rates it is difficult.... people are getting kicked out at 15 years if they don't make e6. I made e6 in 7 years ish, depends on how well retention is in your rate. High retention generally equals low advancement and lower reenlistment bonuses.

[silverado]

I can't read the article unless I subscribe to the Navy Times. Can you post the article?

I can't read the full article but could when I posted it... just the navy times trying to get our money.... they can be funny with public-ness of their articles

[beagle]

I'm sure glad you guys have had the guts to stand up and tell how it is. The military's a good life if you like it. If you're looking for a 9-5, stay at home, well paying job, move on unless you're willing to stay in and stand the abuse it puts you through for the long haul. Too many recruiters "bend" the truth like they always have and suck guys in telling them they'll make so much and get such and such a job.........if they qualify and if the military needs that particular job skill. If you're looking for a gravy train, the military ain't it. If the military was such a great deal, recruiters would be behind bars so you'd have to beat 'em down to join. The military needs people for a rotten job and are willing to pay a semi-decent wage for it if you don't have any other prospects. Expect to earn that pay./beagle

[wnmGng]

Sorry, I should have clarified. I didn't mean officers didn't go into battle, I meant a few of the medical officer jobs were less likely to be deployed to a war zone in comparison to a FMF Corpsman.
and I am in no way interested in "scamming" the navy, nor am I afraid of ship duty, or travel. the only thing I would prefer is to stay out of battle, but if it is necessary then so be it.

last time I got a job for the "excitement", it almost killed me.