Anybody in/was in the Navy?

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James Easley

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Heyo,



I plan on joining the Navy after college and was wondering if there was any Navy members here and if it were possible if I could pick your brains a little bit for some information. I have been talking to an officer recruiter and a recruit recruiter (i guess that's right) and have been getting information from both sides and trying to make a decision. I have a year and half left of my senior year in college :grin: :haveabeer: and would like to take on this endeavor once I graduate.



If there is someone who would be willing to talk; I would be more than appreciative!

Thanks for your time,

J.B.
 
when i was in, way back in the 80's i was told by a recruiter friend of mine was Make Sure You Have It in Writing especially if your going to join as a a plain old recruit. because you would be doing things that nobody wants to do..

my son is in right now and from the way he talks its a much different NAVY then when i was in.

if you have a degree i would say go in as a officer..a much better lifestyle.

what kind of degree will you be getting?
 
My wife is a naval officer for the next 2 months, she's been in since 04. If you have specific questions feel free to email me them or just post them up. Some things having just been around I might be able to answer, others I can just ask her..
 
Was never in the Navy, but I was in the Army for 20 years and retired in 1983. I'm sure all the services have changed a lot over the years, but in many ways they have the same missions and do similar training related to their missions.



As a college graduate you will probably receive a commission as an officer. Depending upon your degree field, you may go in as an O-1, O-2, or even an O-3 (for Medical or Legal degrees). You will be required to attend some form of OTC (Officer Training Course), like a light version of Basic Training, primarly to train you on Military topics like Traditions, Ranks, Protocals, Uniforms, marching, Military laws and regulations, and training specificly oriented to the Navy.



Military life is not for everyone, but I think it can be good move when you leave school and still don't have any real direction. It builds teamwork, responsibility, and discipline which are necessary skills that are not always taught in schools.



...Rich
 
Ditto, on what Richard said. Though I enlisted for 3yrs during Vietnam. A very unpopular time. I wouldnt' trade those 3yrs for anything. It boosted all I had been taught at home. Not to be-little my buddies. When I got out, after 3 years. I could see that I was more grown up. More disciplined and responsible than my Buds'.



Funny thing is. the last few years some of them have been intrested in. Hearing what I did and some stories about those 3yrs. I guess it has to do with the atitude, towards the soldier has changed. It is nice to see society has begun to blame the government. For what they disagree with. Not the individual.



J.B., best wishes in your career. I hope your able to get the MOS you desire. Something you can use as a civilian. When you retire or return. Possibilities are unlimited.

Good Luck.......:supercool:
 
Wow thanks for all the comments guys!

I'll be graduating with a Biology with a specialty in Marine Biology. I'll also be leaving with my teachers licenses for a high school biology and life science educator. Unfortunately, my GPA is a 2.7 on the 4.0 scale and my officer recruiter said if I wanted to a officer in the field that I was interested in I needed to pull it up to a 3.5 and then score much much higher on the physical tests as officers lead by example.



My ultimate life goal, and it has been for many many years, is to be a Navy SEAL. We had a SEAL come and talk to us a few years ago in school about the proper mindset and determination attitude in life and how it helped him succeed through BUD/S and make it to becoming a SEAL. Thinking about it now kinda gave me the chills and it just further motivates me to prove this to myself and to my country.



I guess the hardest thing right now that I am having is that I am continually beaten down by my parents about not wanting to be an officer, just because... lets be real now, bringing my GPA a whole point is not gunna happen even with straight A's. And that it would be stupid of me not to go in as an officer, etc. For those of you who did serve and are serving now, how did you guys deal with your closest friends and family not supporting a life dream you had and wanted to achieve, for me being a SEAL, AND how do you think the military has improved your way of life?



I hope this makes some sense...

J.B.
 
I would agree with your parents on the officer/enlisted thing. Pay is better, and from my experience (close friends who were/are enlisted) work environment and quality of life will be better as an officer. I have no idea on the GPA issue though.. As far as the physical tests go I'm about 99% sure that there is maybe a handful of enlisted people who know my wifes PRT scores. The officers test with other officers so they aren't proving anything to the enlisted around them..



I hope your goal works out, but do you have a backup plan for the Navy? BUD/S has something like an 80% failure rate. That's about all I've got on that..



Navy improved my families way of life mostly because we don't have any debt from my wife's schooling. We've gotten to live all over the country, and have friends all over the place. The downside to that is we don't have a close knit group of friends since we have moved on average every 2 years for the last 8 years.



So the reason my wife is getting out of the Navy is because she's sick of the political micromanaging crap, along with deployments away from me and the kids.



-- I just asked her on skype if she knew anyone who was in the marine biology type of field, and the only person she could think of was a Captain doing industrial hygeine or something like that - does site survey, water samples, etc (she thinks) so if you'd like to be put in contact with a real human who does that kind of work (maybe he could point to someone who does more with biology, I don't know...) let me know and I'll get you two together on an email or something.

 
For those of you who did serve and are serving now, how did you guys deal with your closest friends and family not supporting a life dream you had and wanted to achieve
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I didnt worry about the lack of support. As far as family they were worried, because of 'Nam. My dad served in the Navy. The last 2 yrs of WW2, in the pacific on Midway island. So he understood more than mom.

All in all. It is your future, your dream. You have to do for your future. If you dont. You will always have that missing goal, in your mind.



how do you think the military has improved your way of life?
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For me. Even though I got involved in alcohol and drugs. I know it disciplined me to only, go so far involment. I never sold drugs. Though I was addicted. My usage on the job was limited. I held my job for 36yrs, until retirement. I was never a thief or criminal. Other than being a user.

One example. Waiting for a drug delivery. The guy shows up with a case full of $100 conterfiet bills. The offer of % to help him circulate. I Walked away. This was in '87 before I checked into rehab.

I know this story is flakey or not what you needed to hear. If there ever is an addict with morals..LOL. I believe in the discipline of life. That supported me from my, Army service. I hope someone has a cleaner story.



I just know my service life. Helped me with my lifes endevors. Even with my job. Not accepting to stay in the low jobs @ at the plant. I became a process control inst.tech.

The type of work that was right up my alley. A high tech feild of work.
 
I guess looking at it now going in as a recruit and posting solid PST times and trying to get a SO contract for BUD/S is what I should do. The biology/marine biology has always been an interest of mine, but the whole research and graduate program idea has not been. Because of that I want to be a teacher and own my own business, but that's down the road, that will always be there... But thanks! Now if there was a way to incorporate Marine biology and Special Forces into one program that my recruiter hasn't told me then I'm all ears! haha.



Also, I quite honestly think they don't think I can do it. I know there is a 70-80% drop-out rate for BUD/S, but this is a feeling and a desire of mine to be apart of the best team in the world and to push myself to limits that I haven't even dreamed of, to see if I have what it takes to become a SEAL. I know I need a back-up plan and I have thought about that a lot because it's important to have all your bases covered, and I would want to be a Navy Diver should for some reason this SEAL dream takes a turn for the worst.



JDBoxes, does your wife know any SEALs? That was one of the reasons why I am branching out because I would love to talk to someone who is associated with SEALs.



Eddie, I gotta say that's an amazing story. I guess the way I am dealing with it is using it as motivation when I workout and train for this.

 
No SEALs that I know of, I know she had a couple of guys who were headed to buds, and I had a neighbor who didn't make it through buds but thats about it. I do know a guy who is part of the SEAL support team, but I'm not 100% sure what he does I just know he's involved with keeping the SEAL team ready to go (I think it's something with weapons repair?) So I'm sure he knows some SEALs..



Don't forget the military has been downsizing, there have been a lot of people who didn't get to continue their career because they failed to "perform to serve" whatever that means. This goes for everyone from E1 - Owhatever.. I remember my wife telling me about a chief with 18 years who was getting POS'ed (sounds really bad as an acronym) out..
 
JD is right about some being booted, in today's military. I have an uncle that was a captain in the Army. When slots came open for major. He couldnt' make the grade and got the boot. Not sure of how many years he served.
 
J.B.,

The Military has had RIF's (Reduction in Forces) after every war. After Vietnam the Army had an "Up or Out" policy. If you did not get promoted (Up) to a certain ranks within so many years of service, you were denied reenlistment (booted Out). Promotions are based on evaluations by your supervisors and at higher ranks, your evaluation is used to compare you with all the same people hoping to get promoted. I received several accelerated promotions by being evaluated in the top 3% of all members of the same rank in the Army.



It's hard for anyone to explain the good and bad about their military service since it is very subjective. Everyone has a different take on different aspects of the military. I joined the military just to get away from home. My parents were divorced and I lived with my mother who was struggling to make ends meet. I did not have much discipline and pretty much did what I wanted. I joined the Army right out of HS because I just had to get away from home for a while.



The first few years were rough because I wanted to march to my own beat which is frowned upon in the Military. Eventually I was fortunate to have worked under the skillful leadership of some senior NCO's who were able to motivate me the way I needed to be motivated, and that pretty much turned my career around. Within about a year I went from a guy who was denied promotions and close to being kicked out of the military to a guy getting the highest evaluations, awards, and accelerated promotions.



The military taught me discipline, responsibility, teamwork, and a level of leadership that I doubt that I ever would have obtained. One of the key elements of good Leadership is not the ability to give orders, but to follow orders even when you may disagree, or even if the person giving the orders is not a good leader.



So, the Military is no different than most things in life, "What you get out of it depends upon the effort you put into it".



...Rich





 
Rich,

I had a simular situation. During and after boot camp. I started wondering if I would make my 3yr enlistment.

Then I got sent to 'Nam. My comander, Col. Eugene Manor. Was a real people person and good leader, an old infantry soldier. He respected anyone that tried to do a good job. He would always verbaly express it. His door was open. If I needed something. There was no problem, bypassing my XO.

On off time we were on first name basis, sometimes. As the good leader he was, and not a jerk. You wanted to do your best. I was there for 2yrs. He left a few months before I did. He put a personal letter of high remarks about me in my 201 file. His leadership is one factor in my extened tour.

He was the one that put me in for the bronze star, arcom and good conduct. There was only a couple of us in my unit op's that recieved any comendations. During my 2 tours. Col Manor even treated the draftees' with much respect.



When I was assigned to Ft. Bliss for the last few months of my time. I worked under a captain that was a jerk, and not much of a leader. The same for my company comander. That changed my thinking about reinlisting...LOL

My company comander brought me in 4 times about re-up. The clearances and qaulifactions of special ops. Is what he kept bringing up. As to why he was trying so hard.

Once that I had worked under Col. Manor. That was a respectful leader. It was hard for me to see a career, in the Army. 7 months @ Ft. Bliss burned me out. I was cheated out of 105 points on a propay test. So I missed buck 5 by a couple of points. 105 points would have put me way over the top. With the RIF going on. It was harder to get promotions. Also I had civilian job to go back to.



I have wondered if I made the right descision.:grin:
 
Hey,



I'm a retired CTT (retired in 2002). Feel free to email if needed. My one piece of advise I tell folks entering the military is when you're in boot camp and/or Buds training, is no, they don't give a crap how you make your bed, even though they will make a BIG deal out of it, (or some other seemingly meaningless task).



It's all a test to see if you can do something with great attention to detail under pressure. After all, if you can't make your bed with the provided specifics in the prescribed time, what are the odds you can break down that machine gun, call in for support and coordinate the next strike all the while bullets are flying overhead?



Good luck and thank you in advance.



Bo
 
I have been talking to an officer recruiter and a recruit recruiter (i guess that's right)
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Actually the correct terminology would be "officer recruiter and an enlisted recruiter. But that's OK, you're still learning. :grin:



I too am retired Navy, having served as an ET from 1986-2006. During my career, I also served four years on recruiting duty.



If it's truly your life's goal to become a SEAL, don't let your parents deter you about going enlisted. If you're not qualified for officer programs when you graduate from college, then enlisting is your only other option. If your parents really love you, they'll support your dream no matter which route you take.



If going the enlisted route is your only option upon graduating from college and you still have aspirations of becoming a commissioned officer, don't worry. There are opportunities for enlisted personnel to become officers after they're in the Navy. One such option allows enlisted folks to go to college full time while on active duty and then receive their commission after they get their undergrad degree. Since you'll already have your degree, I'm not sure how this option would work for you. There's also the Chief Warrant Officer/Limited Duty Officer programs that allow enlisted folks to become officers. I'm sure there are other enlisted-to-officer programs available, but having been out of the loop for six years now, I'm not up on the latest "intel".



If you enlist, you'll have one advantage over your peers right away: By already having a BS degree, you'll go right into boot camp at the accelerated rank/pay grade of E-3. That'll be a huge advantage for you, because you'll be eligible for advancement that much sooner.



Having your teaching certificates/licenses upon graduation is a great thing. And the best advice I could give you about those if you go in the Navy is this: Never, ever let those lapse, no matter how long you stay in the Navy. If you let them lapse, you may have to take more courses to regain them if the standards/requirements change over time. I'm assuming you'll have an OH teaching license, right? If you keep it up throughout your Naval career, when you retire, you just might be able to begin teaching right away in whatever state you settle in if they give reciprocity for your OH license. I had a CO in my career who was a teacher when he became a Naval Aviator during Vietnam, and he kept his IL license up throughout his 27-year Navy career. When he retired, he got a job right away in IL teaching.



As for becoming a SEAL and the high failure rate mentioned by others: That high rate of failure is largely for mental reasons, not physical. As I'm sure you already know, the purpose of BUD/S is not only to get you into great physical condition, but to push you mentally to your breaking point, and then take you about 100 miles beyond that to see if you can take it. Yes, being a Sailor myself probably makes my opinion a little biased, but I don't think there are any better Special Warfare Operators on this planet than United States Navy SEALs.



Keep in mind, though, that there are also other options within the Naval Special Warfare community to consider such as Navy Divers, Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD), and Special Warefare Combat Crew (SWCC). The SWCC's are the guys that drive the SEALs high speed boats, getting them to the beach.



how do you think the military has improved your way of life?
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1. Got my Associate and Bachelor's degrees while on active duty-for free. Paid for by Navy Tuition Assistance.



2. Enabled me to see many parts of the world (and also the USA) that this IL-born Midwestern boy probably never would've seen if not for the USN.



3. Developed strong, lifelong friendships/brotherhoods with folks that I served with. To this day (especially with the "magic" of Facebook), I'm still tight with, and talk to quite often, folks that I served with on my first ship back in '88. I'm sure that other Veterans on this board will agree that there's no stronger bond than the one you forge with someone you serve alongside in the military, whether in battle, or peace time. It's just a way of life that no civilian can ever understand.



4. Retired after 20 years at the age of 40, drawing a pension right away and still young enough to start a second career.



5. Some others may knock military medicine, but I've had great health care, both in my active career, and also now as a retiree. And that includes me and my family. My son was born in a Navy hospital 10 weeks premature and had multiple health issues. He was in the NICU for 70 days, and has had various therapies and other medical needs throughout the last 11 years; yet TRICARE has never turned us down for anything; and the most it's cost us is a $12/visit copay each time. And as a military retiree, I pay $438/year for health care for my entire family. That's a huge thing to consider these days.



That's all I've got for now. Feel free to email me directly if you have more questions.



Good Luck!



 
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My son joined the Air Force. I asked him why the AF.



He informed me that he checked with them all and figured it out.



In the Marines and Army the officers send the enlisted out to fight.



In the Navy the officers and enlisted fight together.



In the Air Force the enlisted send the officers off to fight.



I didn't figure that out and joined the Army. Why? In 1966 it was the only Service you could join for two years. If I had to join today, I would go with the Coast Guard.
 
Richard L said:



One of the key elements of good Leadership is not the ability to give orders, but to follow orders even when you may disagree, or even if the person giving the orders is not a good leader.
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Not wanting to hijack this great thread, but I am really interested in hearing more about this, Rich.



 
Gavin,

Have you ever been in the military? I suspect not or you would not ask that question.



The military teaches you to lead by example...You cannot expect others to do what you would not, or cannot do yourself. For that same reason, you cannot expect your subbordinates to willfully follow your orders if you will not follow orders from your superiors.



The difference between people who lead by their rank, and those who have real leadership skills. The leader who uses their rank will often resort to threats and punishment to get his subordinates to do what he wants, while a true leader will simply say what needs to be done and people will willingly do it because they know it needs to be done.



General Dwight D. Eisenhower would demonstrate the art of leadership with a piece of string. He'd put it on a table and say: "PULL it and it will follow wherever you wish. PUSH it and it will go nowhere at all. It's just that way when it comes to leading people. They need to follow a person who is leading by example."



Probably and over-simplification, but it that's about the easiest way to explain it.



...Rich
 
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OK- I got that- from the leader's point of view. Agree 100%.



I was interested as to what should be done from the subordinate's point of view. Your leader is an idiot- leading you into trouble, and doesn't want anyone's advice, as he knows everything. Are subordinates to blindly follow their leader to their demise no matter what? That is what I was keying in on.
 

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