Lots of Questions?

[Beefalo]

OK...so I joined the Navy 3 years ago hoping to be an officer but since I have arrived at my first and only command I began to have second thoughts about staying Navy. It has alot of downs and few ups sometimes. Unofficially alot of PO1 and above says this is the worst command they have ever had.


1. Anyone ever put in a package and was unsure if they would stay Navy or not? I like the Navy overall but the daily grind and time out to sea is very taxing. Is your first command always the worst?


2. What are the steps I can complete on the ship out to sea and the steps I can only do on shore? It seems like my ship is out to sea alot and I want to maximize the resources I have ashore.

3. Is the officer lifestyle alot different then enlisted? On the messdecks I can sit down and bullshit and talk to some mess deck honies is it the same in the wardroom? Or am I going to be talking about politics and sipping tea and crimpets.

4. Are you generally happier as an officer rather then enlisted? Do you miss anything about being enlisted?

My stats are:

-3 years in...just made ET2(non-nuke). Have (SW/AW) warfare pins.
-First eval MP...second eval EP...my frocked eval proabaly an MP? I heard they dont give frocking evals EP.
-Workcenter supervisor (was a WCS as a PO3 one of only 2 PO3 as WCS on the ship) Also have a high profile department collateral duty. I was basically doing the job as a ET2 as a ET3 and am in charge of 10 other ET3's as an ET3 and now as an ET2.
-85 quarter credits as a community college. GPA is around 2.75 although my average of all the classes since I been in the Navy is 3.5.
-Never took SAT/ACT...suck at math though:icon_rage
- Good low on PRT
- Was Junior Petty officer of the quarter for my department.

Anybody else in the same boat as me before? Not sure if staying Navy or not but putting in a package still? My out of Navy plan is to reenlist for shore duty and the SRB and get out after shore duty. My stay Navy option is officer or bust.

 

[IKE]

1. Anyone ever put in a package and was unsure if they would stay Navy or not? I like the Navy overall but the daily grind and time out to sea is very taxing. Is your first command always the worst?

I applied for STA-21 and got picked up as an alternate. Lucky for me, some idiot drank her way out of STA-21 and I got promoted to selectee. If I hadn't got the commissioning program on the first try, I probably would have left the Navy, because the application process was a real pain, and noone in the command helped me with it.

2. What are the steps I can complete on the ship out to sea and the steps I can only do on shore? It seems like my ship is out to sea alot and I want to maximize the resources I have ashore.

You have to take the SAT on land. Other than that, I put together my entire package during an 88-day underway period in the Gulf. You really should get an interview with another command, however my command failed to help me get one, and I still got selected.

3. Is the officer lifestyle alot different then enlisted? On the messdecks I can sit down and bullshit and talk to some mess deck honies is it the same in the wardroom? Or am I going to be talking about politics and sipping tea and crimpets.

The pay and privileges are higher for officers, but so are the responsibility, accountability, and demands. When I put in the request chit to start an STA-21 package, my shop supervisor (ET2) called me a traitor. "Tea and crumpets", more like Miller Lite and Pizza. Having completed college, and an ROTC program, you will be expected to act like a mature, educated person. I think the difference between the wardroom and messdecks is that there are a wide range of ranks in the wardroom. As an E-4, BSing with other middle/junior enlisted folks is fine, but you wouldn't BS with a Master Chief would you? Same for an officer... if a bunch of ENS/LTJGs are sitting around they'll undoubtedly BS, but maybe not so much if there's a CDR in the room too. I can't comment specifically on wardroom etiquette though, as I'm a pilot and haven't been out to sea as an officer yet.

4. Are you generally happier as an officer rather then enlisted? Do you miss anything about being enlisted?

In my case, so far, yes. I loved my work as an ET, but I looked ahead and didn't like the idea of being an ET1 or ETC... all paperwork and babysitting, and no troubleshooting/repair. I didn't think that would be fun or fulfilling. I miss parts of the ET life very much, especially going aloft with high winds, but I wouldn't give up the opportunities I got through STA-21: paid to go college and paid to fly, just to pick two at random

My stats are:

Mine are:
- 15 months in the Navy - ET3
- 4 months on my ship (got SW/AW, but not until after package was in)
- First eval MP, second EP
- WCS, but was responsible only for PMS, not the other ET3s
- 36 credits with an abysmal 1.4 GPA (made up for this with SAT score)
- Good Low PRT

If you want the privileges and the responsibilities of being an officer, go for it. The application process is a pain, but the benefits to STA-21 are awesome. However, I wouldn't look to a commissioning program as a way to go to sea less. The Navy likes to get as many URL officers out of STA-21 as possible.

 

[user2176]

Unofficially alot of PO1 and above says this is the worst command they have ever had.

I think that is almost every command. :icon_wink I wish and hope that more people would realize the Navy/Military is what you make of it. The civilian sector is more of the same.

//End rant

 

[Beefalo]

How hard is it to get pilot or nfo if you do core? My eyes disqualify me for flying unless I get PRK however due to operational commitments I cant get PRK till next year. I was hoping to get it done while in NROTC. If not I would be happy just being an officer and always wanted to be on a small boy I dont like alot of things about the carrier Navy.

 

[BigIron]

No tea and crumpets. Mostly pop-tarts and soda. Possibly some fruit that's been left out for a few days.

 

[ea6bflyr]

The first YEAR and a HALF I was in the Navy, I HATED IT. Most of it was due to where I was and what I was doing. I was a Non-designated Airman on the USS ENTERPRISE working in the V-1/Air Department. Talk about slave labor. My feelings about the Navy changed once I went to "A" school and became an Aircraft Electrician.

While I miss troubleshooting and working on jets, I certainly enjoy flying much more!

Take a look at the two attachments and tell me which one you'd rather do!

-ea6bflyr

 

[SkywardET]

How hard is it to get pilot or nfo if you do core? My eyes disqualify me for flying unless I get PRK however due to operational commitments I cant get PRK till next year. I was hoping to get it done while in NROTC. If not I would be happy just being an officer and always wanted to be on a small boy I dont like alot of things about the carrier Navy.

Small boy ET life is different, but it sounds as if you have done very well for yourself on the carrier.

I know I was scrambling like a madman last September and October between pre-deployment preps, replacing a significant part of the mast, and getting my package together before the big plunge into 5th Fleet. I was able to update my SMART transcript, get my SNA flight physical, and do all three academic tests (ASTB/ACT/SAT) in quite a hurry. It's amazing how much people try to help when you mention that you deploy on Monday. Beyond those portions of it, I am able to complete the rest of the package while on this deployment.


As for the rest, I am in your shoes, it seems. I have three years in, made ET2 earlier than most (two tests), good evals, poor prior college grades but higher recent grades, etc. I'm a WCS but the only person in the workcenter. The command I'm at is a mixed bag in every respect. Our captain is a badass no matter how the media portrays him, but between him and me is the sweet and sour.


I have come to realize that Navy cynicism is not a reflection of reality but a distorted lense. The Navy is exactly what you make of it.
DIVO - "Will the sailors be happy with it?"
LCPO - "As long as they can complain about it."

 

[Flamedog]

I have come to realize that Navy cynicism is not a reflection of reality but a distorted lense. The Navy is exactly what you make of it.

Right on, SkywardET. That is what I've told everyone I talk to about joining/being in the Navy. If there is a career field you want to be in, whether military or civilian, the Navy will usually have a program to get you going in that direction. In most cases Uncle Sam covers most, or all, of the bill too. There's crap you'll have to put up with no matter where you work or what field of work you're in, you just have to make the most of what you have, find a path to get you where you want to be, and take it.

 

[Beefalo]

The first YEAR and a HALF I was in the Navy, I HATED IT. Most of it was due to where I was and what I was doing. I was a Non-designated Airman on the USS ENTERPRISE working in the V-1/Air Department. Talk about slave labor. My feelings about the Navy changed once I went to "A" school and became an Aircraft Electrician.

While I miss troubleshooting and working on jets, I certainly enjoy flying much more!

Take a look at the two attachments and tell me which one you'd rather do!

-ea6bflyr

Lots of disgruntled guys in Air department lol. Always lots of cussing whenever I walk by the arresting gear equipment rooms.