sTUPID qUESTIONS aBOUT ocs

[SynixMan]

You only need to know what the enlisted ranks and associated rank insignias are (i.e. an E-3 in the US Navy is a Seaman. His insignia is...). Your chief might discuss rates during quarters or something, but you'll pick up what rates are important to your field as you get out there. Good professional knowledge, but devote those brain cells now to the Big 3.

 

[AlexSmart]

Yeah I've just been reading and studying up cause, well, I'm genuinely interested.

 

[twobecrazy]

How much are you expected to know about the enlisted side of the Navy? (ratings, etc.) I bought a few naval books just out of personal interest and to put it plainly, there are a sh** ton of ratings with many of them seeming to overlap. For example, what's the difference between an Aviation Electrician's Mate and an Aviation Electronics Technician? ... just curious

Aviation Electricians Mate... Wiring with Engines, Gyros, Inertials, etc... They are AEs

Aviation Electronics Technician... Avionics such as Radar, Flight instruments, Comm/Nav, etc... They are ATs

ALL THE ABOVE! IFTs!

When you get into flight training you will start figuring this stuff out... As stated above it is not important for OCS...

 

[AlexSmart]

As stated above it is not important for OCS...

Totally... I just figure a young candidate/fresh ENS might find more respect from his elders and chiefs if he has shown an interest in all things naval.

 

[CUPike11]

Totally... I just figure a young candidate/fresh ENS might find more respect from his elders and chiefs if he has shown an interest in all things naval.

I'm not sure what you think OCS is going to be like, but your "elders" and the chiefs, won't care if you took an interest in "all things naval."

The chiefs are going to put you on your face.....probably moreso than your DI. They'll teach you ABOUT the Navy, but they don't give two craps about what you know. Save that knowledge for answering questions during BOC and FOC (Basic Officers Course and Fleet Officers Course) classes.

You're not going there to impress them with your naval knowledge, it's not a brief. You are going there to prove to them that you have what it takes to join THEIR Navy and to give 110% effort in doing so. Props for wanting to expand your knowledge out of your own curiosity, but if you're doing it to try to show how "well-rounded" you are in "all things naval", you are in for a rude awakening when you arrive at OCS. Hell, you're in for a rude awakening regardless....its OCS. Not the Miss America Pageant.

Wait until after OCS to do that....it'll actually make a difference then.

 

[AlexSmart]

Save that knowledge for answering questions during BOC and FOC (Basic Officers Course and Fleet Officers Course) classes..

That's more of what I was getting at. Not necessarily just OCS... and no, I'm not reading up on the Navy to try and show off or win a beauty pageant.

 

[CUPike11]

That's more of what I was getting at. Not necessarily just OCS... and no, I'm not reading up on the Navy to try and show off or win a beauty pageant.

Cool....don't take it personally. I'd be lying if I said that I haven't seen it done before....the show off part.

 

[Boomhower]

Totally... I just figure a young candidate/fresh ENS might find more respect from his elders and chiefs if he has shown an interest in all things naval.

Alex, your line of thinking isn't completely wrong. In fact, it's admirable. But, it won't help you out much in OCS. Just get through that hurdle, first, then you can study up on enlisted rates all you want. It's good knowledge to have when you show up in the fleet in a few years.

I'll admit, I didn't know a damn thing about the enlisted side of the house when I got to my fleet squadron. DK, MS (now a CS, I think), AT, AE, AME.... it all ran together to me. But, you'll figure it out as you go. But, just realze that when you report to OCS on 20 FEB, none of that knowledge will help you. Ask any of the guys that were priors before going to OCS. They know all of that stuff and it doesn't do them any good.

 

[eas7888]

I figure if I just say "Hey shipmate" I'll be just fine when talking to the enlisted side of the house. :-p I never have understood how/why the Navy refers to their lower enlisted by rate rather than rank like the other branches. In time, I'm sure I'll learn most of them, at least the ones that are applicable to the aviation field...just more knowledge to fit in my tiny Army issued brain.

 

[OnTopTime]

I figure if I just say "Hey shipmate" I'll be just fine when talking to the enlisted side of the house. :-p I never have understood how/why the Navy refers to their lower enlisted by rate rather than rank like the other branches. In time, I'm sure I'll learn most of them, at least the ones that are applicable to the aviation field...just more knowledge to fit in my tiny Army issued brain.

You'll probably be better off if you just address an E-4 to E-6 as "Petty Officer" ("good morning, Petty Officer Jones"), and chiefs as Chief, Senior Chief and Master Chief. No one goes around saying, "hey, Aviation Electricians Mate Second Class Jones, how did the rating exam go?"

 

[StompinNightmare]

I'll simplify things. At OCS, you're the bottom of the barrel - you call everyone sir or ma'am, even the enlisted side.

 

[eas7888]

You'll probably be better off if you just address an E-4 to E-6 as "Petty Officer" ("good morning, Petty Officer Jones"), and chiefs as Chief, Senior Chief and Master Chief. No one goes around saying, "hey, Aviation Electricians Mate Second Class Jones, how did the rating exam go?"

Yeah, that was a given, I should have specified that I was talking about the non NCO crowd.

 

[blarged]

Yeah, that was a given, I should have specified that I was talking about the non NCO crowd.

You'll figure it out at OCS, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[twobecrazy]

Yeah, that was a given, I should have specified that I was talking about the non NCO crowd.

That is probably a smart move on your part by just calling them shipmate. However, it isn't uncommon to just call them Airman such and such if they are in the aviation ratings.

 

[SynixMan]

I'll just say this. Very few good conversations start with "Hey Shipmate..."