Enlisting with a Bachelor's Degree

[edee2015]

Hi I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have a Bachelor's degree and want to enlist in the Navy (I am aware of the opportunity to apply to OCS and become an officer with my degree however, I am not ready for that level of commitment and responsibility just yet that officers must perform) I still want to join the Navy but was wondering if the Navy would take into account my degree and give me a higher rank than the other enlistees? Would they make me an E-3 for example or would I still remain an E-1, despite my bachelors degree? Serious answers only please. Thanks!

 

[wink]

Serious answers only please.

I don't know if this means you are unfamiliar with AW, or you are familiar and are trying to head off the unserious replies. Either way, even the unserious usually are informational. Eventually, you will get the best answer known to civilization. Lots of prior enlisted here and a few recruiters ( I was, but it was a long time ago). Do you have a specific career field or rate you are interested in? Good luck.

 

[edee2015]

I don't know if this means you are unfamiliar with AW, or you are familiar and are trying to head off the unserious replies. Either way, even the unserious usually are informational. Eventually, you will get the best answer known to civilization. Lots of prior enlisted here and a few recruiters ( I was, but it was a long time ago). Do you have a specific career field or rate you are interested in? Good luck.

I meant serious answers only as in no joking around because in the past when i have posted on here at times people tend to waste my time by commenting silly things. But moving forward, I am interested in aviation! Wanted to enlist but also wanted to know if I would go in at a higher rank because of my Bachelor's degree. Is that true?

 

[BasketballisLife]

Hi I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have a Bachelor's degree and want to enlist in the Navy (I am aware of the opportunity to apply to OCS and become an officer with my degree however, I am not ready for that level of commitment and responsibility just yet that officers must perform) I still want to join the Navy but was wondering if the Navy would take into account my degree and give me a higher rank than the other enlistees? Would they make me an E-3 for example or would I still remain an E-1, despite my bachelors degree? Serious answers only please. Thanks!

Your degree would automatically start you as an E-3. Also, best place to start would be a local Navy recruiter. Some of your concerns can be answered by searching this site or googling. Also, being an E-3 doesn't necessarily free you up from "commitment and responsibility." You will endure stress, responsibility, and adversity regardless of your rank; you just learn how to handle and cope as you go along. Unless you have a terrible college GPA, I personally think you're doing yourself a disservice by not at least trying for OCS. You will learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable and taking on the "commitment and responsibility" as an officer. I was like you eight years ago; enlisted with a bachelors because I was too scared to go officer. I value my enlisted experience but wish I had pursued the OCS route immediately. Best of luck to you.

 

[MGoBrew11]

My serious answer is that you should consider going the officer route. You might surprise yourself and rise to the level responsibility required. The lifestyle for officers is significantly better than that of the enlisted. As an E-3 you will have to live on base, stand a lot of not fun duties and generally deal with all “bottom of the totem pole” issues. Pay is also significantly more for officers. If your heart is truly set on enlisting, there is nothing wrong with that, but my $.02 is that since you at least have the minimal qualifications to be a commissioned officer, you may as well try.

 

[wink]

I meant serious answers only as in no joking around because in the past when i have posted on here at times people tend to waste my time by commenting silly things.

Then you do know AW. I certainly do not know what you thought "wasting your time" in threads I never saw. But most times folks thinking their time is being wasted by an "unserious" post are simply missing the message. Glad your time has not been wasted so far.

I can't disagree with any of the above. It is worth pointing out that some people just want to do a specific job that is not to be found in the officer corps. Leading the sailors in the engine shop is not the same as turning wrenches. On the other hand, the officer leading those sailors is flying as a pilot or NFO, something the enlisted can't do. Then there are very specialized jobs where even the officers in charge are usually prior enlisted who became LDOs or Warrants. ACs come to mind or whatever they call air traffic controllers now.

 

[DanMa1156]

I second what @MGoBrew11 said, but if you know you don't want to be an officer, don't become one, just educate yourself as to what they are really doing.

For what it's worth, a relative of mine felt similarly - graduated college with a business degree just in time to realize he hated it - wanted to do something hands on, wanted absolutely not to be leading things or doing much paperwork, and enlisted as a maintainer in the Air Force. He loves it, doesn't regret it, and is happy with how it's worked out for him.

 

[robav8r]

After you have thoroughly considered all, fact-based, intelligent opinions and feedback here, you might consider the Aviation Warfare specialty. Specifically, Aviation Warfare Systems Operator (AWO). You will perform (potentially) Rescue Swimmer & Sensor Operator (RADAR, Acoustic & Non-Acoustic sensor systems) duties in helicopters, and everything minus the rescue swimmer duties in the P-8 Poseidon. However, as many will tell you, if you have a qualifying bachelors degree, becoming a commissioned officer is without question, your best bet long term. I was an AW for 15 years before commissioning and going to flight school, feel free to PM with more questions . . .

 

[Seawolf42]

Hi I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have a Bachelor's degree and want to enlist in the Navy (I am aware of the opportunity to apply to OCS and become an officer with my degree however, I am not ready for that level of commitment and responsibility just yet that officers must perform) I still want to join the Navy but was wondering if the Navy would take into account my degree and give me a higher rank than the other enlistees? Would they make me an E-3 for example or would I still remain an E-1, despite my bachelors degree? Serious answers only please. Thanks!

edee, You worked for your degree, now let it work for you. Go see an OFFICER recruiter, it may not work out for OCS but you will go forward knowing your options. At your age a few years commitment sounds significant, later on you will realize you could stand on your head that long if necessary. Good Luck

 

[taxi1]

I am interested in aviation!

Maintaining planes? Air traffic control? Crew on an aircraft?

 

[Brett327]

I think it would be helpful to inform our responses if the OP could offer more specificity. What about being an officer do you not think you're ready for? Depending on designator, your time commitment as on officer or enlisted could be the same. If it's the responsibility you're worried about, I would say that enlisted also have a lot of important responsibilities. If you enlist into an aviation rate, people's lives will be in your hands. As others have stated, enlisted life can certainly be rewarding. That said, as an enlisted Sailor, during those first four years you'll be paid about 50% of what an officer makes. Your base pay for an E3 will be about $24K at first. You will work longer hours, oftentimes in poor conditions (heat/cold/dirty/greasy/jet fuel soaked). You will have to live on base in a small barracks room you share with a roommate. When you deploy, you'll be in a berthing space with 60-90 of your closest friends. You will have significantly less personal freedom to live life outside of work.

Just trying to paint a realistic picture for you about enlisted life. The differences are stark. IMO, if you want to serve in the Navy, and you're qualified to be an officer, then you should pursue a commission.

 

[jtmedli]

Fwiw, O1s and O2s have little to no real responsibility. If you're a SWO your responsibility as an O1 or O2 will peak at standing OOD and as long as you look outside, don't hit anything, and call the CO/XO a lot to pester them about drunk fisherman getting too close then you'll be the best OOD the Navy has ever seen.

That said, if you want to be an E3 living in a berthing with 90 other dudes who haven't figured out that showering and cleaning things is a basic function of adulthood then go right ahead.

 

[Pags]

After you have thoroughly considered all, fact-based, intelligent opinions and feedback here, you might consider the Aviation Warfare specialty. Specifically, Aviation Warfare Systems Operator (AWO). You will perform (potentially) Rescue Swimmer & Sensor Operator (RADAR, Acoustic & Non-Acoustic sensor systems) duties in helicopters, and everything minus the rescue swimmer duties in the P-8 Poseidon. However, as many will tell you, if you have a qualifying bachelors degree, becoming a commissioned officer is without question, your best bet long term. I was an AW for 15 years before commissioning and going to flight school, feel free to PM with more questions . . .

Agree with the others about looking hard at Officer programs with a degree. But if you decide that enlisting is what you want I agree with @robav8r that AW is a good route. Also may want to look at similar roles in the USAF.

 

[LawDawg740]

As someone who originally enlisted into the Army with a Bachelors, PLEASE consider the Officer route. It took my six years of an enlisted contract and recently going through the Navy's DCO process to rectify my mistake.

There are a ton of intelligent, capable enlisted folk across the branches. But I think you'll be doing a disservice to yourself, your degree, and your abilities if you just use your degree to pick up your E3. You'll gain responsibility the second you enlist. Make your responsibilities better suited and better poised for future opportunities.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Hi I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have a Bachelor's degree and want to enlist in the Navy (I am aware of the opportunity to apply to OCS and become an officer with my degree however, I am not ready for that level of commitment and responsibility just yet that officers must perform) I still want to join the Navy but was wondering if the Navy would take into account my degree and give me a higher rank than the other enlistees? Would they make me an E-3 for example or would I still remain an E-1, despite my bachelors degree? Serious answers only please. Thanks!

You would go in at a higher rank and that was help you move up a little faster but not too much.

If you go enlisted you get to pick a job from what is available at that moment, the job you want may have been there 10 minutes ago but some other person picked it so now you can't.

I would also ask what makes you think you aren't ready for that type of responsibility, speaking from the non aviation perspective as a new officer on a ship you will have a Chief there to assist you as well as other junior officer to draw info from. I would always make sure my DIVO was taken care of to make sure we had a good working relationship.

Edit: no good Chief will let you do something that is going to make you look bad if they can stop it.