Of course I don't think there is anything wrong with enlisted service. I am a first class now and wouldn't change my experiences for anything, however the first couple years of my enlisted career sucked. Life got better, but I am glad I was 18 so I didn't realize how bad it was at the time. If you have taken the effort to get a degree on your own then you should use it. In my opinion, experience as an elisted sailor (depending on your rate and duty station) may not give you a very good view of the Navy or what the Navy can do for you. Dewhl perspective as a crypy in the intel community is different and often much more privileged than the normal sailor would have. Also, depending on what officer community you want to go into, there may not be any benifit of seeing the "other side". As a former surface sailor going aviation, my experience really isn't very helpful. Aside from the pride of my service and better pay, I am in no better position than any guy coming straight out of college.
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Harmony Boy
Registered User
kaiangel - you're right...not all enlisted experiences are happy, smiley ones. And specific ratings or duty assignments may not give you the same view of the Navy as someone else. But I think you gain at least a basic insight/camraderie/connection (call it what you will) with all white hats once you've been there. Just about every enlisted sailor I've talked to gives a bit more respect to mustang officers, because they know that they've probably been in similar situations (like when I was at "A" school and my first band, 25 years-old E-3 helping clean the heads). Yes, my job is considered one of the more priveleged enlisted rates, but I've been haze grey and underway. It seems to me that on a ship it doesn't really matter what rate or rank you are. Everyone has to help out, everyone ends up doing some shit job, everyone helps with stores onload. Yes, this probably won't give me any insight to Naval Aviation, but I believe it's helped prepare me to be a better leader and officer.
It's late and I'm hoping that there's a cohesive thought in that last paragraph[
]
As for people with a degree enlisting, in the music program about 60% have at least a four-year degree (some come in with a master's and occasionally <gasp!> a doctorate). Part of the reason is that band officers are LDOs...you have to go up the enlisted ranks to become a band officer. Hope that answers some questions for you Alan.
James
It's late and I'm hoping that there's a cohesive thought in that last paragraph[
] As for people with a degree enlisting, in the music program about 60% have at least a four-year degree (some come in with a master's and occasionally <gasp!> a doctorate). Part of the reason is that band officers are LDOs...you have to go up the enlisted ranks to become a band officer. Hope that answers some questions for you Alan.
James
James,
Man, thanks for everything you've said so far. Are you currently at OCS or getting ready to begin? Would you mind telling me a little about some of your experience on the enlisted music side (i.e. the music school, station assignment, amount of time away from "home," the band with which you were affiliated, etc.)? What about someone who's married, how's that work out?
I'm totally thinking this is something I'd like to do. I just want to find out as much as possible from people who've actually been there.
Thanks again for all the time all you guys put in to answering questions for guys like me. I truly appreciate it.
-Alan
Man, thanks for everything you've said so far. Are you currently at OCS or getting ready to begin? Would you mind telling me a little about some of your experience on the enlisted music side (i.e. the music school, station assignment, amount of time away from "home," the band with which you were affiliated, etc.)? What about someone who's married, how's that work out?
I'm totally thinking this is something I'd like to do. I just want to find out as much as possible from people who've actually been there.
Thanks again for all the time all you guys put in to answering questions for guys like me. I truly appreciate it.
-Alan
4thpage-
Whether you enlist or go officer-that's up to you. I would say it is a good idea, only if you plan on being a officer in that field. The biggest advantage that you will have being enlisted is the fact that you won't have to find time to take classes while you are on ship. I know plenty of former sailors who loved the Navy, yet got out because of the fact that they wanted to earn a college degree. However, you got that angle covered, so while everyone else is trying to get this class while at sea, you'll be able to focus on your job. It also comes in handy when you hit port,and you can go out for a beer with ease, over going to online classes. The biggest disadvantage of this is that you will have to take orders from people who are the same age, or younger than you. Also, "needs of the Navy" comes first, so, it is important to time when you apply for OCS. It may not be at the time you decide, but you'll pull through. Whatever you decide to do, however, go for it all the way.
P.S. If you do enlist, might I recommend going for the SEAL program
It would be cool to see a guy kill the enemy with an orchestra[
)][)][)][)] Just kidding, man. Had to add that since you're a music major. For the record, I'm a Criminal Justice/Journalism major, so if you have any jokes, feel free to make them.
Whether you enlist or go officer-that's up to you. I would say it is a good idea, only if you plan on being a officer in that field. The biggest advantage that you will have being enlisted is the fact that you won't have to find time to take classes while you are on ship. I know plenty of former sailors who loved the Navy, yet got out because of the fact that they wanted to earn a college degree. However, you got that angle covered, so while everyone else is trying to get this class while at sea, you'll be able to focus on your job. It also comes in handy when you hit port,and you can go out for a beer with ease, over going to online classes. The biggest disadvantage of this is that you will have to take orders from people who are the same age, or younger than you. Also, "needs of the Navy" comes first, so, it is important to time when you apply for OCS. It may not be at the time you decide, but you'll pull through. Whatever you decide to do, however, go for it all the way.
P.S. If you do enlist, might I recommend going for the SEAL program
)][)][)][)] Just kidding, man. Had to add that since you're a music major. For the record, I'm a Criminal Justice/Journalism major, so if you have any jokes, feel free to make them.Thanks Buck. Yeah, It could be tough getting used to taking orders from someone younger than me. I guess I'd just have to realize, they know a lot more about what they're doing than I would.
By-the-way, about the SEALs thing, I play trombone. Just one of us can take out an entire 100-piece orchestra single-handedly...BWAAA, HA, HA, HA.
Anyway, thanks for the advice. Do you happen to know if any of the bands are stationed aboard ship, or do they stay on shore?
Thanks again,
Alan
By-the-way, about the SEALs thing, I play trombone. Just one of us can take out an entire 100-piece orchestra single-handedly...BWAAA, HA, HA, HA.
Anyway, thanks for the advice. Do you happen to know if any of the bands are stationed aboard ship, or do they stay on shore?
Thanks again,
Alan
4thpage,
Ok since you play trombone and we are talking about killing people with our instruments check this out. I used to play in a Brass Choir. The conductor who has worked in central and south america heard a story from Brazil I think. Anyways it goes like this
There was an orchestra playing the 1812 oveture. One of our fellow bonists thought that it would be cool to add some excitment to the "cannon shots" at the end. He put some sort of large fire cracker in the bell of his trombone and timed it so that it would explode out the end at the same time as the "cannons". From what I remember he timed it pretty well. The draw back was...well the back blast. It seems that the hot gasses don't just go one direction in a blast. He burned his lips/mouth really bad. And the really unfortunate/funny part was that his slide shot forward out of his hand and impacted the back of the Oboe players head killing him or her. So if needed a trombone can be a very efective wepon.
Belive it or not.
Ok since you play trombone and we are talking about killing people with our instruments check this out. I used to play in a Brass Choir. The conductor who has worked in central and south america heard a story from Brazil I think. Anyways it goes like this
There was an orchestra playing the 1812 oveture. One of our fellow bonists thought that it would be cool to add some excitment to the "cannon shots" at the end. He put some sort of large fire cracker in the bell of his trombone and timed it so that it would explode out the end at the same time as the "cannons". From what I remember he timed it pretty well. The draw back was...well the back blast. It seems that the hot gasses don't just go one direction in a blast. He burned his lips/mouth really bad. And the really unfortunate/funny part was that his slide shot forward out of his hand and impacted the back of the Oboe players head killing him or her. So if needed a trombone can be a very efective wepon.
Belive it or not.
Harmony Boy
Registered User
Alan,
I'll try to answer most of your questions:
I'm currently waiting on results from the Seaman to Admiral board that adjourned on the 28th of September. It is a enlisted commisioning program for those that don't have a degree yet. They send you off to school for up to three years, paying for all of your school expenses in addition to paying your current enlisted active duty pay, AND keeping you eligible for advancement. Once you get your degree you are commisioned as an ensign in the Navy Reserve (a kind of technicality for all new officers). Then you go off to your training for your particular designator, in my case it will (hopefully!) be SNA.
I swore the oath in Aug 98 on the basis of being a Nuke Bubblehead (submariner). But I was in the Delayed Entry Program and auditioned for the band (on trumpet) before I went off to Boot Camp. I was in the Seattle area at the time, where there is a band, so I auditioned there. I found out about a week later that I was accepted to the Navy music program if I wanted. It took me a while to decide because they throw A LOT of money at you to go Nuke. But I decided I'd rather be happy than rich and chose music.
In Boot Camp most musicians-to-be are in what they call a 900 division and play music while there. I didn't get to do that and was in what they call a rifle division (any other than 900). It was cool, though, I was RCPO (recruit chief petty officer) of my division and honor grad as well, and my RDC (recruit division commander) let me go and practice trumpet during service week.
After boot you go to "A" school which for musicians is the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia:
https://www.cnet.navy.mil/som/
It's located on the Little Creek Amphib Base and trains sailors, soldiers, and marines. The Basic Music Course normally takes 6 months. When you get there you take an incoming audition on your instrument and theory test. I scored well enough on both of these to "Accel" out of the course. I was at the school for a little less than 2 months, which primarily consisted of waiting for orders to my band.
I was assigned to the U.S. Navy Showband which is in (suprise for me) Norfolk, Virginia!
http://www.atlanticfleet.navy.mil/band/
However, they are one of the few Navy Bands that goes underway. Specifically, the Showband goes on UNITAS, a collaborative deployment with several different countries' navies(sp?) throughout South America. It is designed to promote and foster understanding and cohesion between the various countries' naval forces. The band is basically the PR unit. We travel on the ships with the Task Force and play all the basic ceremonial functions, but then when we get in port we play for all the people of South America. I'm not joking when I say that I've had armed guards with M-16's holding back throngs of screaming women from getting to me and the rest of the band. It's like we were the frickin' Beatles!! To make a long story short, Showband and South America ru-u-u-u-u-le.
I had a two year assignment to the Showband, and then requested to go back to the School of Music for advanced courses. I went to the Unit Leader course from Jan 02 to Jun 02 graduating at the top of my class, and am now taking the Arranger course which I will complete in December. I now have orders to Italy (Sixth Fleet)
http://www.nsa.naples.navy.mil/c6fband.htm
but hopefully that will all change with me (hopefully!) getting accepted to the Seaman to Admiral program.
As far as bands are concerned, there are 12 "fleet" bands and 2 "premier" bands. Check out this web site for specifics:
http://www.bupers.navy.mil/navymusic/index.html
There are mainly three bands that will possibly deploy; all the rest are strictly shore duty. They are: the U.S Navy Showband, which is a part of the ATLANTIC Fleet Band; the SEVENTH Fleet Band, based in Yokosuka, Japan; and the SIXTH Fleet Band, based in Naples, Italy.
As far as being married and in the band, it's just like any other job as far as I know (aside from being in a band that gets deployed). I'm not married, but I know a lot of married people in the bands (in fact a lot of married coupled are BOTH in the band). If you need more info on that, talk to Gresh on this forum.
Hope this terribly long winded message helps you! E-mail me if you have more specific questions I can answer.
James
I'll try to answer most of your questions:
I'm currently waiting on results from the Seaman to Admiral board that adjourned on the 28th of September. It is a enlisted commisioning program for those that don't have a degree yet. They send you off to school for up to three years, paying for all of your school expenses in addition to paying your current enlisted active duty pay, AND keeping you eligible for advancement. Once you get your degree you are commisioned as an ensign in the Navy Reserve (a kind of technicality for all new officers). Then you go off to your training for your particular designator, in my case it will (hopefully!) be SNA.
I swore the oath in Aug 98 on the basis of being a Nuke Bubblehead (submariner). But I was in the Delayed Entry Program and auditioned for the band (on trumpet) before I went off to Boot Camp. I was in the Seattle area at the time, where there is a band, so I auditioned there. I found out about a week later that I was accepted to the Navy music program if I wanted. It took me a while to decide because they throw A LOT of money at you to go Nuke. But I decided I'd rather be happy than rich and chose music.
In Boot Camp most musicians-to-be are in what they call a 900 division and play music while there. I didn't get to do that and was in what they call a rifle division (any other than 900). It was cool, though, I was RCPO (recruit chief petty officer) of my division and honor grad as well, and my RDC (recruit division commander) let me go and practice trumpet during service week.
After boot you go to "A" school which for musicians is the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia:
https://www.cnet.navy.mil/som/
It's located on the Little Creek Amphib Base and trains sailors, soldiers, and marines. The Basic Music Course normally takes 6 months. When you get there you take an incoming audition on your instrument and theory test. I scored well enough on both of these to "Accel" out of the course. I was at the school for a little less than 2 months, which primarily consisted of waiting for orders to my band.
I was assigned to the U.S. Navy Showband which is in (suprise for me) Norfolk, Virginia!
http://www.atlanticfleet.navy.mil/band/
However, they are one of the few Navy Bands that goes underway. Specifically, the Showband goes on UNITAS, a collaborative deployment with several different countries' navies(sp?) throughout South America. It is designed to promote and foster understanding and cohesion between the various countries' naval forces. The band is basically the PR unit. We travel on the ships with the Task Force and play all the basic ceremonial functions, but then when we get in port we play for all the people of South America. I'm not joking when I say that I've had armed guards with M-16's holding back throngs of screaming women from getting to me and the rest of the band. It's like we were the frickin' Beatles!! To make a long story short, Showband and South America ru-u-u-u-u-le.
I had a two year assignment to the Showband, and then requested to go back to the School of Music for advanced courses. I went to the Unit Leader course from Jan 02 to Jun 02 graduating at the top of my class, and am now taking the Arranger course which I will complete in December. I now have orders to Italy (Sixth Fleet)
http://www.nsa.naples.navy.mil/c6fband.htm
but hopefully that will all change with me (hopefully!) getting accepted to the Seaman to Admiral program.
As far as bands are concerned, there are 12 "fleet" bands and 2 "premier" bands. Check out this web site for specifics:
http://www.bupers.navy.mil/navymusic/index.html
There are mainly three bands that will possibly deploy; all the rest are strictly shore duty. They are: the U.S Navy Showband, which is a part of the ATLANTIC Fleet Band; the SEVENTH Fleet Band, based in Yokosuka, Japan; and the SIXTH Fleet Band, based in Naples, Italy.
As far as being married and in the band, it's just like any other job as far as I know (aside from being in a band that gets deployed). I'm not married, but I know a lot of married people in the bands (in fact a lot of married coupled are BOTH in the band). If you need more info on that, talk to Gresh on this forum.
Hope this terribly long winded message helps you! E-mail me if you have more specific questions I can answer.
James
Ohhhh Frick'n Rahhh for prior enlisted! (Okay, really stupid question, us prior guys who get commissioned, are we Mustangs? I always thought those were LDO's and those guys?) I wouldn't trade my enlisted time for all the rice in China. The funny thing is that when I got out I was one of the guys who got out cause he had enough and was all about getting out. Now that I'm out civilian life is VERY boring and I miss the brother hood and the disipline.
As Harmony said, doesn't matter if your an Aeradale or a Boat Chuck, when under way everyone pull's together. I hauled more frozen boxes of food up and down endless ladderwell's than I ever care to remember and really learned to hate being a line handler. But, even though I was airwing, I was apart of that team that kept us all going.
So in my very humble opinion, if you don't have a degree and are looking for answers, maybe enlisting would be a solid no fail route for you. There are tons of ways to gain your commission from the enlisted ranks and if your 18 and get out after 4 years, then you still have another 5 plus a 4 year waiver to go get commissioned.
When I got accepted to collage it dawned on me one day in the hall over a nasty cup of 7-11 coffee that I would graduate young enough to go to OCS and have the second chance I never thought I would have to fly, thats what I've been about since that epiphany and it has guided my life for the better and I truely understand the things I didn't two or four years ago. I would recommend enlistment to anyone who were seeking answers, in my opinion you can't fail by enlisting, 2 yrs or 4, its a no fail in my book.
Hope that perspective helps some.
"Valion310 turning short final - Roger engage!"
As Harmony said, doesn't matter if your an Aeradale or a Boat Chuck, when under way everyone pull's together. I hauled more frozen boxes of food up and down endless ladderwell's than I ever care to remember and really learned to hate being a line handler. But, even though I was airwing, I was apart of that team that kept us all going.
So in my very humble opinion, if you don't have a degree and are looking for answers, maybe enlisting would be a solid no fail route for you. There are tons of ways to gain your commission from the enlisted ranks and if your 18 and get out after 4 years, then you still have another 5 plus a 4 year waiver to go get commissioned.
When I got accepted to collage it dawned on me one day in the hall over a nasty cup of 7-11 coffee that I would graduate young enough to go to OCS and have the second chance I never thought I would have to fly, thats what I've been about since that epiphany and it has guided my life for the better and I truely understand the things I didn't two or four years ago. I would recommend enlistment to anyone who were seeking answers, in my opinion you can't fail by enlisting, 2 yrs or 4, its a no fail in my book.
Hope that perspective helps some.
"Valion310 turning short final - Roger engage!"
Goliath112
Registered User
WORD UP Valion.
"if you want a sweet ride and gold on your wrist there is no better way than to enlist".
man the wait is killing me
"if you want a sweet ride and gold on your wrist there is no better way than to enlist".
man the wait is killing me
4thpage-
No problem about the advice given,man. For the record, I'm not enlisted, but, with living on a base and telling people this....well, you hear good and bad advice.
As for me, well, I considered going enlisted active duty a few weeks back (See Aircrewman under Miscs to read more about it.) Anyway to fast forward it, I plan on enlisting in either the Naval or Marine Reserve as a Aircrewman if it is possible since I haven't talked to a recruiter about it yet, while going back to school for a *gasp* law degree. We're talking future JAG officer, maybe after a shot at flight school, just maybe. Just a little caution if you consider this route, however, the reserves is only part time in the fleet/corps. It won't make up for active duty times and experiences. However, it is another route to take if you want to see if like the Navy. As for bands on the ship, well Harmony Boy covered it quite well, but my response would have been 'I don't know, but the last time I talked with a recruiter, he mentioned that everyone from Admiral to Seaman has to spend some time in the water, so it would have to be yes'. Again good luck.
"Lt Buck tries talking Saddam with a kick square in the nuts[
]."
No problem about the advice given,man. For the record, I'm not enlisted, but, with living on a base and telling people this....well, you hear good and bad advice.
As for me, well, I considered going enlisted active duty a few weeks back (See Aircrewman under Miscs to read more about it.) Anyway to fast forward it, I plan on enlisting in either the Naval or Marine Reserve as a Aircrewman if it is possible since I haven't talked to a recruiter about it yet, while going back to school for a *gasp* law degree. We're talking future JAG officer, maybe after a shot at flight school, just maybe. Just a little caution if you consider this route, however, the reserves is only part time in the fleet/corps. It won't make up for active duty times and experiences. However, it is another route to take if you want to see if like the Navy. As for bands on the ship, well Harmony Boy covered it quite well, but my response would have been 'I don't know, but the last time I talked with a recruiter, he mentioned that everyone from Admiral to Seaman has to spend some time in the water, so it would have to be yes'. Again good luck.
"Lt Buck tries talking Saddam with a kick square in the nuts[
]."I have a question:
What do former enlisted guys have or do to get commissioned esp in the aviation field? What's their AOR's, PilotPOBI, etc, college major, Evals..? Does having warfare pin and ship/deployment (experience) give them an advantage in the selection process? How about flight time?
Thanks
What do former enlisted guys have or do to get commissioned esp in the aviation field? What's their AOR's, PilotPOBI, etc, college major, Evals..? Does having warfare pin and ship/deployment (experience) give them an advantage in the selection process? How about flight time?
Thanks
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