Originally posted by savingthisone
Think Nuclear submarines. Only a few, high density bases. Kings Point, Groton, Hawaii, Guam (building up). Sure you have rotation, but it is stable, very close knit society. For the boomers, three months out, three months in. Good pay. Great service. Large contribution to the nation. Should consider it.
As a former bubblehead, I think the silent service is an outstanding community that is both close knit, and takes part in some amazing missions and tasking. Your chances of "homesteading" are excellent, with your ability to go "up the street" from the waterfront, and work for say, SUBPAC, SUBLANT, or the Squadron or Group level. Many opportunities there. But, if you are looking for an easy few years, I think you should take a step back. Nuke power school, prototype, submarine school, and the following 12 months to earn your Gold Dolphins are a difficult road. Alot rides on you, as in any program. But hats off to all submariners for the difficult road they travel, especially the JOs. Speaking as blueshirt back then, if you were a good JO, we took care of you, god knows you got dumped on enough as it was by the DHs and XO. You survived school, and then you scramble for that year trying to qualify. When I got selected for my commissioning program on the boat (or pig if you like), EVERY one of the JOs on board came up to me personally and told me to go aviation, and never come back. In retrospect, a lot had to to do with the powers that be, but talking with friends that went back, it is still a community that "eats its young", so to speak. But, I tell you, I think being the OOD of a submarine and driving it around and taking it to PD and back would be quite a rush. Just saying it is a great community, you look out after your own, but it is a hard life, with lots of time at sea, especially if you are the "go to boat" on the pier. Give credit, where credit is due, I know I have it "better" lifestyle wise in P3s, as I sit here in my BOQ room on deployment, if that means I can't homestead, oh well. Plus, I think the "view" is much better from my office. Food for thought...
As for AF in HI.... Read earlier this year that C17s were coming to Hickam. And as Gatordev said, you have the HSL and P3s living large on Kbay, though it is weird being a Navy guest onboard a Marine Base, guess turn about is fair play!
Gravis, I don't think anyone really hit on an answer to your question. If you do a search for family life Navy, etc in the search, there have been quite a few topics on this subject. General deployment is 6 months, possibly longer (can you say Lincoln?), with a 12-18 month homecycle depending on which platform you are talking about. During that homecycle you spend time standing down from a deployment, then working back up as you have personnel turnover for your next deployment. Each community has its own qualification cycles (subs, ORSE, TRE, etc., P3s IDTC, ORE, TPC, and the various maint. inspections), and you meet those hoops as they come to you. Also, you spend time training real world, with other Navy units, whether DETting to another base for workups in the case of P3s, heading out with the Wing to Fallon for the jets, or throwing the lines over the side for the ships and pulling out. Everyone has something to do, and exercises to participate in. All the while, you are probably trying to upgrade, due your PQS, work on your ground job, and then of course spend time with family or get out and enjoy life. Basically, as always a balancing act, and a curve you don't want to get behind on. Before you know it, your first Fleet tour is closing out, your fully qualified, and you are fighting for orders. Some communities allow you, or at least give you the opportunity to homestead, but in many cases, in aviation, if you want to continue to fly, staying in the same place is not the option. In my case, I might just be happy enough to stay in a cockpit, wherever they end up sending me.
I haven't really touched on the family life, in the end, it is what you make of your own time. Deployments are hard on family, but keeping up the comms are key (emails, phonecalls when able, care packages, etc), and then making the most of your home time and any leave you take. Honestly, as Gatordev can attest, I have fully taken advantage of HI and enjoyed it with my family to the fullest, each area has its benefits, but those fun memories and times to reminisce on, plus look forward to, make those times apart easier. In the end though, the spouse has the rough end of the deal, you get to go out and finally DO what you have trained for all this time, especially during this period of tensions and important real world missions where your life might be on the line, and the wpns/info you provide might be the difference. Your family on the other hand is left behind, and has the days to count till your return, plus worrying about your safety. Keep them busy, send them to visit family and friends, and hopefully have a tight/friendly wives club (not a KNIVES club...).... Oh well, those are my ramblings, and what is kind of at the forefront of my mind. I just know that I am enjoying flying immensely for the Navy and wouldn't have it any other way, especially in light of what is going on in the world today, and knowing that I have the family and friends back at home supporting me makes all the difference.
Best of luck with your decision!
