We’re talking about PR and broadcasting. It’s absolutely incompatible, unless you’re doing PR for a cannabis retailer in Portland.
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Getting into Navy ocs
- Thread starter edee2015
- Start date
First, welcome to adulting. You need to find some time & space and focus on what it is that YOU really want to do. If pursuing a career in journalism & broadcasting is your true passion, then do absolutely EVERYTHING in your power to achieve that goal. If you don't, you'll always have "what-if" questions that will nag you until your demise.
Trying to fit a Navy designator into your young and confused life will not end well for you, any designator will require a 100% commitment and will come with challenges (and opportunities) that you are not considering.
Best advice? Take some time to reflect on who you are, what you want to do, and how you can get there.
PEFO Silver-Shades
Well-Known Member
My advice, go through all the Designators the Navy has to offer. look at how many people are picked up annually for that designator. build a Pros/Cons list of each designator and select the few that you are really interested in. The Navy does have a lot opportunity. but it comes with a lot of commitment as well
edee2015
El
he was clearly joking ?
When I applied it was a moot point because boards were very infrequent. Seems there's a 6 month wait time now but from what I understand, boards are more frequent these days (Quarterly and sometimes monthly for some designators).
I would not count Lemoore, Fallon, or anything in New Jersey as a "best base" but YMMV. I think Charleston is the bees knees but I also don't have any PTSD from Nuke school and I don't mind the humidity.
At the end of the day, it's your career. You can apply for whatever you want but it sounds like your recruiter is trying to be realistic about your chances. PAO, HR, and FAO are all designators that prioritize prior-enlisted accessions or other officers from other designators transferring into the community. The latter still requires that you be a commissioned officer in some other field before you can request to transfer in.
Absolutely not! The likelihood that your indecision will be taken advantage of is high and you could end up chipping hot paint and busting rust in a paint punt in Bahrain in July. That's not a fun time. Since you have a degree, focus on being an officer if you have a desire to serve. There are also other ways to serve without being IN the military. There are positions with the DoD and the Navy as a civilian doing PAO type work, in fact, most of the people I see writing copy or handling social media are civilians. That still provides the ability to travel and you can work behind the scenes in places like Italy, Japan, or Florida. You may also find work outside of the public affairs realm in the protocol office handling public relations between government and military offices and doing event planning (You'd go to lots of parties but also have to plan and manage them). I believe these jobs are all listed on https://www.usajobs.gov/.
As others have said, you really need to know what YOU want to do and what will make YOU feel fulfilled and "happy" in life. It doesn't sound like the commitment of the military, especially in a job field YOU are not passionate about, is going to be a good fit for YOU.
He was not. The corporate world is very strict about who they allow in front of the camera to be their spokesperson. Even cannabis companies are going "mainstream" these days.
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This is your future- if you don't want to be an NFO- don't go for it. The recruiter has quota to fill- I was pushed for NFO and I had to tell him numerous times I knew what I wanted before he accepted that I wasn't going to change my mind. Best bet- talk to other PAO's, find out if that's the job you're truly set on, learn how they got to where they are, if they recommend enlisting beforehand, watch youtube videos etc. Aviation has longer active duty requirements than some other designations, so make sure whatever you choose aligns with your goals. I have some friends and pretty awesome locations for aviation, others not so much. I think that'll be for anything in the Navy. Don't rush the application and do your research- this isn't something you can try out for a few months and leave if you don't like it. Know what you're getting into. There are a bunch of FB groups too- specifically one with women mentors that might be able to give you better insight into different jobs. https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettinginnavystandardsWOMEN
edee2015
El
Thank you for providing this facebook group! I appreciate it.
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
It isn't like enlisted recruiters, the goal is there but no one gets beat up over it unlike enlisted recruiting, and to not make the minimum application goal you pretty much need to not be showing up to work to do that bad.
amf0229
Pro Rec Y SNFO
Im an AT1 (E-6) ive been in for 10 years and i actually disagree with lot of the people on here saying not to enlist. Yes, the pay is not amazing starting out. I don't know if things have changed since I joined but having a college degree back then had you already starting out as an E-3. So, youll be eligible to make rank quickly. What matters most for your quality of life is what rate you get and what NEC you get. I think enlisting and seeing what the Navy is about is a smart choice, and what matters most i your happiness. I also have full sleeve and hand tattoos and yes, the Navy is the most lenient branch when it comes to tattoos, so it isnt a bad idea. I'm all about it bro. Do what makes YOU happy and if enlisting makes you happy go for it. You will see a lot of cool places and experience things that you will never experience (good and bad) that you would never have experienced otherwise. I think that there is a lot of positive things that come from climbing the ranks and you will be a more well-rounded leader in the military if you are relatable. You can either enlist and start making rank/money now while you sort your shit out, or keep playing games back and forth with your officer recruiter who is pushing you in a direction you dont want to go, or just quit all together. It is up to you, your future is in your hands man. My years spent as an enlisted Sailor have been some of the best. And if I don't get selected for officer, that isnt the end for me. I have found my calling in the Navy, no matter what rank. You can too if its what you want.
There is value to having enlisted prior to commissioning; I definitely won't argue that with you.
However, the OP has stated they want to commission. They already have a degree that's relevant to the designator they're interested in. As someone who has been in for 12 years, I would encourage them to not "enlist first then commission later." They can spend 6 months to 2 years (while they're a civilian) really focusing on the PAO Program Authorization, really hammering down hard on what is expected qualification-wise, as well as setting themselves up well for their board (and improving their package). This might mean things like studying to increase their ASTB/OAR test scores, enrolling in a Master's program, building relationships with people who can provide strong interviews/LORs, or seeking out work experience that will actually be viewed highly at an OCS board.
If the OP were to enlist, they might not be able to get into a rate that is applicable to what they want to do. They will then be stuck going to boot camp, going to A school, possibly a C school, then they'll get sent to their first command. They will be required to compete a baseline set of qualifications within their shop and/or department before anyone even considers recommending them for a commission. Along the way, there could be a range of things that happen that drag out the process of their future commissioning even further, making it a process that might take 2-5 years before they can put on that gold bar.
Sure, they'll be making money and gaining Navy experience "right now" if they were to enlist, but I believe they would be delaying their ability to commission by a few years in doing so. I would add my vote to encouraging the OP to really consider what's important to them; if they want to commission, they shouldn't enlist first to get an idea of what the Navy is about.
Sometimes, sometimes not.
There are those that use their enlisted experience to help themselves and their fellow JOs.
There are others that become raving assholes to enlisted and think they are better than their fellow JOs.
And there are those that can’t get past their enlisted background and realize being an officer is different than being enlisted.
And there are those who you’d never know were prior enlisted as they are as clueless as every other Ensign and have totally forgotten or dismissed their enlisted experience and seem to be starting over in the Navy from scratch.
I’ve been retired for 20 years but back in my day it was about equal where a prior enlisted fell out.
I was 4 years enlisted in the Army Reserve and National Guad during college so I was there, but a totally different enlisted environment/mentality - Army versus Navy.
Haha hey there!! Thanks!
edee2015
El
thank you so much for this.