Son going to Navy Bootcamp in September

[F4E Phantom]

[tnlrat37]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.military.com/join-armed-forces/navy-weapons-qualification-course.html/amp

[I Swan]

I heard recently M9 and Mossberg 500 at most.

[cheesyhybrid]

Why waste time shooting a rifle when you are riding on a floating killing machine with machine guns, cannons and missiles. The best part of the Navy is that your equipment carries you rather than the other way around.

[jglabe]

M4 with iron sights or Aimpoint?

Let's see..... I was in NAVY boot camp in '99. I am laughing at your last sentence. The gun the NAVY used when i went through was a BB gun that loosely resembled an M16. Yep, that's right. Just like the ones your kid probably shot at the state fair when he was 10. It was so disappointing I can't even begin to tell you. I have been around guns my entire life, and I was stoked to do some shooting in boot camp. I felt like I had just been punched in the gut, wasn't the last time either. The NAVY is a much kinder and gentler place now then it used to be.

Sorry for the bad news.

[pp55ftw]

Went through in 2016. Bootcamp at RTC in Great Lakes is mainly focused on making a Sailor. Huge focus on Navy rules, regulations, history, life...basically how to do his basic duties and how to "Navy". There is about 3 days of "firearms" instruction which only touches on the M9 pistol and you get to fire 1 round with the Mossberg 500...from the hip...with an RSO holding the butt. You do get to fire a qualification course for the pistol...but its scored pretty open. The main focus of boot camp is how to Navy...he should focus on that aspect. The Navy isn't Call of Duty or all about the SEALS. We do most our damage from behind a computer screen, not small arms. If his NEC is more ground/combat/security focused like SO/Seabees/MA, then he will do weapons qualification after A/C schools or when he actually reports to his duty station. Hope this helps.

[F4E Phantom]

Thanks pp55ftw. One rd form shotgun? Wow. His MOS is EOD. I know the chances are slim. He knows this. Thank you for you service

[pp55ftw]

Navy calls MOSs NECs (Navy Enlisted Classification) for future reference. Your son is EOD contracted so that will be SO community. Happy to help. Thanks to your son for choosing to serve.

[Den60]

He might want to learn how to use this:

[F4E Phantom]

Funny, I told how does he feel about scraping barnacles off the side of the ship!
I told him to give 100% or that is exactly what he will be doing for the next 5 years

[Den60]

Funny, I told how does he feel about scraping barnacles off the side of the ship!
I told him to give 100% or that is exactly what he will be doing for the next 5 years

Well, I did post that rather tongue-in-cheek. Hopefully he gets the post he wants. My composite vendor went into the Navy right out of HS and tested well so they made him an A&P where he was stationed at Miramar. He said that looking back joining was the best and worst thing he ever did.

[nickel plate]

Slightly off topic but a reminisce:
I went through Navy bootcamp at the now closed San Diego NTC in 1961. We were all issued a rifle that we shouldered every day and everywhere during the next eighty days, a Springfield .30-06 with a full leaded barrel as the Navy figured that all boots during basic training were unpredictable.
We did have one short range day over at Camp Pendleton Marine base where we learned the meaning of the "M1 thumb" and a select few of us were picked (not me) to shoot a BAR.

[ARgomez]

i hear they have wet t shirt fights in the Navy

-Garand Thumb

[eviioiive]

Wrong branch for trigger time

[darthmars]

M9 and shotgun. He'll use other weapons such as the M4 and crew served if his rate or job detail requires it, but that will be at either A-school or once he hits the fleet. Does he have a rate lined up if EOD fails? He should try to get one, otherwise he will be an undesignated seaman most likely. If he likes guns go for MA or GM. Or go for VBSS as an undesignated. Not saying he wont make EOD but backup plans are nice. I did 4 yrs as an MA