Got some questions on joining the navy

[mydogsmonkey]

im looking to get into the navy within the next couple months, i would appreciate if anyone has any recommendations to good recruiters, preferably near the san fernando valley or LA area. thanks

Ernest

[kermit315]

I got in in Thousand Oaks, but my recruiters are long gone from their. Any reason you are looking for a specific recruiter? You could always hit your local recruiter up, and post up your questions here. If you think he is feeding you bad gouge you can always try to find a different recruiter.

[mydogsmonkey]

I got in in Thousand Oaks, but my recruiters are long gone from their. Any reason you are looking for a specific recruiter? You could always hit your local recruiter up, and post up your questions here. If you think he is feeding you bad gouge you can always try to find a different recruiter.

thats a great idea, i just happen to have encountered with my friends marine recruiter and it seemed a bit bad that my friend was being fed one sided info all the time. just wanted to see if certain recruiters were better, ill jsut post back here instead. thanks

[45DAVID1]

Mosr recruiters for any branch will tell you the basic info at a minimum. Most, but not all, won't give up any more info than they are required to. You must ask specific questions if you want specific answers. I compare recruiters to used car salesmen. Their job is to meet their quota.

[kermit315]

Thats true, for some of them. Just like cops though, the bad ones put the rest in a bad light.

Anyway, feel free to post up and get a fleet Sailors answer on some stuff. We have access to all the same intsructions that they do, and if we ask a question, we have less of a chance of being lied to because we can fact check them rather easily.

Also, the Naval Recruiting school is right around the corner from the school I am in instructor in, and I know the Master Chief over there (we went through instructor training together).

[Dekker]

The one in Eagle Rock has one sexy looking blond there.......

[mydogsmonkey]

alright so i went to talk to my recruiter monday and found some info. i guess right now they are on a crunch to fnd people to work the nuclear field. he's really trying to push me into that since i told him my practice asvab score. im taking the asvab tomorrow so i'll know tomm what my options more specifically look like. as far as the education for it goes, he told me you can get from 45-65 units of college credit. is that true? as i already have some college credit and that can push me toward getting my bachelors, probably only need 3-4 classes afterwards to finish.

and also, just curious, what are the changes that you navy sailors have had to go through and which have been the most difficult for you? Thanks everybody

Ernest

[HighSeasPoker]

More than a few variables there dude. Kind of funny how you put that, in a crunch to find nukes. I would file this in the no s*%t file. It is arguably the most technically difficult school that the military has to offer. I was given the pitch by a submariner nuke back in 92' when I joined during my senior year. While I was looking for technical training, the thought of watching a reactor in the belly of a ship did not appeal to me. I took the second most technical, avionics tech. There are big bucks in the nuke field, both in and out of service, big bucks being relative to your sailor brethren in other rates. You got to think there is a reason though.

As far as college credits go, I maxed mine out at 44 I think, that is the most a college would take towards a degree. I don't know that there is a school out there that will allow 3-4 classes to get one of their degrees, it is all about the almighty dollar and it would benefit them to get you in as many of their classes as possible.

Looking back, it really wasn't as important as to what rate I picked, it was way more important that I approached my job and how much of myself I put into it that mattered. I hear time and time again about career paths and markers you have to hit in order to get ahead. I say bull. Like a plant, bloom where you're planted.

I am about to click over 16 years of active duty, it has been a blast. It can't possibly have been all good times, but they definately outweight the bad. I went from a french fry cook at In-N-Out to a Medical Service Corps Officer in the most powerful nuclear Navy in the world during my time. I earned a bachelors and a masters all while on active duty. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something.

Life in the Navy can be very easy if you learn to keep your mouth closed, your ears open, and be willing to work harder than the guy next to you.

If I could pinpoint one difficult part of crossing over, being away from my family. Not easy for a young man; some of the loneliest times in my life were when I was surrounded by friends underway.

Life in the Navy is more about attitude than aptitude. Good luck. YMMV

[mydogsmonkey]

thanks thats a lot of good info, i was thinking also to pick a rate that would be interesting to me, sonar tech or "being able to work those big guns" appeal a lot to me but im very open minded. good to know they do go towards college units and how all that works.
thanks for the info highseaspoker

[HighSeasPoker]

Couple of other things to consider. Picking a rate you really enjoy would probably be most beneficial. If you're a sharp cookie and pick a rate that is traditionally manned by a lower average asvab score, well, let's just say that in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.

A rate like fire controlman may just scratch all of your itches. Read up. I know there is a fire control chief on Arfcom. Just look around the Cali threads and shoot him an IM. I am from West Covina btw, miss the valley. I know, not your valley, same difference.

[mydogsmonkey]

Couple of other things to consider. Picking a rate you really enjoy would probably be most beneficial. If you're a sharp cookie and pick a rate that is traditionally manned by a lower average asvab score, well, let's just say that in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.

oh thats true, i've experienced that myself in high school, picking those easy classes aren't always that great, thanks good note will definitely look into those that require some schooling

[HUTCH 7.62]

My buddie who's looking over my shoulder wants me to tell you to apply for train corp. And that he would of never joined the army as a aircraft mechanic had he known about the train corp.

My wife is looking to join the Navy as a nurse. It's just too difficult to get into nursing school in Kommiefornia

[mydogsmonkey]

whats the train corp?

[phroggunner]

Try to get an idea of how quickly different rates advance in rank. I work with quite a few sailors, and from what I gather the rate you pick will greatly affect how fast you can promote.

[choprzrul]

Looking back now, knowing what I know now, here is what I would do in your situation, YMMV: Find an specialty in the Coast Guard that I find interesting and challenging. Do basic and advanced school and then get duty assignment. Start taking as many general studies classes as your schedule allows. College credits will help you rise through the ranks quicker than your cohorts. Set your sights on that Bachelor's degree. Think of your military career in 2 halves: the first 10 years get rank and the B.S. degree, the next 10 years get the Master's degree and hopefully to E-8 before you retire. So, after 20 years you will have a good monthly retirement for life and you will have 2 degrees in your pocket. At age 40 you will have financial security and a great many different options available to you.

Anyway, looking back, I REALLY wish that I would have done just that.