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MikeyChalupa · 09-20-2003, 06:35 AM

Hate to break it to you folks, but even job security isn't all that great in the military these days. We're downsizing again. The Navy is cutting personnel, people are being forced out at the end of their enlistments, specifically unskilled first-termers. Re-enlistment bonuses are down, and lots of incentives to re-enlist are dropping. Enlistment bonuses are still pretty good, though, several thousand bucks. You get the $$ AFTER boot camp and initial training, not up front

I can't tell you about the other branches, but I'm starting my 9th year active duty in the Navy. If you consider the Navy, the biggest piece of advice I can give you is DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, ENLIST WITHOUT AN "A" SCHOOL GUARANTEE NO MATTER WHAT THE RECRUITER TELLS YOU! In fact, tell your recruiter that you won't enlist without one, that is non-negotiable. "A" School is your initial technical training after boot camp, where you learn your rate, or job. Mine is Aviation Electronics. An "A" school guarantee means that you will get some sort of technical training that you can choose, will be worth something to you when you get out, plus you won't be what they call a "general detail" sailor, or a non-rate, who will get only very general training in engineering, aviation, or deck seamanship and basically fill whatever shitty job they need filled for a few years until you might maybe be lucky enough to get a rate. The recruiter will tell you that you "can try all different jobs and pick the one you want." Bullshit. It means he's met his quota for technical rates and needs to ship more GenDets. This is the biggest lie in the history of our military and has ruined more naval careers than torpedoes.

Serving in the Navy has been nothing but a positive experience for me. I would recommend it to you, but you must be informed when you walk into that office or you can very easily set yourself up for a short, unhappy career in the military. PM me if you want more info on specific jobs or after you talk to a recruiter, if you go the Navy route. Write down what he tells you.

Oh yeah... there's only one Navy boot camp, and it's in Great Lakes, IL (near Chicago). Try to avoid it between October and April, it's colder than a brass toilet seat in the Yukon, and snows like a mofo, and guess who gets to shovel all the snow. Unless that doesn't matter to you.

-Mikey

09-20-2003, 06:35 AM	#31 (permalink)
MikeyChalupa Squid Location: USS George Washington	Hate to break it to you folks, but even job security isn't all that great in the military these days. We're downsizing again. The Navy is cutting personnel, people are being forced out at the end of their enlistments, specifically unskilled first-termers. Re-enlistment bonuses are down, and lots of incentives to re-enlist are dropping. Enlistment bonuses are still pretty good, though, several thousand bucks. You get the $$ AFTER boot camp and initial training, not up front I can't tell you about the other branches, but I'm starting my 9th year active duty in the Navy. If you consider the Navy, the biggest piece of advice I can give you is DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, ENLIST WITHOUT AN "A" SCHOOL GUARANTEE NO MATTER WHAT THE RECRUITER TELLS YOU! In fact, tell your recruiter that you won't enlist without one, that is non-negotiable. "A" School is your initial technical training after boot camp, where you learn your rate, or job. Mine is Aviation Electronics. An "A" school guarantee means that you will get some sort of technical training that you can choose, will be worth something to you when you get out, plus you won't be what they call a "general detail" sailor, or a non-rate, who will get only very general training in engineering, aviation, or deck seamanship and basically fill whatever shitty job they need filled for a few years until you might maybe be lucky enough to get a rate. The recruiter will tell you that you "can try all different jobs and pick the one you want." Bullshit. It means he's met his quota for technical rates and needs to ship more GenDets. This is the biggest lie in the history of our military and has ruined more naval careers than torpedoes. Serving in the Navy has been nothing but a positive experience for me. I would recommend it to you, but you must be informed when you walk into that office or you can very easily set yourself up for a short, unhappy career in the military. PM me if you want more info on specific jobs or after you talk to a recruiter, if you go the Navy route. Write down what he tells you. Oh yeah... there's only one Navy boot camp, and it's in Great Lakes, IL (near Chicago). Try to avoid it between October and April, it's colder than a brass toilet seat in the Yukon, and snows like a mofo, and guess who gets to shovel all the snow. Unless that doesn't matter to you. -Mikey Last edited by MikeyChalupa; 09-20-2003 at 06:38 AM..