Is it hard to join the Navy?

[Paul G]

Not a concern for me, I am too old and broken for the military. My son has been trying to get in for months. He is 28, close to a bachelors degree, has a problem in his past, DUI about 5 years ago. The Navy recruiter has him jumping through all kinds of hoops, lose 10 pounds, get all his college transcripts together, come up with three hand written personal references, things like that. As of now everything the recruiter has asked for has been done. He is just waiting for the call to take the MEPS and get a date to report to boot camp.

Is it really this difficult to join the service?

[69rtse4spd]

I have heard that with the cutbacks they can get picky. There is a guy working the box (truck) line here that was a boomer in the air force, was cut due to the budget. .

[ACUDANUT]

Join the Army. They take anyone. 

[Paul G]

Join the Army. They take anyone. 

Not so. Army, Air Force and Marines would not take him with the dui.

[Rolling_Thunder]

I've been sitting here for a ship date for the USAF for a few months now...      joining the service today is NOTHING like joining back a few decades ago....    

I scored---  98 on the ASVAB, 89 on the EDPT, 132 on the D-LAB and qualified for CCT, TACP, EOD, SERE, and SOWT on the fitness test (Missed PJ by a few seconds on the run) - no criminal past, already have a secret clearance, national honors society, B.A. Degree, Two A.A. Degrees, and having recently lost 150lbs....


So...   with what my recruiter calls "EXTREMELY high scores and the fact I am going into a severely undermanned career field (EOD or CCT) I should be able to book an AFSC quickly...."   well...    it's been months....      


Tell him to talk to the recruiter and just get a no-bullshit assessment on his process.  OR   Go to a different recruiter and see if they will be better.


If he is trying to get commissioned as an Officer there is his problem. Effectively, all branches are closed for officer recruitment off the street. the USAF right now as a whole is closed for recruitment. things are bad right now.  Just get in - even if it is enlisted and then drop a packet for commissioning.

[twodko]

 "If he is trying to get commissioned as an Officer there is his problem. Effectively, all branches are closed for officer recruitment off the street. the USAF right now as a whole is closed for recruitment. things are bad right now.  Just get in - even if it is enlisted and then drop a packet for commissioning."

True that. Our government...blame whom you want......is so broke that even the sacred military budgets have suffered dearly the last couple years. The last three administrations have bankrupt this country and everyone is paying for this criminal fiscal mismanagement. I'm not a follower of conspiracy theories BUT it does make you wonder why it's so damn hard to buy firearms/ammo these days. Fodder for another thread.

How close is he to getting his degree? What is his major? As for the DUI.....a DUI is a DUI but was there personal injury/death involved? Court ordered jail time beyond the initial drunk tank time. 5 years ago is not a deal breaker if what he has to offer is substantial.

I agree with contacting another recruiter but they will discovered past efforts with another recruiter. He needs to make himself highly desirable. Effort letters of recommendation from as many politicians as possible beginning in his home town etc.

"DUI, no branch will take him" is a blanket statement that quite possibly won't hold water. It's all about what he has to offer and what his realistic commitment is. I.E. A four year hitch because the economy offers no jobs or does he intend to make a career in the military?

While there is something to be said about getting in as enlisted, the mustang climb is not what it used to be.....read OCS.

It is imperative he keep his face in their face AND do so with his degree in hand. "Close to getting his degree" is spitting in the wind. 

[71charger_fan]

For months, the Navy's been running PSAs on AFN addressing sailors regarding the process to decide who to keep and who to let go as the Navy downsizes. When they're in the process of cutting the current fleet, it's harder to get them to take you on as a new sailor needing even basic training.

[Paul G]

How close is he to getting his degree? What is his major? As for the DUI.....a DUI is a DUI but was there personal injury/death involved? Court ordered jail time beyond the initial drunk tank time. 5 years ago is not a deal breaker if what he has to offer is substantial.

He needs another semester which he cant afford. His major is criminal justice, go figure with the dui. It was misdemeanor dui not felony thank god. No one hurt or any thing like that. He had to do community service and pay, and pay, and pay.

One of his references was from a professor of his who is also a states attorney. The recruiter knows he wants to ultimately be involved in Law Enforcement & Security.    

[twodko]

Hey Paul,

Thank goodness the DUI is "light" so to speak. A military career in criminal justice is a tough row to hoe unless he is a shyster.......lawyer. I won't go there about lawyers.

The standout desirables that are always desirables are: electrical engineering, mechanical engineering with an emphasis on marine engineering, computer science, physics for obvious reasons and the medical corps as in doctors.
I'm sure the are other vocations the military would look at closely but these are all that come to mind. 

[NHCharger]

My nephew who is 30 just joined the Navy. He spent the better part of a year jumping through the hoops that you described. He's in boot camp right now.

[billfury]

Wow has things changed. When I was younger it was join the Marines or go to jail. Military was a place for HS quitters and the 1% crowd.

[41husk]

wow when I went in in 79 there were people who joined because the judge gave them a choice to either go into the service or go to jail.

[RECHRGD]

I have a useless ex son in law that could not keep a job in the private sector.  He BS'd his way into the officer training program over ten years ago.  He now makes over 80K a year and on top of that the Navy gives him around 2K a month for off base housing.  From what my daughter tells me, he doesn't do much of anything, but thinks very highly of himself.  Your tax dollars at work.  My late father in law was career Navy and a World War II vet.  This guy couldn't hold a candle to him.....

[ACUDANUT]

Just wait until there is another war. They were taking convicted felons 10 years ago, and that's no bull.
On a side note, they will always need recruits to keep up with the four years and out types (majority). Not to mention to keep the Boot Camps and Basic training courses going.

[Cooter]

Gubment is running outta money. They all but refuse now. Of course, till there is another war.

[Tilar]

Gubment is running outta money.

Where's "Tim the Toolman" Taylor when you need him? He could wire those babies with 440 volts and supercharge those printing presses. They'd be able to print out a couple trillion before lunch time.     Oh wait, isn't that what they're doing now?

[Drache]

Apply for the Army, if they turn you down, the Navy will accept you 

I'm just kidding to all the Swabbies out there pointing guns at me...   

[twodko]

We point harpoons first.

[Rolling_Thunder]

Well - I know right now the USAF is only about 70% staffed on Security Forces - but there is the DUI problem.  Have him contact another USAF recruiter and see if he gets the same story...    tell him to lick ass as much as he needs to -

[AKcharger]

It's supply and demand...It's great when you retire though!

[Rolling_Thunder]

It's supply and demand...It's great when you retire though!

I think they key to that is promoting to an -O- ranking....   I'm going into the USAF with the slowest enlisted promotion ever....    my recruiter just left at 22 years as an E-7...   that's only about $52,000 in base pay.


Another guy I know is at 21 years and is a O5 - just his base pay is around $97,000

[Paul G]

My son tells me, the recruiter tells him, he will go in as an E3 because of his previous education and could possibly make E5 in less than two years. What does all that really mean?

[Drache]

My son tells me, the recruiter tells him, he will go in as an E3 because of his previous education and could possibly make E5 in less than two years. What does all that really mean?

E-3 is the final step in an "apprenticeship" sort of thing. It states they are still learning their field. Regular Seaman if you will. E-4 to E-6 are "non-commissioned officers" otherwise known as Petty Officers. They do the work of Regular Seaman but then also get to boss around the E-1 to E-3 newbies

[mauve66]

i just saw a documentary on all the riff raf going into the military from gangs and all the gang affiliations showing up overseas, how did those guys get in??

[AKcharger]

Hey Rolling a few things about AF promotions and I'm sure this applies to all services:

-Don't get overly wrapped up in current promotion rates, it's a constant cycle good and bad. Trick is to ALWAYS do your best so you'll balance it out. As for the recruiter there's just way to many variables, how long has he been a recruiter, how long has he been out of his career field etc.  I'll tell you this...in the past 22 years there WERE good promotion years, perhaps the recruiter didn't get serious till later when rates were bad.

- Pick career field very very carefully. what you'll find is the smaller the career field the more difficult promotions and the larger the career field the better. So, generally the cool jobs like Air Traffic Control, Flight Engineer, Radiology has AWFUL promotion rates because the field is so small. As opposed to Munitions, Aircraft Maintenance etc. which is big and has lots of opportunity's

- While being an officer is a lofty goal there is a diffrence between enlisted and commisioned careers. Generally, if you're enlisted and you show up for work everyday you can be assured of a 20 year career if you want , that's NOT the case as a "O". Let me tell you two stories; 1992 force drawdown - AF askes people if they want to get out, offers bonus' and to some early retirements, no one forced out. 2006 Officer only drawdown - Local commanders told to interview and "rack and stack" all Jr. officers then cut the bottom, officers cut given small severance pay and told they must be gone in 120 days. No recourse or  warning...VERY RUDE considering a good number were PRIOR ENLISTED who crossed over and now can't even go back to being enlisted...they are completly done with Active duty Air Force

AK
(CMSgt ret. 27 years)