Hey all, I came across this site while surfing. Basically, I go off to Boot on March 27 and I chose Operations Specialist as my job. My recruiter took me on the USS Ross and the OS portion looked awesome. Oh and being in an air conditioned room all day while you're in the middle of seas that border deserts is nice.

Now, basically, I'll be working with radar right? I'll be tracking ships and if the Captain orders it, sinking them with missiles, right? That was the basic jist of what I gathered.

I'm still going back and forth trying to decide if I want to remain an enlisted or go for a commission. I know that I want a four-year degree, but I'm told by my recruiters that the Navy will pay 100% of my tuition while I'm an active duty enlist, and the Navy has ways of bringing my school to me. I'm curious how practical this really is. Is there any enlisted sailor here that is pursuing a degree? How long do you expect it to take?

To get a bit more personal, I'm 19, and my dad was Air Force Master Sergeant. I'm hoping to outrank my dad in the Navy which I'm doing half because I want something similar to, but not exactly like Air Force to pave my own path a bit, and half just to piss him off.

I'm also quite good at preparing for Navy Boot. I'm following a set workout program everyday, I've memorized my general orders, Navy enlisted ranks and insignia, and as well as the ranks and insignia for all officers regardless of branch. I also qualified for advanced enlistment(hence the av). Hope to have some interesting discussions and learn quite alot here!

Justin

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SailorJustin,

justin-I put 17.5 years in the Navy never regreted any of it I was E-6 when I got out never put a rocker on but it never had anything to do with my ability to do my job but about my Military Conduct on Liberty the USN has the best Schools in the Military but if you do go to a Ship anything but a Flat Top you might wish you were in the Desert esp.in the N Alantic or Formosa Straits in a Storm.Just keep your nose clean and in 10 years if stay as Enlisted you might catch up with your Father but then you will not out-rank him because he will still have time in pay grade.(Good Luck)

I have been in for 25 years and I also have two sons serving - wouldn't trade it for anything.

Welcome Aboard Master Chief I guess it is the best place to help someone grow up I guess my problem was Z-grams was to big a change for me I went in the Navy in 1956 and it was the old Navy never could make the change over sadly enought a few years later it was back to what I believed in but it was to late.I never realy got out I went back to Long Beach CA. and the only people I ever associated with was either Retired Navy or people on the Ships around where I lived I still don't understand civilans.

People were still talking about Z-grams when I came in I am with you though, I wish HYT was extended beyond 30...



http://www.navycs.com

Just wanted to pay my respects to the Master Chief. Been a long time ago, I was Navy 52 to 57. Still all these years later I look back on the help and support and the wisdom of all of the Chiefs I served under. Maybe at that particular time and in some instances I might not have agreed at the moment. When I got out of the service, got back into civilian life - I found that the quality of "leaders" in civilian life and industry kind of pale in comparison.

Leadership is learned. Unlike civilian organizations the military starts training leadership on your first day.

still have that ol moldy coffee cup glued to yer finger?

Mundtz -I am with you on that my first Chief was an old Arizona survior I remember when we would have a Inspection he would go out on the Pier and go to his car all you would see was the Gold Braids snap too and salute his Navy Cross.About 5 yrs later I was stationed in Pearl Habor when they dedicated the Memorial I saw him he was just about ready to retire.Also in our time most of our senior's were either WW2 veterans or Korea and most of the young BM's around could put Mike boats and Liberty Boats in a hole the same size as the boat and never scratch the paint.

gunny I just thought about that the last Ship I was on I went up to CPO to get my Chief to sign something and had to wait while he chewed some young messcook out for washing the coffee pot.

yeah! Every Chief I ever had the pleasure of dealing with had the preverbial nasty ol coffee mug in his mitt. THere was always hell to pay if the mess crank cleaned the pot in the chiefs mess! Even more if he dared to actually clean any of the mugs hanging on the wall! Hell week all over!

gunny I guess I knew them pretty well my Brother was one of them old Salts he was a E-9 BM with 30 when he retired.Plus he was all Navy he put 4yrs on a Tin Can the rest on Big Gun Crusiers and believe you me he was Salty even to me.

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Originally posted by thegunny:
still have that ol moldy coffee cup glued to yer finger?

Finally had to get rid of it after the wife complained enough. Believe it or not, I drove a semi for nearly twenty years after. So all these many years later, we still have the coffee pot on form early AM to last thing at night. We leave town and we have a thermos with us, Navy taught me well.

Has anybody here ever been a Gator?

Mundtz-I was a Gator my last cruise (USS Sumter LST 1181)70-72 Out of Little Creek VA. In the Mid 50's I was stationed in Sasebo Japan (MinDiv 111) we would load our MSL's onboard any Gator that had a empty welldeck and go on our Operations usually Korea or in the Sea of Japan.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SULLY1,

Feel for you Sully. I was on the LSD-19, Comstock. My bones still turn brittle when I visualize the pounding those guys suffered on the LST's. What about some of the original guys that brought one back from Europe a few years ago? At their age no less. They were tough, and the WWII vets are still my heroes.
Have you ever toured the Higgin's boat museum in New Orlean's? Don't know if its functioning yet since Katrina. I'd always wanted to see it. Didn't Ike say, that the Higgin's boat was one of the secrets to victory? He should have been listed, visionaries like that contributed greatly.
Now our industrial might that contributed so much resides...in Asia, or whoever has the cheapest labor on the planet at the current time. Next major conflict we encounter, we can ask China for permission. Pretty please. Rotsa' ruck!

Mundtz never did have the pleasure of the Comstock but the first ship I ever rode was the USS Carter Hall when we took our new MSL's to Sasebo in 1958 I had the mid watch and the Convoy hit a storm just off Midway Island and believe you me I was so scared I couldn't get seasick we were taking water over the stack deck when we rolled I think they said we were taking 47 degree rolls.Wish I could take a tour of Higgins Boat building heard a lot about the Musuem those old Papa boats were maybe the most dependable boat we ever had.By the way I doubt if I could ever call myself a Gator it takes more than 2 years to be a Gator I saw some pretty close crews but never like the Gators and they would fight in a heartbeat even if it was just to see who tied up inboard at the pier.

You got to a pier? - what luxury. I can still hear those GMC diesels in those LCVP's screaming in my sleep.
Wasn't the Carter Hall the #5? Seems likely we operated with her. Have to check some of my slides to see.
I went to NAS Agana, Guam first - then caught the Comstock at Diego, did the Korean tour. At the end we returned to Yokosuka to resupply for R & R in Hong Kong. Never made it. Dien Bien Phu occured.
We got sent down to Indo China, Vietnam for the "Passage to Freedom".
Amazing, we bailed the French out. The Haiphong to Saigon evacuation. Large scale.
I cannot for the life of me remember how many trips we made, before we left. The operation went on for some time.
I feel sorry though for Justin. He didn't know what a can of worms he opened with his question did he?
Don't know if he ever received any advice, just memories.
But Justin, honor that history. I didn't realize at the time I was on the Comstock, what a history it had. Not until I did a search at Naval History. The history of that ship and thousands like her is what has made our present possible.
And in my humble opinion the Army of one has never existed, will never exist. It consists of the Army, the Air Force, the Marines, the Navy, and the Coast Guard. And all have combined to provide you with todays freedoms.
Pardon me if I'm biased toward the Navy's history.

Mundtz you made me feel young again you are talking about history my older Brother mentioned.The old USS Carter Hall was( LSD 3 )I also rode the 2,& 4,the Belgrove and Gunston Hall I also remember the USS Washburn AKA (112)if I remember right most of the Gators were out of San Diego.

Welcome aboard Master Chief. Have some crappy coffee...

Seriously though at my recruiting office NOBODY cleans the coffee pot. The NCOs all say the Chiefs need to do it since they're the only ones who drink it, but they never do. The end result: things live in it. And yet the Chiefs still reportedly drink out of it. It's scary...very scary...

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Amazing, we bailed the French out.

Oh God, Don't we always bail those bastards out?

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I feel sorry though for Justin. He didn't know what a can of worms he opened with his question did he?

Which question? What does this have to do with the French bastards? What are yall talking about? What's a Z-gram...what are all the abbreviations and...well...everything?

I'm confused.

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But Justin, honor that history. I didn't realize at the time I was on the Comstock, what a history it had. Not until I did a search at Naval History. The history of that ship and thousands like her is what has made our present possible.

Oh yeah, I love history. I'm already reading some of the Navy's. I had absolutely NO idea that America has always been the leader in advancing submarine technology. I mean, the first attempted submarine attack(Revolutionary War), the first successful submarine attack(Civil War), and the first fully commissioned submarine, the USS Holland in 1900.

I could go on about ironclad ships and the Civil War, but I won't bore the non-history buffs.