Im in DEP now and have already signed A contract...Im an AD and have an "A" school....my problem/question- I've been told that everything on this contract means nothing and that when I go back to MEPs to take the active duty oath, a "new" contract will be printed out and that will be my "official" contract. My worries are basically this...whatever Im "promised" now can change. I dont want any other job in the Navy but AD (or AW) because I want to go Aircrew. I had to really fight to get AD in the first place and I dont want to lose my job. The "prelim" contract or whatever you want to call it, is it going to stay the same when I go back to MEPs?? Also, the main reason for this post is about Aircrew Candidiate school. Its not written on my contract now, and Im being told that when you get to boot, during the swim sessions the RDC's ask who wants to try for SEALS and Aircrew, get to take an extra swim test and then will have that added to their contract. I want aircrew and Im afraid Im being bullied and if I have to wait for boot camp I feel like Im not going to get Aircrew. How do I get Aircrew in writing now, since Ive already picked my rate and swore in and all that.... My recruiter is no help...it always comes back to "wait for boot". Any help please..sorry if I confused any.

You should be able to keep your rate, unless something happens that disqualifies you from the original rate (i.e. you don't get shipped out that day because you weigh too much, piss dirty, etc) or the rate gets phased out/merged. You should be OK on both- keep a straight head and number 1 ain't a problem, and I haven't heard of AD merging with any other rate or phasing out.
As for Aircrew... there's an Aircrew program your recruiter should've hooked you up with. Look at the link here for more info.

Thanks for the reassurance. My recruiter still tells me theres nothing I can do for aircrew but wait until Boot camp to volunteer for the second phase swim qual or whatever.....I really want Aircrew guaranteed to me, and if Im being lied to what should I do???

Tell your recruiter that you went to the Navy website and found out about the Aircrew program. Ask him why he won't cooperate with you on this- do you not qualify for some reason or another, do you need to be in a specific source rate, etc.
If he STILL won't cooperate with you after this, try talking to the Chief at that recruiting station. If, for some god-awful reason, this doesn't work out, I'd try finding out if you can go to a different recruiting station.

A signed contract is just that....signed.

Why did you sign up for AD when you wanted something else?

They don't mod your contract in boot camp.

If you tube out of AD school, (fail) you revert back to an OPEN contract, and they assign you to what the NAVY needs or otherwise known as the 'flavor of the day'.

Did you want your cake and expect to eat it too?

I agree to the signed contract bit, but at this point, it can still be rewritten (with limited ability admittedly). You lose that chance when you get shipped off. If you want to be guaranteed Aircrew, you need to get your recruiter on it now- bootcamp will give you the opportunity to go for it, but there's no guarantee they'll take you even if you qualify dozens of times over unless you got the guarantee in the contract.

Sorry, but I have never heard of a single instance where an enlistment contract was re-written after it is signed. Not saying it hasn't happened, just that I have never heard of such a thing. Perhaps someone else on the board has knowledge of such a thing?

Mine was. I was originally going to be an IT before I went to MEPs the first time. Then I weighed in 2 pounds overweight.
In order to get shipped out within a month (time was a factor for me), I needed to be switched to MM. Ended up working out for me.
I'm not saying that you can throw the contract away, but changing rates before you get shipped off isn't all that hard to do if you qualify for it (or disqualify for the original rate ).

Your instance was unique, and more likely the result of the timing of the schools for that particular rate. It worked out in your favor, and I have to ask, did you really want to become a machinist mate or was that the best they had to offer after you weighed in over for IT?

No, I didn't want to become an MM, and truth be told, I was pissed through boot. Then I found out that IT ended up being something I would've been bored by anyway, and MM ended up being something I was actually interested in. Luck, I suppose- I would've taken anything they were willing to stick me with, as I wasn't qualified for many rates in the Navy (because I have a GED and no diploma- stay in school, kids! ).
However, I provided my personal experience as one out of many examples. Like I said, it's not difficult at all to change rates before you get shipped out- it's just a matter of qualifying for it and willing to wait. I know plenty of shipmates that changed rates before getting shipped out- it's not uncommon in any way, at least for the Navy. Any honest recruiter who's willing to work with you will tell you openly that the time to change your mind about rates is before getting shipped out- after you step on the grounds of RTC, Great Lakes, it's too late until you have at least 24 months TIR.

To gunny-

I want AD and thats what I got. Aircrew is offered to certain rates in the aviation field, AD included. Aircrew is what I want most of all, and out of the rates to choice from to get to Aircrew I took AD. As far as the rewritted bit goes, I was told that you sign a new contract when you go back to MEPs to report for basic and what is on that contract goes, and ignore the piece of paper you recieved when you took the physical and picked your job. I was worried because some people had things changed on their new contracts and that was what they were stuck with! I qualify for my job and I qualify for Aircrew school. Ive talked to two other recruiters now, plus my own, and I get the same response. Cant get it on contract now, have to wait for basic and take the extra swim qual/pft and then it will be added to my contract! I just read/heard that people had it on their contract and I was askin the board if I was being black-balled or not.....

If two other recruiters say the same thing, you may be legitimately screwed out of the guarantee. The next option is to do as they say- when your division goes for the swim qualification at boot camp, raise your hand and say you want to be a first class swimmer for Aircrew (or do you need only second class for that?). Check seals.navy.mil to see what you need to be able to do for the first or second class swim qual.
Then cross your fingers and bug the crap out of your chain of command in A-School to go to Aircrew 'school' (or wherever they go to get trained). If you push hard enough, you'll do it. You just won't go to it straight out of A-School- they'll probably make you wait 6-18 months on a ship (or squadron, in an Airdale's case). Just don't get discouraged and keep your hopes up, and you'll get it sooner than later.