Navy

JoeI

Banned
Jul 4, 2005
116
0
0
OK, I have given some thought to joining the Navy, as my family and I have absolutely no means to pay for college, except a huge amount of student loans. Was wondering if anyone had some serious, non-sarcastic, and helpful advice as to what it is like, and if I sohuld just join the army or other miltary service instead. The idea of being a meterologist in the Navy interests me. Anyone got any suggestions, or ideas about where you can do meterology in any other military service. All helpful thoughts welcome.
 

QuitBanningMe

Banned
Mar 2, 2005
5,038
2
0
Originally posted by: JoeI
OK, I have given some thought to joining the Navy, as my family and I have absolutely no means to pay for college, except a huge amount of student loans. Was wondering if anyone had some serious, non-sarcastic, and helpful advice as to what it is like, and if I sohuld just join the army or other miltary service instead. The idea of being a meterologist in the Navy interests me. Anyone got any suggestions, or ideas about where you can do meterology in any other military service. All helpful thoughts welcome.

Navy rocks....but what do you mean "what its like"....boot camp? Enlisted life?
 

JoeI

Banned
Jul 4, 2005
116
0
0
Originally posted by: QuitBanningMe
Originally posted by: JoeI
OK, I have given some thought to joining the Navy, as my family and I have absolutely no means to pay for college, except a huge amount of student loans. Was wondering if anyone had some serious, non-sarcastic, and helpful advice as to what it is like, and if I sohuld just join the army or other miltary service instead. The idea of being a meterologist in the Navy interests me. Anyone got any suggestions, or ideas about where you can do meterology in any other military service. All helpful thoughts welcome.

Navy rocks....but what do you mean "what its like"....boot camp? Enlisted life?

mainly enlisted life, social life etc.
 

bigredguy

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2001
2,457
0
0
I have a few service friends and all of them, regardless of service, say that the Air Force is the only service they would join, knowing what they know now. Problem is that both the Air Force and the Navy are scaling back their forces. I will pass on what a friend said to me about serving for college money, "it's indentured servitude, you have to give up four years to get your freedom." He was only partly kidding, but hey 4 years of crap, seems like it could out weigh 12, 16 maybe 20 years of debt.
 

QuitBanningMe

Banned
Mar 2, 2005
5,038
2
0
Originally posted by: bigredguy
I have a few service friends and all of them, regardless of service, say that the Air Force is the only service they would join, knowing what they know now. Problem is that both the Air Force and the Navy are scaling back their forces. I will pass on what a friend said to me about serving for college money, "it's indentured servitude, you have to give up four years to get your freedom." He was only partly kidding, but hey 4 years of crap, seems like it could out weigh 12, 16 maybe 20 years of debt.

:confused: I wouldn't have wanted to join the AF nor would anyone I can think of. Do you have fat lazy bastard friends who heard they use bikes for PT test or something?

I do agree that you shouldn't join any branch for any reason other than a desire to serve your country.

The people I here complaining most of the time are the ones who simply did not make the most of there time in or joined for reasons other than making sure some asshat in P&N can call them murderers.


I had a fvcking blast...................
 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
Staff member
Oct 30, 2000
42,589
5
0
The training that you will get through any of the technical service schools will be first rate.

Depending on what areas you concentrate in, the payback in experience for the outside world (when you return to the civilian life) can give you an enormous leg up.

The pay may not seem great initially, but getting 3 squares and a roof with little chance to spend your pay can quickly match the outside world.

If you want the Navy for it; If you want the service but unsure on what branch check out all four military plus the Coast Guard.

Everyone needs meteorologists for some reason or another; whose demand will be the greatest will require some leg work on your part.
 

woowoo

Platinum Member
Feb 17, 2003
2,092
1
0
Originally posted by: Mrvile
Well, at least you get to see the world. Or so they say...

I got to see 27 countries in six years.
I got out as an E-6

The millitary is what YOU make of it.
They are not going to hand you things on a silver platter.

Get good test scores.
Get a good job in writing before you join.
And keep your head low....
 

Wapp

Golden Member
Jun 5, 2003
1,648
0
0
Originally posted by: QuitBanningMe
Originally posted by: bigredguy
I have a few service friends and all of them, regardless of service, say that the Air Force is the only service they would join, knowing what they know now. Problem is that both the Air Force and the Navy are scaling back their forces. I will pass on what a friend said to me about serving for college money, "it's indentured servitude, you have to give up four years to get your freedom." He was only partly kidding, but hey 4 years of crap, seems like it could out weigh 12, 16 maybe 20 years of debt.

:confused: I wouldn't have wanted to join the AF nor would anyone I can think of. Do you have fat lazy bastard friends who heard they use bikes for PT test or something?

I do agree that you shouldn't join any branch for any reason other than a desire to serve your country.

The people I here complaining most of the time are the ones who simply did not make the most of there time in or joined for reasons other than making sure some asshat in P&N can call them murderers.


I had a fvcking blast...................


I just seperated from the air force three months ago.

Units have different policies. My unit PTs every weekday. The AF has changed a lot. The bike test is gone. Push-up, sit-ups, 1.5 mile run and waist measurements make up the test. It's not hard but it is weeding out the fatties. A 19 year NCO failed the new PT test. They gave him three months to retest. He failed and he was out a month later, no pension.

Step-dad and two brothers are all army. They wish they would have gone air force instead.

@OP: If you sign up for school purposes, hit the books hard and get the MGIB kicker. The regular MGIB only covers like $36k.
 

sic wil

Senior member
Dec 7, 2004
256
0
0
I joined the Army Reserves for the college money. Long story short, I was sent to Iraq, served my country, and buried a comrade. Make sure you weigh the decision well, because you can end up in a similar situation. Most people I know (currently still in service) either love or hate the military, there is no in-between.

:beer:

 

cjgallen

Diamond Member
Jan 20, 2003
6,419
0
0
If you're really smart and scored well on the ASVAB, look into the Navy Nuclear Field. You'll enter as E-3, automatic E-4 after A school, and you'll go through Nuclear Power and Prototyping school. There's a couple ex Navy nukes on these boards making some decent cash, you may not even need college.

I go to bootcamp in October, so I can't really give you much advice :p
 

skimple

Golden Member
Feb 4, 2005
1,283
3
81
Take the ASVAB and then shop around all of the services. Your recruiter may not like it, but it's not his life. See what different jobs you will get offered, and what they're willing to pay you to sign. Look for choice of assignment location and jobs. They usually won't offer you the "best" job you qualify for, since they are trying to fill quotas for certain positions. Hold out for the "better" jobs that will get you the most technical training. You can have access to technologies that no one in the commercial sector does.
 
Dec 27, 2001
11,272
1
0
How is college hard to pay for? Are you going to Stanford or Harvard?

In Cali, a CSU will run you $2000 a semester or so for tuition and books. If you go to a junior college first for your general ed, it will run you a few hundred a semester.

I had friends in college who put themselves through with part time waitering jobs.


Being in the Armed Forces is a noble profession in itself and I have nothing but respect and appreciation for every single person serving in the US miltary. I just hate to see someone join it to avoid paying loans. School loans, as most financial experts will tell you, shouldn't be considered a burden. We still owe for my wife's loans for Berkeley, something like $6000 now, but the payment is so minimal with the low interest rate that it's unnoticeable.
 

woowoo

Platinum Member
Feb 17, 2003
2,092
1
0
Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Go for it. It can be a very good thing, especially fi you need some structure in your life.

It kept me out of jail.. :)
 

Leper Messiah

Banned
Dec 13, 2004
7,973
8
0
In the Navy, You can sail the seven seas/ In teh Navy, In the Navy!

IDK. Thats the first thing that popped into my head.
 

ifoundthetao

Senior member
May 17, 2005
222
0
0
Just thought I say two things, everyone who I talk to who is in the navy says navy stands for "Never Again Volunteer Yourself". Because they really don't like it. But once they get out they have very positive things to say about it. Also, you can get a ton of work done to your teeth too, so if you have bad teeth, then sign up. My friend Melanie had like over $3,000 done to her teeth, and it was all paid for, and they are putting her through college.

All of my friends who have joined the military say that you should sign up so that you go to school first, then go back in as an officer. They say you will get more money that way and it is easier. So that might be something to look into also.
 

Cadop

Senior member
Mar 28, 2003
411
1
81
Can anyone explain the whole salary system to me? All of these E-3's and E-4's are confusing.
 

SouthPaW1227

Golden Member
Aug 4, 2004
1,863
0
0
I'd recommend getting a part-time job (or 2) and going to a community college unless you have a real desire to serve your country.