CTT, CTI or Corpsman? Which would be better?

[windy]

My daughter just signed with the Navy, she will be a senior in high school, so doesn't go til next summer. She signed as an operations specialist, but can change this. Her first choice was to be a corpsman, but they couldn't get her in until next week - something about it being on hold that day. She likes the dental/medical jobs. But she also qualifies for CTT and CTI (hasn't taken the language test). We think those could be better pay wise and something she would enjoy too. Any advice on which of these jobs would be better to choose?

[Anti M]

Better paywise?  How so?  They all get the same base pay, and if you're looking at the re-enlistment bonuses, those change every year.

[windy]

I guess better in advancement rates, skills acquired and how they would relate to the civilian world jobs - ie. with that military training what kind of job could she get after the military (should she choose not to make it a career). Would that job pay well, where could she work, etc. And also job satisfaction while in the military.

[Craig]

windy - She needs to see if she can pass the DLAB for CTI.   CTT is awesome too, but you really need to be a Technical (6 year) vice a Operator (4 year).  The SBI security access is huge benefit once she has completed her time, and plans on going into the civilian world.  OS is not that hot (in my eyes).  She needs to focus on what she is planning to do later on in life.  

btw: I am a retire CT, and still do the same stuff in the civilian world.  Come on over to the

Cryptologic section http://www.navyformoms.com/group/ctratemoms

or the CTI section, http://www.navyformoms.com/group/cti

we'll pump you up..

 

 

Anti M -  What most people don't understand is that no only do CTI get Foreign Language Proficiency Pay (FLPP), but ANY sailor can get it if they know certain languages.  Right now there are immediate opportunities for E-2 through E-5 personnel who are native or near native speakers of the following: FRENCH, ARABIC, PERSIAN-FARSI, CHINESE (MANDARIN), KOREAN, VIETNAMESE, SERBIAN, CROATIAN, AND RUSSIAN.  FLPP earns you up to an additional $1000 per month, just for knowing the language.  

 

http://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/07000%20Financial%20Management%...

 

Now for a funny story...

We had a 1st Class RM on board who was a real piece of work. We left Norfolk on the ship and had to go to the Naval Weapons station in Yorktown to load the weapons.  This guy missed the ship out of Norfolk and had to have his spouse bring him to Yorktown.  Missing ships movement is a totally serious charge.  The Captain holds mast on the spot and gives him a suspended bust and 1/2 months pay for 2 mos. not suspended.

After we all us load up and we get underway they sound "Dinner for the crew."   About an hour later it's time for the Marines to go to chow and the RM gets on the 1MC (ships main speaker)  and says "Raw meat for the grunts!"   The CO immediately vacates the suspended bust and makes him a 2nd class and gives him restriction and extra duty. We cross the ocean,  and head to the first liberty port Marseilles France. They pass the word over the 1MC for anyone who can speak French to go to the bridge. Two of the American (who are native Haitian) Marines show up and so does the RM. The French tugboat guys can't understand our creole Marines so the Skipper hands the megaphone to the RM2. While we're all manning the rail,  out comes " Tie up ze boat so we can get ze liberty!" He made RMSN off of that one.

The Navy, it's not just a job, it's an adventure!!!!

[Anti M]

Oh geez, there's always one, isn't there.  I bet we'd have some tales over a beer or two (except I hate beer.)

 

Hey, I can count to ten in Farsi and write "Daddy gave water" in Persian (baba ab dad). And I know three sentences in Russian, none of them obscene.  Whaddya say, about three cents worth of language.

[windy]

Ok, so from what I gather definitely go with CTT or CTI over OS for sure.  And the CTI would give more pay once she was proficient in a language if she even qualifies to go that route after the DLAB.  And who couldn't use a foreign language in the civilian world.  What about CTT in the civilian world even if she's not a 6 year?  And what about the corpsman - she's thnking dental if she went into that - I have no idea what she would be doing actually if she picked that but she likes the idea of being a dental hygenist and has also taken lots of medical courses in high school.  Would the corpsman be on the same level with the CT jobs. I think she said something about starting out at an E3 with the CT but being just a C1 with the corpsman.  She may not have that right though.

[Craig]

Windy - I know I will be hammered by a OS or HM mom, but here's the deal....

HM dental sucks.  All you are is a dang dental assistant.  In Colorado, where I'm from, there is no license at all.  You could walk off the street and become a dental assistant for any denial office here.  What do they pay these people in the civilian world?  Like $15 an hour.  How do I know this? Because my wife is a EDDA dental assistant and she makes more than them. She is always suggesting that they go back to school to get their EDDA.   But remember, life doesn't always revolve around money.  Heck I know alot of social workers who don't get paid well at all and they love there job.  So it all about what you want in life.

The OS job to me sucks too.  Being in a dark room with red lights on day in and day out would drive me crazy.  Plotting ships and planes would suck.  I had a guy on my website who loved to sleep.  I told him that OS was probably the worst job he could ever get because like I said, you're in a dark room.  Guess what, he went to Captains Mast within 3 month for sleeping on watch.  They let him remain an OS, and guess what? within another 2 months he was caught sleeping on watch again and was given the boot out of the Navy.

Now, if she really wants to join the Navy to serve her country and wants to become a Hygienist, then she needs to go a civilian dental hygienist school.  Once complete, she can join the Navy under a program called Direct Procurement Enlistment Program (DPEP), she will join as an E6.  In the 4 years that I have been helping deppers on my website, only one person ever was eligible for this program.  He was a computer nerd and ended up joining as an E5.

If your daughter doesn't want to do that, then she should see if she can go CT,  The SBI access is worth alot of money.   My company hires 6yr CTT starting at ~$74K per year.  It goes up from there.  4yr CTT start ~$64K,  We don't have that many CTI's were I work, but in D.C. the CTI start about $125K.  But that's D.C.  But like I said, it's not all about money.  For me it is, but for others it not.  She just needs to decide what she wants out of life.  

[windy]

Craig, thanks for that info. It's very helpful.  That is kinda what I was thinking about the medical - that it would end up as a lower paying civilian job. It's looking like CT is the way to go and CTI if she can do that.  I didn't know about the DPEP, I don't think she would be interested in doing that, but it's good to know.  You're right the money isn't everything, but it seems like these jobs are pretty darn interesting and if she was CTI she could always turn around a be a missionary if she wanted to after the military. :)  And she could always use the GI bill to get some medical training or go to college after as well. 

[Craig]

So she want a missionary position?

I've been telling my wife that's what I want too, but she's not listening....  

Man I just couldn't resist.  Rarely does an opportunity come up where a member (you) sets themselves up.