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Comment by diannep on January 21, 2011 at 8:55am

DebBee:  There are many in the Navy now with batchelor degrees and beyond. And they are in as "enlisted" because...the officers program is NOT easy to get into...especially these days with the bad economy and the people flooding the gates of the military, especially the Navy and Air Force.  For the first time in history, the military has choices in who they keep and who they don't want to.  I have been amazed since my son has been in (a little over a yr) of how many sailors are being released...so I applaud those who DO get into the officers program because especially in these tough times, that is quite a victory!  My dentist's son tried to get into the officers program several years back...had a batchelor's degree.  Couldn't get in.  So he was granted an early release from the Navy and allowed to enter the Marines, where he was able to get into their officers program.  So...it will take the best of the best these days giving 110 percent effort to be accepted into the officers program!  HOOYAH!

Comment by bsmom on January 21, 2011 at 7:33am

Arwen-  Thank you so much!  One step at a time for me...LOL!   When I heard collar device, all I could think about were the invisible fence dog collars...LOL!!! I knew it couldn't mean those, but couldn't picture what he meant.

Comment by Dani_Girl (ET wife) on January 21, 2011 at 1:52am

BsMom- my husband also has his bachelors, but enlisted. We're also hoping he'll get into OCS in the next couple of years. :)

Comment by DeeSailorMom on January 21, 2011 at 1:41am

YEY!!!!  Less than a month!!! I'm so excited!!!

Comment by Arwen on January 21, 2011 at 12:59am

Petty officer 2nd class means he is wearing the pin for an E-5 (an eagle with two chevrons), but not for real. It's just a way of marking recruits who have been given responsibility, they wear one pin. "Real" E-5s wear two pins (one on each side of their collar)

 

The "recruit chain of command" is basically who is in charge of whom. Those outside of the chain of command are simply at the bottom, following EVERYONE's orders, but only allowed to make requests to recruits at the level immediately above them.

 

Recruits report to their section leader

Section leaders report to the port/starboard leaders

Port/starboard leaders report to the recruit chief petty officer (RCPO)

RCPO reports to the petty officer RDCs

Petty officer RDCs report to the chief RDC

then the chain of command leaves the division, and goes to people the recruits probably will never know/meet.

Comment by Arwen on January 21, 2011 at 12:51am

A "collar device" is the pins they wear on their collar to show their rating/rank. I never thought of how draconian it sounds, that's funny.

Comment by Renick ET on January 21, 2011 at 12:23am

I was disappointed about no letter today, but then had a wonderful heart to heart with my husband. He is my son's step-father since he was 10 (he is 21 now). I  have been missing my son and have been told by him that I spend too much time on this site. However, tonight dad said how much he missed having him around and that he couldn't wait for the four weeks and to see him at PIR. Even asked me how we were going to find him after graduation, so he has been thinking about it more than he has let on!  That made me feel so much better. Now if I would just get a letter tomorrow!!

Comment by bsmom on January 21, 2011 at 12:19am

:) thank you, DebBee!!  However, I already knew that!   LOL  He said he is being patient, teaching, and leading...they get yelled at enough by others.  I am so proud of his way of being a roll model.  Some days I think he could teach me.  Also, my recruit graduated college and still went in enlisted.  He has plans of going to OCS and is told that he can apply for it in 2 years....A definite in my opinion!  He will come out of basic an E3.

Comment by Arwen on January 20, 2011 at 11:27pm

DebBee, no, having a degree does not make a recruit an officer. Those who want to be officers do have to have a degree, but if they want to be an officer they have to attend NROTC during college or apply to OCS (officer candidate school) for the officer's version of bootcamp. It's completely different from enlisted bootcamp.

 

Many people with degrees join as an enlisted sailor, they get E-3 immediately out of boot camp, and that degree also counts as points toward promotion. It gives a huge advantage over anyone else trying for a promotion. He'll probably be an E-5 within three years, easily.

Comment by navymom 74 Ship 4 Div 805 on January 20, 2011 at 11:23pm

Hello to all!! i miss my son dearly...this week has been pretty tough...so many challenges in life..but, it's less than a month to go till we see our sailors...cant wait!1 God Bless everyone!!

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