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Comment by Sharla on August 7, 2013 at 7:40pm

Wow, this is all so helpful, THANK YOU!!  Think I'm going to print all this out because I'll never remember it all.  LOL.

Her PIR is 9/6, yesterday was one month till then so I'm praying all goes well.

You ladies are awesome, and good luck to you mboin4992!!! :)

Comment by joankf Ship11 Div 181 on August 7, 2013 at 6:07pm

Hi Sharla, My daughter opted for a 4 year enlistment before she chose her STG grade and was assigned to a destroyer where she is on her 2nd deployment since A school. She toyed with the decision to transfer to a 6 year when at Point Loma but chose to stay with her 4 year. (She had already graduated college as a math major and just wanted to get to work). She was just promoted to STG 2nd class and E5 and will have her own apartment when she returns.  She has weathered many challenges while also experiencing many wonderful adventures.  The greatest gift to me for all her "grunt work" experience has been her "out of the blue" offer to clean the kitchen floor when she was home on leave before her last deployment!  Will wonders never cease! All the best to your daughter!      

Comment by Barbydahlzz ALUM 09/075 USS JPJ on August 7, 2013 at 3:37pm

Sharla.....  My son also didn't know there was a 4yr and a 6yr program... I know its all for the needs of the navy.  That hasn't changed in FOREVER ..it was that way while i was in the Navy and same as now...  Anyway...  My son is now done with STG school and OPS school..  on board his ship...  and has been back to ASW School (Point Loma where STG A school is) a few more times for more classes of one thing or another.. continuing education ... ALWAYS..  as far as him doing his job...  There are several STG;s in his dept.( he's on the john paul jones DDG 53,) they have a multitude of responsibilites...  His ship has only been out twice since he's been with them for training, but he's got to do his job PLUS  a ton of other really cool things  to which IM SOOOO JEALOUS because things were sooooo different back in my day...      but hang in there  Shes gonna be just fine... When is PIR for her ??

Comment by Sk8erkidsmom on August 7, 2013 at 2:58pm

Sharla, my son-in-law went in as a 4 year STG and will be celebrating his 16th year in October.  My son is currently in BC at GL and graduating on 16AUG.  He also went in as a 4 year STG.  Lots of opportunities with the Navy, you have STGs doing things other than Sonar.  So not to worry, she will be fine.

Comment by jillymom on August 7, 2013 at 2:40pm

Sharla - I'm also on that STG FB group; those salty sailors are a hoot! And they shoot from the hip sometimes;  many have been out for a long time. One thing is certain, the STG rate if one of the best and most of their real training is OTJ. She will learn to navigate the system as she goes. My AF son grabbed a rate that wasn't what he really wanted cuz he wanted to go sooner and he is happy now. It's all about being happy and "Listen to your Chief!" lol

Comment by mboin4992 on August 7, 2013 at 2:18pm

Im leaving for bootcamp in September and I'm also a 4 year stg there are two others in my dep pool just like me so your daughter isn't the only one :)

Comment by abuon18 on August 7, 2013 at 2:07pm

Hi Sharla,

The main difference between 4 yr and 6 yr is that the additional schooling is for the maintenance of the equipment- so your daughter will certainly know how to do her job! The 6 yrs get additional training in how to maintain & fix the sonar equipment if it gets broken. And to be quite honest with you, she will get more training once she is on a ship than she will in school anyway! As for the automatic promote, many 4 yrs make e-4 in the same timeframe as the 6yrs do. If she studies hard for the exam she should definitely make it, if not her first time her second time for sure! I would suggest having her talk to her A school command when she gets to Point Loma & see if any 6 yr spots have opened up, and if not have her ask again when she gets to her ship. They can always send her back for more training.... And they often get sent back to Point Loma for additional training anyway!

Comment by Sharla on August 7, 2013 at 1:45pm

Thank you, navymommo, Barydahlzz, and Kelly W for responding!!  Good to hear my SR isn't the only one. :)  She's still in BC in GL right now, and scheduled to go to San Diego afterward.  Seems that everyone is a 6yr, going to ATT training in GL first, then A school, then C school, and it's a little disheartening.  I even asked some questions on the STG facebook page where there are people working the job now, and I had responses all over the place but the general consensus was that the 4yrs were the grunts and the 6yrs had the education to do the job right.  That made me sad.  :(   My SR didn't even get offered the 6yr spot, and we didn't know any different.  Months later, I learned more, and asked, and was told there weren't any 6yr spots available, that it was about quota.  Well, the thing was, the guy told her that it was an advanced electronics position that would give her a promo in 6 months, and that she'd have additional training after A school.  But her papers don't say that.  They say four years.  They say A school only.  Her recruiter backed it up.  So I think she was led to believe that she was getting something that 6yrs get that she won't get.  That's the problem with 17yr old DEP kids being put in a room to pick their career, without parents or anyone in there to help with the decision making.  She went in there for something else entirely, it wasn't available, so she picked this and was told things that I don't think were entirely right.

That's another soapbox though...  :)

So I'd like to know what you think about the 4yr program.  Do you feel that your kids have a good job?  WAS there any additional training?  Are they on frigates by themselves or on a bigger ship with a group?  What about marketability after the Navy?  I'd like to hear your thoughts.  Thanks again!

Comment by Barbydahlzz ALUM 09/075 USS JPJ on August 7, 2013 at 9:30am

Sharla... my son is also a 4yr STG

Comment by Kelly W on August 6, 2013 at 9:23pm

Sharla: my son is a 4 year!

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