Undesignated...What's Up With That?

Oh good that puts my mind at ease.

Ok, ladies. My daughter is set for PIR on 9/2/10. She is undesignated and I am hearing so many things that I need help from someone that knows. I have been told that undesignated is just code for paint chipper? I know she has rocked boot camp, but to me, she is just my little girl that is only 4' 11" and 110 pounds. Thank you for your help.

Hi oregonmom1 (ship06/Div942pir9/2), I don't know about this but my son turned undes and now he is forced to do paint and chip. I am so sad that someone with a brain gets put into such a low level position. I don't know what they do for women but I wish her the best. He has no way out for about 9 months I believe?

Wow, that is tough. . It's a good thing we raised strong children that can endure challenges. :)

Welcome to all the new comers. I have not been on in while, kind of a crazy summer.
Oregonmom, my daughter went in Undesignated 3 years ago. She is now rated BM3. She is stationed in Pendleton in Ca. Therefore not assigned to a ship daily. She works with the amphibious assault units which deployment with a ship. She deployed last year on the Boxer, which ended with the Captain of the Merske last spring, and had the Pirate(s) in the Indian ocean. She absolutely loved deployment.

She has had a few different jobs her first to years. She has found out that she's not one to sit in an office or look at a computer screen. Then while on deployment she got to see first hand jobs that she thought she may want to strike for, and after seeing them she decided it was not for her. That's the thing about being unds you get to see and sometimes do the jobs that you might like. And then you can make a decision on which one would be best for you.

But she had no real complaints other then wanting to be rated after a while.Your daughter will be fine, she just needs some patients and a good work attitude. Stay in contact with her NC and keep up on what jobs are available to her. And it will all work out for her.

Any other questions I would be glad to answer if I can.

CrackerjackMom~ How exciting for your daughter, you have calmed my nerves. She doesn't seem concerned about being an unds. I am proud of whatever she does. She amazes me with her strength and determination.

Sounds like she and you will do fine. :)

Thank you. . Her being away at boot has been so difficult. I am so proud of her and love her so much, it is hard to accept that she is a grown adult, and doesn't need me the same as she needed me in the past. My role as mom is changing, it's exciting that we can be friends now.

Thanks Sheila. Still waiting to hear if my kid will remain undesg after GL since there does appear to be one opportunity he was interviewing for. Your words are quite comforting if he finishes and then goes to the fleet undesg.

My daughter is currently in boot camp and has stated that she is an undesignated seaman. She said that her A school is in GL. I joined your group awhile ago and hadn't really read much until now due to the fact I was making sure that she going to be able to make it through boot camp.

Am I understanding that being undesignated means that she'll just have to work hard to move up in rank?

Hi deborah, I would say that everyone has to work hard to move up in rank, not just undesignated. :)

how much longer till graduation for your daughter. My daughter went in undesignated right from the start also. Read through the post, you will get a lot of good information.

Crackerjackmom - she is set to graduate 9/10. We are new at this Navy thing and was told she was in the apprenticeship program and that she would be able to "choose" her job. The recruiter had said that "No she won't be chipping paint" but from a quick read of what's here I guess they all do that. I think I'm just a little taken aback by the "grunt" reference. I know I shouldn't be.

Deborah - my son is also PIR Sept 10 - he's in Ship 9, Div 305. Still waiting to hear if he'll graduate undesg or not but he went in to GL that way.

Lynn - daughter is in Ship 9 Division 301. So honestly what is your feelings about it? Not that we have a choice in the matter.

My daughter is PIR 9/2

Oregonom - and she is UD seaman? Has she done Battle Stations yet? or Gas Chamber?

Congrats to Thomas on crossing the equator, he was a "wog" before a shellback. Meaning someone that is new to crossing the equator. The ceremony is suppose to be a lot of fun, hope he enjoyed it.

All this talk of Boot Camp brings back so many memories.....good memories. I hope you are all able to attend, it is a wonderful experience.

Deborah - my feelings about his undesg status? Well, he's had a long history with the Navy so far...finished college on the BDCP program then they kept pushing his OCS date out, then he washed out of OCS last November (didn't pass his final PRT before entry because he had swine flu) and honestly he's kind of made his own bed.. But there were a whole lot of interesting twists on the part of the recruiting offices too since he'd signed in Houston and then got transferred to Nashville. Then they finally and surprisingly sent him to GL undesg with 3 days notice on expired emailed orders. GL didn't know what to do with him when he turned up! Regardless, the Navy paid his way the last 2-3 years so he owes 'em, even if he does end up chipping paint. He still hopes to work his way back to OCS...he's learned a whole lot of valuable lessons in the past year though. :-)

crackerjackmom - sorry about talking about BC. I know you all have probably already been through all that already. And I guess this post should be more about undesignated conversation.

Here's a few questions?

Lynn - what is BDCP and OCS (sorry like I said I'm new to this).

My son who is 17 is going to be followig in our daughter's footsteps and is now going to join the Navy and I am wondering if he should go in as undesignated too?

Thanks for bearing with me like I said I'm new to all this and now with another going in I'm try to find out all I can.

Oh my goodness, don't be sorry about BC talk, like I said it is a wonderful experience. We attended PIR twice, the second time was my daughters it was just as exciting as my sons PIR. I love to hear about BC PIR experiences.

We love to talk about anything here, thats what we are all here for.

deborah,
yes she is set to PIR on 9/2 and is undes. I think she will do battlestations etiher the 29th or 30th. I am understanding that they did gas chamber this past week. The last letter she wrote was on Sunday, so I am anxiously awaiting another letter.

Becoming a shellback didn't used to be fun. There was a time when it was disgusting and dangerous, feared by polliwogs (wogs) everywhere. The Navy has cleaned it up a lot in the last 20 years.

Today it's good-natured hazing, including getting sprayed with fire hoses, embarrassing gong-show type stage shows, etc. Basically what you see on the PBS documentary "Carrier." It looks like summer camp or college freshman fun.

In the "old days" it was very unpleasant. It involved crawling through kitchen garbage that had been saved up for a week for the purpose, eating "sea salad" (pretty much the same garbage they crawl through), using only their teeth to pluck a cherry from the greased belly of the fattest shellback on the ship and other serious hazing traditions. Totally disgusting, sailors would get seriously ill, there was often injuries to participants.

Wogs could opt-out of the ceremony and technically became shellbacks, but their refusal "unofficially" became part of their record when the chief would write into the sailor's evals that they are not a team player, or something similar and generic, but the next command could easily figure out what was meant by it. Refusing to take part in the ceremony was the fastest way to lose the respect of senior sailors. But it was feared enough that there were always a few who said "no."

Which is why the Navy ended it in the 90s. They were trying to get rid of the more hazardous Navy traditions, (crossing ceremony, tacking-on, etc) while I was in, but unless there was a mucky-muck on board to see us breaking the rules, no one paid any attention to the orders that were coming down from the Washington brass.

As far as I know, not a single old hazing tradition survived to the modern Navy. The Navy finally figured out that they couldn't end it, so they replaced the more dangerous stuff with innocuous replacements.

However, in the "old days" sailors used to receive beautiful big (16" x 20") certificates to prove they are shellbacks. I haven't yet found a modern shellback that has one.

There is also the "Order of the Ditch" for transiting through the Panama Canal and "Order of the Dragon" for crossing the International Date Line. I'm sure there are others that the Atlantic Navy has that I don't know about, as well.

Hoppi - you are too right about the officer candidates. The failure helped my kid figure out that perhaps he does have to work really hard for some accomplishments. It was probably good for him!

Hoppi & Arwen - thanks you both for all the great information. I can't believe how much I have to learn. Guess that's why we are all here.

Lynn - heard you got a phone call Congrats!!

Oregonmom - thanks for the info on your PIR we are a week after you so its nice to hear what's happening in your group. Think gas chamber is this week for us.

My husband is in bootcamp now and has a short A school in GL afterwards. Does anyone know when he will find out where his orders will be after A school?

Welcome Kjames, they usually find out right around the time they finishing up school. My daughter knew where she was going before she came home after school.

Got a letter from my kid clarifying his situation. He has been assigned to the USS Constitution in Boston after GL for what he says is a 2 year shore duty gig as Interpretive Historian. He still goes in as an undesignated striker. He believes he'll be able to strike for a rate in about 6 months and said some rates don't require A school to allow promotion? At the moment he's thinking they require both DC (damage control) and GM (gunner's mate) at the Constitution so he may aim that direction when he gets the chance. Says he'll talk to a career counselor when he gets to Boston and see how it all turns out. But he's very excited about this initial assignment so that's good. He's still sounding extremely positive and upbeat about boot camp, his Navy career, and all the experiences even though at the time he wrote the letter he was on 6 meds for sinus infection/bronchitis.

Lyn - good to hear about your son. I am hoping we will hear from our daughter soon and get a little more information too.

He's going to the Constitution? Oh, wow. Just, wow.

Just wait till you see his uniforms, hehehe.

Arwen - LOL I've already googled them :-) Printed them on a sheet of paper in a letter to him Monday and assured him he's going to look darling in the snappy hat!

Thanks for the good wishes y'all. I am very pleased for him, mostly because I'll be able to visit...but he's got 2 weeks left in Great Lakes, so still not taking anything for granted. I doubt I'll believe it's done till he's actually standing on board!

I didn't realize they got to chose (or are they assigned) Airman or Seaman? How does that work when they lose their original rate?

Lyn, I belive they are assigned ethier Undes sailor or airman. I know hubby didn't get to choose but i dont know if other places might be different.

They can also be undes firemen (engineering). I'm pretty sure that's something you pick at MEPS when you sign your contract. If there are openings available, of course.

Thank you so much for everyones guidance. Can anyone tell me how long the CSS training in Great Lakes is for undesignated is?

I am so sorry I meant SCC training in Great Lakes? I can't keep up with all of the letters for the trainig the company, the ship. Its alot to get used to.

Charley, a new retiree-greeter at Wal-Mart, just couldn't seem to get to work on time. Every day he was 5, 10, 15 minutes late. But he was a good worker, really tidy, clean-shaven, sharp minded and a real credit to the company and obviously demonstrating their "Older Person Friendly" policies.

One day the boss called him into the office for a talk.

"Charlie, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, you do a bang up job, but your being late so often is quite bothersome."

"Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it."

''Well good, you are a team player. That's what I like to hear. It's odd though your coming in late. I know you're retired from the Armed Forces. What did they say if you came in late there?"

''They said, "Good morning Admiral, can I get your coffee, sir?'''

lol!

Chris is in Japan by now. I have to wonder what the Navy thinks of a sailor reporting in a kilt? (when traveling overseas they aren't allowed to wear their uniforms)

He does have 2 changes of clothes in his backpack, plus a uniform just in case his seabags are lost again. Since he was traveling so far, and has a LONG layover before his final (short) leg, he planned on showering (if possible), shaving and changing his clothes before reporting. He doesn't own any slacks, so I hope dark jeans and a polo are okay.

Chris did arrive at Sasebo in his kilt, and he got some surprisingly appreciative comments about his choice of clothing. I think arriving in the middle of the night helped. He's going to put it away for a while, though.

Congratulations to our Molly for her "Molly's Adopt a Sailor" program on being a finalist and receiving the much needed money for shipping care packages to our wonderful troops.

Daughter just finished and passed Battle Stations - HooYah! But she told us that since she is undesignated Seaman she will be going to Great Lakes for her A school for 17 days then she said that she is to go to Norfolk, Virginia to the USS Theodore Rossevelt. I did a little search and found that this ship is dry docked until February 2013. Does that mean for the next 3 years she won't be going out to sea? Throughout this whole adventure that's all she's talked about was going to sea and she'd be heartbroken if she is land bound for the next 3 years.

Congratulations Deborah! She's a sailor :-) No input on her situation but so glad she's made it this far.

Thanks Lyn - Tuesday will be here before you know it. Going to light my candle until all our recruits go through Battle Stations.

congrats Deborah. . My daughter just graduated today, what a proud amazing day. My Daughter, My Hero. It feels wonderful. Enjoy your PIR experience

I had a boyfriend (before I met my husband) who was on the USS Coral Sea when it was drydocked in Philadelphia. Yes, he spent 2 years on shore while assigned to her. It may not be what she wanted, but maybe she can strike for something that could take her to another assignment?

Also, as many ships as can get out to sea fast try to avoid being in port during a hurricane. Hurricane winds and storm surge batter ships against piers, destroying both. So they try to get out to sea before it gets too serious and head as far away from the storm as they can get.

Quite often they can get away from the storm's influence and experience fairly calm seas, other times they get quite a ride.

My husband was on a submarine. He laughs at hurricanes and typhoons, which don't affect deep waters where submarines hang out. He could have been under a Category 5 and never known it.

My son is a seaman and when he washed out of IT school he was offered aviation electronics school. So yes, you can go blue to green.

Congratulations Oregonmom1 on your daughters PIR. And also to deborah on your daughter passing Battle Stations. Just PIR left for her.
Great Job by both of them.

Crackerjackmom - Thanks really looking forward to PIR next week.

Arwen - I'm really new at this, when can she "strike" for something else? I think I heard that she has to wait a few months to do that, right?

Ray Ray, when you say "blue to green" are you referring to going from seaman to airman, or Navy to Army?

Deborah, she begins striking as soon as she arrives. Everything she does from the time she arrives is applied to her evaluations to determine what they allow her to strike for. If she wants to be in a computer-related rating, she should start helping out whenever computers are around. If she wants to be a corpsman, she should take all the CPR and first aid classes and be janie on the spot to help out when someone gets hurt, even minor injuries.

She also needs to find a mentor who is currently in her preferred field. During her free time she needs to be there learning what they can teach her. She will need a recommendation for what school she wants, and having someone in that rating write that recommendation means a lot.

Right, like Hoppi said, sailors have to wait for the end of their enlistment to change services. Then they will be evaluated, if they have poor evaluations in the Navy, it's unlikely the Army or Marines will take them. So if he wants to go Army, then he needs to do his best where he is now to earn it, no matter how much he doesn't like his current job or situation.