Undesignated...What's Up With That?

TJ's Mom - I will echo what jodybrock said.  My son is in Japan undes and is having the time of his life.  Yes he has to "swab the decks" and "chip paint" but he also drives the ship and the whole crew relies on him for certain things.  They all have to do things they don't want to do as it is with any job.  My son loves being underway and is loving this experience.  I hope your son will too.  If he is excited about serving his country, you have nothing to worry about.

Thank you everyone for the info!!  I just want to state I am not negative i anyway about being undes I was just confused and worried about him.  I am prouder than ever and I am sure he will have  a great time seeing all the ports and he will learn what he needs to do to become successful a sailor.  I guess I need to stop worrying about him so much!

Hi TJ's mom, just wanted to add my 2 cents.

My sailor went undes after medical drop from the program he started. He also found himself in Japan.

He has made many friends since then, through his shipmates and leisure activities on base. He chose to test for the rate that keeps him doing the outside work (yes, most of his work is alongside his undes peers). He made rate the first time and is his ship's SAR swimmer to boot. He is very motivated to do well and have fun while doing it.

I would echo Angies's advice, stay positive in your conversations. Lead him to find out what his ship's needs are so that he can align his interests with the needs of his ship. He can experience what those jobs really are all about in the USNavy.

Send him lots of packages with your love and support in each one (the Navy delivers even while they are at sea most times). I originally thought the packages would make my sailor homesick, but have learned that his shipmates watch and wait while he opens my boxes. (I always send some kind of funny stuff with a home-town twist). Sending the packages helps me with being so far away from him.

I know my sailor is not undes anymore... I know how you all feel.

Prayers for all of us and our sailors.

Thank you all so much for your advice and encouragement.  It's been a week today and I can't wait to get his address!!  I'm sure you all know it's still so hard without him.  I might have to send the fattest envelope ever once I get his address!!  Can you send a photo or two while there in BC or no?  Again thanks so much for all your support and advice God Bless you and all our Sailors I will keep you all in my prayers.  I Feel so much better having this website and all of you to ask all my worried mother questions :) In the big scheme of things 8 weeks really isn't that long.  Have a great week!

TJ's Mom - if he is in boot camp, join the group for his PIR date.  The ladies that facilitate those groups are fabulous and you will get the most and best information about boot camp and beyond.  You can send pictures but my advice is NOT to send fat envelopes or colored envelopes.  Don't write on the outside of the envelopes.  Nothing that draws attention to your sailor in boot camp.  No music or noise cards, etc.  But send lots and lots of letters - every day that you can.  If you are already writing letters, when you get his address - send them each separately.  When they get their first letters - they love getting lots of envelopes.

 My daughter went in as undesignated and is now in Everett, Washington, based on the USS SHOUP. I hope that she is fortunate enough to land a decent rate at a job that she wants to do.  She is so unsure of herself. Yikes!

Are they allowed to use email while underway on the ship?

Thanks Jansu831 I promise only one letter at a time and no corny Mom stuff LOL!!  I don't have his PIR date or div # yet but when I do I will look fo the PIR group.  How do I find them on NVM?  Have a great night everyone!

I also heard that many rates they can choose on deployment don't require A-school... true?

navywife... wait it out for now until he is back and he knows where he will be going. Too many unknowns right now.  Hang tight Big Navy will put him where they want him. :) 

Thank you for the advice and kind words, ladies. Most appreciated.

I pray this all goes smoothly! :)

Hi, my husband is still in bootcamp and is off to P-cola for A school.  He is undesignated airman.  I was just curious about the whole process.  They had him choose some jobs he would be interested in, and then they had him fill out a dream sheet, but he wont even graduate until the 11 of May.  Any insight on getting orders, moving, and how the process works would be awesome.

If he gets his orders in boot, can i start the moving process once i have a copy of those orders?  I know it takes time, but id like to be wherever he will be asap

Thanks Angie.  When you say school, you do mean A school right (his 3 weeks in p-cola)?  I would like to get on the list the second i get orders and start planning for the move at that point i know it takes awhile for movers, to find a place if housing is not available etc.

How long do they have to be undesignated before they can test?  

Thanks, Angie.  My son is E-3.  Has been undes. since last month.  I guess he can't test to move up to PO3 until he has a rate.  I guess he's handling it at his end...I was just verifying :)  He said something about submitting a packet for a rate.  I think I am finally (kind of) getting it!!!!

My daughter is an E-2 and went in undes. She says it will be a whole year before she can strike for a different rate. She is on the USS Shoup in Everett, Washington.  She is really homesick and depresses. Why does she have to wait a whole year to claim a different job? Is there anything she can do to better her situation? She has to live on the ship, and cannot get into the barracks for 90 days. I think she feels displaced. 

@Sarah's mom, I don't really know the ins and outs and whys, but I do know what she can do while she waits.  She can work hard (even if it's at chipping paint or cranking) and try to earn herself a good reputation.  Even more importantly, she can have a good look around at other jobs (ratings) on the ship, talk to the people doing them, decide what she wants to strike for, maybe even find herself a mentor.  Good luck to her - this experience will make her stronger.

@cznavymom-thank you very much

Sarah's mom-- there is so much "sit around and wait" in the navy, that they all have alot of adjusting, undesignated or not. My son got reassigned in December, and after about a month made the decision that he was going to do his best to lift the spirits of those around him. He said nearly all of the newer people are homesick, depressed, and unsure. So he made it his mission to brighten peoples day, which makes a Mom proud! He hasn't mentioned being any closer to making a decision about what he wants to do, but he works a lot, and has made some great friends. He is getting married this summer, and hasn't seen his fiancee since Christmas, so he has had some tough moments as well, but it is all in the attitude. Good luck! It is so hard hearing their problems when we can do nothing to help!

Hey everyone! My husband is in RTC and his PIR is on Friday the 27th of April! Someone told me as an undes seaman he gets his FDS during basic training. There's a week left of basic training and I haven't heard anything yet. If he was to get his FDS soon would I get a call or would it be in a letter? Do they actually even get their FDS during BT? I'm only so pushy on the subject because we're in Norfolk now and I've been offered a promotion and am curious (I'm accepting it wither way) as to when I would know.

Congratulations on your husband's PIR - I know you are excited!  They would tell your husband what his duty station is.  You won't get a phone call or letter - except from him.  My son got his about 2 weeks before graduation.  He called us on Christmas Day with the news and his PIR was January 6th.  However, there are SRs that have only been in BC since April 1st that already know their FDS.  It varies with every SR.  Sorry I can't be more help about the timeline but you do get the info from him - maybe he will know when you get your I'm a Sailor call!

Thank you! I should be getting that call TODAY :)

That gave me some pretty good insight and hopefully we know sooner than later! Does your son like being undes? Does he feel like he wants to "life it out"? My husband wants to strike for GM and that along with financial reasons is why he took PACT Seaman. He wants to be a life-er so we'll see!

I'm a Sailor is the BEST call!  I know you are excited.  He will be SO tired but very happy.  Undes has been good for my son - he has gotten the opportunity to see hands on what jobs are out there.  He has already done things because he is undes that he wouldn't have gotten to do otherwise.  There seems to be a lot of negativity about being undesignated but that has not been his experience.  It is all about attitude and willing to work for what you get - but isn't that the case for all jobs - even civilian?  One misconception is that they don't have a job - but undesignated is a job!  He loves it so far and he got his first Letter of Commendation this week!  I don't think he would change a thing if he could start over.  He is in Yokosuka, Japan.  Let me know where your husband will be.

Thanks Mama Nonie - same to you.  Mine is on the USS Curtis Wilbur.  They just got back into Yoko after being out about 6 weeks.  He loved his first deployment and loves sailing.  (Good thing!)

Zoekaopio - did you get your phone call and did he know where he is going?

Please don't anyone be anxious or depressed for your Sailors by reading the following.

My son told me he would like to strike for GM3, Gunner's Mate.  He has just completed his first year in the Navy.  As he was talking he said he still has about another year before he can strike for the GM3, I forget what he told me the 3 means.  He is actually rather excited about the prospect and doesn't mind the wait.  

He is part of a deck division.  While he is undesignated assigned to the deck division he is eligible to attend school/training for Coxswain and Boatswain and continue to get his qualifications.  From the way I understood what he has been telling me the cross training (my term) may allow him additional opportunities in the future to be part of specialized groups, such as VBSS, visitation board search and seizure.  He is interested in becoming part of a VBSS team.  If he had gone in with a rate he may not have become aware of the VBSS teams or may not have been able to get some of the additional training that will help him towards this goal.

Our Sailors should use this time to their best advantage.  Sometimes the path we think we want isn't the best path because we didn't know there was a better path.  I think undesignated gives our Sailors the opportunity to see there might be a better path.

reignbowtopia - I will echo a thousand times what you just said.  Thank you for sharing!  Undesignated has such a bad rep but we have found just the opposite. 

My son signed up for Special Ops and before he even got to qualify, got kicked for a medical reason.  He could have started the process over and picked a job but he went in as undes because he didn't want to be stuck in any of the jobs that were available and the ones he wanted were not available until later.

He has had so many opportunities in his short time that he would have never had if he had a specific job.  He loves that he can try out different things before deciding what he wants to try for.

Undesignated has been a great path for many sailors. 

LOL Angie.  That is what happened to my Dad back in the 50's and he is still mad about it!  Thanks for the insight.  You are always such a great help.

My daughter went in as an undesignated Airman. Her PIR is 5/18 (excited!). Her rate is E-1 (Airman Recruit). How long before she is eligible for E-2 (Airman Apprentice)?  Any info on this is appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks Angie.

My son got his orders  the week before graduation.

What does Crank mean?

My hubby is an Undie.. and he is Cranking right now... and the name speaks the truth.  Makes them Cranky!!!  :-) 

Also, we just found out that he got AD, and will take the test in September!!  Yippee!

McKenna - my sailor got his orders to Japan about 3 weeks before he graduated boot camp.

Hey everyone. My husbnad went and talked to the career counselor yesterday on the ship and chose his 3 rates. (He's Undesignated.) 

He wasn't too thrilled with his selection as it was very limited for him as of now, (Due to a pre-enlistment circumstance). The only things he was remotely ok with choosing from the rather small list was LS, & GM. (Logistics Support & Gunner's Mate). There were tons of things he wanted to do/try but these aren't one of them. lol

Does anyone know anything about these rates? I googled them but couldn't quite understand what it is they actually do with it every day. lol Does anyone have a sailor in these career paths? Any info would be most helpful. TIA.

God Bless!

Thanks, kk. 
GM was my hubby's second choice but I have heard that LS is rather popular these days. So who knows what he'll be assigned to. GM sounds very interesting and i'm sure he wouldn't mind that job but what does that career path allow you to do with its experience when you get out? I think that's my husband's main concern. He seems to be looking more and more into being done when his enlistment is up in a little over 2 years.

Thank you for the info and for the well wishes. 

God Bless!

I don't have any special insight, but logistics support could open doors in many companies.  It is about getting supplies to where they are needed when they are needed.  Since many companies no longer stock inventory, having what they need when and where they need it has become an important position.  My years in business what I've learned is what is important is getting doors opened.  The Navy, military in general, opens many doors.  Along with their rate they should investigate working towards a college degree.  The rate combined with education could be the best road to after Navy life. 

My son is seeing his career councelor and she gave him some options that I think he could do better with. However, he loves challenge so he wants to go with the most..we are talking SWCC - boat driver..the ones that are on the boats that take the seals around.  What is he crazy!! lol..going after his dream I guess. That is hard work!! Maybe he will change his mind :)

My son has been interested in SWCC since he enlisted.  He has been getting conflicting info regarding if you have to have a rate and then cross rate to swcc.  He has spoken to career counselors which tell him he has to cross rate.  However he spoke with Seal/SWCC motivator who told him SWCC is a rate unto itself.  He is continuing to try to understand what the path to follow.  Anyone have any suggestions?

Does anyone have any good suggestions on shipping my son's truck from CA to VA?  Thanks!

reignbowtopia - send Angie a friend request and ask your question.  If she doesn't know, I bet she can direct you to someone that does!

Thanks, Kaina!

Thanks for trying, Kaina!  I couldn't make the drive myself, although it would be fun!  It's funny - I have tons of quotes, but they all say they price may go up!  I guess a quote doesn't mean much!

Thank you Angie.

Magpie, I don't ship cars, but I do ship motorcycles semi-frequently.  I use a company called Federated.  They are affiliated with one of the major moving companies, Allied, I think.  I'm not at work so I don't have their contact info, but if you search "Federated car mover" I'm sure you'll find them.  I have found their estimates to be fairly accurate and have never had a motorcycle damaged.  Good luck

Thanks, reignbowtopia.  I already shipped the truck a few days ago, and, what do you know, they popped one of the tires while loading!  Hopefully they replaced as they said they would.  My son is not happy, needless to say.  Anyway, I will keep Federated in mind if we have to ship again!  Thanks!

Hi Navy Moms,

I am new to Undesignated. My daughter graduated BC last week and is currently still at Great Lakes. Thought she was going to be on med hold, but all paperwork came through so now she's waiting 'orders?'. Since she is undesignated I'm not sure what next step will be. Very confused and need help understanding what should be her next step. Do all undesignateds receive two weeks training at Great Lakes and then report to a ship? What is typical process? (or is there a typical one?) Will her ship be most likely be Atlantic fleet (her dream sheet first choice) or Pacific fleet? Do her orders come through before she begins the two weeks basic seaman training, during the training, or at last minute? Thanks in advance for any info that you can share with this 'newbie'.