My daughter just joined

[shoprat]

My daughter just joined and i'm really excited for her after going through many other emotions... she scored a 95 on the asvab and her recruiter seems to see potential in her (no surprise to me) She is 23 and didn't like the way her life was going...sees the opportunities the Navy has to offer. My biggest concern now is that she take all advantage of the opportunities...( and is there really time for her to earn her degree while serving etc.???)She signed up for hospital corpsman and will have to wait a whole year unless a job comes up sooner. My heart drops whenever I hear of a new group being deployed to Afganistan---I can't even imagine...This site has helped immensly; just to read what others have written; information is power?!

[shoprat]

I'm sorry for your friend and all the others...HM?? Is that boot camp and TX is for all hospital corpsman training? Are you a Mom or in the Navy? Thank you for the info.

[shoprat]

I'm good with blunt,want to know what's really going on , not fluff, so thank you. What about advancement within the Navy---how is that done ?? please excuse my ignorance-I haven't a clue

[ginnlynn]

At this time even if they pass the exam they are not guanteed advancement. Only 4 sailors advanced to E4 this go round for my sailors rate, people are just not moving on like they did before.

[shoprat]

Thanks for the info. My daughter is apparently studying to take the exam to get to E2 before she leaves...People are not moving on because of not passing the exams or only some are advanced anyway? (for other reasons? ) My daughter has a friend who just finished his enlistment---MP in I believe the army--he and she are getting together to go to the gun range tomorrow and to talk about his experiences--he said that he wants to meet her recruiter and i asked why----she said that Bill remarked that you can tell when a recruiter is lying because his mouth is moving...GREAT! That really makes me feel better:)

[Anti M]

The Army experience is quite a bit different than the Navy experience.

The trick with recruiters is they tell the truth, but not the gory details. To someone unfamiliar with the Navy, they don't "hear" the fine print. For example "leave after boot camp". New recruits hear that and think, wow, I can go home right away. No, your leave after boot camp comes later, after all your training... after A school. That can be almost a year or more. Or "paternity leave". Yes, within a year of the birth of the baby, not when the baby is born.

My favorite "you can be stationed with your spouse". People turn that into "the Navy has to station us together". HA! hahahahahahaaaa......

Seriously though, I loved being in the Navy.

[shoprat]

It's nice to talk to people who had good experiences ...my daughter spoke with several girls who are or were in the Navy and all said they didn't regret the decision to join...a few disgruntled boys who didn't like working long hours, but mostly didn't regret it either.

[JessicaB-Sailor Mom]

Yes very few (if any) graduate from boot camp as an E3 but to be absolutely sure you may want to go to Hoppi's profile and ask her there

[Arwen]

E-1 recruits *can* earn E-2 out of boot camp for top scores, leadership, passing the DEP exam/PT test or because of college credits. They can also earn E-2 or E-3 as a top A-school grad.

However, most but most do not. Most recruits who begin their career as an E-1 have to wait 9 months from the time day they reported to MEPS for boot camp to get E-2. My son joined in December 2009 and makes E-2 next month. Then he gets E-3 in June 2011 and can take the E-4 exam in March 2012.

[JessicaB-Sailor Mom]

shoprat wow 95 is an amazing score. I'm surprised she wasn't enc. to go Nuke.

There are groups for Corpsman, a group or two for A school at Great Lakes.

Right now you need to join (if you haven't already) just click on the http address http;//www.navyformoms.com/group/deppersinbutnotyet read some of the discussions for good info

http://www.navyformoms.com/group/leavinforbootcampinjuly here you'll connect with other N4M's whose rcts leave in July...there are still July 2010 N4M's there but a few 2011 deppers have joined and more will as time goes by

Also explore behind the Forums and Videos tabs here

Go to YouTube and search Navy boot camp, graduation, Battlestations 21(CNN does it)

[shoprat]

Thank you everyone for your input. I have to be careful because I keep gravitating towards the computer every weekend...don't know how this will affect me for an entire year! Anyone know what her chances are of going sooner than her original ship date? She did sign up to go if her job comes up sooner...(don't know what that is called)

[shoprat]

My daughter has some college and then she quit and started working; did very well considering no degree but hated what she was doing...she's very interested in Biology, research, lab, etc. so that is why she went with hospital corpsman. She wasn't interested in Nuke, although a lot of people think that's where she should be.She said that meteorologist and air traffic contol was offered-or open? She would like to take college classses if available while she's serving.I understand you not watching the news; I'm feeling that way and she hasn't even left yet. It's like an emotional roller coaster already...

[shellis_mom]

My daughter was the same age when she joined and for the same reason. Her ASVAB shot her straight to the Nuke program. She's been in 3 year and has promoted to E-5. I'm very proud of her. Sometimes she loves the Navy and other times she doesn't. Overall it has been an amazing experience for her. I believe she will go career. The Nuke program is HARD ! Especially for females. There are very few that actually make it through. Those that do go far fast.

Being a Navy Mom is very emotional. It's our duty to support our sailors. Hug em when they cry, pick em up when they're down and kick their butts when they need it. The Navy is their job. They go to work, go to school and sleep somewhere in the middle. We don't hear from them as often as we'd like, but then we never do when they leave the nest. They belong to the United States Navy. They literally eat, sleep and breath Navy. We cheer them on all the way. And when you hang up that phone or send that email, and the strength drains from your body, when you feel your heart breaking and the tears come flooding down your face..... THIS is where you want to come. This is a journey for all of us. Together we will get through this. At the end of the day we can all be PROUD that our children have chosen to serve our country as sailors for the USN!

Thanks N4M
Proud to be a Navy Mom!