Questions about the Navy...?

Question

My husband is all excited to join the navy, but he wants to wait until he fininshes his BA in three years. He will be 23 at that time, but he really wants to fly. he saiys he'll try to get to Florida for Officer Flight school so I know he'll talk to a recruter, but I was wanting some "real" input, not just their sale. What are his chances of being deployed? Are the men on the aircraft ships safe? If he's deployed, where would I live?

Any information or real life experinces would be helpful. I've heard of people signing up and then things really change and they end up feeling like they were misled.

Answer 1

Well I'll try to answer your question. The Navy is a great place for a 23 yr guy to be. And Naval Aviation is one of the best jobs.
Now, Can he be a NFO( Naval Flight Officer)? Sure, it hard to get into, and the standards high but the payoff is great. NFO's are mostly "the guy in the back" on most Navy planes. They work radars and weapons system. The AOF School is in Pensacola,FL.
It will go through alot of training before ever going to sea.

The bad part.....
Carriers get deployed on long cruises, 6-9 months. Flying is constant, and sometimes dangerous. The most difficult thing in the world; is landing a plane on a ship at night, in the middle of the ocean. The ships are the safest place in the Navy. Everybody eleses ship is there to protect them! The 5000 other Men & Women (yeah there are females) make it a floating city. Life for Navy wives?? Mixed..... Some can hack it & some can't. I wish him well on his goal, of wings of Gold!

Answer 2

The question is not if he will deploy, but when. If he is on an aircraft carrier, during a standard situation, he will probably deploy six months every two years. However, there will be any number of 'mini-dets(detatchments)' where he may go out for two weeks or so for an excercise, as well as overnighters. Oh, on the deployments, they actually begin 3-4 months before the scheduled date, because of work-ups, increased training tempo and the like.

Naval Aviation is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and working on the deck of an aircraft carrier always dukes it out with Alaskan Crab fishing for the deadliest job. On the other hand, the aircraft carrier is the most well protected ship in the task force. Unfortunately, that is because it is the biggest and juciest target there.

Service is a reward in itself. I served five years in the Marine Corps (Department of and run by the Navy), and I am proud that I did. I learned a valuable skill (aviation electronics technician, translated into industrial maintenance), and I truly learned what I was made of.

If you are worried about him being on an aircraft carrier, he could request P-3 Orion patrol aircraft, or KC-130 Hercules Cargo/Tanker. He could always go Marine Aviation, he would attend all of the same schools, except he would wear green instead of blue.

Answer 3

Tell him go for it. I served but in a very different part of the Navy. He will be deployed, every branch of the military deploys their people. Aircraft Carriers and all Naval vessels are unbelievably safe including submarines. In my line of work I went on several different vessels to do some "training."
There really is no misleading it depends on what you want to hear. Most people only hear what they want, the good things. There is good and bad with anything.
It is a sacrifice on both sides. You will have the roughest part. Not knowing where he is and what is going on.
I was married for a spell when I served, my wife could not handle the secrecy around what I did let alone sometimes getting the call and leave in a few hours notice. Then upon return not being able to tell her anything. It was difficult for her. It is for all military wives, they all have the toughest job in the military and I salute them.

Answer 4

You are married at 20? That is YOUNG! Anyway, my boyfriend is in the Navy, and it does suck. However at least you'd get to live rent free since you are married. First of all - does he realize how much money he'll make (or WON'T make) going in with just a high school diploma? Will it be enough to take care of car payments etc? There are many times that he said he's regretted joining, but I think if in the end he has his B.A. it will have been worth it.

The chances that he'll be gone either six months at a time, a couple times, or for a year, are good. So I hope you are independent. And he has NO rights - you sign your life away when you sign up for the Navy. I can't tell you whether it is a good or a bad decision, you'll have to figure that out for yourselves.

Answer 5

With all that is going on in the world right now his chances of being deployed are virtually 100%.

Sailor's on the Aircraft Carriers are very safe, safety is #1 with the Navy.

When he is deployed you can live where he is stationed or you could go home, or any where else you like.

The people that say they were misled are more than likely the ones that would probably say things like that of any employer.

Realize depending on what is going on in the world that the Navy will do their best to accomodate him, but the needs of the Navy and the safety of our nation would have to come first.

Answer 6

Finishing school and achieving his BA is very commendable. Hope he stays focused and on course.

Officer Flight School is a great opportunity, but learn this now: bank on being deployed if you're active duty military, officer or not. Fact of life and, frankly, the purpose of joining the military in the first place. Carriers are very safe since they have the ability to remain well off any hostile coasts. You'll live pretty much wherever you choose, just not with him while he's assigned to the carrier group.

I'm retired military and I wasn't misled about anything concerning my initial military entry. Thats a part of why I stayed in so long.

Answer 7

First off, Make sure he gets what he wants. recruiters lie and make sure he gets everything he wants in writing! ask about enlistment bonuses you could get thousands!!

If he is a pilot he will be stationed to either a ship or squadron. where ever the ship is home ported is where you will live. he will go on deployments not you. also you have the choice to live on base in housing or off base, the navy will give you extra money to live off base.

in the navy you are required 3 years of sea duty, that means deploy-able duty, after that i believe you get 2 years of shore duty, non deploy-able. during the shore duty you can pick where you want to go and your family can go with you.

ships are very safe for men and women. air craft carriers house about 6000 men and women. just be ready for him to be gone 6 or more months at a time, with little communication. that's probably the hardest part.

i was in the navy for 4 years if there is anything else you need or want to know ask me!

Answer 8

I served in the Navy and let me tell you it is the hardest on families by far. It is the only service that is forward deployed even at peace time....I served on a submarine....never had a set schedule and one year I was out at sea for 80% of it. I don't want to discourage you, but getting to be able to be a pilot will be tough, and the competition for the billet will be high.

Right now about every 2 years you will go on at least a 6 month deployment if stationed at a sea going command. But between deployments you do many smaller ones.

Answer 9

I'm a retired Naval Officer. I recommend he join the Naval ROTC while pursuing his BA. Then he can get his commission. assuming that he qualifies, physically and mentally, he should have no problem going into Naval Air. There's going to be lots of intensive training, lots of absence from home while in training before he gets his wings. Further he will have to qualify for carrier duty which literally separates the men from the boys.. It will be a long time before he gets deployed. You as a wife of an officer will have meet other obligations and responsibility. Feel free to e-mail me if you have other concerns. Good luck.

Answer 10

Navy wife almost 2 years and counting. the casualties just from being on a ship not even at war are more than you think. it's up in the air whether or not he'll be recruited to flight school. once he signs the papers, they can change his job if they feel like it. he can be gone as long as 18 months at sea. and his pay may not be what you expect at first, but it'll kinda pick up. BE WARNED!!!!!!! if he is stationed overseas have everything prepared to go when he leaves...LEAVE WITH HIM. don't stay in the states. i was separated for over 1year, because they refused to transport me to Japan. if you have any more questions or need anything after your husband joins...feel free to email me.