HM rating closed?

Question

This question is for sailors who might know about this...

When I went to enlist, I was told that the HM rating was closed. I was told that if I signed up as a BM, my recruiter can place me in something called a DAR? meaning that he would contact me as soon as the rating opened. Is this really possible? I just want to ship out already but with an HM rating.

Answer 1

we are coming up on the end of the fiscal year right now, and as such a lot of ratings are closed, because they have reached their quota for the year.

There is also the consideration of scheduling. they have to shcedule your trip to Boot Camp at Great Mistakes to coincide with an oppening across the tracks at HM A school. if all of those upcoming classes are full, you have to wait until there is an opening available.

Assuming your line scores qualify you for HM, you need to decide which is more important to you: leaving ASAP or getting HM. just be prepared for the recruiter to tell you thanks, but no thanks, if you are so job locked you are unwilling to consider other ratings at all, or if it will take many months of being in DEP to wait for a slot to open up.

DAR: Depper Action Request would work something like this(in your specifc situation): you sign up for to leave in say six months, but if a slot opens up sooner than that, you would be called and have something like 24 hours to accept or reject going immediately. you may have to go into DEP as a BM or other rating, but if a HM slot opens up sooner, you MIGHT get a shot at it. don;t forget that the entire country would be competing for that slot too.

Answer 2

No, it is not possible for your recruiter to do this. It is possible to become an HM if the position is available. It is called a lateral move and you will have to initiate all the paperwork.