Joining the Navy!?

Question

Ok, so ever since meeting one of my friends, I've been wanting to join the Navy. My mom and dad were in the Army, and my mom advises against it. She says it doesn't matter what branch you are in and what you do, you will be going to Iraq. She also says that if I do want to join, wait! I look on here and see the same questions and I'm torn. I really want to join to gain experience. I have a college degree, but I'm afraid of going to Iraq. I just don't want to go over there...what do you think I should do, wait or just go through with it?

Answer 1

The Navy still primarily operates on the water.

With a degree, you should go in as an officer which also lessens the possibility of being out on regular patrols even if you did end up with a land based job in Iraq.

Being in the Gulf is a lot different than being on land. Bahrain and UAE are our main ports of call and they are pretty safe.

If you really want to join, go for it.

Answer 2

IMHO, joining the Navy ought to be the safest. You are mostly at sea, or in a port. BUT, some trades in the Navy will put you at a shore command where you may stay for the entire enlistment. You "may" have an Iraq rotation if you go to sea, but there will always be a conflict somewhere that requires naval support, and generally Navy ships don't get in direct conflicts with shore targets.

I was in the Navy 10 years (enlisted). I'd suggest going for it if that is what you want to do. I might also suggest going into a trade that you can use on the "outside". I wouldn't go in as a "non-rate". A degree should get you started in an officer program, and I'm sure that will come up at a recruiters office.

Answer 3

The Navy goes to the gulf. The water.....

There are some people that do go to Iraq in person, but your probably won't be one of them. Do not choose HM, Hospital Corpsman or Master at Arms, MA, and you are pretty set to be free of Iraq. The Navy is about going to sea. Yes their are Sailor there, but usually they volunteered to go and help the augmentation or they are one of the two jobs I just mentioned. The Navy is a great life and it is even better that we don't go to crappy hot places like Iraq in person. That is the Army's job and the Marines. Our job is at sea. At sea you get our own bed and get to go to ports all over the world and be a tourist while you are there. Can't say that about any other service. I'm not sugar coating it for you. I told you there are people that do go, but most will never go. I have been in years and have been on several ships and been to several shore stations and have never been at risk of going. Do what your heart tells you and go Navy. You won't be sorry. I enlisted at 29 with 3 college degrees from Notre Dame. The Navy is still the best thing I ever did. You will have the time of your life if you put your all into it and experience as much as you can. Good luck.

Answer 4

Unless you are a pilot or a Navy SEAL, you will never be on the ground. If assigned at all to the Persian Gulf, you will hundreds of miles away from the action doing laundry or scrubbing decks. The Navy calls it "in harms way," but it isn't really. You do eight hours, then you retire to the lounge on deck or wherever and catch your soaps and dine on steak and lobster.

Main drawback is that when you are at sea, you have nowhere to go. You are stuck on the boat. Which is why I did not join the Navy. You don't even have a rifle, so what is the fun in that?

There is no real action in the Navy and the combat stuff for the Navy has been finished since 2003.

Answer 5

As long as you do not become a nuke, I think it s fine. I served 6 years as a nuke and the best thing I did for myself was get out. I am now happily using the GI bill to pay for my schooling. Although I will not bother you with all the awful and inhumane things nukes have to go through, I will tell you this. The Navy advertises itself as launching jets, shooting big guns, and using all this cool equipment. It s mostly janitor work and they use those advertisements to target punk *** kids to sign away their freedom. Once you are in the navy they treat you like **** and you can t leave because you do not want to get a dishonorable discharge which will be on your record for life. Again, I dont think all the navy is bad, just nuke life.

Answer 6

she is mistaken. only specialized mos outside of the army/marines go into iraq. otherwise you would be on a ship out in the ocean somewhere. when i graduated i was able to pick my duty station but that was because i finished in the top five. and being an officer, it limits even further the risk of being deployed into a hostile zone.but, if you are afraid, stay home. you have to be willing to risk your life if called to do so. join the air force or navy or even the coast guard if you want to serve.

Answer 7

If you are worried about Iraq then it's best you wait. But then no one knows for sure how long that will be. If you decide to wait to everything is nice and safe years may go by. And you might end up not going at all. Then resenting the fact that you were not able to over come your fears. And do something that means very much to you.

Answer 8

if you are unwilling to go to Iraq or Afghanistan or Darfur or any other place where the military..ANY branch of the Military, can send you.. then plain and simple DO NOT JOIN.

We have sailors from many different rates in the sandbox.. HMs, MAs, SKs, YNs, ISs ,CTs and SeaBees, to name but a few.

are the odds agains you being boots on the Gorund? probably. But that isn't the point. the point is..a re you willing to go WHEREVER they send you, for whatever reason and for however long a duration? becuase if you are not 100% totally comitted, or have 'conditions" then the military is not for you.

Answer 9

The navy is probably the safest Armed services serving in the Iraq Theater. Unless you are a corpsman assigned to the Marines, or a Navy SEAL of course

Answer 10

This accurate type of information is unavailable on Yahoo Answers.

You must visit with, or telephone your hometown military Recruiters for the very latest information. (A visit is best when getting your information.)

Right now, start making a list of all the questions you can think of. When the time comes, take your list of questions with you to the hometown military Recruiter and "pick their brain" to ensure all your questions are answered.

Also ask what types of high school courses you would also need to graduate high school, which would be to your advantage for your potential future job, when enlisting in the military.