Going into the Navy (Japan Base)?

Question

I hope someone can answer my questions. I am right now going through the recruiter here in my hometown and I am seriously thinking of joining the Navy because of serving my country, getting a good education and also I speak Japanese. The recruiter told me that I can have a written guarantee for Japan base for my full four years. I am not sure what I will have as my MOS. My father and mother are both alittle nervouse and have a few questions, we have asked the recruiters but they wanted to ask somone who has been in the navy who wasn't trying to recruit. Is there any MOS that would not put you on a boat for six months or more at a time? also, If you are on a boat for six months at a time, when you go back to base, when will you go out again? ( Personally, I'm excited to go on the boat!How much time will I have on land in between?
The next question is about TDY. Will I be sent halfway around the world with TDY or is this voluntary?
Can they change my written guarantee to Japan anytime?

Answer 1

Watch out. There is this little often missed clause in every Navy contract "Dependant upon the needs of the Navy". There is no such thing as a guarantee.

Now, that being said... the opportunities in Japan are vast. Try to get on the USS Neversail (cough cough...er Blue Ridge). That is unfair... they do deploy... but not for great amounts of time.

Answer 2

I spent four years in the Navy, Honorable Discharge, and served on board the USS Blue Ridge. I would not trust a recruiter EVER. Recruiters are notorious liars, and the ONLY people who will dispute that are recruiters!

There are a lot of Navy billets to fill in Japan, but I have never heard of a guarantee. Get it on paper BEFORE you swear in. The Navy isn't a bad life, but I would recommend you try to go to college first. If you have a college degree seek a commission!

Enlisting means you will be a WORKER. Officers are the leadership and get treated way better. The prerequisite for becoming an officer is a college degree. So I will stress again GO TO COLLEGE!

If you are dead set on joining the Navy it isn't called "MOS", it is called "rating" (MOS is for Marines). You should try to get translator or intelligence specialist. Being fluent in Japanese you can get guaranteed a rate where you are a translator. I think it is crypto tech you should check that out.

I cant stress enough that you get things ON PAPER BEFORE YOU SWEAR IN. And if you do decide to forget college/ being an officer, and decide to enlist try to get that translator job. Good Luck.

Answer 3

As far as Japan orders, they should be available to you whenever you graduate from whatever NEC (MOS) you are doing. A word about Japan orders. In my experience these were usually the last orders to go meaning that a lot of time people get stuck with these orders. (people that are last in their classes that spent their nights getting drunk instead of studying)

If you are looking for rates that you will have a better chance of not going out to sea, you should go for IT or IS. They are both technical rates where you can receive training and have a 50-50 shot of being stationed on shore your first tour and you only have to enlist for 4 years.

It's natural to be concerned about your time on land, but if it's something that bothers you then I would not recommend enlisting. If you do get stationed on a ship in Japan then you will have no life, pretty much coupled with the fact that you will be REQUIRED to live on ship in Japan. (since you will be just starting out)

The only thing resembling what it sounds like you want to do (go on deployment then right after sit on land until the next deployment) would be to join an aviation rating, but even they go out to sea for more than just their deployments and I am not sure if there are any squadrons out of Japan.

Good luck with your decision.

Answer 4

Almost all ratings in the Navy spend time on a ship. You should have about 12-18 months between 6 month deployments, should is the key word. As for Japan, once you have completed your A school and C school (your rating school and your speciality school) you will be given a chance to pick your duty station. Japan might be an option.

When I picked orders for my first ship there were orders for Japan and every time I have tranfered to a duty station Japan orders were available. So you know there are two Naval bases in Japan, one in Sasebo and the other is in Yokuska(sp?).

Answer 5

WRONG.

First, the Navy has Rates and NECs not MOS.

Two.. the possibility of getting Yokosuka, Sasebo or Atsugi( the three Navy Bases in Japan) in writing is almost NIL. Too many factors go into station assignment.

Three: chances are, the first year will be spent in training. anyway.

Four: No boats in Japan, Only ships( Boats are Subs, and don't confuse the two)

Five : EVERY rating deploys. there is only a few of them that do not get assigned to sea duty.. CTI is one( but they do get underway on ships and subs TAD) but there are no more CTIs in Japan any more.

six. Sea duty means in and out year round.. in for a week, out to sea for ten days, home for a month, out for a month, etc and so forth.. in addition to 6 -9 month deployments.

Seven: TAD s are NOT always voluntary. you can be Voluntold to go IA for 12 months in the Sandbox..ragrdless of yoru rating.

Eight: like I said, getting Japan in writing..probably will NOT happen. not every rating has slots in Japan, and there has to be a need for you.

That being said.. Japan is a very cool gig if you can get it. Spent three years in Yoko and loved it.

Answer 6

just make sure you get it on your final contract that you sign... if its not on that contract there it may not happen, and the military will not care what your recruiter told you if its not on you contract. There are some Rates(MOS isn't a navy term) that could have you stationed on land for longer but these jobs rarely come up. You are subject to the needs of the Navy but whether they can change your guarantee depends on how you contract is written.

Answer 7

If Navy personnel won't help you then you will need to hire a private investigator. I mean, a possible nickname and an old photo?

Answer 8

all rates in the navy, you are calling them M.O.S. have some sea duty attached to them,.....it is a rotation thing, some are like 2 years sea duty and 2 years shore duty, but they all have some sea duty involved