NAVY MEPS question?

Question

Last week I signed my paperwork for the DEP and after alot of research I feel pretty sure of my decision. I do have several questions:

1) I have a 4 year degree, but due to GPA shortcoming, I can't get in as an officer. Approximately how long will it take me on the enlisted side to get to the officer rank? I will pay my dues and work my way up, but I don't want to be enlisted longer than I have to be. Also, this may sound strange, but I feel as if I would have earned the officer commission by being an enlistee first.

2) MEPS: My recruiter was a bit evasive on this, but I want to go into the NAVY as a Journalist (my degree), but he kept hyping up the Nuclear program and the like. I scored a 68 on my practice AFQT at the recruiting office and I never even studied. HE stated that my ASVAB/ score, which will be taken at MEPS in Tampa will determine my job and not to go in too determined to get one job. Can someone clarify everything post my DEP signing?

Thanks

FYI: I know what I am getting myself into. I signed the DEP paperwork, not the final contract. My whole family is military (3 brothers all Navy in the past 7 years)and my 68 score on the AFQT was a PRACTICE (hence the phrasing in the initial question).

I am aware that the recruiters have ulterior motives in some cases, but I only threw the question on here because you guys are usually an additional source of info. My brothers have told me everything I need to know, but I like to get an objective view from all sides. Your info is always valuable, but I have to process everything.

Answer 1

to become an officer, there are three ways you can do so:

One, seek a Commission through OCS. you will need to have some Fleet experience before you have a decent shot though. You can actually apply as soon as you get to A school, but like I said, the chances of you being picked get better with Evals and experience.

Two: LDO. in order to be picked up, you must be an E6 who is eligible to take the Chief's exam.

Three: Warrant: you must be at least an E7 before you can apply.

2: your recruiter is correct. and getting MC right now is pretty much impossible, so don't go in expecting to be offered that rate. but it is important to pick something that you will enjoy doing for the next 4-6 years.

Answer 2

First of all if your recruiter for whatever reason thinks you can go nuke then go nuke. That is the best job training in the world. Journalist or now Mass Communication Specialist is a dead end job with horrible advancement opportunity. AND you can be a rock and get this rate and most people who do it are just that, dumb as rocks. With your degree hopefully you are a little smarter than a rock. Nuke is also your best and quickest path to becoming an officer and or moving up extremely quickly in the enlisted world. There is no such thing and just becoming and officer by paying your dues as you said. You have to apply for an officer program throught the Seaman to Admiral program and then your package and you need to be approved for one of the programs to become and officer. There are different requirements for all the different programs so there is no gaurantee you will get any of them, but you will need to talk to a Navy Career Counselor once you get to your first command.

Also, your recruiter wants you to do well. Recruiters do not lie to you or keep information from you, there is no point or reason to do so. Granted they are never going to give you a day by day story about what the Navy and boot camp and school are all about because everyone is different and gets something different out of the experience of being in the Navy. Do you want them to tell you it is going to suck and then it turns out to be great or the other way around. That is why they don't give you every singles detail on every single question you ask. They will be as honest as possible with you so you get the correct information that will actually help you make the best decision for yourself, not them choosing for you. If he is pusihing you toward nuke and away from MC there is a reason just go with the flow and let the person with more Navy experience guide you. Someday you will understand fully when you are in the fleet and see the whole Navy picture first hand.

IF you really have lots of Navy family members go talk to them about their experiences. You will learn a new viewpoint on things that may shock you. If it helps any, I had three BA and BS degrees prior to enlisting and wanted to go officer just like you. After seeing the real Navy I am glad I went and stayed enlisted. Officer roles that you could fill with your degree suck. Why would you want to be an ADMIN or SUPPLY Officer? It is nothing but paper pushing. For you it won't be any Top Gun type of fun, just a lot of paper and people yelling at you as a junior officer.

Answer 3

To Answer Question 1 as Soon as you make it to E-5 you can start applying for OCS, That could be as little as 2 years.

Question 2. Your recruiter is pushing for you to go nuke so he can get a bonus. Nuke sailors are hard to keep so they are always loooking for fresh bodies. If you meet the requirements to become an MC (The new name for Journalists) Then hold out for it. The folks at MEPS are trying to fill positions the NAVY wants filled. If you aren't interested in the rates don't accept them and don't sign a contract. However DO NOT go to boot camp without a GAURANTEED "A" School, otherwise you may get a crap rate or end up undesignated. Also the whole open minded speil your recruiter is feeding you is to try and get you to come back with a contract. You can always go back. I had to hold out to get JO A school gauranteed with the Navy College Fund, but I got it, remember you are still a civilian don't let them screw you or you'll be miserable.

Answer 4

1: Your recruiter should have explained this to you. There are three types of rank in the military: Enlisted, Warrrant Officer, and Commissioned Officer. In the Navy, the highest Enlisted rank you can earn is Master Chief Petty Officer. You don't get promoted to an O-1 (Ensign) from there--they're on totally separate systems. It is possible to become a Warrant Officer, but to be perfectly honest I'm not sure what exactly that entails, because there's so few of them out there.

(Note: "Petty Officer" and "Officer" are not the same thing. A "Petty Officer" is still Enlisted, in spite of the title.)

2: Of course he wants you to be a Nuke--it reflects very well on a recruiter to have someone sign on for a 6-year enlistment, and the Nuke program is 6-years. If you get a 68 on your ASVAB, you wouldn't qualify for the Nuke program anyhow (unless they've lowered their standards).

EDIT: The fact that you were unaware of these simple facts in spite of your "research" indicates to me that you probably have very little idea of what you're getting yourself into. Who has provided you with the information? The recruiting office? The Navy? The bottom line is these guys do not have your best interests at heart--their sole motivation is to get bodies to fill the ships. They could care less about whether you like it or not--they'll tell you what you want to hear. My friend Joseph was a recruiter for the Army, and according to him their standing orders could be summed up as "Don't tell the truth. Don't lie, but don't tell the truth unless directly asked."

Answer 5

There's no more journalist rating in the navy, they merge in to a new rate, called mass communication, is basically do it all in media type of work(Journalistm, Photographer, Print Shot and Draft design) The rate is very hard to advance, you need to think twice. I don't think your score is enought for nuke plus need to take DLAB. Nuke definity out of your major, try to shoot for office rate which more suitable your major (Legalman = Do legal paperwork, Yeoman = assist adminitration side for the unit, alot of correspoidng and typing) but the rate most suibalt your major is Mass Communicaiton (currenly overmmanned and also is one hardest rate to be advance but you do exatly as your major, write article for the ship, base or maagzine, shoot some pricture as well and some graphic design and print shot. )

Answer 6

i love how your recruiter mentioned you should be a nuke. Definitely hold out for what you want. The only good thing for you to go nuke is it is easier for nukes to get picked up officer than others but if youre trying to be a journalist officer i really dont know how that works. I'm a nuke on a sub right now and i personally wouldnt recommend others to be a nuke unless you really want to be for some crazy reason. good luck to you

Answer 7

you dont qualify to be a nuke your asvab score is too low you have to score above a 90 hubby was a nuke. enlisted cant be officers the highest rank you will earn is an e-9 and that will take 20 years or more.

Answer 8

Dont go in unless you get the job you want in writing!!! it is the recruiters job to fill the needed positions. and they will tell you you cant do a certain job, just DONT GO if that's what they tell you. it will take about two years to go into the seaman to admiral program and but i dont know how long the program is.

You should talk to the air force

Answer 9

You are not Theirs till you raise your right hand. Make them give you clear, straight forward answers. The navy has lots of jobs and one of them is scrubbing decks.