Seeking details about the Mass Communications Specialist rate in The Navy?

Question

a few details from my end,...I am prior service(airforce civil engineer),....I also know this rate is a merger of many other "journalism" related fields, as of July 2006, that being the case I understand it is a hard rate to get.
I also know that the training/ A school for this rate is located at Ft Meade Maryland
I have been trying to find out specifics of this career field, I find it,..at first glance, to be extremeley interesting, and may consider joining back up. If it were possible to obtain this rate.
Anyone with experience I would greatly appreciate a rundown of what this career field/rate is all about IE: what are deployments like? what places are personnel from this rate stationed?
Generally speaking, any and all info you could give would be a huge help to my decision making process.

Answer 1

MC is the product of merging Photographer's Mates, Journalists, Draftsmen, and Lithographers. In do so the Navy severely clogged the rate for advancement purposes and add that to the Navy personnel draw down and you have an even more clogged rate. However I would say prior service could help in getting into the field. Secondly I would say deployments would depend on what are you specialized in. Since the field cover's everything from still photography, photo journalism, video production, writing, desktop publishing public affairs and community relations there are many different things you could be tasked with on a deployment. MCs can be stationed aboard the large deck ships (CVNs, LPD, LHAs, etc.) never on CG, DDGs, FFGs, SSNs, SSBNs or similar craft. You can also be stationed at any shore station in either the Public Affairs office, AFN (if overseas), as well as various HQs, Fleet Home Town News Center, PACENs and AFRTS, or Naval Media Centers.

A couple of tips for getting into MC would be to score exceptionally well on the ASVAB seeing as how you are prior service if your ASVAB was in the 90s you can probably get it, however the Navy will try to get you to go into a field analogous to what you did previously in the military, or only offer you the school at a reduced pay grade to try to get you to avaoid it. You'll just have to hold out for what you want.

MC "A" School is kind of tough and there are some service bias by some of the instructors at the school it is best to focus on the school and get through it and wait to move your family (if you have one) until you get to your first duty station. Besides the housing on Ft. Meade isn't very good anyway.

Answer 2

See your local Navy Recruiter. He/she can answer any and all questions about that rate. Additionally, since you're prior military it may give you a leg-up if you're competing against others who want to go to that "A" school.

Answer 3

ask a navy recruiter not random idiots on the web