I'm thinking about joining the Navy. Is the DEP a good thing to join?

Question

I'm thinking about joining the Navy. I still have another year of high school. I was wondering if the DEP (Delayed Entry Program) would be something to get into first. What are the benefits of it? I want to join because I want to get out of the normal life. I want to make a difference and do something that will benefit everyone. When do I need to talk to a recruiter to be ready for next summer? I want to thank all the Retired Vets and the Men and Women who have already gave their lives for this country. Thanks

Answer 1

Your recruiter may or may not use the time of your delayed entry to help prepare you for boot camp. It all depends on the recruiter. All DEP does is postpone your ship date until after your graduation. It is not a bad thing. Another thing that your recruiter won't tell you, is that if you get cold feet, you can back out any time short of taking your oath. So your time in DEP gives you some time to think about your decision. There are some positives and some negatives to consider. I'm sure you know that shipboard life is not easy so that is not even an issue. There are good educational opportunities. But, the risks if you get injured. The VA will not take care of you. I found that out the hard way. I've been a disabled vet for 10 years. As long as you stay healthy, and don't mind taking orders from idiots sometimes. It can be rewarding. But, there are risks to consider. We don't all give our lives, some of our lives are only broken.

Answer 2

There are a couple of great reasons to join the DEP. First, it gives you time to work with your recruiter to make sure you're prepared for basic training. There are usually monthly DEP "pool" events where the pool of DEP recruits (poolees) get together to practice their initial fitness requirements, or do community service, or many other things. The other benefit is, if you are looking at an MOS that requires technical training, it will allow you to reserve a seat in the classes for next year. Each recruiting district is allotted a small number of seats in the more technical programs, like the nuke program, aviation mechanics and maintenance, air traffic control, etc... If you wait to contact a recruiter until just before you graduate, he'll have been working with poolees in the DEP who signed up for those technical seats in the 2008-09 budget year as early as July '07. That would mean you'd have to wait another year to get a seat in the class for your training... or enlist in an MOS you don't really want.. which is always a bad idea.

As for the downside? I'm not sure there is one.

Answer 3

I am currently in the air force and when i was a senior in HS, I joined the DEP, I found it a good experience, my recruiter told us some of the things to expect in BMT, and what to do to be compelety prepared.

He also took us to a local base, to show us around. He showed us the chow hall the dorms, and a few other things around the base.

my recruiter also had us meet once or twice a month and talk about different stuff, and do something physical to help you be ready for the physical part of BMT.

I found it a good experience. if I was you I would do it, anything you can do to prep you for Basic, is a good idea.

Answer 4

it is a good thing in some ways because it gives you an opportunity to learn some of the things you will do in your basic training. That is if your DEP has a good program in place. But it is not a necessary thing at all. Just depends on when you want to leave and how prepared your recruiter is to help you get ready.

Answer 5

Absolutely!

I'm a depper myself. It is a wonderful option because although a recruiter may not tell you for fear of you choosing to do it, you CAN BY LAW drop out of DEP anytime before you ship if you change your mind. The only repercussions of this ELS (entry-level separation) are that you may only be able to join that particular branch or any other branch under certain conditions which they specify.

It is frowned upon of course because of the great amount of money that is spent for you MEPS medical testing, job reservation, ASVAB, etc.

If you want something different, want a change, want to travel, want life experience, want a challange, want to grow as a person, meet others and mold yourself into a proud and mature person of character, then the Navy (or probably any other service) is ideal for you.

If you haven't already contacted a recruiter, just go see/call one, tell him why you want to join, what you want to do and get out of it and see if you are mentally/physically/morally qualified, and he will send you down to MEPS, get you enlisted in DEP, and get your ship date.

Good luck, and welcome aboard! (wish I could say that as a true sailor, but I can't call myself one just yet)

Answer 6

Dep is good because example, yu can dep up to 1 year priop ship to bootcamp, if you do get out, in like 5 years. you own 3 years inactie reserve? but no, u own 2 instead of 3 because you had 1 years in dep, which is good deal i think.

Answer 7

i'm in the army but the DEP is the same for all services, the DEP just means that you already signed your contract and just waiting to go to boot camp, everyone who joins the military goes on the DEP cause they have to get a spot for you in boot camp and job training school. most guys stay on it for a few months depends on the job they chose and how busy boot camp is. if i were you, i would just wait till your done with high school before you sign the contract, that way if anything changes in life you wont have to worry about the contract.

Answer 8

why the navy
dont join the navy see all the other options.... you want hard core join the corp. you want easy and alot of perks join the air force i dont see why people join the navy or the army
as far as the dep you dont have to join to be in the military but it helps you learn the lingo and know what to expect....

Answer 9

All the delayed entry program does is delay your ship date. Example: if you're almost done with school you can delay your ship date to after you have finished school. That's all.