Quote:
|
Originally Posted by canavajo
Check out the Seabees when you talk to your recruiter again. I was a Seabee for eight years and that's how I met my husband he was regular Navy - an airdale. I loved being in the Seabees and they have their own bases to train. One in Gulfport, MS and Port Hueneme, Ca. I was in A-School in Gulfport< MS. There are different rates, bu-builders, ea-engineering aides, ut-utilitiesman, ce-construction electician, eo-equipment operators. You may want to know if you can change your rate if you know what that is. Oh, yeah take a few college courses that will help by putting you up in rank. E1 to E2. Just ask what Seabees do. The Seabee Motto is 'We build, We fight, We party all night.' They also have t-shirts made with the logo. I went to boot camp in Orlando, FL. The Navy does not distinguis between Reserves and Active duty, it is all the same and the boot camp is the same. Only after A-school do you go back home and do your time for reserves. And in the Seabees your just plan Seabees. Also the Seabees were Battle fatigues not Navy dungarees. That was the best. Post back, I would like to know what you think about the Seabees. I worked side by side with the Seals and the Marines. Take Care and check out the SEabees. OOOOH, RAAAAH!! :1Party: :sailingaw
|
Actually there is a bit of difference between the training for Active duty and Reserves.
The Navy has two programs- the AIA (Advanced Intial Accession) and the APG (Advanced Pay Grade) programs. The AIA program allows someone to enlist in the Navy at an E-2 or E-3 paygrade as either a SN, AV, or FN position. The APG (which I am in), allows reservist to enlist at E-4 or E-5 with a specific Rate. APG'ers can come in under a rate that is comprable to their respective civilian field (provided they've been doing that for a year or two).
APG/AIA'ers only go through a 17-day boot camp at Great Lakes, IL after they've completed four or five weekends of training at their reserve center. APG'ers get to skip A-School for their rate, because the Navy feels that they are already trained enough to do the respective job.
However APG/AIA cannot be deployed until they have completed 84 days of duty. Going one weekend a month, and two weeks a year will mean that individual cannot be activiated with their unit for about two and a half years.
Even though I get to skip Corpsman School at Great Lakes, I still have to go through FMSS and all th other C-Schools for HM's.
It's a pretty good program. I just had my first drill weekend, and my next one is next weekend. It sucks not being able to do much for two or three years, but for those who cannot afford three or four months off from our civilian jobs it's a blessing.
Of course the traditional RTC/A-School is still an option- and those sailors are deployable upon their return.