Author Topic: Looking for USN officer career advice for daughter (Read 278 times)

Sparks · « **on:** November 20, 2002, 07:42:50 PM »

Ok this may be easy stuff but I can't find out.......

Story is - although resident in UK my 15 year old daughter is US national. She is looking for a career in the Navy as an officer - at the moment in UK Navy. However that would mean her probably ditching her US passport and taking UK (having a Brit dad she can do that). I'm not too keen on her doing that and suggested looking into USN but we can't find the info on the route to do it.

I have phoned a careers number here in the UK but got a guy with a heavy spanish accent which I could barely understand who mumbled something about ROTC and "too early".

She's looking to go to University, wants to do engineering based stuff (electronic rather than heavy mech).

So how does it work in US ???

We have all the options for the British Navy (scholarships, bursaries etc).

We need to know now so she can concentrate on the grades she needs to get the right A-level choices etc and also she wants to know a bit about the USN life.

Any in the USN or ex can help ?

Thanks

Sparks

lord dolf vader · « **Reply #1 on:** November 20, 2002, 08:41:49 PM »

i dont know about the officer ranks but we did a exchange with the uk navy on the ark royal during the gulf war. they made twice as much as we did. and had much much nicer living conditions.

think long and hard befor you join the u.s. military.

Hawklore · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2002, 09:24:44 PM »

Reasearch the Sea Cadets, not sure if there are any in the UK, but much much lighter on the book studying than ROTC, hand on experice, and u can also take rotc...

http://www.seacadets.org

If not move to NE FL and join the FDR squadron and ill watch her for u

Sparks · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2002, 10:01:51 PM »

Hawk - yep she's already in the UK Sea Cadets (nearly 2 years now) so she's seen a fair bit of the UK side - been to HMS Raliegh on course etc.

Vader - please give a bit more background on differences in living conditions etc - V interested

Thanks for the replies guys

Sparks

Octavius · « **Reply #4 on:** November 20, 2002, 10:43:55 PM »

http://www.usna.edu

Check out the admissions section. Your daughter should qualify for admission. I am currently a candidate for admission to the Naval Academy right now. I'll find out in a few months if I make it or not. Surf around the site, it should answer any questions you may have. Its GOOD to get started early with the admission process.

wulfie · « **Reply #5 on:** November 21, 2002, 01:23:52 AM »

If She's into electronic type engineering and has the qualifications for admission they'll love her at the USNA ('EE' is one of the most feared courses at the USNA, and people interested in that field will always have job opportunities in the USN).

Email me via the BBS with an email address for you and I can put her in touch with a couple of fairly recent female graduates of the USNA who are currently active duty USN.

Mike/wulfie

Sparks · « **Reply #6 on:** November 21, 2002, 04:13:58 PM »

Octavius - thanks for that link - that is a great site for info and I've pointed her to it already.

Wulfie - would e-mail you but profile has your private messaging blocked. I would be very interested in contacting those people - thanks. Could you drop me a line via my e-mail on my profile - thanks.

Sparks

lord dolf vader · « **Reply #7 on:** November 22, 2002, 12:04:46 AM »

we sat around and had a rap session with the guys and saw their vessel .

he got much better pay like 22k a year to my 9.5k at the same rank, better benifits ( friggin shore quarters or apartment) , more choice of assigment. better food. about half the duty ( i was port and starboard at sea min of 12 to 14 hours work a day)

this was in 91 but i dont think it has changed much . the military in america is a sacrifice life. if you arent tough as hell it will eat you up and they will discard you without a thought. I when i came back pulled duty at a reserve shore station. they had a great recruiter there he missed his quota on two reviews by a small margine and after 18 years they were putting him out with a 40k goodby and no pension. you get to hate them you really do.

one superior dosent like you or one bad day where you forget to get a whitness to you destroyin old codes and your out and a criminal.

I wouldent have any part of my daughter being anywhere near the navy.

hope your experience is different.

Octavius · « **Reply #8 on:** November 22, 2002, 12:08:23 AM »

can i assume going through the academy and graduating a pilot would no doubt be better? what do you know about that route?

lord dolf vader · « **Reply #9 on:** November 22, 2002, 12:29:04 AM »

my divsion officer said the acadamy was a hoot . but the stuff he described was all guy stuff football drinkin ect ( and he was 3rd generation acadamy) he was on the admiral track just a god of a officer and was getting out he cited the micky mouse crap and pay.

ask them what the wash out rate is for that school . I qualified navy nuke went to boot made all quals for the school. It was full when i was ready so they said I could leave and go home ( this is 6 or so weeks into boot camp) or choose one of 2 (hard to fill) jobs. the whole deal was a set up, it happend to every nuke in my company. they suck you in with big bonuses and schools and hit you with "convenience of the navy" just dont let them screw you. cause if they can they will.