Got a nice note from a soon-to-be commissioned ensign asking about ship and home port selections:
Good Morning CAPT,
I am ship selecting this week and though I am headed to be but a lowly black shoe, I was wondering if you and your readers had any gouge to offer either on homeports or ships? I have exhausted all the conventional avenues for information, and while I have a pretty good idea of where I want to go, would you mind writing a post soliciting comments to help me and my fellow MIDN find our way.
VR/
My reply:
Burkes or Tico’s out of San Diego or Hawaii would be my choice – and nothing lowly about it.
It isn’t fair, but a guy going amphibs can get stuck there, and the CruDes folks tend to look as the Gator Navy as second tier. An ensign can get lost aboard an aircraft carrier.
Med cruises are better than PAC, but the living is better in San Diego and Pearl.
Just my 2c.
Thanks for your service, and congrats on your imminent promotion!
Cheers,
Lex
Blackshoes Professional Surface Warfare Officers: What say you?
I disagree Lex. I was an Norfolk guy, and while Sandy Eggo or HI can be very nice, you can afford to buy a house in Norfolk. That is not always possible on Ensign pay.
Whatever he chooses, I wish the youngster good luck and enjoy the ride. I still smile when I think of all the firsts that are about to be treasured. Keep an even strain and remember that many have walked the path ahead of you and done just fine. You are about to join an amazing group of men and women who are all seeking the same goal, protect and defend the US (and the world, by the way). Safely smell the roses as often as you can!
Unfortunately I have no advice to give. I’ve talked here before about my enlisted daughter, who didn’t know what her duty station was going to be until she got out of boot camp and classed up in A-school. She’s fine with where she will be going, but her mother and I had been pushing for Hawaii. You know, for the visitin’.
I’ve also told my daughter, if anyone mentions the words “Tiger Cruise” the old man is volunteering.
And I agree with the Captains note, nothing lowly about being a SWO and serving your country. Thanks and good luck.
Not for nothing, but Mayport (Jacksonville, FL) is a pretty awesome place to live. Lots of good ships here in Norfolk South…
And learning your trade aboard an FFG is nothing to sneeze at either. Mayport is also nice in that you won’t have to worry about state income taxes.
Mayport. Friday night at the Sea Turtle used to be a hopping good time. No state income taxes, weather is good, tickets to the Jags are affordable, commute isn’t bad, and the sea and anchor detail is nice and short. Plus they got a CVN coming, but Lex is right on getting lost in that crowd. Used to rent right on the beach so many moons ago. Sigh. Life can be good.
I will disagree with Byron on the attributes of an FFG – go for something that can defend itself. Stay awaaaaay from LCS!!!
G-man, a Fig doing counter-drug ops in the warm blue down south would be outstanding makee-learnee for a new enswine, especially on an old ship. Plus he’ll get a chance to find out what the destroyer Navy is all about
First, now is not the time to be buying a house, anywhere. Scratch that criteria. But the extra kicker to Florida is not only no income taxes now, but you can make Florida your state of legal residency and not pay state income taxes anywhere so long as you maintain it and you’re on active duty.
Not the time to buy a house? YGTBSM!
This is THE BEST time to buy a house in the past 15 years… Low rates, depressed prices, upside down owners. FTW!!!
Buy now and you can trade up in 10 years like you wouldn’t believe.
Byron – as an active duty member, our Ens can be a Florida resident even if he has never been within 2000 miles of the place. And don’t get me started on the tax waste boondoggle of Mayport getting a carrier!
California first is my recommendation. Do some Pac stuff, then come east and do some Lant later in the career.
Fair Winds and Following seas, shipmate. Thanks for your service and God watch over you and your sailors.
Nose, I don’t know about our esteemed congress critters but all of us at Mayport would much rather see a couple of amphibs and their escorts. Virginia can keep the bird farm and the money it would take to make Mayport nuclear capalble.
Nose, the bottom still hasn’t fallen out of the market. Low prices? Only from sellers who can afford the loss in order to avoid repo or bankruptcy, everyone else is in so far over their heads they can’t afford to sell and take the loss. Credit rates are low, but have you applied for it? Banks are not lending.
Besides, he’s an ensign-to-be and the last thing he needs is a house to take care of.
Nose-
How does one go about becoming a FL resident if one hasn’t/doesn’t live there? Inquiring minds want to know.
Concur with our host.
1. Silliness abounds on our east coast.
2. Never ever do you have to do a storm evasion out of San Diego.
3. I would avoid the MCMs here and anywhere.
A couple of my friends are Ensigns on FFG’s here in Mayport. One of them on the Stephen Groves… Apparently that’s a ship that’s duty is to show the flag around Europe. A lot of multiple-day port calls and liberty.
+1 for Norfolk.
Lived in/on Coronado Island (Sandy A Goh) through the S-3 (sigh) RAG and it was great, but BRUTALLY expensive.
Shooter tour on GW (CVN-73) … homeport Norfolk at the time … and enjoyed very much. If you go that route and can find a way, live IN NORFOLK, not out in Chesapeak or some such or the drive will suck the fun right out of you. Not sure how it is now, but back in the stone age we found a decent rental to live in just off Hampton Blvd, out the back gate … didn’t cost a fortune, as I recall.
Try to avoid CVN as Ensign … saw a lot of kids get lost.
As a former (civilian) resident of the great City of Norfolk, if you wind up stationed there I wholeheartedly recommend living in Norfolk proper rather than anywhere requiring the use of I-64. There are inexpensive (but still nice) apartments and rental houses close to the base and there are more upscale places closer to downtown Norfolk. The whole city is a lot nicer now than it was in the old days. Good college basketball if you’re into that sort of thing, Triple-A baseball, minor-league hockey, fun downtown waterfront scene, and you can always go out to Virginia Beach when you’re off duty. But live in Norfolk.
ENS,
I know a submariner has no business offering advice to you. Homeports are not necessarily important and are just a prefence to fill in depending on how many babes you want to meet, or where Mama wants to go (if you are married).
But getting a division officer job on a Burke or Ticonderoga is the best way to go. Carriers are too large and you WILL get lost, unless you screw up something the Old Man holds near and dear…. and that’s no way to catch his eye. The word about the Gators is true, and you can end up stuck there, but whatever happens, remember it is your duty, and go willingly where the detailer sends you. You can always make a name for yourself by acting slighted or hating wherever you end up. But that kind of name ends in the doorway out, and not in furtherance of a career in the United States Navy.
Good Luck, son.
Subsunk
DDG/CG is where all the “kewl” SWOs go (and CRUDES is where all the bad SWO stereotypes come from). FFGs are where to go if you want to do something a little different and maybe hit some ports off the beaten path (but stay away if you have any tendency toward sea sickness; those fin stabilizers don’t do a whole lot once seas exceed 12 feet). Getting “stuck” in the gator navy is not all that bad. It’s not glamorous, but there’s a lot less stress there. And to some, putting jarheads on the beach can be more fulfilling than pushing a button and watching a missile fly away. As far as homeports, there are just too many squids in Norfolk for my taste. Mayport is a bit dull, but the weather’s nice and the Med is more fun than Pacific deployments these days. San Diego is fantastic, especially if you’re young and looking to share a place at the beach with some other JOs. I hear Hawaii is nice, but for some reason they seem to work long hours in port. I’d stay away from Japan, since it sounds like you can’t do anything off duty these days without eight liberty buddies and a special request approved by an O-8. Oh, and Bremerton? That no one has come out and recommended that you go there should speak volumes.
Oh, and Bremerton? That no one has come out and recommended that you go there should speak volumes.
Nimitz calls Bremerton home these days. AFAIK, no SWO billets.
Home to PSNS: old, dead Carriers, Submarines, and CGN’s rusting away…
Pretty sure Nimitz is still San Diego based – why would there not be SWO billets? Carriers have lots of SWOs.
I misspoke. That would be the Stennis in Bremerton…for now.
As for SWO billets, I was referring to small boys. Shoulda been more clear.
DDG in Everett is to be recommended, if you’re not looking for a lot of fancy nightlife. The cost of living is affordable, the weather is pretty good (if you like rain), the mountains and good sailing abound, and Vancouver is just a couple hours north. Two DDG’s and one FFG call Everett home, along with Lincoln.
All in all, Everett is a nice place to call home.
My 2c…
PS Thanks for getting in the game, and Good Hunting!
All I’d like to say is good luck and thank you for serving our country. I hope you get a good lead PO. If you do, listen to his/her advice.
+1 on listening to your LPO. They are the guys who really run the Navy. Have you considered the Brown Water Navy? Patrol Boats have thier place, too. Congratulations on geting your commission.
Lived in San Diego -check.
Lived in Norfolk – check.
Lived in Jacksonville – check.
Retired to Jacksonville – check.
Big city opportunities with smaller city traffic and cost of living. Everything San Diego has except the prices. I’ll give the nod to Sandy Eggo on zoos, and okay – Mexican food is probably better in there, but restaurant choices here are incredible – in the last few months we’ve dined at a Brazilian steak house, a tapas bar featuring Spanish and North African dishes, and an Asian Fusion (Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Indian) place. Big time outdoor sports, great night life (theaters, concerts (all venues). If you’re a Nascar fan, Mecca is about 90 minutes south. Golf courses galore…
From a professional POV, concur on going the DDG/CG route, with a minor in FFGs. Stay away from CVNs or Gators. Have to agree on the port visits, as much fun as i had in WestPac, I would take the Med for the variety for port visits – fun as well as more to see culturally. I was a history major and there’s no comparison, regarding the latter.
I agree with the Capt’n WRT DDG’s or CG’s out of Pearl & SD. But, keep in mind that, if you don’t want to spend the next two years in a shipyard, you should check with SEA-21 and find out if your candidate ship has been through the CG MOD or DDG MOD program yet. This is an almost two year evolution (counting post-testing) that divides the overhaul into HM&E and Combat Systems availabilities! My choice would be to find one at the end of the Combat Systems portion of the overhaul so you get the benefit of all the training (new Baseline program) occuring or one that has already completed the evolution.
C/S Analyst
Contractor Support, CG MOD Program
Avoid Fort Knox. Even though tanks are surface warfare platforms, you’ll probably have difficulty getting them to operate on the surface of any type of water.
Bearing that in mind, we’ll now address the problems associated with firing a 120mm gun in a liquid medium…
BillT/
Funny
you should mention Ft. Knox. Were you ever stationed there? That stretch of hwy from Louisville to Ft. Knox has been nominated as on of the Top Ten “Most Dangerous” hwys in the US–what with all the “at-grade” no light intersections/on-off ramps with largely rural farm traffic transiting amongst the high-speed interstate types and drunks from Ft. Knox at night. Drove it ONCE from Louisville and back in broad daylight on clear,dry, sunny Sat morn and was scarier than any trip I ever took “downtown” to Hanoi.
I landed at Ft. Knox once. I was flying an AH-1F with eight TOW launchers and the treadheads all looked at me like I had just peed on Patton’s statue.
For the non-combattants in the audience, a TOW is an anti-tank missile — for some reason or other, tankers get very depressed when they see one.
*cue evil laughter*
VX, I was stationed at Knox before and after RVN…that stretch of road you referred to is part of the famous/infamous 31W, a/k/a the Dixie Highway…
I traversed it many times, with and without a snootful,…where, on occasion, I took a special delight in identifying and forcing unsuspecting and incorrigably verbose Zoomies off the road… the salad days indeed… Best
So it was YOU, Snake! See if I ever send YOU a copy of my memoirs!!
Much as I’d love to hate you Snake, how can I? I was once a “snake” myself (78thTFS Bushmasters
)
Ah, good ole Dixie Hwy. From the heart of Western Louisville all the way to Fort Knox. Every city has at least one “Dixie Hwy.” In New Orleans we have two:Airline Drive from the causeway into the CBD (it begins in B.R as Airline Hwy to NO) and Veterans Hwy. in Jefferson Parish in Metairie,
(Hist note:Airline becomes Tulane Ave, which runs right past old Roosevelt Hotel. Huey Long had Airline constructed so he could jump on it just outside the Capital grounds in B.R. and make a straight shot to the Roosevelt in N.O which was his HQ when in town–just like Happy Chandler had the Interstate from Lexington to the Capitol at Frankfort–a straight shot–altered to detour past his hometown of Versailles, Ky when Gov. to facilitate his trips to Frankfort. LOL!)
Yes VX…it could very well have been me… Re the “snake” claim … a bit of a stretch but still a valid claim…although I doubt you ever broke a sweat at 5K. Best
As a ‘Shoe-turned-Airdale all I can say is ‘cans and WestPac. The further you are best from Washington, DC you can be, the better your life will be.
And FbL hangs around San Diego, which is another reason to recommend the West Coast.
Since I was enlisted (QM was my rating as you may have guessed) I was outside looking in on the Ossifer thing, but I’ve seen ‘em burned before they even saw it coming.
If I were taking up a commission I would go East Coast to start rather than West Coast. You will see a greater variety of ports and sea conditions and, while I was in in the early 70s, the Ops tempo was greater because we had more games with Ivan than did the WestPac gang. The East Coast gang was also not as laid back as the WestPac bunch either.
Note to fellow denizens: We east Coasters called the Cali and Hawaii Navy WestPac sailors as a group.
Having said that, don’t get stuck on the East Coast for your JO career, get to the WestPac AO as well. It wasn’t hard to do that as recently as 10 years ago when the son of a friend, an Academy bug, started on a DD in Pearl and last I heard was on another DD out of NORVA. Norfolk is something of a hole, but for the east Coast Navy, it is unavoidable and needs to be seen. I wouldn’t cry if I had been home ported in Mayport on the east Coast, or Bremerton on the West, but the main operational ports are SD, Pearl and NORVA and if I were an Ossifer, would want to be out of them at least once in my career.
While, in a way, I envy you starting out, you have come into the service at a very hard time. You can go over to CDR. Salamander’s place and learn of some of the utter idiocy going on the service (Some of it pushed by the ‘Phib, such as repeal of DADT) but the service is needed by our country as much now as it was when we were worried about Ivan going for a Bavarian vacation. You will see times that vex your soul, and perhaps see utter depression. Just remember there are some of us out here that appreciate what you are doing because we appreciate the need and understand what you are going through (that even includes our tame Zoomie, Virgil xenophon who was actually sent a few places where there was no Golf Course).
Best Wishes in your career, may it be satisfying, long and fruitful!
I’d vote Hawaii – I’m here as a married old guy, but it looks like a great town to be a single Ensign. It is expensive, but the BAH should compensate – $1905. for an O-1 without dependents – and a roommate or two means you can live like rockstars.
Concur that Med deployments are better than PAC, but a lot of ships on both coasts just blow through enroute CENTCOM.
Speaking of deployment patterns, in general:
-A BMD-capable CRUDES will do independent deployments for that mission – LANT to MED, PAC to CENTCOM.
-Most other CONUS CRUDES will be in CSGs and go to CENTCOM.
-Most CONUS FFGs will do Counter-narcotics ops. Some will do independent deployments to WESTPAC, Africa, or Med.
-Non-BMD Hawaii ships will mostly do WESTPAC deployments.
-FDNF in Japan will mostly stay in WESTPAC.
-Almost all Amphibs will be in the ARG rotation to CENTCOM – a few will do Humanitarian Civic Assistance deployments.
Good luck.
My advice is to request FDNF homeported in Yokosuka or Sasebo, Japan. There are a variety of ships including DDG/CG. OPTEMPO is high and overhauls are incremental (short). You will see liberty ports encompassing WESTPAC and I/O including Australia. Whether you do one tour or a career out there, you’ll have the best experience. Also, I would recommend getting out of Surface Line and get into a ‘Restricted Line Community’. SWO’s eat their own. These are just the recollections of a retired Westpac CWO. Remember, “When it stops being fun, it’s time to do something else”.
If you want to learn seamanship and deckplate leadership up close and personal, amphibs anywhere. If you want to be promoted and eventually command anything other than an amphib, go DDG or CG.
Some advice, for what its worth, from an old Dog with no dog in this particular fight…I’ve said this before but I think it bears repeating…
…you are about to embark (no pun intended) on the greatest adventure/challange of your life… first off immmerse yourself in the experience…secondly…maintain a reticent demeanor ( no smart-ass JO yet), keep your mouth shut… eyes and ears open and observe…as said above the POs/NCOs get things done in every service… the best of them are born teachers so learn from them…oh and lastly never forget that you are a Butter Bar… the lowest form of life in existence…but this to shall pass…so make the most of your time in the sun and thank you, in advance, for your service. Best
PS, Would someone, for the edification of the Lex Babes (they know who they are) translate into plain English the following Naval gibberish: CRUDS,FFG,Gator Navy, DDG/CG, CVN, RAG, MCMs, AFAIK…ect ect ect… remember…the goal is to communicate as efectively as you can to as wide an audience as possable …suggest you leave the secret handshake/jargon language to the Masons.
CRUDES – CRUiser/DEStroyer, AKA “The real Surface Navy.”
FFG – Fast Frigate Guided Missile. Known previously as DEG Destroyer Escort Guided Missile. Disappearing breed which will be sorely missed if the balloon goes up and we don’t have them.
Gator Navy – Amphibious Ships. source of teh Acronym MARINE – “My A$$ Rides In Naval Equipment.” Carries Marines and their equipment to where ever we need to raise a bit of blood pressure of enemies of US interests.
DDG – Destroyer Guided Missile. Descendant of the DDs of World War 2 which normally carried 5″ guns.
CG – Cruiser Guided Missile. Descendant of Armored Cruisers of WW2. Just supersized DDGs these days.
CVN – Nuclear powered aircraft carrier. Descendant of the Forrestal Class ships which were conventionally powered (i.e. Oil fired).
RAG – Replacement Air Group. A training air group in Naval Aviation where new pilots are trained in the operation art of Naval Aviation. Lex, and other NAs can tell much more about this.
Jargon – Coded transmissions between knowledgeable people meant to keep the hairy unwashed uninformed while communication is carried on between the knowledgeable.
Masons – a shady group which is said to exist only in the minds of freaky conspiracy theorists. People who hold a belief in this group have been totally discredited and relegated to the fringes of US society.
As one of the “hairy unwashed uninformed” and not a “Lex Babe,” I thank you. Talk about alphabet soup. It’s like learning hieroglyphs without the Rosetta Stone.
Every group has its jargon. The Military is no exception. The price of admission to the group is fairly high, but it’s the only reliable way to learn the jargon.
There are subspecies as well. Snake, for example, was in the Army and doesn’t understand real world Jargon. He’s on a Navy site and, in most cases, is completely confused when we talk amongst ourselves.
We also have a tame Zoomie here. But he knows the score, and when it gets too bad he just takes a long pull of Barbancourt and he’s good for a few more hours.
Snake Eater, however, is also an Attorney. So, no matter what he takes a long pull on, he’s never good anything.
QM: Speaking of “shadowy groups,” would I be correct in asking you if you have ever approached the East?
Approached the East?
Seriously, I’m not a Free Mason, and would never become one. Regardless of protests to the contrary, Masonry is not compatible with Christianity. The business about “shadowy” is in jest. Everyone knows the Masons exist and the history of Masonry is also out there.
My preferences, as a JO, were Pearl, San Diego and Mayport. All three have better weather and more to do than Norfolk (besides, you’ll probably see plenty of Norfolk in the Schools Command). Never tried Bremerton, but I’ve worked in Vancouver (the one across from Portland, not the one by Seattle, eh?)and liked the area. Too bad San Franciso Bay area is no longer viable, it was a good duty station.
Try for a surface combatant and lean towards smaller platforms, you’ll learn more there and have a quicker shot at OOD (UW) and warfare qualification tham on larger ships. Save the Gators and other large platforms for later on, if you are interested in them, particularly avoid flagships (they tend to be a lot more formal and the pucker factor is pretty high). Minesweepers are especially good to start out on, you’ll be a department head right off the bat and have many more opportunities to drive than you will on larger vessels. Riverine ops are a blast and also place you in higher levels of responsibility than you might encounter on full blown ships.
Good luck and have fun (after all, if you can’t have fun, why go?).
Not pertinent to this blog my might pertinent to the events of the day.
“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
Thomas Jefferson
“A government powerful enough to give the people everything they want is powerful enough to to take everything away from them.”
Thomas Jefferson
I’ve lived in SD, I’ve lived in Norfolk, and I’ve been to Hawaii on business enough in the last two years to have a pretty clear picture from our folks living there.
I’d avoid Norfolk like the plague, were I a single male JO once again. Let’s start with the almost complete absence of available young women (and the incredible competition for ones you wouldn’t even glane at in SD). Almost nothing to do — no concert stops of anything other than country acts, no non-hip hop night life, abysmal restaurants. Way too many flags, and the attendent uptightedness that goes with all of that. No major league sports — no major conference college either. Adequate beaches. Nice weather — not too hot in summer, not too cold in winter.
Hawaii is a double edged knife. It is paradise. It is an island. If you are a mainlander, you will always be a minority. Everything is costly there. Visting your family for any reason is expensive, and lengthy. Once the scenery is background noise, it is just another big city — without major league sports.
SD is SD. It is a major city, with the best weather in CONUS. Yes, it is crowded, but has become more cosmpolitan in the last thirty years than I ever thought possible. Yes, it is expensive. If one plans on marriage and kids in quick order, not a good choice. If one wants to be an unrepentent serial monogamist for the forseeable future, it doesn’t get any better. Great nightlife, great restaurants, beautiful scenery and beaches. Traffic can get bad. Would be my first choice.
Now, platform. If I could get CRUDES, I’d go, in order, SD, HI, JAX. Were the choices Amphib SD or CRUDES Norfolk, I’d have to think hard about that one, and probably still go to SD. Tough call might be Amphibs Sasebo vs. Little Creek. Probably would go Sasebo just for the adventure of living in a foreign country.
Can you tell I’m happy to be gone from Norfolk/Va Beach? Now, if you’re in the market for a really nice place right on the beach in VB, it is the greatest place on earth.
Join SailorBob.com and ask the same question.
That’s the best answer yet! Do it!
In San Diego, the Fleet Commander is a couple thousand mles away. In Norfolk, he’s just around the corner. Makes a difference.
Not a good answer. If you make sure you’re doing it right, they’ll leave you alone and hammer the guys who aren’t…..
xformed,
Not in my navy! Everybody gets treated as the lowest common denominator. If just one sailor screws up on liberty, nobody gets liberty. If one ship screws up then out come all the inspectors in the world to ensure that the other ships measure up to standard.
That comes about from a Flag Officer having too little to do. He has to look important some how, and putting the shiv into everyone else gives him political cover.
Anyone wearing stars is a politician first and an Officer second.
Maj H – I’m pretty sure you can just designate FL as your home of record. I was a FL resident while living in TX and VA until the day I got off of active duty.
Anyone know the process?
Zane- If they bottom hasn’t fallen out of the market where you live, you are lucky. We have hit bottom and are starting to see a bit of upswing. And I think being an Ens is a great time to buy. Ask all them bubbas that bought in Coronado when they were Ensigns how they are doing.
Renting is for suckers.
I’m thinking you can either choose the state of residence, or the location of commissioning as your Home of Record. For officers, that happens only once. I had that issue and found out. As far as “domicile,” that’s where you can change about, but I think you have to have an address to show the guys you’re not going to pay taxes to to make that stick. Worth finding out for the questioner, so he can make this choice wisely and connect to FL if it’s legit.
The process used to be: Have an address and a driver’s license from FL. Address can be a PO box. Got you license by trading in your other one. You’ll have to have mail/magazines/bills come to PO Box, and use them as proof. Might also need a cell phone account in the local area to have ph #/bill.
Talk to the yacht crew agencies in Ft. Liquordale about how it’s done.Use the Google. YMMV.
Cheers,
I began on an AOR. Didn’t ask to go there, but through the mercies of the system, and other factors, there I was. The crew around me were real sailors. I was lucky to be surrounded by LDOs/CWOs/BMCMs and the like, as well as my OSC (he hated that…he said “RDC”) being men who knew the trade and knew the men and knew the sea. I learned seamanship (see Ken Adams comment above), and how to maneuver a ship by seaman’s eye, for 32K SHP ahead and 9K astern on a 40K ship demands your attention to detail and pre-planning. On top of that, I learned leadership from the same men, and my superb NESEP roommate. Aviators for COs (two in a row), and a superior O-5 XO (then one notso) 1110. I think that mix of leadership styles provided me with an ability to move forward.
From there, I got a pre-comm 963, and was the only guy on the ship who knew how to run the flight deck (which came in handy in shakedown when an F-4 ceased to do what it’s supposed to so we could refuel the SH-3H SAR bird to get them safely feet dry). from there to a another DD, then a DESRON, then an War College and then an FFG.
The foundation served me well, but I’ll say I always planned to stay around, so, as one sage man (a WWII O-6 with direct connections to a very senior senator) said when I called in the family connection to bitch about the fat ship assignment: “Go there and if, in a year, you still aren’t happy call me.” I never called back on the topic.
If you want to learn how to handle a ship, Gators are great. Not to mention the other organizations you will have to work with will give you insight into your future dealings. DDGs/CGs are wonderful, but they tend to fill your head with whiz-bang stuff, and gloss over the basics of being a professional. FFGs: You will know the crew and you will know the ship. If there’s shooting to be done, count on being the first one into the jaws of potential victory. You’ll be worked hard and be the flight deck for the others, but you will do some interesting things and become more of a jack of all trades, just so you and your shipmates can get some sleep once in a while. Not to say others don’t work hard, but there are only so many bunks on the FFs and everyone gets involved in most everything as a result.
Sit and consider not just the first tour, but what’s your end game? 4-5 years and out? A possible career? That should define your choice moreso than cost of living (but that’s right up there, too). If you’re looking at the long haul, build a solid foundation on seamanship. If it’s meet your commitment and sample the rest of life, ask for the DDG Navy.
Now, if you don’t get the one you wanted, go and seek the opportunity presented, and grab every school you can reasonably get to, then come back and do well on the deckplates.
Good luck, young man, and thanks for stepping up at this time in history.
Don’t know if they still take SWOs, but I’d do a boat unit in a heartbeat, provided I didn’t care about a career. Having had the misfortune of getting none of my career choices, a being a gator sailor, the SWCC/SBU/IBU/MIUW was an outstanding place to end up, though it didn’t look that way at the time.
Good luck, do what you want, then either go 1600 (IP) for a future, or make the reserves your home and play nice till O-6 rolls around.
CW, who has neither JPME, DH tour, Command, or EOOW letter, yet is still “CAPT, USN, Arriving”
Perhaps my career is better served as a warning to others…….
Man speaks truth….I know two shipmates who went that way and retired as CAPTs….
I was stationed in SDIEGO,SEATTLE, NORVA. PAC NW-SEATTLE\EVERETT\BREMERTON if you can get it. SEATTLE is expensive, but a roomy would help. The PAC NW is beautiful, cheaper than NORVA or SDIEGO.
Thanks for standing up to be counted.
I hesitate to offer an opinion, but here goes: if you want to develop leadership and management skills, small boys are the way to go. I served six years on Minesweepers, Ocean (MSOs), before the MCMs came on line. If you are a great shiphandler you have the opportunity to get SWO qualified before the large platform folks. By the same token, in a smaller environment the crew will know your capabilities very quickly. I think stellar performers are stellar regardless of where they start or are assigned. A career is built on development of deckplate skills and concern for mission and shipmates. Don’t get sucked into the idea that you can’t go to the Chief and ask for help. Very few of them, I think, will “snow” an Ensign who is willing to learn. Regards, retired PNC.
The Chiefs I knew were delighted when an Ensign admitted ignorance and presented himself for de-ignorancing. There is no shame in admitting ignorance. There is great shame in being ignorant, and being arrogant about it while trying to bully or fake your way through. Same with being ignorant and not availing yourself of the resources available to gain the knowledge you need.
Well if you are looking for the short route to flag rank and easy street, I’m no help. Free advice? Sure…
Bank your sea pay, use it to buy a house. A small sellable house,in a nice working class neighborhood, and ride the market up. No more than 30 minutes from the ship. Check out the local schools, pick a neighborhood with a good one, sure you’re single, but avoid the drama when all that changes. It usually does. Trade up when the opportunity arises.
Look hard for a smart, brave, patient, good woman you can trust with the check book. Treat her like the most important thing in your life, she will be.
Start with destroyers. Learn everything you can, trust no one completely until you have two years in, and then only after a year to come to know them. Be unfailingly polite, never complain, and handle shit details cheerfully and well.
Watch, listen, if you are going to be some place, be all there. Have fun whenever you can, safely.
The minimum right answer is “I don’t know, I’ll find out.” Wager rarely, never gamble.
Sleep deprived = stupid. Avoid stupid when you can.
Get a reliable beater for a first car (bank the money you save for the house).
If it were me, Mayport. Optimum compromise (see the others, above). Don’t sweat the next assignment, the only influence you have is to do your best and control yourself.
Never compromise your personal integrity.
Be kind. Keep your opinions to yourself, until you have the cred that they will be heeded (in 10 or 20 years).
Break a leg. Thanks for signing up.
It’s a hell of a ride.
Wow. That’s dead-on-nuts good advice.
For any career, in any field.
The man, he speaks wisdom.
Grampa Bluewater is the most common sense fella I’ve ever heard when it comes to things Naval. I’m going to buy him a beer one day, maybe even a few. Maybe he’ll tell me a few tales, and surely I’ll listen.
Yeah…what Byron said. Also: I knew a guy who, upon leaving the Academy, began his investing. Small at first. Each pay raise/promotion: A portion of that amount was added to the investment heap. When he was at 20, the statement was made by his investment guy “He’ll never have to work another day in his life, unless he wants to.” I knew where he lived, and was at the same shore command: Nice middle income home, two reasonable cars, two kids doing well in school. He wasn’t living like a hermit, but he was living moderately, and at 42, he and the family were set to make incredible decisions with the rest of their lives. I understand at Graduation a big chunk of saved cash is provided, most of it (so I hear) goes to “hot wheels.” How about some of it going to buy some highly discounted assets, that will go up in the future? Oh, what an opportunity!
Stay off the big decks.
Go FDNF or West Coast.
Destroyer SWOs seem to have more fun (although fun as a SWO is relative).
Yeah, but when we sent the H-46s around, we’re the ones who stole the prime movies…even from the ADMs list….do that on a DDG! (Oh, crap! it’s all on DVD now!) Anyhow, we made our own fun watching DDs come alongside and doing DIVTACs with them.
Ask for a little advice and get 71 comments and counting. You came to the right place Ensign.
Now, anyone know a surefire place to insvest money? Just kidding, but since we’re handing out free advice…
Served on DD, AOE, LHD and CVNs. My recommendation is to pick platform over location. Highly recommend CRUDES before amphibs before CVNs. (when your up for 03 sea duty orders consider a PC; three of my friends did it and they had a blast, plus CO experience!) My choice would be Burke and a fairly new one if you can wrangle it. Now a days you need the aegis background if you are going to make it on the small boys – the fun side of swo life. I saw many a fine SWOs pigeon holed in FFGs, LHDs, LPHs, LSDs because they never could get into the AEGIS track. As for location Mayport is probably tops followed by the expensive places – San Diego and Hawaii. I would consider the west coast though because our next big blue water challenge lives on that side of the world – China. I picked east coast back in the day when the soviets were around for the same reason; had a lot of good years playing with the soviets below/on/above the seas. Best of Luck.