All US Navy Veterans?

Question

In your experience what was one of the best Naval Ratings?

Answer 1

As a former FC, I'll naturally say the FC rating is the best. Although there are other jobs that can be just as cushy (as an 1121 FC, my job wasn't too cushy since we did the mechanical work on the Phalanx CIWS in addition to the electronic work). EWs (unless they're now OSes, I remember talk about them being merged) and ITs have a cushy job also. ETs get it pretty easy as well.

Answer 2

I guess the one I held for 13 years before getting a commission. That is Hospital Corpsman. It gave me a chance to serve at a Naval Hospital, with all three Marine Divisions plus a Marine Expeditionary Brigade,and in a variety of ships. It helped me earn the most respected title in the Naval Service: "Doc".  

Answer 3

A lot depends on where you are stationed. I was an FT, now FC, in charge of the MK37 director and MK25 radar. FTs on the ship I was on, not true of all ships, did not stand any underway watches. We kept the equipment working as a 8 hour a day job. The ETs did not stand underway watches but were on call 24/7 if there was a problem with the search radars, the radar repeaters or radio equipment. As the fire control systems were only used when we were at general quarters we did not have to worry about them going down in the middle of the night. If there was a problem in the middle of the night we were at GQ so everyone on the ship was up.

In port we stood quarterdeck watches or shore patrol.  

Answer 4

EW was a good rating, It was one of the few ratings where you both operated and maintained your equipment.  It was the one rating in the Navy in which you could work with Computers, Electronics, Intelligence data, Compressed air systems, Hydraulics,Explosive Ordnance, and on some ships Torpedo Decoy systems.  The rating no longer exists, it was merged into the CTT rate.  There are many good ratings out there.  It all depends on what you want to do in the Navy.  CTT isn't a bad rating either, but I think that they are phasing out the technicians in that rating and turning over maintenance of the equipment to the CTM  or ET rating, and even the GM rating for maintenance on the chaff launchers.      

Answer 5

Naturally, you will get many different answers. I was an Engineman for 21 years. Not all of it was spent in engine rooms. I was part of Auxiliaries Division, ran small boats, refueled helicopters, took care of  kitchen equipment, dealt with steam , hydraulics, and air conditioning. Ran the Supply section on a small shore station and the Gedunk on a floating Dry dock. Thrown in for good measure, I was the Mess Decks MAA on two sub tenders.

In amongst all that, I managed to help raise a family and see quite a bit of the world. Would I do it again? Yes!