Going to Navy boot camp and have some "A" School questions...?

Question

1. Is it true that we can choose whether we want Atlantic Fleet or Pacific Fleet in "A" School?

2. When my recruiter went into the Navy as a welder,he actually put in for the USS Constitution in Boston on his dream sheet and got it as his first station. Is it hard to get into that duty station and is everyone requesting it? What are my chances as a Quartermaster to get that duty station?

3. Would it be possible to get stationed in Groton,CT or Newport,RI or Charleston,SC without being on a sub?

Thank you!

Answer 1

1: yes, and no.  you put your preferences down.  doesn't mean there will be any slots.

for instance, my stepson is in IC A school now.  he's been told: there are NO Atlantic Fleet billets open.  PERIOD.  so, he's gonna be West Coast  even though he wants East Coast.  

2. almost impossible to get.  you really do have to be the cream of the crop to be selected for that billet.  But yes, there are QMs aboard her.

3: not as a QM.  only admin and medical type non nuke ratings are there.  

Answer 2

A lot depends on your rate.

1. I was a nuke MM sub vol.  I got to fill out a dream sheet at the end of school.  It was supposedly picked by class standing.  I chose:

Bangor, WA

San Diego, CA

Pearl Harbor, HI

any ship, West Coast

King's Bay, GA

I was given orders to: San Diego, CA.

2. I have no idea.  I would take anything your recruiter said with at least a grain of salt.  Their job is to get you into Great Lakes.

3. Again, depends on your rate.  There are personnel and support rates that get stationed there, I imagine.  What's wrong with being on a sub?

Answer 3

1. No.  Not to mention there is more than just an Atlantic or Pacific fleet.  It's not really how that works.  

2. I'm not sure I'd believe your recruiter.  Ask him to show you his crew card.  Or crew block.

The current practice is that 2-6 boot camp sailors are picked at a time by the Command senior or master chief and sometimes the XO or admin.  They only go to Boot Camp for a day or two, maybe three times a year (every 4-6 months or so, so most people go all the way through boot camp without a visit even happening at all.)  They don't interview all sailors when they are there, only a small number, so it's often a luck of the draw who gets to go.  If sailors volunteer for the duty, they give up their A School to do so and are stationed there for 2 years.  They may strike into a rating that will let them (such as QM!).  That makes up about 1/2 the crew.  The other half of the crew are fleet returnees: Sailors who have been in the fleet for 3-10 years.  

There are 2-3 billets for Quartermasters who are fleet returnees.  And there are some "general" billets that are open to all E-5, E-6 ratings.  It's always a matter of luck and timing.  Good luck.

3. There are always support billets, such as for YNs, PNs, HMs.  But as a QM, I'd say not really.

Sounds like you can't bear to part from New England.  

Go Sox!

Answer 4

1. Yes, you can choose wherever you want to on your "keep on dreaming" sheet; it does not mean that you will get it. I put California, Hawaii, or Guam on my dream sheet, Little Creek, Va was the place I was sent to.

2. Your recruiter was either very lucky or he was the top of his class. If you are lucky enough to actually get that order, make sure you go buy lottery as well.

3. As a QM, you will probably get sent to some ships in Norfolk, VA, Mayport, FL (on the East Coast) or San Diego, CA, Pearl Harbor, HI, or Japan (West). So, study up and try to be the top of the class when you are in "A" school.

Answer 5

Charleston is Nuke School so unless you are going to school there, very doubtful you would get it.  Newport is doubtful as well nothing to do with subs really.  Groton probably not unless you are going to a sub.

As a QM most likely your first command will be a ship after A School to get all the qualifications done.  You could go East Coast, West Coast or Overseas.  It will depend on the demands at the time and what is open.  You may put in your dream sheet and get the first one on the list but then again you may put it in and get a place that isn't on it at all.