I need advice on joining the navy?

Question

How often do they get paid? I also need to know if I want a shore based job (because I am a family-oriented person, I have a daughter and a husband) what kind of jobs should I look at when I go to MEPS. Should I reenlist when my four yrs end or should I go to school and do what I truly want to do, which is become a shrink. I need the money for plenty of reasons:

1. I have bills

2. I wanna have a real wedding

3. My daughter.

4. Many more

Please share your wonderful knowledge with me in my time of need.

Answer 1

My husband was in the Navy and we went thru it together, here is what i know:

- you get paid every other week.

- They will NOT give you a shore based job your first 4 years of enlistment. If the recruiter told you that, he lied. If he isn't willing to put it in the contract, it wont happen. I have only heard of people getting shore duty after being in for 4 years and going on at least 2 leaves.

- You take the ASVAB and it will see what you qualify for. You can want to do a specific job all you want, but if your ASVAB scores aren't high enough, they wont give that job to you. Also, remember, put that job you finally decide on in your contract.

- When it comes to re-enlisting, they will waive a bunch of money at you and it is very tempting, but it is a decision you will have to make based on what you really want and where you are in life.

This is what I say about the Navy...... go to college first and THEN join as an officer. They get paid more and you can be a shrink in the Navy. When you join, you are only an E-1 and they get close to pennies. We were struggling trying to make ends meet off of very little money a month. That's why you never see any lower ranking people driving good vehicles, they can't afford it!!

Answer 2

NO Rating precludes you from being deployed.  even the shore only ratings of CTI and the Seabees deploy.. a LOT..and mostly their rotations are Stateside duty and overseas duty.  the chances of getting shore duty in any of the other ratings fresh outta A school is slim to none.  

nobody can tell you what you will want at the end of your contract( which could be 5 or  6 years down the line depending on the rating you choose).

paydays are the 15th and first of each month.  you can expect 6-8 weeks after reporting to Great Lakes before you get paid for the first time.    you will NOT get rich in the military, and below E4 pay is NOT designed to provide for a family.

Answer 3

You are an unwed mother?? Just forget it.  Unless you really have someone dependable to take care of the child, and can handle the though of not seeing her for long long periods of time, you will never make it.

Answer 4

First off, it's good that you look at family first. How do you have a husband, but say you want a real wedding?  I think that ship has sailed.

Now to the part that you don't want to hear.  

It's the NAVY.  Unless you go in as a musician (previous training required) or a SeaBee (construction), you're not going to just be able to get shore duty stations exclusively.  Who joins the Navy and thinks they're not going to a ship? If you don't want to be on a ship, I highly suggest you join the Air Force.

You get paid on the 1st and 15th of each month. The amount depends on your rank. It's not going to be a lot of money.  E1-E3 is pitiful (15-22k a year), and depending on your rate, you can be in those ranks about 2 years.

And honestly, I'll tell you something my chain of command told me once about "family values".  If the Navy wanted you to have a family, they would have issued you one in bootcamp.  It's not the ideal life for someone who is family oriented.  The divorce rate is sky-high, and a potentially hazardous environment for your child.

Answer 5

Might be some good experience but I personally would not make a career in the Navy.

Answer 6

Paid: Every two weeks. Shore base job? You get shore duty after the first four years doing sea duty. (Means you will be gone 8 months every year) I did a tour in the Navy. I was only home 3 months out of a year. Not good for a family life.............**.Kammy said it best. As an E-1 to E-5 you will be dirt poor and drive rust buckets for cars. Your family will look and act poor.

Answer 7

paid ever two weeks the 1st and the 15th. not many shore jobs, in the navy there will be deployment. Whether or not you want to reenlist is up to you, there is a program where the navy could send you to school and then take you in as an officer. also its only 20 years before retirement plus good perks. Good luck

Answer 8

Unless they changed it you get paid every two weeks. Shortly before I was getting out, women were starting to get based on ships. I guess to make a long answer a short one, don't enlist. Your more than likely not going to get what you want. You'll be away from your family for periods of time. I don't think the military is for you. Your joining for the wrong reasons.