Navy or Navy Reserve for family life?

Question

Ok, I have asked a question similar to this one once before(in a way twice before). I have gotten alot of good answers, but still want some more opionings and facts.

I am 17 years old, and I am a freshman in college(Doing distance education). I will be 18 this October and I currently live with my fiance of over 2 and a half years. I grew up in a Military family(Although my parents were not Military).

I am currently going through proscessing with the Navy, but am having second thoughts because I have been hearing about all the times sailors have to keep going out to sea even when they are not deployed,etc etc.

I know I will have to be away from my fiance during basic,additional training, and deployments. I am fine with all that. However, going out to sea for 2 weeks,coming back a week, then leaving again is a little hectic for me. Of course I know it all varies.

So what it boils down to, my question is, Is the Active Navy good for family life, Or should I look into The Navy Reserve?

What is the Navy Reserve like? whats the deployments and all like?

Answer 1

I spend 10 months in lebenon with resevere units.  It is not uncommon to be deployed 9-10 a year.  Just because you are achored off the coast playing wargames that is still being deployed.

Finish school

Answer 2

depends how old you are.im in the army and my paygrade is E-3.im 18.which is good enough for me.the army does promote faster than any other branch.ask anyone.you might want to go to college depending on how old u are.cause lower ranks cant support family.but they do have alot of benefits for family.but we do pay for college.thats good.and they do offer bonuses.and all health insurance.i know the army reserve is 1 week a month.

Answer 3

I hate to be the bearer of bad news...but if you don't have and extremly strong family relationship, it probably won't last. Being in the military no matter what branch is very taxing on the home life. and it seems that the junior people have it even harder. The divorce rate in the miitary is higher than in the civilian world. I hate to see the young guys come in and get their hearts crushed because they can't have the family life they expected. If i were you and i was 17 almost 18. I would stay in school. For the sake of your family. The military is a great place to have a family but not a weak one. Remember when you join...YOU Join not them. They are just along for the ride.

Answer 4

yes you will deploy plenty no matter which you choose. I think as for family life active is better, because there seems to be more support for the families while you are deployed. It is also easier for them to use these services when they live close to a military base. If you are reserve you may not be that close to a base and you may deploy with just a few people from your area or none at all so you family will be left behind with less support. This is only my opinion from what I have seen and heard over 13 years as a Navy wife. Next we have always moved when my husbands tour is up somewhere so my children and I have been around the world. I believe all the moves have made us well rounded and mature. It is a hard life but I would not trade it for the world. I also believe that the deployments have made our marriage that much stronger.  

Answer 5

A 6 month cruise is started by approx 6 months of workups prior. These include JTFEX, RimPac, Ship quals, Air wing quals, etc. Each qual is 1-2 weeks (longer if you don't pass the 1st time) JTFEX or Rimpacs are usually just under 30 days long. Basically it's a lot of gone for 2-3 weeks home for a long weekend, gone again for 2-3 weeks etc. This process continues till approx 1 1/2 months prior to the cruise starting. At that time they will do a command standdown and there will be 2 week leave periods for everyone to take care of their family affairs, etc. Then the ship is gone for 6ish months. They cruise approx every 2 years. There is a Surge period after the ship returns from a cruise where the ship is still on a deployable alert for any crisis and you may have to leave at a moments notice to assist.

Don't forget that the normal work schedule (whether pierside or deployed) for the Navy includes 24 hour duty days on a rotation. Some rotate as short as 3 duty sections and some as long as 14 duty sections. That means that every 3 days you will be onboard for the whole day and can't leave until the next day when liberty starts.

With all this said this is the Sea Duty schedule. Most ratings have a rotation of  4 years Sea Duty and 3 years Shore Duty. So there is some downtime, although not much.

Answer 6

Active duty is active duty.  I was in the Corps but have a few friends that were sailors.  When you are single and in the military you live in the barracks or your ship.  You do not get anything extra for housing because your fiance is not your wife.  In my 5 years with the Marines I racked up over 15 months of sea time.  That was not in 2 week increments.  The military is great but realize that separation from family, friends, fiances, and other loved ones is one of the sacrifices that is made.        

Answer 7

I know it isn't exactly the answer to your question, but, you're interested in family life; have you considered the Air Force?  From what I've heard, the Air Force is the most 'family friendly' of the branches of the military.  Harder to get in and no enlistment bonuses, but if you're wanting something that would be more family friendly...