Should I join the navy as a rating now, or get some qualifications first and join as an officer?

Question

HI, I'm thinking about joining the navy, I'm 23 and don't know wether to just get stuck in as a rating and try to progress to commisioned officer through the navy itself and doing courses etc. Or do I spend 2-3 years getting the quals myself and apply straight as an officer. any ideas?

Answer 1

My opinion, You are 23 years old, as am I, and we are not getting any younger, If you wait to go for officer, that means you need at least a 4 year degree.. If I were you, I would do what I am doing now. I would Enlist, You can go in as an E3 if you do the DEP program and recruit two people. Bust your *** in boot camp and A school, the better you do the better off you are. Once you are able, Apply for the STA 21 program, also known as Seaman to Admiral, with the program, they take you out of the command you are in, and you get to pick the school of your choice to go to for your four year degree while still getting active duty pay, and basically everything else paid for. By the time you are done with your four years you will be able to Do whatever you want in the Navy, and you will be an officer. Just my opinion, and that's because that's what I'm doing, I have been in the program for two years, its hard, but its worth it, and if you wait, 27 would be pretty hard on you at boot! good luck!!

Answer 2

The only 'quals' to be an officer is a B.S. degree.

Generaly to compare take home pay between enlisted and officers, the officers’ base pay is slightly higher.

However in many cases enlisted men can qualify for many other pays and allowances that officers can not get.

As a submariner, I worked with many enlisted men who had advanced degrees. None of us applied to become officers, because it woudl have dropped our pay a great deal.

Are you better off going officer?

Only you can answer that.

Answer 3

take advantage of the free schooling ;] i say join now and do school at the same time.. till you get promoted  

Answer 4

If you plan on making a carer out of it go Officer. Enlisted pay sucks.

Answer 5

I guess it depends on how eager you are to join the Navy.  Officers don't have ratings, but like enlisted personnel, they have communities and job specialties that can be hard to break from.  If you have a degree, my advice would be to go officer.  I know a large number of enlisted people who feel pressured to get a degree to be promotable and have done so.  

But despite being just as educated as an officer, they are often treated as unintelligent, second-class citizens.  And the pay disparity is significant.  Also, despite protestations you may hear from the officer community, prior enlisted are also treated much differently than "real" officers.

Had I completed college, I'd never have enlisted.  But either choice has its benefits.  The Navy is a good place to be overall.

Answer 6

Well, if you are planning on making commitment early, like having a family then go for officer, you'll need the money, but if you want to go in now, then that's also fine, you'll be able to progress through the ranks and earn more.

Answer 7

My husband came into the Navy as an E3 and will take the test for E5 next week.  If you have some college credit that can help your rate.  It also depends on which field you go into. My husband is an FC and that's an automatic E4.

It also depends on what you want to do in the Navy.  Do you want a job where you actually do stuff?  Officers are admin mostly and that can get quite dull.

If you score well and work well you could make Chief in 7-10 years.  Enlisted isn't the worst way to go about it.

Sure the pay is less than Officers but we get the medical benefits, housing, and extra pay as well.  We're not flush but we're comfortable.