r/navy

We Are The Mighty profiles retired Sgt. Maj. Mike Vining through the smaller personal details behind a much larger military résumé: Vietnam EOD work, Delta Force, Operation Eagle Claw, and later life outside uniform. The article uses the “sardines he never ate” story to humanize someone usually presented as a meme or legend.

Vining served as an explosive ordnance disposal specialist in Vietnam, where he recalled multiple near-death moments, including being left behind at an abandoned Special Forces camp and helping destroy the massive “Rock Island East” enemy weapons cache in Cambodia.

The profile also connects Vining to Delta Force’s early history. A related We Are The Mighty piece says he joined Delta in 1978 as an EOD specialist under Col. Charlie Beckwith, making him one of the unit’s original members.

The article’s strategic value is not just biography. It shows how specialized technical skills, especially EOD, became central to elite special operations as missions grew more complex and politically sensitive.

Vining’s post-service life, including mountaineering, historical writing, veteran community work, and distance from his internet fame, adds a useful contrast to modern military celebrity culture. The profile suggests that some of the most consequential operators may be least interested in mythmaking.

Do stories like Vining’s help preserve serious military history, or do meme-driven portrayals risk flattening complex service into legend?

whenever we get pom leave everyone is so buthurt over having 1st pom

This is genuine question. Does it work to prevent people from doing bad behaviour?

First: Yes, I'm a detailer, no, I'm not YOUR detailer, and I am ABSOLUTELY NOT speaking on behalf of PERS, this is not official, etc etc.

Secondly: I do not have the bandwidth to do a full scale AMA this week. I'm so behind on my postings and I'm rapidly running out of time before the cycle closes. But, the phones have been ringing off the hook since the results were posted and I figure you guys probably can't get through to your detailers (and if you do, your detailer is probably really over answering the same 5 SEM questions). So as a public service announcement, here we go. (PLEASE SHARE THIS INFO)

BBA: bba.fct@navy.mil
SEM: SrEnlistedMarket.fct@navy.mil

SENIOR ENLISTED MARKETPLACE RESULTS: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Messages/NAVADMIN/NAV2026/NAV26120.pdf

Listen, you're a whole-ass Senior Chief or Master Chief now, so go read the instructions! Chapter 13 of the Advancement Manual: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Reference/Instructions/BUPERS/BUPERSINST%201430.16.pdf I promise this updated Advancement Manual is way easier to read and understand than our silly little NAVADMINs about BBA/SEM....and if you need help understanding it, go ask a First Year because they're our subject matter experts on SEM ;)

Now that I've pissed everyone off, good, let's get into it. There are two separate processes, or timelines, with detailing and SEM. They happen concurrently.

First: the historical/legacy detailing system that we all know and love (and have been personally victimized by).

- 18 months from your PRD you should update your contact information in MNA, update your resume and preferences, and if you have special detailing circumstances it might be worth opening a line of communication with your detailer (Special Programs; VSDP, SDIP, Colocation with another military member, parent in common with your child, or a sibling; EFMP; Birth of a child, etc)

- 12 months from your PRD you can start negotiation for orders.

- 10, 8, 6 months from your PRD you continue to negotiate.

- At any point in this timeline you may be directed into a billet even if you didn't want them or apply to them.

- CHAPTER 3 MILPERSMAN 1306-101 states “Members will be under PCS orders within 4 months of their PRD” If you are a SEM candidate, you WILL be getting orders by the 4 months from your PRD mark...and since Detailers cannot direct you into a promotion, you will be given in paygrade orders.

Then, there is SEM.

- Once you are selected, the DMEI (Detailing Marketplace Eligibility Indicator) will be put on your record. Read the NAVADMIN and Advancement Manual to figure out when it will be on your record. Don't call your detailer about this. You can look for your DMEI code using this guide: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Career/Detailing/MyNavyAssignment/MNA_4.9A1_WNFY.pdf

- Once that code is on your record, you can apply EVERY SINGLE CYCLE FOR ORDERS. I don't care if you're LIMDU, Pregnant, on a HUMS tour, under orders (verbals or hardcopies), posted to a billet, just arrived to your new command, are 60 months from your PRD, if you are on transfer leave, if you are at a "C" school, I'm gonna say this again for the folks in the back: EVERY SINGLE CYCLE THAT THE DMEI CODE IS ON YOUR RECORD YOU MAY (AND SHOULD) APPLY FOR ADVANCEMENT ORDERS. EVERY SINGLE CYCLE.

- If you win orders you will be detached at your PRD or 12 months from when you won the billet, whichever is sooner. Exceptions will be for mission critical cases and for schools en route.

Additional SEM Notes

- Your command or TYCOM can submit an Advancement Request Alignment (ARA) to put you into a promotion billet. There are OBLISERV requirements with this--if you're on sea duty, your PRD will be extended 36 months and you must OBLISERV; if you're on shore duty you will OBLISERV for 36 months past your PRD (which will not be adjusted).

- Detailers are forbidden from being involved in the ARA process. We get given a list of names and billets and told "write these orders." DO NOT call us asking if you are being ARA'ed. Talk to your Chain of Command. You have to agree to the ARA so they SHOULD be communicating with you anyway, but I've processed a few that the Sailor didn't realize they were being promoted and their PRD was being adjusted to retain them onboard....they were pissed. Also while the ARA is being routed your DMEI code will be removed.

- If you submit retirement/Fleet Reserve paperwork, your DMEI code will be removed.

- You must be able to fill the orders to include NECs. If you don't meet minimum prereqs to get the NEC, you can't win the billet. If you fail out of "c" school, you will lose your orders.

- If you can't meet the obligated service requirements, you also won't be able to promote.

- There's a SEM Emotional Support Group on Facebook that I highly recommend you go check out (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018547836944671) Just, be respectful because there's senior leadership in the group (like FORCE/FLEET level). And also a lot of detailers are in there so if you're talking shit we will know.

Remember that you can apply every single cycle that the DMEI code is on your record!!!!

​

Hi all,

If you have a active approved fleet reserve can it in any way be pushed or cancelled without the service member volunteering that? Outside of stop loss that is.

Thanks in advance!

Hello, I am a CTR who just got to my first ultimate command, and I have been offered to switch to the sub shop on my base. I’m just wondering more about what my time in the sub shop would look like if I swapped? Heard that I’ll spend a lot of time on shore training with a handful of month long deployments. Also wondering if the dolphin pin is achievable as just a rider?

Hey guys I have a quick question, my chain of command is telling me that I have to either put in leave or higher a babysitter if my child is ever sick and won’t be accepted into daycare. They’ve told me that they could also activate my FCP but I was under the impression that’s if me and other parent are both deployed. I’ve been told that there’s instructions that hinder them from being able to do that. I’m more or so frustrated because this hasn’t been an issue in the past but now that me and my spouse are divorced, neither side wants to let us go when our child is sick and needs to be picked up. I don’t mind working and the other parent gets kiddo for the day, or vice versa, but both COC is saying higher a sitter even if it’s for one day and was told to have the sitter take child to future medical appointments. All help us welcomed and I appreciate yall.

- a disgruntled sailor

So I'm trying to get an official passport for my next duty station however I'm currently in a very remote location so we don't have passport services here. I tried submitting an application through the state department website but after they processed my 1056 form I was told I'd need to go to the embassy in Washington DC which may not be possible. I tried calling the TSC passport office in Japan yesterday but they said they're not currently available and so they referred me to an office in Yokota and also Camp Zama. I couldn't get ahold of the Yokota office but when I looked up Camp Zama's passport services it looked like it would be the same situation, where I'd need to go in person. I'm about to try requesting out to our HQ admin for TDY orders to go to Japan to handle the passport application but wanted to know if going in person is the only way to get an official passport? I tried emailing the first site I submitted my application to but they never responded.

TLDR can I do an official passport application remotely over teams or VTC, or do I have to go in person?

Im a dependent, my husband is an e5 ati. We have 2 children.

My dad died very suddenly and my moms financial situation has become tenous. At the same time we just recieved orders to Oceana. My husband and I have been planning to move on base as soon as we recieved orders for our own financial planning/rising cost of living/electricity prices/tolls/gas/etc. We (including my mom) already live in virginia but not close enough to oceana for a reasonable commute

I know that there is a way to declare a parent as a dependent and that it is extremly difficult to do and requires at least a year of proof of support.

I was also reading that there may be a way to request a "long term guest" excemption that would allow my mom to stay with us on base?

I dont know how any of this works or what avenues are available to us or who to talk to for help. Any direction would be appreciated!

I made senior chief five years ago and two years into senior chief I took six months hums duty to help my wife post serious surgery. Three years later and I’m still being looked over for E9 despite deploying and great eval‘s, and completing SEA with honors. Has anyone else had similar experience with HUMS?

Just got a 1408 ticket on JBPHH for 42 in a 25, this is my first anything, ticket or anything. I'm 19M and sponsored dependent. I got court tomorrow, what should I expect?