r/newtothenavy

I was having cold feet all day and i told them I didn't want to be there and I wanted to get my bags and leave. They had a pep talk with me which motivated me enough to sign the papers, could I back out now or would they be AWOL?

I am currently shipping out to the Navy this weekend and have a bachelors degree in Welding Engineering Technology with a 3.62 gpa. My rating that I chose in the Navy is an Intelligence Specialist. I am looking to transition careers into the intelligence community and have internships at defense contractors and DOE weapons facilities. I will also be obtaining a clearance for my IS role and have a former DOE Q clearance. I took my OAR a second time and got a 49 (i know not the best I’m not a good test taker) and was thinking about putting together a OCS package for Cryptologic Warfare Officer. How soon would I be able to submit this package? Any advice helps.

I’ve seen some old posts talking about how boot camp is during the holidays and I wanted to ask if anyone had any more recent accounts of how it is with a Nov 4th date?

Everyone, before I say what I want to say, I just want to explain that joining the Navy is something I’ve always thought about doing. It’s something I’ve wanted to do and talked about since I was younger.
I’m 19, female, and I signed my contract as an OS. The reason I’m making this post is because I’m honestly really nervous about joining. It’s not just the Navy itself or the current events going on in the world, although that definitely adds to my worries. A big part of it is my fear in general.
I’ve always struggled with starting new things, doing things outside of my comfort zone, and dealing with the unknown. Even something as simple as going on roller coasters can make me extremely nervous. But then I finally get on one, and afterward I’m like, “Oh… that wasn’t even that bad.” 😂
I guess I’m realizing that sometimes I spend so much time being afraid of something before I actually experience it, and then when I finally do it, I realize I was making it much bigger in my head than it actually was.
So I guess what I’m asking is: how did you guys deal with that nervousness when you first joined?
I’d especially love to hear from people who are new to the Navy or people who are currently serving. What was your experience like going into Boot Camp? How did you get past the fear and adjust to Navy life? Did you have similar doubts before leaving?
I’m also nervous about whether I’ll do well in Boot Camp, whether I’ll actually enjoy Navy life, and especially what life on a ship will be like. Since I’m an OS, I’d really appreciate hearing from other OSs about what your experience has been like, both good and bad.
I genuinely want to do this. I don’t want fear to be the reason I give up on something I’ve wanted for so long. At the same time, I know this is a HUGE life decision, and I want to be realistic about what I’m getting myself into.
So please be honest with me. I’m open to criticism, harsh truths, and the reality of Navy life. You don’t have to sugarcoat anything. If you think there are things I need to mentally prepare myself for, tell me. If you struggled at first but eventually adjusted, tell me that too.
Sometimes I think hearing the harsh reality is better than having unrealistic expectations.
I just want to hear from people who have actually been through it and hopefully get some perspective before I leave. ❤️⚓️

So I am really worried that I didn't do that well. I have not studied for pretty much anything in years and I was pretty lost on many of those.

How does this look? The "standard scores" are so low but the other ones appear to be high.

What exactly are the differences between the two and how would I need to improve to pursue a path as a Hospital Corspman and fileds that would apply to Medical Degree pursuing individuals?

https://preview.redd.it/gqihio138fkh1.jpg?width=1576&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d199a770cb3812a859cd3087b406eb2e616c5e99

A lot of people are told to know your 11 general orders sailors creed rank recognition and general chain of command. In my opinion studying and knowing all of those while you’re in dep is the absolute most important thing you can do besides getting in shape and working on your pt. This seems pretty obvious but so many people in my div didn’t know shit and if i could say anything to a future sailor that is in dep i’d say this.

Hey, me and someone I know are interesting in commissioning for the navy. I’d go Cryptological Warfare Officer, they’d go SWO for 2 years to laterally transfer to Intel. Tell me everything, QoL, how often both positions would be on a boat vs on shore, tell me stuff outside of most Reddit posts. I’ve seen “SWO sucks” but why does it suck. Haven’t seen too much about CWO so rush me with info on that one please. How’s OCS? What would help? How do both translate into civilian careers? How is laterally transferring. What should I know that my recruiter probly hasn’t told me? Anything helps!

Do abnormal Pap smears (LSIL/CIN1/lowest grade non-cancerous), mean an automatic boot at OCS…? I have no treatment required and they basically just told me to come back in a year (as I normally do) for another pap.

I’m horrified they’ll kick me out and I’ll lose my opportunity to commission. I already got accepted and everything. I just found out about this and the doctors basically told me I’m goofy for even wanting surgery since it requires no treatment. I’m just really scared. I’ve asked my recruiter and I have not been able to get a clear answer since he has no experience with this.

I am putting together a package for a medical entomologist officer position in the Navy, thats within the Medical Service Corps. I am graduating soon and working with an officer recruiter to submit my completed package before the year is over. However, I have recently signed a lease for the next year so until September 2027 - since i need somewhere to live...

Given that appraisal interviews and the board (which meets monthly for entomology) goes well and there are available positions based on the new quotas, usually 2-3 for the year, any idea of how long it would be from that point until commissioning and ODS? And on the website it says you can apply for a seat in a specific class at ODS that best fits your schedule, this seems too good to be true - that they would wait for you rather than picking someone who could go asap.

Has anyone been able to pick a ODS class that best fit their lease or any prior commitments? Here is the link I found: ODS information

For reference, I have already competed MEPS no waivers, I have a 4.0 gpa, and meet all requirements listed on the Navy's website for direct commission into this position.

I've been in the navy for 1 year

I was pulled in to seperations due to being diagnosed with BPD and recent suicide attempts.

A week ago I went UA for 12 days

I was told by separations they were not tracking my UA or expecting me to receive Mast but if I did it again I would receive a bad conduct discharge.

I was told by my LPO that legal was tracking my UA and I should go voluntarily discharge before I go to Mast to prevent bad conduct discharge.

I want to stay in if possible. Anyone go through something like this?

During this time of depression I realized I had much to live for, didn't want to to back, and that I was ungrateful and needed to appreciate the navy. I was very motivated to take the punishment for UA and start a clean slate, but now, after talking to my LPO the future looks bleak to me.

I'm a student so any advice helps.

Hello all. I am somebody who wishes to join the military, but want something more...spexialized. I was thinking SEALS for the navy. Now, physical shape is not an issue, as I used to do boxing back in the day and I still workout to this day.

Now you may ask: "Why are you posting this, then", and to that I answer that I have, unfortunately, not much luck when it comes to life. As such, even thought I've lived here a decade, and am a native Russian speaker, I still am a mere permanent resident, which isn't good enough for even military police. Infantry is bland, so is logistics. I wabt something...unique. You would think that with the enlistment numbers falling, and these massive bonuses they hand out to everybody, that they'd be pretty interested in somebody who knows a foreign language as exotic as Russian, or maybe the fact that I lived here longer than most green card holders, but no, apparently they think I will leak government info the second I get my hands on them, because I do not have their citizenship

Even if I were to get citizenship within a year of service, I hear it is very hard to try out for SEALS when switching MOS, so I will probably need to wait the entire 4 years before reenlisting, which is way too much time for me. I refuse to believe there is absolutely nothing I can do, and that I either serve 4 years, or wait 5 to become a naturalized citizen.

Please give me some advice

Hey all,

I'm starting the process and my recruiter asked me to look over job options/inform myself before letting them know what I want to go for. From what I understood, SWO positions are open for this year but IO positions are closed until mid next-year/boards got canceled this year. If anyone knows stuff/can talk about these positions and what they did it'd be appreciated!

A bit about me: I don't know too much about SWO but my own background is in foreign studies/finance (I speak a few of the critical/strategic languages fluently).

.gov entry level positions in those fields are pretty competitive nowadays, and I have gotten absolutely shanked on interviews because I have 0 work experience, so I'm looking to join for experience & the post 9/11 GI bill (planning to do law school afterwards). Ideally I am trying to set myself up for a fulfilling career that matches my interests/wouldn't seem like I picked something random when I apply for law schools.

I'm unsure if I should go for SWO or wait until IO positions open back up. Any advice? SWO could let me work with IO stuff/managerial stuff if I get OOD, but that sounds like a carrot they'd dangle in my face to try and convince me to sign for more years.

Not too sure on the timeline for this, but either way I'll take OAR soon so I'll focus on studying for that

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I finished bootcamp a couple months back now I’m trying to get separated I’m not built for the A school life style let alone in the fleet I’m an engineer rate and I’m in way over my head mental health decline how do you go about getting separated or what’s the best way?

Bootcamp washout here. I went to RTC Great Lakes back in January 2025, was put in SEPS a month after due to faking a suicidal ideation to get out. They slapped me with the RE4 code, narrative reasoning JFC (erroneous entry). A few months later, it became one of my biggest regrets.

I feel like a failure looking back on it and it's been eating me up, because serving my country was a dream career of mine since I was a kid. And unfortunately, I was the one who ruined it. Because of my RE4 code, the chances of me coming back are very slim which felt like a gut punch to learn about.

I've been in college for a little over a year now, working towards finishing my degree in Computer Science. However, the pain of regret still stings me in the chest every now and then. Because I threw away a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it's felt tough trying to move on. I do want to try and get the RE4 upgraded in the future after finishing college, but I'm feeling uncertain if doing so is a waste of time.

For anyone who's thinking about quitting bootcamp, don't. If you haven't shipped yet and don't feel your hearts in it, it's better to back out now than after shipping. The toughest pill I've had to swallow was sometimes, there is no second chance.

So I am an 18-year-old Future Sailor currently in DEP for the Nuclear Field. My original ship date to RTC is October 5th.
Recently, my recruiter informed me that my mother has been contacting my recruiting station directly. She is Belarusian and intensely opposed to the American military, panicking about me leaving, and has a plan to move to Belarus, and thinks I’m a traitor (I’ve live here in Massachusetts my whole life and literally have no ties to Belarus or Russia). Not only is she panicking or worrying, but she seems to genuinely believe that this decision will ruin my life, make my younger 10 year old brother want to join, and will ruin any chances of her living a normal life back in Belarus due to having a son in the US Military. According to my recruiters, she has been secretly collecting audio recordings of me inside her house during heated verbal family arguments (me getting angry/yelling) in an attempt to build a legal case to have me arrested or deemed unstable so the Navy will cancel my contract. Or at least that what my PO was told by the CPO who she had contacted.

What I’m really torn about is that this seems legit, I see no reason for the recruiters to make up bullshit like this. I’m leaving anyways in less than 50 days, and I’ve been in DEP like 6 months so why would I leave now. And why would they just make this up? It would cause unnecessary chaos during my final weeks here, and what would they gain from a lie like this? They say it’s safest to ship out earlier, but at earliest it would probably be mid September, so like only 20 days earlier? It makes no sense to make this up. Not only that but my dad (who I live with and divorced my mom 15 years ago) says that this lines up with shit she would do, as she tried to have him arrested before. But in the other hand, she’s my mom, I called her, let her know I was feeling really stressed (my recruiters said it’s probably best to not let her know that I know), and she seemed genuinely worried about me, and doesn’t at all seem like someone trying to get me arrested. Like she says we had a cape cod visit this weekend planned, and that she wanted to go on a cruise before I leave. It’s just a really confusing situation, what if the recruiters are lying? But if they aren’t then I don’t want to be with someone who is actively trying to sabotage my career.

Any advice would be helpful in navigating this situation, and if any of you are recruiters please let me know if something like this aligns with something you guys would actually do, I’m really stressed. Thank you.

Hello all, I just signed to the Navy for 4 years. I ship out on oct 15th and my job is IT any tips for a complete noob? I’d prefer tips specific to my job but would gladly take any general tips as well thanks!

I joined the DEP program for the Navy, I ship out in 2 weeks, in the month that I had I ran, did pushups, and did planks everyday, while getting my last touch of freedom so I went out and ate. I was 260 now 270….am I fucked? I told my recruiter but he said they’ll just make me run more which I’m fine with but scared I’m gonna be the biggest there and hold back the team. I can run like 1.5 in 23 minutes. I’m so fucked.

Hello all, I'm all done with the ASTB-E and have this prep book by Test Prep Books in case you need extra study material. I don't need it anymore but don't wanna throw it away. I used it for one day and filled in the first practice test only. Dm me if you want me a free book.

Full disclosure, it's really not the best guide. It lacks a lot of ANIT material, like a LOT, and the testing strategies it trains you for are outdated bc of the recently adopted adaptive testing that the ASTB-E uses nowadays. But all the info inside is relevant. It really likes to talk helicopters.

Anyways, first come first serve. Also happy to talk about my experience with the test.