Joining the Navy at 26?

>>18716981
Aircraft Carriers are tools of oppression.
You are a facist

>>18716986
Then a fascist I so shall be. Gladly to be one even, Mister.

>>18716981
>What's the best way I can prepare for this way of life?
Accept the fact that you will be fucked with a bit to see if you can handle pressure, and boredom.
But not too bad. My biggest issue was dealing with other new sailors, some were real shits.
But A school (where you learn your trade) was way better than I thought it would be and the guys on the boat were great.
I got out after 6 years, but I'm really glad I did it. It gave me a skill and I had some good times.

>>18716981
no advice here OP but just wanna say i'm in your shoes. friend of mine is in the airforce and told me to join but the fact that i have a GED means i ahve to get some odd college hours and make a "high" passing test least what a recruiter told me. seems like a few extra hoops to jump through compared to the navy.

Currently still in. It honestly depends on what your job is and where you go. Regardless its a good place to pick up a skill.

>>18717089
>"high" passing test least
If you have a GED instead of a High School diploma you have to score higher on the ASVAB. It's a test of "trainability" basically an IQ test.

>>18717081
In what way were you messed with? Are you talking in terms of boot camp or during deployment?

>>18717092
It might sound a bit nuts...but my dream has been to serve on an Aircraft carrier as a bowsteins mate. I'm not entirely sure if that qualifies as a trade but I'm going to be pushing for it hard.

>>18716981
>In what way were you messed with? Are you talking in terms of boot camp or during deployment?
Boot camp.
Mostly giving you shit or extra duty for things that are in no way your fault. It teaches you to accept whatever without bitching.
On deployment
If there is anything that really bothers you, like talking about your sister or whatever, everybody will do it continuously just to watch you spin up. The madder you get, the more they will do it. The way out is to act like nothing bothers you. "Hey, I'm going to fuck your sister in the ass." just answer Dude everybody fucks my sister in the ass.

I'm a nuclear reactor operator on an aircraft carrier. Been in the Navy for >5 yrs, on the ship for >3 years.

First of all, at first, your pay will be shit. I actually recommend this https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/07/25/50-jobs-over-50000-without-a-degree-part-1/

But go ahead, AMA about the Navy.

>>18716981
>bowstein
bosun
You'll spend a lot of time chipping paint and painting, but you can work your way up to running one of the small boats.
An aircraft carrier would be epic, city on the water.
I was the opposite, in a submarine, little space and you see the same few people all of the time.

>>18717150
>I'm a nuclear reactor operator on an aircraft carrier.
The EOOW asks the sailors in maneuvering what 1 + 2 is.
The throttle man answers 12!
The EO counts on his fingers and says 3 (hold all fingers orthogonal to each other).
The RO pulls out a calculator and says 3.00000000
The ELT looks back and says "What do you need it to be?"

When I looked into joining myself, 6 years ago (age 19), they told me that I had to enroll in a semester worth of college classes, like 12 units, in order to qualify (I had a GED). They don't really like GED drop-outs, it seems.

>>18717150
- How long are your deployments, typically?

- After a long deployment have you found any sort of difficulty reconnecting with your friends and loved ones?

- Is it possible to become an officer AFTER an initial enlistment? Can I go to school while enlisted and apply for a commission at a later date?

- Would you happen to know the basic promotion system for sailors in Flight Operations? Say I get in with just a GED; what opportunities would be available to me?

Thank you in advance!

>>18717175
>- Is it possible to become an officer AFTER an initial enlistment?
Not RO fag
You need a 4 year college degree to get a Commission. On board, once you get qualified in your job, you can spend time taking college classes, generally for free. Some guys get a whole 4 year degree that way, but most get a 2 year degree or just some of the required courses done.
If you do get the 4 year degree, then you can apply for OCS. If they need your specialty and you have good grades you get in easily.
Most guys that succeed get 1-2 years of college in the Navy while enlisted, get out, go to school full time to finish their degree, and join NROTC. Once done, you get a Commission. Once you start college, no one cares if you have a GED or a high school diploma.

>>18717172
>They don't really like GED drop-outs, it seems.
If you get a semester of college with passing grades, then you don't need to have the higher ASVAB score that just a GED requires. They're trying to determine if you have a GED because you're not very smart, or whether something else in your life forced it. Either a very high ASVAB or a successful semester in college shows that.

Civilian here.

I'm in a navy town, San Diego, and have known many folks in or out of the navy. About 4/5 of them told me that they overall regretted it. Most enlisted jobs suck, and unless you're a smartypants, then you are going to get a shit job with shit pay. They told me that being away on deployments, up to 3-4 months without a stop at a port, can really drive you to the point of insanity. Everyone has a one track mind when they dock somewhere: get smashed on booze and fuck some cheap hookers. What else...? Supposedly, it can get really stinky, especially on the big aircraft carriers. Most of the enlists are retards straight out of high school, so it very much feels like a continuation of high school. You'll get bored not being able to use the internet. Most of your daily tasks will be menial, and you'll have so much downtime with nothing to do, that you'll just fold your clothes over and over (maybe that guy was autistic).

So yeah, they consensus was, it really wasn't worth it, especially if you're planning on getting in and out right away. With all the grants and scholarships nowadays, the G.I. bill is hardly worth it.

>>18717194
Don't they want retards for 90% of the jobs available, which are grunt jobs? I think studies have shown that smarter people are more likely to question orders, and not be so trigger happy. Supposedly, city police departments will discriminate against smart cadets because of this.

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>>18717150
>- How long are your deployments, typically?
6-8 months but there are a lot of 1 month outings.
>- After a long deployment have you found any sort of difficulty reconnecting with your friends and loved ones?
Yes, a lot of people's marriages get strained heavily on deployment. A lot of divorces, a lot of cheating. You can keep connected with your family and friends through email though. They can also send and receive care packages. Takes a month or so. Gotta really be creative like record yourself reading stories for your kids so they don't forget you.
>- Is it possible to become an officer AFTER an initial enlistment? Can I go to school while enlisted and apply for a commission at a later date?
Yes but unlikely. It's significantly more difficult.
>- Would you happen to know the basic promotion system for sailors in Flight Operations? Say I get in with just a GED; what opportunities would be available to me?
Each rate has it's own promotion statistics. Let's say that it's 50%. Your promotion standing depends on an evaluation done by your superiors, rewards you get mostly based on luck, and your ability to get right answers on the advancement exam. For example, if you score in the 60th percentile, you advance. Your GED doesn't matter at all. College experience doesn't matter at all.
>Thank you in advance!
Pic unrelated.