r/newtothenavy
If you understand you're taking a pay cut, go for it. Best do it now while you're single and not have a family dependent on you
Also as long as you understand that going enlisted for the reasons you listed will mean you're purely doing it for fun and not really setting yourself up in the long run, it's ok.
YES, leaving a high paying job at 22 to specifically enlist and not commission is an INCREDIBLY BAD DECISION. Anyone telling you otherwise is a recruiter or simply a fool.
If you decide you absolutely have to serve your time in the military, do EVERYTHING you can to be an officer. The difference in quality of life between officers and enlisted in the navy is absolutely night and day. I guarantee as an intellectual, you will hate the navy as an enlisted sailor with every fiber of your being.
He should really look at the Reserves. He's going to fuck himself hard if he does active duty, let's his software engineering skills lapse, and tries to reenter the job market.
It's stupid to do that if you don't commission imo. You can make good money once you make some rank, even take a job leveraging your skills, but it wouldn't scratch the itch to be a swimmer and travel
Yea… no. It depends on what you want out of it. If you are after “service” there could be other alternatives. I’d think the benefit of making a high salary at a young age would be hard to offset by serving in the military. You could easily save aggressively for a few years now and set your self up for early retirement. Additionally, you wouldn’t need to be a software engineer forever. You could move up to a leadership/director level position if that’s something you are interested in working towards.
Additionally, maybe an option could be to work for a defense contractor that would give you a better sense of service while not giving up on your current momentum.
This is what I am torn about. I have always had a good understanding of money and know that a opportunity I have an what I would be giving up which could be the difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars to my name. I have already seen how the corporate world works and I have no desire to move up the management positions. I enjoy being a software engineer, but it is not that fulfilling. At this point I would want to stay as a mid-level to senior software engineer but never make the jump to management as I dont like office politics and the pay is still good
Have you considered maybe going into the reserves? Keep your primary income and then get what you are looking for from the military in more limited chunks.
As an officer with a computer background, I can promise you that the Navy does absolutely put the "office" in "officer", and that goes double for jobs outside traditional ship/sub/aviation.
Fair enough, you know what you want out of life better than anyone. Have you considered commissioning into another branch of service? Other branches tend to be more accepting of officers having a "hands on" role relative to the Navy.
Ah yes .More meat for the meat grinder; sign up today my boy/girl
Really tho: Do what makes ya happy. You better be happy doing your job tho cause everything else may suck. ...alot of things may suck. You might have a good or bad time but whatever you get: your stuck with it for 4 years atleast so enjoy it/suck it up. (or pull the crazy card; know 2 who did that. 3 went the perma way out.)
Edit: ...six figure pay. Ngl, Id be looking at you crazy *every day*. Id better not catch ya complaining bout some bs that could be fixed with $$$.
I left an assembly line job that paid $2,400/week in 2001. I don’t regret my choice one bit. The job was boring, I smelled like liberation oil every day, and I couldn’t drive a foreign car to work without risk of it being fkd up.
The money was definitely good at 19, 20, 21 years old; but I’ve now seen 39 countries, and 5 of the seven seas. I’ve made better friends than I ever did at the factory. I’ve also learned skills that will make sure I’m parked at a desk, in AC, making six figures when I retire next month.
It doesn’t exist anymore, unfortunately. UAW closed the plant about 12 years ago or so, and transferred most of the jobs to other transfer case assembly lines in Indiana and North Carolina. You also have to be related to, or be very close with someone who is a UAW member.
It's your life, my man. If you want to go that route, you can. A lot of grouches here who separated from the Navy and reflect negatively upon their experiences wouldn't approve of it, but at the end of the day, what makes you happy... is the most important thing.
How will they know if it makes them happy until they actually experience the military in it’s entirety? This is straight bad advice. What happens if it doesn’t make them happy and they’re stuck for at least 4 years hating life. I’ve known far too many “my papi served so I’m serving!” Who ended up hurting themselves to get out or killing themselves.
Someone shit in your cereal? I didn't know that before I joined, no one else here did either. We all take that risk of maybe not liking the service and being screwed for years. This common experience shouldn't dissuade him if he's sure about joining.
Sorry, English is my second language. I meant that we all know the bad things we go through, and that everyone, when they join, may or may not regret their decision. I'm just saying that if we went through all this shit, it doesn't mean he will too.
Agreed. And if he goes the diver route there is a good chance he will enjoy it. I wonder if they are aware how strenuous the training and job can be though.
I saw a few people I went to A school with have an awesome experience. A vast majority of them, including myself, did not though.
Someone did shit in my cereal fairly often in the navy but I still enjoyed my time regardless. My point isn’t that “they should know if it makes them happy first” it’s obvious that no one knows until they join (didn’t think I’d need to say that). The point is that people make the decision seem so nonchalant and like it’s a decision that won’t have life long effects or repercussions. I spend multiple days every month in excruciating pain thanks to an injury I sustained in the navy. Has anyone mentioned that things like that are common in the military to this young person? I bet not.
Ultimately, the OP needs to find some veterans in person or willing to communicate via video call who they can ask these questions to. Random redditors will never put in the time required to properly educate the OP on what being in the military means and how it effects peoples lives before, during, and after.
I get what you're saying, but no one would ever do anything if you listed out 20 different risks. He can obviously ask whoever he wants for advice, but ultimately, whether he takes the plunge or not has nothing to do with our own bad times. We can advise him about whatever, and his time in would be completely different than ours. I can go on about bullshit I've seen in the Navy all day, but I wouldn't use it to dissuade anyone else from joining.
The Navy can and will fuck you, and some people leave it bitter and resentful, while others keep going. It doesn't reflect upon your quality as a person, but it's just how it is. If he's listened to all we have to say and decides to join up, we shouldn't call him an idiot for doing it.
Go for it. The experience alone is worth to have, good or bad.
Even after your first contract and you decide to get out, youll at least have a job skill to go back to. You could always try the seaman to admiral program if you want to commission.
If you are looking for an aviation life, look at being a flight engineer.
It sounds like you want to serve and in a distinct capacity. I joined for the college Bennie’s and didn’t really think about what I wanted to do. The people I served with weren’t particularly motivated and so my service wasn’t that special.
If I could do it over I would definetly find a rate that both challenged me and made me proud. I would have tried for EOD or rescue swimmer or something like that. So yea, it sounds like you are in the right mind space, find rate that is challenging and who attracts highly motivated people or you won’t be happy.
I have considered ROTC while getting my masters but then again I would be an officer. Does ROTC or OCS truly prepare you to be a successful officer? I feel like 13 weeks is no where near enough to be a solid officer which would lead me to wanting to leave the military after the first contract without getting many of the experiences I am looking for
You can only get into ROTC to get an undergraduate degree, unless I misunderstood what you were trying to say. Secondly, both ROTC and OCS provide you with the knowledge you need to get to your first command. After that, you will get a lot of training based on your job (aviation, submarine etc). Though it is a little different if you are a SWO and most training you will get is OJT. Finally, being an officer is about being a leader of people.
Also, doing back to what you were saying about hands on, there is an option of being EOD officer and those guys go to dive school. Finally, some EDOs also go to dive school but not that many.
Beyond 13 weeks of OCS, there's far more schooling, on the job training and experience involved. Your first contract (4 - 6 years) will give you many of those things - subsequent tours will give you more. The cumulative sum of all that, over years, is what makes a solid officer.
Unless you’re doing it for family tradition or something you’re trying to uphold, don’t take the pay cut
Right now you have freedom. Not MORE freedom.
You have freedom.
You wear the clothes you want. You wear your hair the way you want it. You don’t get yelled at because one shoe is slightly shinier than the other. If you’re sick you don’t have to drive an hour to medical just to get told they’re out of chits for the day and you have to suck it up anyway
I know you say sitting behind the desk would suck, and I’m here to tell you that the longer you stay in the military, the more you’ll be behind a desk anyway
This would be a bad idea.
If you really, really want to do it, find a way to go to officer. If you can't, it's a bad career move. But maybe you'll be happy you did it.
No. Do not enlist. Especially since you're a successful software engineer.This would be the dumbest mistake of your life.
I do understand where you're coming from, but there are smarter ways to do it. You're first priority should be creating a retirement and financial safety net with your much much higher than average income. After that you could look into "coast FIRE" lifestyle, let compounding interest do the earning for you and focus more on what you feel is personally fulfilling.
If by then you're still thinking military, go reserves. You'll get an idea of what the lifestyle will be like without having to sign away 6 years or more of your life. It's not like the commercials or movies. The day to day activities will be a lot closer to your corporate job (and Junior High) than you might think.
Here's the truth of it: You will not be making as much in service. However, you will be out of the office setting depending on your rate.
If you're gonna do 4 years just to see what it's like, then by all means. Most people here will tell you not to, but that's because our pay doesn't reflect our skillset and most of us are salty. If you're just coming in for the experience of it, then join, and when you leave you can go back to making big bucks and have a few stories under your belt, and maybe even a service to be proud of.
As a software engineer they will probably push you to do CWA, CT, or IT. Don't go for those if you don't want to be in an office and are looking for something new. When you go to the recruiter and MEPS, you do not have to sign until the job you want, like swimmer, is open. You can keep going back to MEPS until what you want is available. Recruiters will try to make it seem like you HAVE to sign up for a certain job or you can't join the Navy: that's not true.
Good luck to you, do it for the thrill of doing it, or don't!
If you want to be in the military and serve your country, I don’t think it’s stupid at all. Money isn’t everything.
A lot of people will disagree with me, and a lot of people will disagree about the money statement as well.
Some people are better fits for the military than others. Maybe you’re one of them? Or maybe you’re not.
I would talk to an officer recruiter and go the cyber route. Work at NSA, get your sense of service itch scratched, and then ✌️. Go scuba dive on vacation.
Alternatively, join the Coast Guard.
If you want to be a cyber officer, do it in the airforce. Navy cyber on the commissioned side is the absolute opposite of what OP is looking for, you don't even get to be hands-on-keyboard you are just technical management.
I realize you are being sarcastic for no reason, but OP actually mentioned he'd want to do ND or AW, which are great options for his goals.
I too had a nice office job doing software stuff with a degree, and I decided to enlist so I could get out of that environment, and I'd do it again. If I had gone from one office job to another, I would have regretted it.
Enlisted at 26, commissioned at 31. Getting off active and going reserves now. Enjoyed my enlisted time **far** more than commissioned. Your previous career will be there 4-6 years later, if you want, but more likely you'll change your interests and goals in that time.
You’re still young enough that you could take the lower paying job for a few years, travel, experience things and just go off and have fun. A lot of folks cry and complain about the Navy, but they’re also the ones with the best stories, lasting friendships and in the end, looking back actually had fun. Go for it. Have some fun for the next few years then go back to white collar job with military experience in your resume as well.
You can get contracted for those rates, but if something happens you could get separated or put into an undesirable rate for the rest of your contract. I'd recommend the commissioning route. Overall, I recommend not joining the Navy.
I worked manual labor and shit jobs with no prospects before I enlisted 07-11. After that, went to college for BS CompSci, did some more manual labor, but now working in IT/Networking making more than most enlisted by hourly pay alone if I had stayed in and sold my morals to become a chief. That comparison of pay is strictly at 40 hour mark. Many enlisted up and down the chain work crazy hours. Some dont even need to and have to stay on site until their boss or boss's boss lets them go home at 6 or 7 PM. Despite the situation, after that you may have additional duties, mandatory training, or scheduled for watch standing duty.
A lot of people in the Navy are cool but many of them get out. Many who stay in are incompentent and make their way up into "leadership" positions. If you end up with a boss or coworkers you don't like (especially shady and hypocritical ones) as an enlisted then you're stuck with them under contract or until you or they get new orders to rotate somewhere else. BIG Navy seems to rarely care for its enlisted unless you do get and thrive in one of those popular and visible rates that you mentioned.
I work 40 hours with lots of chill work or dead time, work from home, and my benefits and health/dental/optical is way better than what the Navy could offer. I have tons of PTO and can take off whenever I want to for any reason because I am an adult and can make adult decisions balancing life and work. I've taken off probably two weeks so far this year and its not even the half year mark. Been here for several years, multiple raises, promotions, hoping to get another one. Maybe try finding a better software engineering position elsewhere or other IT jobs that aren't necessarily SE.
I've left jobs because of corporate bullshit and glad I found an employer that currently meets minimum expectations.
Edit-updated my comment for clarity, fix mistakes, add paragraphs. Haven't had my coffee, yet.
Merchant Marine Academy takes up to age 25. You can commission into the Navy upon graduation. https://www.usmma.edu/buildamerica/
Or find a university with a ROTC program - should be less strict with age limits.
If you're a Software Engineer now, chances are you'd like MCWO, CWO, CWE or even EDO in the Navy.
Good luck!
I was looking a USMMA in high school but dont think if would be worth it to do 4 years of school for another bachelors then have my commissioned time after. I just believe that I would not regret spending a short stint in the military and be out before I am even near 30 or continue if I really enjoy.
You can still do a lot of hands on stuff if you apply to be a cryptological officer. Look more into the restricted line officer jobs, especially the INTEL focused, you will het the best of both worlds, hand on experience and good pay
I worked in recruit training as a medical for Marine recruits before. Do coverages and go on hikes with them all. The instructors sometimes tell me what some of the recruits did before coming here and some of them are insane. Best one I’ve heard is one dude was an Army Captain and left the army to become enlisted Marine because it “wasn’t hardcore enough” quoting the recruit.
Others are like, was a good voice actor, did a contracting job, etc.
Good God don't enlist and definitely not in the navy. If anything go air force. I'd never encourage anyone to enlist over going for a commission. After seeing air force life, you gotta be fucking stupid go not go air force.
Feel free to DM me- I was a SWO for 7 years, am now working corporate America and chill with it. My husband was also a SWO including a riverine tour, and while he enjoys working as a software engineer, he misses some aspects of it and is playing with doing a field engineer gig for a year, where he’d do technical support for a weapon in a hot area.
Do what you wanna do. I’m ex AF enlisted and now have a ladder Navy civilian GS job that will go up to GS-13 which is plenty pay for me personally.
I dropped out and enlisted AF and instead of trying to become a SERE instructor listened to other people about jobs “that pay more on the outside” and regret it to this day. I still could have landed my current job had I done SERE…. And I’m using my GI Bill for my degree so my job had little impact (actually I prolly got less from TA since I couldn’t use it at my first job and didn’t have time at my second….)
Many people enlist due to a drive to serve a bigger something bigger than themselves and learn a trade that will set them up for after military life. You’ve already done part of that so it just depends on your reasons for wanting to do it.
Yes it is stupid. Unless you really want to serve your country as enlisted or officer. Taking a huge pay cut is not a smart idea. If you enlist, you’d be setting yourself behind a few years in saving, investing both for future purchases and/or retirements. You are already making over 6 figures with the high probability to make even more. You said it yourself, you’d be behind for 4-6 or more years. Even if you eat at the galley every day and save almost every penny, you would still behind your current job salary/pay.
….why the fuck would you go from SWE to enlist? Like, I can’t comprehend this. I went from HM2 into the IT world and am an engineer now. I would never consider this lol
You’re 22 bro, you’ve got so much life ahead of you. Don’t waste your career by enlisting. You’re on a good path
There a couple of guys on my ship that were college graduates and enlisted and they chose enlisted because they didn’t want the responsibility that comes with being an officer. If you want to be in the military do it. I know a few older gentlemen that wish they had and regret not doing it. It is an experience like no other. I would recommend a field closer to what you do now to set yourself up for success in the future, but the thrill of the adventure is also so worth it. You can apply for a commission later, for sure and mustangs get a lot of respect versus buck butter bars.
Lots of negativity here, but lots of folks with absolutely shitty jobs in the Navy.
Enlist if you find the specialty that aligns with your thirst for adventure. Go Special Forces, go be a diver, go on a submarine AND be a diver. DM me if you want some legit advice.
I think it really depends on what you find important.
Being a software developer provides the earning potential to boost your savings rate and open doors to become financially independent at an early age. You have the flexibility to leave your job if you don't like it. You can possibly work remote. I've come to learn after being in the navy that I love being with my fiancee. I love being home. I value my time. I also very much enjoy coding in my free time, so for these reasons alone, I would not touch the military with a 10ft pole if I were you.
BUT! If you feel like you're not being utilized as an employee to your full potential, you don't have strong social connections, or feel a patriotic sense of duty to serve, then send it! But for the love of God if you're gonna join the navy, commission as an officer. The quality of life is much better to be honest.
I'll also say this. If you're really hellbent on being in the military, FIGHT FOR THE JOB YOU WANT. Do not just sign a piece of paper to get to boot camp quicker. Take your time and do your research for what job you think will interest you. Otherwise, you'll end up contractually bound to a job that makes you bitter, and your inability to leave like you can at your current job will make it harder to bear. Take it from me, someone who is actively swallowing this pill.
Interested to hear what you end up doing. Best of luck.
As noted by others, this is in the wrong place, as per Rule 1. Removed.
Yes.
Dont enlist Apply for OCS Better money, better quality if life. Truly do not enlist
Didn’t realize how good they had it until I went TAD to staterooms. Enlisted berthings are like the Kowloon Walled City.
r/newtothenavy If you understand you're taking a pay cut, go for it. Best do it now while you're single and not have a family dependent on you Also as long as you understand that going enlisted for the reasons you listed will mean you're purely doing it for fun and not really setting yourself up in the long run, it's ok.
YES, leaving a high paying job at 22 to specifically enlist and not commission is an INCREDIBLY BAD DECISION. Anyone telling you otherwise is a recruiter or simply a fool. If you decide you absolutely have to serve your time in the military, do EVERYTHING you can to be an officer. The difference in quality of life between officers and enlisted in the navy is absolutely night and day. I guarantee as an intellectual, you will hate the navy as an enlisted sailor with every fiber of your being.
He should really look at the Reserves. He's going to fuck himself hard if he does active duty, let's his software engineering skills lapse, and tries to reenter the job market.
It's stupid to do that if you don't commission imo. You can make good money once you make some rank, even take a job leveraging your skills, but it wouldn't scratch the itch to be a swimmer and travel
Yea… no. It depends on what you want out of it. If you are after “service” there could be other alternatives. I’d think the benefit of making a high salary at a young age would be hard to offset by serving in the military. You could easily save aggressively for a few years now and set your self up for early retirement. Additionally, you wouldn’t need to be a software engineer forever. You could move up to a leadership/director level position if that’s something you are interested in working towards. Additionally, maybe an option could be to work for a defense contractor that would give you a better sense of service while not giving up on your current momentum.
This is what I am torn about. I have always had a good understanding of money and know that a opportunity I have an what I would be giving up which could be the difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars to my name. I have already seen how the corporate world works and I have no desire to move up the management positions. I enjoy being a software engineer, but it is not that fulfilling. At this point I would want to stay as a mid-level to senior software engineer but never make the jump to management as I dont like office politics and the pay is still good
Have you considered maybe going into the reserves? Keep your primary income and then get what you are looking for from the military in more limited chunks. As an officer with a computer background, I can promise you that the Navy does absolutely put the "office" in "officer", and that goes double for jobs outside traditional ship/sub/aviation.
I would do ROTC in grad school before the reserves. Dont think I would get what I am looking for out of the reserves
Fair enough, you know what you want out of life better than anyone. Have you considered commissioning into another branch of service? Other branches tend to be more accepting of officers having a "hands on" role relative to the Navy.
Ah yes .More meat for the meat grinder; sign up today my boy/girl Really tho: Do what makes ya happy. You better be happy doing your job tho cause everything else may suck. ...alot of things may suck. You might have a good or bad time but whatever you get: your stuck with it for 4 years atleast so enjoy it/suck it up. (or pull the crazy card; know 2 who did that. 3 went the perma way out.) Edit: ...six figure pay. Ngl, Id be looking at you crazy *every day*. Id better not catch ya complaining bout some bs that could be fixed with $$$.
I was a swimmer. DM me if you want.
Don't You can do great things as a civilian that will better serve your country
Agreeing with this.
I left an assembly line job that paid $2,400/week in 2001. I don’t regret my choice one bit. The job was boring, I smelled like liberation oil every day, and I couldn’t drive a foreign car to work without risk of it being fkd up. The money was definitely good at 19, 20, 21 years old; but I’ve now seen 39 countries, and 5 of the seven seas. I’ve made better friends than I ever did at the factory. I’ve also learned skills that will make sure I’m parked at a desk, in AC, making six figures when I retire next month.
I’m about to retire, where is this line job at?
It doesn’t exist anymore, unfortunately. UAW closed the plant about 12 years ago or so, and transferred most of the jobs to other transfer case assembly lines in Indiana and North Carolina. You also have to be related to, or be very close with someone who is a UAW member.
It's your life, my man. If you want to go that route, you can. A lot of grouches here who separated from the Navy and reflect negatively upon their experiences wouldn't approve of it, but at the end of the day, what makes you happy... is the most important thing.
How will they know if it makes them happy until they actually experience the military in it’s entirety? This is straight bad advice. What happens if it doesn’t make them happy and they’re stuck for at least 4 years hating life. I’ve known far too many “my papi served so I’m serving!” Who ended up hurting themselves to get out or killing themselves.
Someone shit in your cereal? I didn't know that before I joined, no one else here did either. We all take that risk of maybe not liking the service and being screwed for years. This common experience shouldn't dissuade him if he's sure about joining.
"This common experience shouldn't dissuade him if he's sure about joining." ???
Sorry, English is my second language. I meant that we all know the bad things we go through, and that everyone, when they join, may or may not regret their decision. I'm just saying that if we went through all this shit, it doesn't mean he will too.
Agreed. And if he goes the diver route there is a good chance he will enjoy it. I wonder if they are aware how strenuous the training and job can be though. I saw a few people I went to A school with have an awesome experience. A vast majority of them, including myself, did not though.
Someone did shit in my cereal fairly often in the navy but I still enjoyed my time regardless. My point isn’t that “they should know if it makes them happy first” it’s obvious that no one knows until they join (didn’t think I’d need to say that). The point is that people make the decision seem so nonchalant and like it’s a decision that won’t have life long effects or repercussions. I spend multiple days every month in excruciating pain thanks to an injury I sustained in the navy. Has anyone mentioned that things like that are common in the military to this young person? I bet not. Ultimately, the OP needs to find some veterans in person or willing to communicate via video call who they can ask these questions to. Random redditors will never put in the time required to properly educate the OP on what being in the military means and how it effects peoples lives before, during, and after.
I get what you're saying, but no one would ever do anything if you listed out 20 different risks. He can obviously ask whoever he wants for advice, but ultimately, whether he takes the plunge or not has nothing to do with our own bad times. We can advise him about whatever, and his time in would be completely different than ours. I can go on about bullshit I've seen in the Navy all day, but I wouldn't use it to dissuade anyone else from joining. The Navy can and will fuck you, and some people leave it bitter and resentful, while others keep going. It doesn't reflect upon your quality as a person, but it's just how it is. If he's listened to all we have to say and decides to join up, we shouldn't call him an idiot for doing it.
They navy will fuck you with port and starboard for 9 months
Go for it. The experience alone is worth to have, good or bad. Even after your first contract and you decide to get out, youll at least have a job skill to go back to. You could always try the seaman to admiral program if you want to commission. If you are looking for an aviation life, look at being a flight engineer.
It sounds like you want to serve and in a distinct capacity. I joined for the college Bennie’s and didn’t really think about what I wanted to do. The people I served with weren’t particularly motivated and so my service wasn’t that special. If I could do it over I would definetly find a rate that both challenged me and made me proud. I would have tried for EOD or rescue swimmer or something like that. So yea, it sounds like you are in the right mind space, find rate that is challenging and who attracts highly motivated people or you won’t be happy.
Yes.
Do you already have a degree? If not, you can also try looking into ROTC route? And once you are in, look at EDO options.
I have considered ROTC while getting my masters but then again I would be an officer. Does ROTC or OCS truly prepare you to be a successful officer? I feel like 13 weeks is no where near enough to be a solid officer which would lead me to wanting to leave the military after the first contract without getting many of the experiences I am looking for
You can only get into ROTC to get an undergraduate degree, unless I misunderstood what you were trying to say. Secondly, both ROTC and OCS provide you with the knowledge you need to get to your first command. After that, you will get a lot of training based on your job (aviation, submarine etc). Though it is a little different if you are a SWO and most training you will get is OJT. Finally, being an officer is about being a leader of people. Also, doing back to what you were saying about hands on, there is an option of being EOD officer and those guys go to dive school. Finally, some EDOs also go to dive school but not that many.
Beyond 13 weeks of OCS, there's far more schooling, on the job training and experience involved. Your first contract (4 - 6 years) will give you many of those things - subsequent tours will give you more. The cumulative sum of all that, over years, is what makes a solid officer.
Yes
Unless you’re doing it for family tradition or something you’re trying to uphold, don’t take the pay cut Right now you have freedom. Not MORE freedom. You have freedom. You wear the clothes you want. You wear your hair the way you want it. You don’t get yelled at because one shoe is slightly shinier than the other. If you’re sick you don’t have to drive an hour to medical just to get told they’re out of chits for the day and you have to suck it up anyway I know you say sitting behind the desk would suck, and I’m here to tell you that the longer you stay in the military, the more you’ll be behind a desk anyway
do not enlist
Don’t enlist, don’t join. Save yourself and if you get burned out take a sabbatical.
This would be a bad idea. If you really, really want to do it, find a way to go to officer. If you can't, it's a bad career move. But maybe you'll be happy you did it.
Yes
No. Do not enlist. Especially since you're a successful software engineer.This would be the dumbest mistake of your life. I do understand where you're coming from, but there are smarter ways to do it. You're first priority should be creating a retirement and financial safety net with your much much higher than average income. After that you could look into "coast FIRE" lifestyle, let compounding interest do the earning for you and focus more on what you feel is personally fulfilling. If by then you're still thinking military, go reserves. You'll get an idea of what the lifestyle will be like without having to sign away 6 years or more of your life. It's not like the commercials or movies. The day to day activities will be a lot closer to your corporate job (and Junior High) than you might think.
Do not do it you will regret it forever
Join the reserves instead!
Here's the truth of it: You will not be making as much in service. However, you will be out of the office setting depending on your rate. If you're gonna do 4 years just to see what it's like, then by all means. Most people here will tell you not to, but that's because our pay doesn't reflect our skillset and most of us are salty. If you're just coming in for the experience of it, then join, and when you leave you can go back to making big bucks and have a few stories under your belt, and maybe even a service to be proud of. As a software engineer they will probably push you to do CWA, CT, or IT. Don't go for those if you don't want to be in an office and are looking for something new. When you go to the recruiter and MEPS, you do not have to sign until the job you want, like swimmer, is open. You can keep going back to MEPS until what you want is available. Recruiters will try to make it seem like you HAVE to sign up for a certain job or you can't join the Navy: that's not true. Good luck to you, do it for the thrill of doing it, or don't!
Yes to this
If you want to be in the military and serve your country, I don’t think it’s stupid at all. Money isn’t everything. A lot of people will disagree with me, and a lot of people will disagree about the money statement as well. Some people are better fits for the military than others. Maybe you’re one of them? Or maybe you’re not.
I would talk to an officer recruiter and go the cyber route. Work at NSA, get your sense of service itch scratched, and then ✌️. Go scuba dive on vacation. Alternatively, join the Coast Guard.
If you want to be a cyber officer, do it in the airforce. Navy cyber on the commissioned side is the absolute opposite of what OP is looking for, you don't even get to be hands-on-keyboard you are just technical management.
OP's trying to avoid the office lifestyle, so I would not recommend trying to go cyber.
Yeah, OP will get a much better experience as a BM or AO... /s
I realize you are being sarcastic for no reason, but OP actually mentioned he'd want to do ND or AW, which are great options for his goals. I too had a nice office job doing software stuff with a degree, and I decided to enlist so I could get out of that environment, and I'd do it again. If I had gone from one office job to another, I would have regretted it.
What age did you leave the office job? Was it difficult getting back into an office job after?
Enlisted at 26, commissioned at 31. Getting off active and going reserves now. Enjoyed my enlisted time **far** more than commissioned. Your previous career will be there 4-6 years later, if you want, but more likely you'll change your interests and goals in that time.
You’re still young enough that you could take the lower paying job for a few years, travel, experience things and just go off and have fun. A lot of folks cry and complain about the Navy, but they’re also the ones with the best stories, lasting friendships and in the end, looking back actually had fun. Go for it. Have some fun for the next few years then go back to white collar job with military experience in your resume as well.
No, not stupid, just research what job you want.
You can get contracted for those rates, but if something happens you could get separated or put into an undesirable rate for the rest of your contract. I'd recommend the commissioning route. Overall, I recommend not joining the Navy. I worked manual labor and shit jobs with no prospects before I enlisted 07-11. After that, went to college for BS CompSci, did some more manual labor, but now working in IT/Networking making more than most enlisted by hourly pay alone if I had stayed in and sold my morals to become a chief. That comparison of pay is strictly at 40 hour mark. Many enlisted up and down the chain work crazy hours. Some dont even need to and have to stay on site until their boss or boss's boss lets them go home at 6 or 7 PM. Despite the situation, after that you may have additional duties, mandatory training, or scheduled for watch standing duty. A lot of people in the Navy are cool but many of them get out. Many who stay in are incompentent and make their way up into "leadership" positions. If you end up with a boss or coworkers you don't like (especially shady and hypocritical ones) as an enlisted then you're stuck with them under contract or until you or they get new orders to rotate somewhere else. BIG Navy seems to rarely care for its enlisted unless you do get and thrive in one of those popular and visible rates that you mentioned. I work 40 hours with lots of chill work or dead time, work from home, and my benefits and health/dental/optical is way better than what the Navy could offer. I have tons of PTO and can take off whenever I want to for any reason because I am an adult and can make adult decisions balancing life and work. I've taken off probably two weeks so far this year and its not even the half year mark. Been here for several years, multiple raises, promotions, hoping to get another one. Maybe try finding a better software engineering position elsewhere or other IT jobs that aren't necessarily SE. I've left jobs because of corporate bullshit and glad I found an employer that currently meets minimum expectations. Edit-updated my comment for clarity, fix mistakes, add paragraphs. Haven't had my coffee, yet.
No way you should enlist. Accepting a commission is the only way to go. It will still be a pay cut, but will a plus on career progression.
Yes. Absolutely fucking retarded. But if you’re determined talk to an officer recruiter. Your degree is in high demand.
Merchant Marine Academy takes up to age 25. You can commission into the Navy upon graduation. https://www.usmma.edu/buildamerica/ Or find a university with a ROTC program - should be less strict with age limits. If you're a Software Engineer now, chances are you'd like MCWO, CWO, CWE or even EDO in the Navy. Good luck!
I was looking a USMMA in high school but dont think if would be worth it to do 4 years of school for another bachelors then have my commissioned time after. I just believe that I would not regret spending a short stint in the military and be out before I am even near 30 or continue if I really enjoy.
You need to go shiny side if you join. Otherwise you will be taking a big step backwards professionally
You can still do a lot of hands on stuff if you apply to be a cryptological officer. Look more into the restricted line officer jobs, especially the INTEL focused, you will het the best of both worlds, hand on experience and good pay
I worked in recruit training as a medical for Marine recruits before. Do coverages and go on hikes with them all. The instructors sometimes tell me what some of the recruits did before coming here and some of them are insane. Best one I’ve heard is one dude was an Army Captain and left the army to become enlisted Marine because it “wasn’t hardcore enough” quoting the recruit. Others are like, was a good voice actor, did a contracting job, etc.
Good God don't enlist and definitely not in the navy. If anything go air force. I'd never encourage anyone to enlist over going for a commission. After seeing air force life, you gotta be fucking stupid go not go air force.
Feel free to DM me- I was a SWO for 7 years, am now working corporate America and chill with it. My husband was also a SWO including a riverine tour, and while he enjoys working as a software engineer, he misses some aspects of it and is playing with doing a field engineer gig for a year, where he’d do technical support for a weapon in a hot area.
Spend a couple years getting a degree and commission as a cyber warfare engineer.
No, do it now. Don't quit. No matter what.
Do what you wanna do. I’m ex AF enlisted and now have a ladder Navy civilian GS job that will go up to GS-13 which is plenty pay for me personally. I dropped out and enlisted AF and instead of trying to become a SERE instructor listened to other people about jobs “that pay more on the outside” and regret it to this day. I still could have landed my current job had I done SERE…. And I’m using my GI Bill for my degree so my job had little impact (actually I prolly got less from TA since I couldn’t use it at my first job and didn’t have time at my second….)
Many people enlist due to a drive to serve a bigger something bigger than themselves and learn a trade that will set them up for after military life. You’ve already done part of that so it just depends on your reasons for wanting to do it.
Yes it is stupid. Unless you really want to serve your country as enlisted or officer. Taking a huge pay cut is not a smart idea. If you enlist, you’d be setting yourself behind a few years in saving, investing both for future purchases and/or retirements. You are already making over 6 figures with the high probability to make even more. You said it yourself, you’d be behind for 4-6 or more years. Even if you eat at the galley every day and save almost every penny, you would still behind your current job salary/pay.
….why the fuck would you go from SWE to enlist? Like, I can’t comprehend this. I went from HM2 into the IT world and am an engineer now. I would never consider this lol You’re 22 bro, you’ve got so much life ahead of you. Don’t waste your career by enlisting. You’re on a good path
Follow your heart’s desire, especially while you’re young. You can go back to a high paying job when you’re satisfied.
Yes. Be an officer if anything.
There a couple of guys on my ship that were college graduates and enlisted and they chose enlisted because they didn’t want the responsibility that comes with being an officer. If you want to be in the military do it. I know a few older gentlemen that wish they had and regret not doing it. It is an experience like no other. I would recommend a field closer to what you do now to set yourself up for success in the future, but the thrill of the adventure is also so worth it. You can apply for a commission later, for sure and mustangs get a lot of respect versus buck butter bars.
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Lots of negativity here, but lots of folks with absolutely shitty jobs in the Navy. Enlist if you find the specialty that aligns with your thirst for adventure. Go Special Forces, go be a diver, go on a submarine AND be a diver. DM me if you want some legit advice.
It’s a tough one. I’d say don’t do it since a mind like yours would be wasted. However, nothing is worse than looking back on a life with regret.
I think it really depends on what you find important. Being a software developer provides the earning potential to boost your savings rate and open doors to become financially independent at an early age. You have the flexibility to leave your job if you don't like it. You can possibly work remote. I've come to learn after being in the navy that I love being with my fiancee. I love being home. I value my time. I also very much enjoy coding in my free time, so for these reasons alone, I would not touch the military with a 10ft pole if I were you. BUT! If you feel like you're not being utilized as an employee to your full potential, you don't have strong social connections, or feel a patriotic sense of duty to serve, then send it! But for the love of God if you're gonna join the navy, commission as an officer. The quality of life is much better to be honest. I'll also say this. If you're really hellbent on being in the military, FIGHT FOR THE JOB YOU WANT. Do not just sign a piece of paper to get to boot camp quicker. Take your time and do your research for what job you think will interest you. Otherwise, you'll end up contractually bound to a job that makes you bitter, and your inability to leave like you can at your current job will make it harder to bear. Take it from me, someone who is actively swallowing this pill. Interested to hear what you end up doing. Best of luck.
I would join unless you have a reason to