E-4 Advancement
 

Is it true that to be a CTR you have to be an E-4?

We were told by recruiter that CTR are an E-4 rank and that you receive it upon completion of A School. This would put a Sailor coming out of NTC Basic Training (2 months), completion of A School (4 months) with only 6 months time in service.

There is no guarantee that you will be an e-4 out of a school for being a CTR. Actually, there is no way possible at all. The only way possible to get e-4 out of a school is to be top of your class and get the accelerated advancement program. Even with that, it takes at a minimum 4 months of being at your next command to put on the e-4. And you would have to be an e-3 during the time of graduation, or else they would just promote you from e-1 to e-2, or e-2 to e-3.

The only other possible way is to graduate right before the time to take the third class exam. And even then, you possibly wouldn't be able to take the exam, and then you would also have to wait the two months for exam results to come out for you to be frocked.

This is how it works, after C school if your contract is ATF than you will be promoted to E4 if you have time in rate. But this is up to your command. So if they feel as though you aren't ready you could be waiting for a while. But most will frock you once you have done your basic qualification at the command.

Thank you both for the replies.

ATF = ? Acroynms ... not sure.

My understanding is C school is not guaranteed but if you have more information on how to better a CTR chances please let me know.

How much time in rank must you have to get from E-2 to E-3?
Then from E-3 to E-4?
Do you have to take a test to get from E-3 to E-4 or is it automatic at some point with time in the service?

My apologies for all the questions and not knowing the above and but I am new to Navy speak.
Can you also explain the frock piece?

Frocking means that they will let you put on the rank, but you do not get the benefits (the extra pay) till you get officialy advanced.

This will depend on what eventual billet the Sailor will be filling. If the command is going to need a specific skill set, say a Reporting Specialist or something, then that Sailor gets sent to that C-school. If the command or fleet as a whole just needs a regularly trained CTR, then you don't. 6-year contracts typically come with some sort of specialty that requires a C-school, hence the extra 2 years tacked on to the contract (to cover the extra training). Just as an example, for CTT's that's typically the technicians who get taught to repair the gear, as that can take up to a year and a half of school. Though there's nothing stopping you from requesting the C-school after your first enlistment if they have a need for it. Not having a C-school isn't going to hurt your career at this point at all so don't sweat over it. The Sailor would also get some F-schools or "Fleet" Schools out in the fleet wherever they're stationed. So there's those as well (but they're small and nobody every brings them up on here haha)

E-3 to E-4 is 6 months as an E-3 until you can take the test. Unless it's specifically written into your contract (like the 6-year guys I spoke about earlier) then you'll be taking the regular 3rd Class Petty Officer exam like the rest of the fleet and have to make the cut.

Don't ever apologize for asking questions on here. That's what we're here for =]

/r
CTT1

As a CTR, you will be going through the beginners course. If you are top of your class, you may be able to get a slot in the intermediate course depending on how many spots are open and how many classes are open. For example I was top of class hoping for the intermediate course. They didn't have any openings and I was not able to score a spot. But, a few classes after me (graduated in less then half a month) were offered the intermediate course.

So try and be top of your class if you want additional schooling, because if a spot is open, you are more then likely going to get it. But if you aren't top of your class, and the spot does open up, then you might not get it. So its always better try your best.

Also, if you go to a ship, you will also need some extra training that they will give you here in pensacola for shipboard operations.

And like CTT1 mentioned, if Big Navy needs some sort of specific qualification, they might just throw you into that schooling.

And I didn't really see any 6y CTRs. Not to say they don't exist, I just didn't see any. I did see a good bit of 6y CTTs and ITs though.

This is due to fleet needs. If a command reports they need a specific NEC, that's how those C-school spots get opened up for you guys to slide into after A-school.

/r
CTT1