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Old 11-16-2013, 11:02 AM   #1
LT Guppy
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Post PACT / Undesignated Sailor

Good insight into life as an undes sailor.

Quote:
Originally Posted by basil View Post
I used this forum before I went to bootcamp..
I joined undes and still am a deck seaman.
I went to a frigate. Got sent cranking (working in the galley) right away.
I was miserable until I learned that on my ship there were GMs YNs CTs and not to mention our CMC also came in UNDES.
You will see a lot of people trying to answer undes questions but the best source is an undes seaman...

yes you chip and paint, its not so bad, the worst part is that some people get undes because they are, to put it nicely, less intelligent than most lol which is also where deck seaman get the bad rap for being dumb.

You aren't going to be a BM unless you want to be. Period. If you give up and just go BM that's your problem. But honestly BMs don't do a whole lot other than supervise undes...no offense to anyone.

You have to stay at your current command for a year to strike. Striking is like this, your navy career counselor will become your best friend..get on their good side because they can help you more than anyone. They provide you with all the info you need about rates and you go through them for study material or whatever, if nothing else they give you a good direction towards what rate you want...then after a year at your command you go talk to them about what rates you are interested in and that gets the ball rolling...

the other option is 3rd class exam which is applicable for rates not requiring an A school and doesn't require you to be at your command a year (just while E3 and eligible to take exam), which you can also apply for after a year at your command.

You can cross into undes airman or fireman if those rates interests you more than seaman rates, but its pretty much treated like striking so you wait a year before you can do that.

And beware, BMs treat undes that want to strike something other than BM with less respect...for whatever reason...so just expect it..It's not as bad as people say and most people i've spoken to wish they were undes so they could see what their rate was like beforehand lol, keep positive and only get your info from reliable sources, not the grape vine. Good luck.

(btw study material for most rates are available on share drives at most commands, or just google it.)
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