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Old 08-31-2012, 08:21 AM   #1
SN-Harp
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Default How does striking for a job work?

Anybody start as a SN?
Everything I've been reading and the contract itself doesn't look so great as a rate. I got a 70 on the asvab and I know about the quotas the recruiters have to fill. I'm also going in as an E-3 if that makes any difference. I want to be a HM, when I went to pick my job I asked for the rate but they told me SN was the only rate open. What I'm trying to find out is how likely it is to strike for a job and get it? I understand that it depends on where one is at and what rate is in need at that location. Any insight would be helpful.
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Old 08-31-2012, 08:32 AM   #2
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I am in the same boat. I did well on the asvab and also going in as E3 but I am Airman. The Master Chief in my district told me that 6 months in they will put you up for the E4 exam at wich point you have to have a rateing. I am wanting to go AW so we will see how this all plays out. Best advise I have heard is to get that DAR put in to get your desired rateing before you ship.
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Old 08-31-2012, 09:26 AM   #3
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I am in the same boat. I did well on the asvab and also going in as E3 but I am Airman. The Master Chief in my district told me that 6 months in they will put you up for the E4 exam at wich point you have to have a rateing. I am wanting to go AW so we will see how this all plays out. Best advise I have heard is to get that DAR put in to get your desired rateing before you ship.
I feel that it is important to stress that after 6 months you MAY be able to take the exam for E4, and that for that you MUST have a job. It is very possible that 6 months comes and goes without you being able to take the exam and without you having a rating.
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Old 08-31-2012, 10:05 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by davyinthenavy View Post
I am in the same boat. I did well on the asvab and also going in as E3 but I am Airman. The Master Chief in my district told me that 6 months in they will put you up for the E4 exam at wich point you have to have a rateing. I am wanting to go AW so we will see how this all plays out. Best advise I have heard is to get that DAR put in to get your desired rateing before you ship.
6 months in you are ELIGIBLE to take the test. You'll spend your first 3 months or so in training. The next 3 months you'll be getting your qualifications, learning the job, and all that good stuff.

That makes 6 months and you 1- don't have a job to test for and 2- haven't gone through an A-school. This means you won't be taking that test.

A more realistic timeframe to make 3rd Class Petty Officer for a PACT is about 1 year. I've heard people tell me some commands make you stay undesignated for 2 years before you're even allowed to request a rating.

It's a shame you couldn't pick your job but definitely go with a DAR request.
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Old 08-31-2012, 10:11 AM   #5
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I'm going in as a seaman too and hope to be able to eventually get hm or ac. I scored well enough on my ASVAB to get both but neither were available.
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Old 08-31-2012, 01:20 PM   #6
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Thanks for the info.
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Old 08-31-2012, 02:07 PM   #7
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I'm pretty sure it's still a year before you can strike for a rate even if you are an E3. You will have to route a chit that the Captain has to approve for you to strike for a rate that you qualify for. Some don't even have to go to A school they'll just learn ojt. It seems a pattern on my ship that most undes go on to be BM's because it's the same job and advancement is decent.
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Old 09-02-2012, 02:05 PM   #8
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I think can explain the striking process a little more clearly since i have been a seaman now for about a year. Going in E-3, you will be eligible for the 3rd class exam 6 months from the time you go to RTC which would be the date you start your "time in rate" (rank). The issue with that lies in the fact that you have to get approved to take a certain test as a striker. You will meet with your command career counsellor and he/she will go over the rates you qualify for based on asvab score, clearance eligibility etc. This will be in something called FLEETRIDE. You will submit your top three choices of rates you qualify for at the end of the month. At the beginning of the next month, you will find out if you have been approved for the navy wide advancement exam for that rate or not. The situation that arose when i attempted this for the march exam, is that i was applying every month from december to march and kept getting denied for the rate i was putting in for (GM). This was due to the fact that i had not gotten a security clearance adjudication. The investigation was done, as it is for everyone joining the navy, but since i was a seaman and had no need for a clearance, i was never adjudicated one. The simple fix to that was just to speak to the security manager at my command and sign a few papers and as soon as i did that the very next month i got picked up for the advancement exam for that rate. So it is very possible to be a seaman for only 6-8 months. The alternative would be to pick up the rate without taking the test. To do that you have to be at your command for one year at which time you would have been up for two exams anyway. On the flip side however, you cant expect to just get to your command and start working for who you want to. As a seaman you will be working for Boatswains Mates which, to describe, would be a very, very long post so i will save that one for another time. Either way coming in undesignated has its moments where you hate your life but at the same time you get to sit back and take a look at the other rates before deciding on what you would like to do. Heck you may even love it and end up going BM, they have the most fun.
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Old 09-03-2012, 03:35 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SN-Harp View Post
Anybody start as a SN?
Everything I've been reading and the contract itself doesn't look so great as a rate. I got a 70 on the asvab and I know about the quotas the recruiters have to fill. I'm also going in as an E-3 if that makes any difference. I want to be a HM, when I went to pick my job I asked for the rate but they told me SN was the only rate open. What I'm trying to find out is how likely it is to strike for a job and get it? I understand that it depends on where one is at and what rate is in need at that location. Any insight would be helpful.
DUDE!!! That's what my recruiter said. im going in as an E3 as well. and my recruiter said that SN was the only rate opeen. I would love to know what happens as i leave in three weeks.
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Old 09-03-2012, 05:23 PM   #10
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I was only at one command and all the undesignated people that I talked to did not get to take their test until after 1 year. All I want to say is do not believe everything your recruiter tells you, trust me. Their job is to get people in the Navy any way possible, even lie.
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Old 09-04-2012, 10:07 PM   #11
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So let me get this strait; if i am entering as an E1 SN. I'll be cleaning for a year+ possibly until I even get to "strike" for what I want? Say MA's?
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Old 09-04-2012, 11:02 PM   #12
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yeah thats exactly correct...coming in E1 you will be working in Deck for at least a year before you can strike a rate...and thats not counting the resistance that you will meet from the BM's...well depending on your chain of command...i am on a destroyer so deck is always undermanned so they are VERY reluctant to let anyone go (ive heard its easier on big decks) but either way, to strike for a rate (not the advancement exam) you must be on board for at LEAST a year, and as an undesignated seaman you will work in deck. Don't look at that as all negative though you will have time to see other rates, how they operate, what they really do etc.
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Old 09-05-2012, 02:37 AM   #13
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So if I wanna strike and not deal with any annoyances what would you recommend? Deck crew doesn't sound too bad. What do they do? And as long as I can finish my 4 years with what I want I'll be good lol
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Old 09-05-2012, 01:04 PM   #14
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So if I wanna strike and not deal with any annoyances what would you recommend? Deck crew doesn't sound too bad. What do they do? And as long as I can finish my 4 years with what I want I'll be good lol
One thing to know...since you are only going for a 4 year contract...there are NO GUARANTEES you will get the rating you want...needs of the navy always come first...period! Basically going "undesignated" you will do grunt work, cleaning, scraping paint, painting over what you scraped off, sweep, polish..pretty much what ever the command wants you to do.
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Old 09-06-2012, 12:01 AM   #15
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Great..
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Old 09-06-2012, 08:39 AM   #16
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I have a friend that shipped this past november as undesignated aiman E1. He loves what he does. He said he has launched helicopters and all sorts of other fun things. Im pretty sure he is working as ABW right now.
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Old 09-06-2012, 04:58 PM   #17
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well thats good for him lol but I'm PACT Seaman. Do they do any thing cool?
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Old 09-06-2012, 07:49 PM   #18
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Thanks for this information,is very helpful.i will like to ask a question.Am going in as SN (PACT) too but out of the list of ratings on the PACT sheet i strongly prefer PS and that is what i want.when can i actually get this.I already decided that that is what i want.so what will i do to have it.thank
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Old 12-28-2012, 08:51 AM   #19
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when you ship? I got rolled in leaving 20120123
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Old 12-28-2012, 03:13 PM   #20
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well thats good for him lol but I'm PACT Seaman. Do they do any thing cool?
grunt work. Because you have no rating you don't really have a job to do. Just be a good Sailor and do your job and i'm sure you can strike a rate in no time. But i personally never suggest anyone going pact unless they just don't care what rate they get and want to leave. I went to meps 4 times before i picked a rate. lol
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Old 12-29-2012, 02:00 AM   #21
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FYI, good luck getting HM. It is so insanely overloaded right now. And if you want FMF, you might as well just pick something else.
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