Carrier duty. - Military Career Progression

ImNoOliveOyl · 08-13-2009, 08:43 AM

Reqs are coming out and DH has to choose this month....he's thinking about a carrier as an option... so I need the good, the bad and the ugly... give it to me straight.

JudyB · 08-13-2009, 08:48 AM

You just reminded me how close we are to needing to choose!
Hope you can get some info!!!

thejigsup · 08-13-2009, 08:51 AM

Depends upon his rank. Senior enlisted kinda sucks because of the volume of junior enlisted "under" them. Other than that, I think it's okay... Lot's of politics and changing navy policies, combined with manpower reductions make it tough. THAT however, is not solely being dealt with on carriers...

ImNoOliveOyl · 08-13-2009, 08:51 AM

It's gotta be this month, or we're gonna get "stuck" somewhere.. he's looking today and will apply this afternoon most likely. I know the schedule will most likely suck, but it does with most any sea duty.... he's just never been on one...

ImNoOliveOyl · 08-13-2009, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by thejigsup

Depends upon his rank. Senior enlisted kinda sucks because of the volume of junior enlisted "under" them. Other than that, I think it's okay... Lot's of politics and changing navy policies, combined with manpower reductions make it tough. THAT however, is not solely being dealt with on carriers...

Yeah, that stuff is going on everywhere.. and yes, he's SrE.

ladygirl_86 · 08-13-2009, 08:53 AM

Well they dont call it the "Stinking Lincoln" for nothing.. and thats all I am gonna say!

Brandi · 08-13-2009, 08:58 AM

Jason's first sea tour was on the JFK before she was decom'd.

It was OLD and had a ton of problems, so I don't know that any of our major issues would really effect most people on other carriers.

I think the crappy part of it is that you are basically a number when you're dealing with that many people. Jason was an E5 at the time, so he wasn't Senior Enlisted and had rare contact with the Captain and such. That part sucked for him b/c it was REALLY REALLY easy to be lost in the shuffle of that many people.

Then again, having a closer knit group on the smaller boys can also pose it's own problems.

I think it's all about equal when it boils down to it.
J said he'd prefer to not go back to a carrier, but his mind may change for his next sea duty AND I think a lot of his tainted views are b/c of the major issues that the JFK had right before it was decommissioned. He was a part of the whole SRA thing and did a couple deployments with them, where there was constant crap breaking and falling apart. With a newer carrier, that kind of thing won't be an issue.

Navgirl · 08-13-2009, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by ladygirl_86

Well they dont call it the "Stinking Lincoln" for nothing.. and thats all I am gonna say!

I was on the "****ty Kitty."

ImNoOliveOyl · 08-13-2009, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Navgirl

I was on the "****ty Kitty."

My uncle was on the "****ty Kitty" for a while too.. but that was a LONG LONG time ago.

He's had a lot of "ideas" on where he'd like to go. It will all come down to what's available... and we all know how that goes.

BLBnJVB3 · 08-13-2009, 10:40 AM

John was stationed to the USS Kennedy from 2001 to 2005.

From what I've seen with Shore duty (even though RTC isn't a normal shore lol) and now with a squadron (again I'm not getting a really good look at that either but you know lol) I will say I liked the carrier atmosphere from the spouse's perpsective better. There were more wives for me to get to know and he was with the same people so we really got close to a lot of people there.

The number on a carrier is huge. You really have to bust your behind to stand out. I believe the Kennedy had about 2-3,000 stationed to the ship and then the last time it deployed there were over 6,000, I believe. If not over 6,000, it was close.

The family support group there I didn't feel was organized well. I think big groups like carriers can have a well organized family support group but I didn't feel they did. I don't know maybe they're all like that. I just know, when I go I like to actually hear what is being said. I couldn't hear a thing. There were so many people and then many of us brought our kids. It was like mayhem.

Aside from the many issues the Kennedy had. And Lord knows there were many. lol He had duty every 4-8 days. Just depended on what was going on. Holidays/just getting back from deployment, etc they were normally on every 4 days. And duty on a ship means they go to work in the morning, stay the night on the ship, and then when work is done the next day they come home. Frankly, I'm so used to this type of duty, even after 3.5 years at RTC, I still don't understand duty on shore duty or in a squadron. lol Any time the ship goes out they have to go since they're ship's company. If the ship changes port during the tour on it, so do you.

Ummmm. I'm not sure what else to say. lol I'm sure your DH's job will be different than John's since he is higher ranking than when John was on a carrier.

I will say John says he likes squadrons better than carriers. He was in the same squadron he is in now the first time he was in. He did 2 deployments with them, 1 even being on the USS Kennedy. And then he was stationed to the Kennedy when he rejoined. When he was up for orders at RTC he looked for squadron orders. He said he didn't like the carrier because it was to big and having to go out with it all the time, whenever it goes out. Being stationed to the ship he was also in 2 different shops off the hanger bay. He felt like he just waited for something to break so he could fix it. With the squadron he worked, and will again when he goes out on a ship, on the flight deck. He likes staying busy.

Hope that helps some.

08-13-2009, 08:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
ImNoOliveOyl He's my popeye, but I'mnoOliveOyl! Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 33,662 Classifieds: (2) Activity: 0% Longevity: 62%	Carrier duty. Reqs are coming out and DH has to choose this month....he's thinking about a carrier as an option... so I need the good, the bad and the ugly... give it to me straight. __________________ Well, I'm what I am and I'm what I'm not and I'm sure happy with what I’ve got I live to love and laugh alot and that’s all I need

08-13-2009, 08:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
JudyB All uphill from here.... Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Feet on the ground Posts: 24,613 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 56% Longevity: 66%	You just reminded me how close we are to needing to choose! Hope you can get some info!!! __________________ Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal

08-13-2009, 08:51 AM	#3 (permalink)
thejigsup Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arlington, TN Posts: 1,397 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 58% Longevity: 24%	Depends upon his rank. Senior enlisted kinda sucks because of the volume of junior enlisted "under" them. Other than that, I think it's okay... Lot's of politics and changing navy policies, combined with manpower reductions make it tough. THAT however, is not solely being dealt with on carriers... __________________

08-13-2009, 08:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
ImNoOliveOyl He's my popeye, but I'mnoOliveOyl! Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 33,662 Classifieds: (2) Activity: 0% Longevity: 62%	It's gotta be this month, or we're gonna get "stuck" somewhere.. he's looking today and will apply this afternoon most likely. I know the schedule will most likely suck, but it does with most any sea duty.... he's just never been on one... __________________ Well, I'm what I am and I'm what I'm not and I'm sure happy with what I’ve got I live to love and laugh alot and that’s all I need

08-13-2009, 08:53 AM	#6 (permalink)
ladygirl_86 I love my life! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belfair, Wa Posts: 600 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 31% Longevity: 24%	Well they dont call it the "Stinking Lincoln" for nothing.. and thats all I am gonna say! __________________ Pregnant with Baby #2!!

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08-13-2009, 08:58 AM	#7 (permalink)
Brandi “If you want the last word, apologize.” Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 39,594 Blog Entries: 1 Classifieds: (3) Activity: 21% Longevity: 99%	Jason's first sea tour was on the JFK before she was decom'd. It was OLD and had a ton of problems, so I don't know that any of our major issues would really effect most people on other carriers. I think the crappy part of it is that you are basically a number when you're dealing with that many people. Jason was an E5 at the time, so he wasn't Senior Enlisted and had rare contact with the Captain and such. That part sucked for him b/c it was REALLY REALLY easy to be lost in the shuffle of that many people. Then again, having a closer knit group on the smaller boys can also pose it's own problems. I think it's all about equal when it boils down to it. J said he'd prefer to not go back to a carrier, but his mind may change for his next sea duty AND I think a lot of his tainted views are b/c of the major issues that the JFK had right before it was decommissioned. He was a part of the whole SRA thing and did a couple deployments with them, where there was constant crap breaking and falling apart. With a newer carrier, that kind of thing won't be an issue. __________________

08-13-2009, 10:40 AM	#10 (permalink)
BLBnJVB3 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 7,345 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 16% Longevity: 64%	John was stationed to the USS Kennedy from 2001 to 2005. From what I've seen with Shore duty (even though RTC isn't a normal shore lol) and now with a squadron (again I'm not getting a really good look at that either but you know lol) I will say I liked the carrier atmosphere from the spouse's perpsective better. There were more wives for me to get to know and he was with the same people so we really got close to a lot of people there. The number on a carrier is huge. You really have to bust your behind to stand out. I believe the Kennedy had about 2-3,000 stationed to the ship and then the last time it deployed there were over 6,000, I believe. If not over 6,000, it was close. The family support group there I didn't feel was organized well. I think big groups like carriers can have a well organized family support group but I didn't feel they did. I don't know maybe they're all like that. I just know, when I go I like to actually hear what is being said. I couldn't hear a thing. There were so many people and then many of us brought our kids. It was like mayhem. Aside from the many issues the Kennedy had. And Lord knows there were many. lol He had duty every 4-8 days. Just depended on what was going on. Holidays/just getting back from deployment, etc they were normally on every 4 days. And duty on a ship means they go to work in the morning, stay the night on the ship, and then when work is done the next day they come home. Frankly, I'm so used to this type of duty, even after 3.5 years at RTC, I still don't understand duty on shore duty or in a squadron. lol Any time the ship goes out they have to go since they're ship's company. If the ship changes port during the tour on it, so do you. Ummmm. I'm not sure what else to say. lol I'm sure your DH's job will be different than John's since he is higher ranking than when John was on a carrier. I will say John says he likes squadrons better than carriers. He was in the same squadron he is in now the first time he was in. He did 2 deployments with them, 1 even being on the USS Kennedy. And then he was stationed to the Kennedy when he rejoined. When he was up for orders at RTC he looked for squadron orders. He said he didn't like the carrier because it was to big and having to go out with it all the time, whenever it goes out. Being stationed to the ship he was also in 2 different shops off the hanger bay. He felt like he just waited for something to break so he could fix it. With the squadron he worked, and will again when he goes out on a ship, on the flight deck. He likes staying busy. Hope that helps some. __________________ September 16, 2009 We made it!!!!