us navy electricians mate (em) questions!

[hemidude13]

need some help, my son joined the navy today.he wanted aviation mechanic but had 20/40 in one eye, is there an em out there that i can talk to?

[Cam]

Well I don't swab decks............but I've been a sparky for 26 years.....what kinda of ? you got.

[LX HEMI]

I'm not an EM but I am a PS (Personnel Specialist). What's the question?

[hemidude13]

my son signed up for 4on4 off. what if he is not cut out to be a sparky? can he be placed in something else?

[Dano]

Get every promise in writing....trust me.

[Sharp Charge]

my son signed up for 4on4 off. what if he is not cut out to be a sparky? can he be placed in something else?

I'm a squid; E-6, just spent the last 9 1/2 yrs active, discharged Jan 30 2008, now I'm a weekend warrior.

You say 4 on 4 off, are you refering to his enlistment commitment? There are some options if he what we call "rocks out" of his rate. If he doesn't make it out of "A" school, he may have the option to reclassify into another rate depending on how well he was doing in school and the needs of the Navy. He may also end up as what we call an undesignated seaman, not the best way to go, but he'll have the opportunity to strike for another rate. He may also work in his rate for a period of time and decide he wants to do something else, he can then request to cross rate into another job.

Get any promises made in writing on his contract. Any Navy College fund (highly recommend over a cash enlistment bonus), cash bonus, a schools, specific rates, advanced paygrades etc...

Feel free to contact me if anything comes up that you or he may want to know.

Tim

[LX HEMI]

I'm a little confused by your question but I'll try and answer. He signed up for 4 years active duty and 4 years inactive (IRR). Most people do. He'll go to bootcamp then EM "A" school. As long as he passes EM school he'll go to the fleet with the EM rate. If he fails out for some reason he could go to the fleet undesignated. Non-rate. Then after 2 years he'd be able to pick a new rate.

On the other hand, if he passes school and then decides he doesnt like the EM rate he can switch rates after 2 years on board his first command.