Does the Navy still have the Delayed Entry program?

Yes, the DEP will always exist because it is what Navy Recruiting Command uses to level load boot-camp and A school seats. The time a person is in the DEP is used to train and maintain one's motivation for Navy. The meetings and face to face contacts recruiters have with Future Sailors (previously known as DEPpers) also ensures the Future Sailor (FS) maintains eligibility, and if problems arise to the point the FS cannot ship as contracted, it is the hope that the issue is found soon enough to allow for the finding of a replacement -- when a person does not ship to RTC, and a replacement is not found, the boot-camp and A school seat goes unfilled. Literally, there will be an empty seat in the classroom.

The main reason I asked this question is that I'm seeing the next generation of high schoolers coming along and I wondered if it was an option for them. Thank you all for your information!! I will pass it along! :)

Yes, My Son is in it now and has been for about 6 months. He leaves in April for Bootcamp. Then he's off to Pensacola, Fl for for his "A" school in the Advanced Technical Field of IT. He really surprised me because he loves aviation and he took a blackshoe position, but that will give him great opportunities for many various ship assignments and shore duties world wide.

I was a Navy Recruiter a year ago and I can assure you DEP still exists. Part of our job was to mentor the DEPers. One monthly meeting, one face to face contact(at least) beyond that, one phone call a week(usally monday). More if they had issues. It felt like babysitting at times.

PO3 Sandra Gomke - I was in DEP for 363 days...originally signed on as a Disbursing Clerk and woke up one morning realizing what a mistake that was (for me). Somehow my recruiter requested a change to HM for me and I was approved. Would have went to Orlando as a DK Candidate but chose to head to Great Lakes, IL in December... Mind you - 1993-1994 was the winter that Lake Michigan froze over (or so we were told)...

Hello Petty Officer Gromke (Sandra);
I retired in 1990 so there has been a lot of water under the keel since I was in touch with recruiting programs. Delayed Entry was a very successful program for the Navy so I suspect there is still a derivative of the Delayed Entry Program but it may go by another name.
Thanks for asking and for serving.

Ron

My son joined USMC at 17 and under the DEP went off to bootcamp 3 days after graduating High School. He and I discussed his future after his enlistment and after explaining that not too many civilian companies are hiring infantry or tank drivers, convinced him to go aviation. I was an AE1 (Aviation Electrician) for almost six years active and always wished I had gone Air Traffic Control. I explained to him that since I am old now (68) that I want to live vicariously through him. He responded, "But Dad, isn't that a BAD thing to do? Are you supposed to tell me to follow my bliss and do my own thang; finding my own road in Life?" I explained that since his DI is NOT going to tell him to do his own thing neither am I. "Son, that is why you have a father to tell you how to get through the swamp of Life - you future DI will TELL you how earn the title of Marine; after your enlistment - then you can do whatever." He smiled and signed the contract for MOS 7200 and is currently serving at Futenma, Japan. He will come home after his two year tour next month. NOW he can do his own thang.

Yes. Any Navy Recruiter can explain the process.

I was wondering if they still do DEP. Or the "Buddy Program". I tried to do that but my "buddy" had her appendix out 1 week before we were supposed to go to Boot Camp. I think she ended up in cryptography.

I was in DEP for 7 months before leaving for boot camp.