How do you stay motivated on a pre-comm when you're not learning your job?

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 14:02:01 -0500

I'm spending my whole first enlistment on a brand new ship and Im not doing my job, the morale is terrible and people are getting kicked out on purpose. I try to get as much ship training as possible and work on college, but I want to learn my job and 4 years is a long time to just be cleaning all day, then send me to my next command clueless.

Response by LT Brad McInnis made Dec 2 at 2017 2:29 PM

LT Brad McInnis — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 14:29:31 -0500

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member I did 1 pre-comm and one long yard availability. Know and understand your pain, applaud your desire! What I did was send my sailors out on other ships to get trained. A little easier for a DDG crew than a CVN, I guess. Your link says you are an ATC, have you tried to get TAD over to the NAS to work in their tower? If not that, how about getting sent out on other ships, maybe even CRUDES? The best resource I would tell you is the school house that trained you. They invested a lot of time and money. Talk to one of the CPO's there, and see if they know of any opportunities in the Norfolk area. Try to keep it in Norfolk, as your command won't need to spend money to TAD you anywhere in the area, which makes it easier for them to say yes! Hope this helps, and let me know if there is anything else I can help with!

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Dec 2 at 2017 2:54 PM

Capt Tom Brown — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 14:54:44 -0500

Sounds like a tremendous waste of people.

Response by CWO3 Dennis M. made Dec 2 at 2017 7:08 PM

CWO3 Dennis M. — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 19:08:42 -0500

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member You have received some excellent recommendations from some of the Navy RP members, and I am sure others will chime in, as this post get around. I have a question/recommendation for you, have you been in contact with your detailer in Washington about your concerns? He may have an open operational billet and looking for some one to fill that slot. If he does not, he might be able to keep your name on a list should an open slot become available for an operational Carrier or NAS. That brings me to my next suggestion, have you spoken to any of the controllers or the Chief ATC at NAS Oceana? I would bet they would take you in just to keep you currant and quite possibly to easy overtime from those in the tower?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Dec 2 at 2017 8:42 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 20:42:38 -0500

My next younger brother was merchant marine, as well as Navy Mil Sealift Command (MSC) civil service, and also USNR-MMR (merchant marine reserve), so he told me a good deal of that life, and I also saw him while he'd been involved with it. Its a singularly rough existence, I'd thought, so I cam, I think, appreciate why you say what you did, though I never was in that world myself. It might help here if you could elaborate somewhat. Explain your ambitions, level of training and coursework both in service and out, in as much detail as you can give. I do have thoughts for you, though idmmeed to know more, let !e send this, then I'll try to send more, meanwhile, start on a detailed narrative, apamd try to be as specific as possible. Hobbies, reading interests, what work youre exposed to so far as you might care to say, etc., OK?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Dec 2 at 2017 8:45 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 20:45:21 -0500

I saw !emtiomed Jere that your were ATC. Look at http://www.uopeople.edu, I know shipboard frequently have on board civil service college faculty, does yours? Let !e send this first....

UoPeople - The world's first tuition-freeAccredited Online University

Welcome to the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited, online, American university. Follow your dreams. Your career starts here.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Dec 2 at 2017 8:49 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 20:49:00 -0500

Understand, UoPeople isn't regionally accredited, however there's no tuition. All one pays for are exams and admin fees, it's DETC accredited (formerly NHSC), though I don't kmow if industry, the svcs, or VA accept it yet. I've been told the exam and admin costs can be nontrivial, also, they only have assoc/bach in comp sci (CS), health sci, and bus admin, though they do have an MBA, and were just endorsed to some extent, I'd read, by the Vatican, let me send this, then I'll send more.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Dec 2 at 2017 8:53 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 20:53:49 -0500

http://www.excelsior.edu

This is fully legitimate, a friend got his bach inm!ath, I got a second bach inm!ath, they used in be NU Statez then split off and privatized. They have a toll free phone line, are very svc friendly, and are well known to Navy, they were called USNY (not SUNY) Regents External/College Degrees (RED/RCD) before Excelsior, they somhabe nursing, a !asters in liberal arts, and forged a special arrangement with Navy nuclear enlisted school in Orlando, FL, I'd read, many yrs ago. I'll send this now, then more.

www.excelsior.edu

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Dec 2 at 2017 8:58 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 20:58:02 -0500

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_College_of_the_Air_Force

As Navy enlisted, I'd read, I think, that you should quite possibly be allowed to !make use of this, to try to get your associates. I'd very strongly urge you to at least get all Navy and/or other transcripts, and send them here, as well as Excelsior, Excelsior has it's own exam program as well....

Community College of the Air Force - Wikipedia

The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) is a federal program offered by the United States Air Force which grants two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees in association with Air University.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Dec 2 at 2017 8:59 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 20:59:46 -0500

https://www.charteroak.edu/

This is the Connecticut version of Excelsior, from what I understand....

Finish your Degree Online | Charter Oak State College

Charter Oak State College is an accredited, public college with online degree programs. Established by the State of Connecticut in 1973.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Dec 2 at 2017 9:01 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 21:01:56 -0500

https://www.tesu.edu/

This is the version, Excelsior, Oak Tree, and Edison, are all quite real, I've heard....

College Degrees for Adults at Thomas Edison State University

Thomas Edison State University provides opportunities for adults to earn a college degree. Explore our programs, online courses and flexible transfer credit policies today.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Dec 2 at 2017 9:03 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 21:03:57 -0500

https://www.military.com/education/timesaving-programs/defense-activity-for-non-traditional-education-support-dantes.html

Find out all you can about this if you haven't already....

Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)

Learn more about the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES).

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Dec 2 at 2017 9:05 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 21:05:38 -0500

http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/Military-Guide-Online.aspx

Read everything you can about this, and call the!, don't just email, call, OK?

Military-Guide-Online.aspx

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 4 at 2017 9:16 AM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 09:16:06 -0500

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member - Yep it can suck, we do not always get what we want or what we need in the fleet. You do have a few options.

1: Keep with the college take lots of CLEP tests, get every onboard qualification you can. Truth is once you make First or Chief you will be looking at doing more administration and less hands on of your Job, I'm not saying you don't need to know your job but understand what the future is. Do your 4 then get better orders somewhere else.
2: Run a CHIT up the chain for early transfer or see about a duty swap your Detailer can tell you more about this. You seem motivated and your CoC may just be over looking this, it happens on a big deck.
3: Be disgruntled do your 4 and then quit.... I have had some real crappy commands my first was atrocious, I dealt with racism, assaults, Harassment, and a blatant attempt to withhold my Clearance so they could fill a different billet than my Chosen IT one. I almost called it quits, but I was given some good advice so let me pass it on.

"What's over that next hill?, You will never know if you don't climb the hill. You could find your Shangri-La or you might find another hill. but you only have 2 choices, stop climbing and accept the situation as you see it or keep climbing and see what greater things you can find."

I went from my first command to a year in England and two years in Germany to date my Command in England has been my best. Some commands and duty stations suck but the great thing is once we climb to the top of that hill we get to see a new place. I have been in the black sea, swam off the coast of Israel, walked through Pompeii, seen Rome, Scotland, Ireland, Ethiopia, ect ect. had I quit after that first 4 I would have missed out on so many great adventures. I have worked with some great IT's and some I wouldn't trust with an abacas lol. I have learned a lot in my 13 years, I hope you decided to keep at it and do the 20, as I said you seem motivated.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 18 at 2017 7:46 AM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 07:46:59 -0500

I haven't been in contact with my detailer or any other chiefs at other commands, Im still unsure where the boundaries are in the military and if I'd be overstepping them? I respect my CoC but you're right, I'll need to start branching out. How do I find out who my detailer is?

Response by CWO3 Dennis M. made Dec 18 at 2017 9:15 AM

CWO3 Dennis M. — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 09:15:05 -0500

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member I just googled for a list of Navy detailers and here is the link for your ATC detailer in Washington. http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/enlisted/detailing/aviation/Pages/RatingsInformation.aspx Let me know how you make out. You can also click the link below too.

RatingsInformation.aspx

Response by PO2 Skip Kirkwood made Dec 18 at 2017 10:16 AM

PO2 Skip Kirkwood — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 10:16:48 -0500

Pre-comm and "yards" periods are some of the greatest wastes in the Navy. The Navy should NOT assign full crews to those whips until they are near completion. Having people hang around "the barge" or "the barracks" for years is enough to drive people crazy. I was an HM; after a short while I found myself a TAD spot at the hospital (who were glad for the help). Leaving people sitting around with nothing relevant to their rate is one sign of POOR LEADERSHIP - specifically a CO, XO, and CMC who don't give a damn about their people or the future of their ship. The Navy has plenty of schools and open billets to get people out of the pre-comm hole!

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 3 at 2018 6:32 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 18:32:28 -0500

There’s offers to go IA (individual augmentee), pick up schools for NEC’s (if you’re a technical rate I’d definitely ask!), study your bibs, study your NEETS modules and always try to stick your nose in something.