Military Job security

What is the job security going to be like for all the 5 branches in the next 10-20 years.
I know the Air Force is going through a lot of reductions right, but I was wondering about the other branches.

(I'm thinking more along the lines of officer)
Coast Gaurd
Air Force
Army
Navy
Marines


I didn't really know where to post it, so I just put in in the general area.

Thanks

Even during the drawdown of the 90's, no one I know of got "laid off" unless they were passed over twice by the promotion board.

They offered bonuses and such to leave, or reduced class sizes coming in. Attrition took care of the rest.

How hard is it not to advance? I know there are a lot of ways to screw up, but if you but a good effort into advancements, will you most likely advance?

And noob question, what exactly is need to advance from say an O-1 to O-2, O-4 to O-5, etc...?

Thanks

O1-O3 is pretty much guarenteed as long as you don't royally screw up. Getting to Captain/Lieutenant isn't very hard. Just takes awhile to pass that stage!

"Promotion" for officers, "Advancement" for enlisted.

Coast Guard has good job security right now, and some new toys to play with.

futureplebe said:

How hard is it not to advance? I know there are a lot of ways to screw up, but if you but a good effort into advancements, will you most likely advance?

And noob question, what exactly is need to advance from say an O-1 to O-2, O-4 to O-5, etc...?

Thanks

Click to expand...

As already mentioned, enlisted advance, officers get promoted.

To go from O-1 to O-2, all you have to do (in the Navy, anyway) is serve two years, fog a mirror, and not run your ship into something else.

To go from O-2 to O-3, all you have to do is not run your ship into anything, and show a decent command of what it means to be an officer. Getting passed over for LT is almost unheard of, but I actually had a guy on my first ship manage to pull it off. He was a clueless dirtbag.

It starts getting a bit tougher going from O-3 to O-4 but again, if you are competent and you didn't call up the Captain saying, "Sir, the flooding put out the fire.", your chances aren't all that bad. Still, it's the first real "cut".

O-4 to O-5 is when things really begin to get tough, and they don't get any easier going up.

Some argue that by the time you hit O-6 (Captain), what dictates who climbs up to O-7 and higher is WHO you know in places like Congress.

I never would have made O-7.

Does the Navy have a move up or move out policy?

It's probably like the Coast Guard, in general, passed over for promotion twice, you're gone.


Time line for Coast Guard.


ENS upon commissioning
1.5 years from ENS to LTJG
2.5 years from LTJG to LT
6 years from LT to LCDR

After that, I'm not quite sure.


I do remember thinking how old a Captain (O-6) in the Coast Guard must be until I realized my father was the age of a RDML




For those who don't know the rank structure for officers.


USA/USMC/USAF Pay Grade USN/USCG
Second Lieutenant O-1 Ensign
First Lieutenant O-2 Lieutenant Junior Grade
Captain O-3 Lieutenant
Major O-4 Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Colonel O-5 Commander
Colonel O-6 Captain
Brig. General O-7 Read Admiral (Lower)
Major General O-8 Read Admiral (Upper)
Lieutenant General O-9 Vice Admiral
General O-10 Admiral

Just_A_Mom said:

Does the Navy have a move up or move out policy?

Click to expand...

It did in my day. If you got passed over twice for promotion, you were politely shown the door.

I have no reason to suspect that things have changed any, especially if a drawdown is underway.

The AF definetly shows you the door if you do not make 0-4. Same is true for not makiing 0-5, but they get to stay until 20 and retire as an 0-4. 2 guys are saying goobye this month.

Pima said:

The AF definetly shows you the door if you do not make 0-4. Same is true for not makiing 0-5, but they get to stay until 20 and retire as an 0-4. 2 guys are saying goobye this month.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure I'm following....

If you don't make O-5, they let you stay for 20?