Sailor vs. Officer

jacobs

5-Year Member
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Nov 3, 2012
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Can anyone tell me about the the typical day on a surface ship and the differences between being a sailor and an officer? The jobs, whether you enjoyed it, etc.
Veteran experience valued.
Thank you
 
Can anyone tell me about the the typical day on a surface ship and the differences between being a sailor and an officer? The jobs, whether you enjoyed it, etc.
Veteran experience valued.
Thank you

When I started as enlisted I did a lot of Chipping, Scrapping, Sanding, and Painting.

When I Commissioned I told the Chief to tell the Boatswain Mate to tell the Seaman to do it.

That's the short answer, I'll let others supply the long one.
 
Weren't you just talking about being a SF officer a few days ago after receiving an AROTC scholarship? (I stand corrected if you are just curious)
 
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I applied to other sources of commision. Hence "other options". And would most likely serve on a ship at one point if I went the navy route.
 
I applied to other sources of commision. Hence "other options". And would most likely serve on a ship at one point if I went the navy route.

You may want to learn the proper use of the word "Hence", it will help if you Commission.
 
I was referring to what I said in my other post. And I left out a few words to save time. But I'm sure knowing what it means will help when I commission. And thanks for the first post
 
Jacobs, you're asking questions in the same rude and vague manner you were in the last thread you made, but this time navy versus army special forces.


Officers lead and plan. Enlisted execute and manage other enlisted. This will be the case regardless of what branch you decide to go to.

If you want to be the guy who "does" stuff, go enlisted. If you want to be the person who planned the training and is responsible for the bigger picture, go officer.
 
Jobs are so varied in the enlisted ranks in the Navy, there is no way one could sum up in a few lines the differences. There are many rates in the Navy that only take the brightest and best, which offer invaluable training, which offer bright job opportunities as a civilian. And then there are those rates which will qualify one as a "paint chipper" referenced in an earlier post. It is disingenuous for anyone to say your choices are officer or paint chipper.
 
Jobs are so varied in the enlisted ranks in the Navy, there is no way one could sum up in a few lines the differences. There are many rates in the Navy that only take the brightest and best, which offer invaluable training, which offer bright job opportunities as a civilian. And then there are those rates which will qualify one as a "paint chipper" referenced in an earlier post. It is disingenuous for anyone to say your choices are officer or paint chipper.

I think you took that a little more serious then it was intended to be.

I was talking about myself, I didn't start out in the Navy Nuclear Program, I started out chipping paint in the Coast Guard.

"Chipping paint" was a metaphor.

Sorry you took such offense.
 
I didn't take offense. I was just pointing out the fact that there are varied avenues to follow. My husband (a nuke) and my son (a CTI) certainly were/are not paint chippers. You have the benefit of experience. A young man/woman does not. When someone tells them if they go enlisted, they'll be paint chippers, they're likely to believe it.
 
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