Looking for good advice and opinions please! Its my sons second year at the academy. This summer he will be signing his 2 for 7. Signing the 2 for 7 is not a decision to be taken lightly, as committing 7 years of one’s life to anything is a big deal. All of us will have different reasons for why we choose to attend the academy. I'm going to be honest so don't judge please. My son attended the academy because of an opportunity to play sports at a high level along with the great education. As of now he has no desire to work his way up in the military and serve longer than the 5 years. He is a bright kid with 4.0 and loves what he's studying cyber operations. Basically my question is: Will he be farther ahead attending the academy and doing the 5 years of service or leaving now and going to a tradiontal 4 year college? He would graduate and be able to start his career at 22 verses 27. Are there benefits to the 5 years of service? What will he do during his 5 years? If he's restricted line and goes intel, is there a chance he would never be on a ship? Or do all graduates go on a ship during their 5 years? Thank you for your time!!
5 years of service after USNA
- Thread starter lizharry
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usna1985
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Short answer . . . if he does not want to serve (including on a ship) and lead enlisted personnel at all he should leave. Seriously.
If he simply doesn't want at this point in his life to commit to 20 years, he doesn't have to. More grads than not get out before 20. And many get out at 5. Some who planned to get out at 5 find out they love it and stay for a career. The converse is also true in that some of those who were planned "lifers" end up being "5 and done."
"Starting his career" 5 years later is no issue. I started my second career at age 30. Many grads go on to a very successful civilian career after 5, 10 or even 20 years of service. If you want to know if this is a issue, you might ask the following (all grads): Dan Akerson (former CEO of General Motors, Steve Reinemund (former CEO of Pepsi), Kevin Sharer (former CEO of Amgen) . . . and many more.
If your son goes intel, he's almost certain to spend his first tour onboard a carrier, most likely as a squadron intel officer. There are exceptions (ship's crew and a few others) but almost everyone graduating from the USN spends his/her first tour with an operational unit.
One final thing to think about . . . is this your concern or his? Not stating, just asking.
If he simply doesn't want at this point in his life to commit to 20 years, he doesn't have to. More grads than not get out before 20. And many get out at 5. Some who planned to get out at 5 find out they love it and stay for a career. The converse is also true in that some of those who were planned "lifers" end up being "5 and done."
"Starting his career" 5 years later is no issue. I started my second career at age 30. Many grads go on to a very successful civilian career after 5, 10 or even 20 years of service. If you want to know if this is a issue, you might ask the following (all grads): Dan Akerson (former CEO of General Motors, Steve Reinemund (former CEO of Pepsi), Kevin Sharer (former CEO of Amgen) . . . and many more.
If your son goes intel, he's almost certain to spend his first tour onboard a carrier, most likely as a squadron intel officer. There are exceptions (ship's crew and a few others) but almost everyone graduating from the USN spends his/her first tour with an operational unit.
One final thing to think about . . . is this your concern or his? Not stating, just asking.
Many go to the academy for a variety of reasons. Many will shift those reasons over time and stay for a different list. Wanting to serve and lead moves to that top spot if it wasn’t number one before. Your DS is getting exposed to different things each year, especially as he does his summer training. Is this his concern or yours?
I left after 5 years. I had never really set out with a plan to leave after 5 or stay 20, just to have fun and take it year by year. My room mates would of voted me most likely to stay 20. The one we would of voted most likely to five and dive stayed 20. Who thrives, stays and leaves the fleet is a mixed bag. He will have zero issues with starting a civilian career at 27. Most SA grads don’t start at entry level. Many will move into management roles and other leadership positions. I spent 10 years in DC as a consultant then transitioned to a new career field and have been happily employed at Fortune 75 company where I lead a dept doing cutting edge technology. And I was a history major. The path my friends and classmates have taken since we graduated is often curvy, but amazing. They are doing some phenomenal things in a variety of career fields.
I left after 5 years. I had never really set out with a plan to leave after 5 or stay 20, just to have fun and take it year by year. My room mates would of voted me most likely to stay 20. The one we would of voted most likely to five and dive stayed 20. Who thrives, stays and leaves the fleet is a mixed bag. He will have zero issues with starting a civilian career at 27. Most SA grads don’t start at entry level. Many will move into management roles and other leadership positions. I spent 10 years in DC as a consultant then transitioned to a new career field and have been happily employed at Fortune 75 company where I lead a dept doing cutting edge technology. And I was a history major. The path my friends and classmates have taken since we graduated is often curvy, but amazing. They are doing some phenomenal things in a variety of career fields.
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Old Navy BGO
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Did he have a desire to serve when he entered ? I would expect his personal statement and BGO interview both included some representation or discussion about a desire to serve. What has changed ? If he never had any desire or interest, and entered under false pretenses, then by all means he should leave.
Part of serving is putting the service over personal interest, and your questions are focused only upon DS' own interest. I understand how parents think about their kids, but this is really his decision, not yours. Your son should be fully aware of the responsibilities and duties of a Naval Officer after almost two years at USNA.
I'm the last to say that everyone has to serve a 20+ year career, but if DS has already decided that he doesn't want to serve, he should leave. There are plenty of motivated and dedicated young men and women who want to serve and lead, and frankly our sailors deserve to have a leader that wants to serve, not just mark. On the other hand, if he still has a desire to serve and has an open mind , there is no way that graduating USNA and serving 5 years will hurt his future. A resume with the USNA diploma/USN service will stand out among all the resumes from State U, and the leadership experience will be invaluable, no matter what he does.
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He won't be starting his career 5 years earlier if he leaves. He'll just be spending the first 5 years in the Navy, building up his leadership skills, perhaps working intel or cyber, getting security clearances which will undoubtedly aid him in finding employment later. You make it sounds like the 5 years would be wasted. They won't be.
navy2022VA
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Remember there’s no guarantee he’ll get a career straight out of college, most kids it takes a good five years to find a good job anyway post college. There is that guarantee out of usna + the probable guarantee of a subsequent career at 27 with that resume.
The 2 for 7 only commits him to 5 years AD after graduating, so having no desire right now to go further than that is not an issue. As others have stated, he may plan on only 5 and do a career. No need to plan beyond what he is committing to and the Navy expects quite a few grads to five and dive. They wouldn't have a place for everyone if every grad stayed 20+.
The bottom line is: does he want to serve for the committed time? It's natural, and probably good for him to be questioning things before he signs. If he can't see himself serving and giving 100% then he should leave. If wants to serve for 5 years, but unsure about anything beyond 5 years he doesn't have to cross that bridge yet.
There are absolutely benefits to 5 years of service - leadership opportunities, military benefits, security clearances, etc. But, it's not worth it if he really doesn't want to serve. And only he knows the answer to that question. My suggestion as a parent is to make sure he knows that you are OK with whatever he decides and he should not sign up for anything he doesn't want to for the sake of trying to please anyone else.
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^ This is worth restating multiple times.
This is a theme we as well as our son's heard from many people...."He'll have to wait 5 years to start a career", "He won't have a job until he's 27" and so on. We had to explain to a lot of people that this obligation is also a Job, and not a bad one at that. Look at the young people today, many do not stay at their first job out of college for more then 5 years, they try and move on and up. The first 5 years that he would spend in the Navy would be that first job which like others have said, will be one of leadership and management, all great skills that will look good on the resume as they move forward.
This was the best comment I heard, a few of their friends in high school actually told them that it will suck because they'll be stuck in the Army for 5 years and won't really get paid until they leave, so they will be so far behind their peers. The disconnect is sometimes larger then we think.
This was the best comment I heard, a few of their friends in high school actually told them that it will suck because they'll be stuck in the Army for 5 years and won't really get paid until they leave, so they will be so far behind their peers. The disconnect is sometimes larger then we think.
Old Navy BGO
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Absolutely, 100% false on a number of fronts. Serving as a junior officer in the Navy, or other services, is a great job. Decent pay and benefits, great experiences, and working with some great people. This is a lot more than the average college grad gets the first 5 years out of school. I have two daughters, graduates of name East Coast schools, and I'd trade the life I had as crew-holding, Mission Commander/TACCO on a P-3 crew and Av/Arm Division Officer for what they have done the first 5 years out of college any day of the week.
AF6872
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Those Orions are great ships. Brother in Law is a VP in a fortune 500 and said with an Academy background and a Chinese Major she could be hired tomorrow by any corporation. Academy background is a big plus. Like the 130 they are still flying somewhere.
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I feel compelled to say that a guaranteed paying job with good benefits for 5 years after college is a really good deal.
That 5 years will be steeped in leadership experience, and the experience he gains may be in something not even related to his degree.
He may decide to stay or leave after the 5 years, and he may even decide that his career path is going to stay skewed away from his degree.
Whatever he does, after that 5 years of leadership experience, getting a job will be easy.
He may also decide to do the whole 20, because by golly that first 5 wasn't so bad and he's been to 7 different countries so far!
At the age of 43 he can be a year into his pension (when most of his friends at his 25-year H.S. reunion will not) and do what he wants.
Maybe a second career? Changing careers at the age of 43 usually isn't a choice, it's dictated by the economy and job market. Having the ability to choose - on your own terms - is good.
Also -
That 5 years will be steeped in leadership experience, and the experience he gains may be in something not even related to his degree.
He may decide to stay or leave after the 5 years, and he may even decide that his career path is going to stay skewed away from his degree.
Whatever he does, after that 5 years of leadership experience, getting a job will be easy.
He may also decide to do the whole 20, because by golly that first 5 wasn't so bad and he's been to 7 different countries so far!
At the age of 43 he can be a year into his pension (when most of his friends at his 25-year H.S. reunion will not) and do what he wants.
Maybe a second career? Changing careers at the age of 43 usually isn't a choice, it's dictated by the economy and job market. Having the ability to choose - on your own terms - is good.
Also -
MoSwimmer66
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Yes- and starting out with no college debt opens more doors than it closes!
Have you actually spoken to your son and these are his thought?
Many reasons to stay and many reasons to go - but if he doesn't know the answer to the questions you have posed - what has he been doing the past 2 years?
I get all the uncertainty he might have, but if these are 'his' questions about if this is a legit career, a real job, pay etc - he has truly wasted the last 2 years of his life.
Many reasons to stay and many reasons to go - but if he doesn't know the answer to the questions you have posed - what has he been doing the past 2 years?
I get all the uncertainty he might have, but if these are 'his' questions about if this is a legit career, a real job, pay etc - he has truly wasted the last 2 years of his life.
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If his heart isn't in it then he should go do what he wants to do.
I can't see someone with those feelings making a very good officer, and that's what it's as 'll about.