Welcome new member!Hi. I have been recently thinking about going to the naval academy; however, I want to be a regular enlisted navy seal so that I can do combat. I was wondering if I go through the academy do I have to become an officer seal?
You should also look into MARSOC. The Naval Academy also commissions officers into the Marine Corps. The Marines have their own special operations units and capabilities. There is more than one way to become a ground pounder out of USNA.Hi. I have been recently thinking about going to the naval academy; however, I want to be a regular enlisted navy seal so that I can do combat. I was wondering if I go through the academy do I have to become an officer seal?
While only a select few USNA graduates become SEAL officers, those who do embark on this path will be further and further from the direct action operations they initially sought. As they progress through the ranks, they transition from being close to the "door kickers" to assuming more administrative and strategic roles, eventually finding themselves behind a desk.Thank you all for your responses! I guess I just do not want to always be stuck behind a desk. If I lead my team I would rather be on the battle field leading them there.
Thank you all for your responses!
Okay, that makes sense last question from now. What would my level be would I be a O-1,2,3,4 if I go through USNA because I know based of the level is how you determine how much actually combat you will see.While only a select few USNA graduates become SEAL officers, those who do embark on this path will be further and further from the direct action operations they initially sought. As they progress through the ranks, they transition from being close to the "door kickers" to assuming more administrative and strategic roles, eventually finding themselves behind a desk.
If you aspire to be the one in the thick of the action, enlisting and working your way up to Navy Chief in the SEALs offers a direct route to the frontlines. However, this path demands unwavering physical and mental fortitude. BUD/S training is notoriously grueling, and the psychological stress of SEAL operations is immense. Prepare yourself for BUDS by incorporating cold showers, sand running in boots, and other challenging activities into your daily routine, along with pullups and sit-ups.
Understand that injuries are an occupational hazard for SEALs, much like in professional football. The median service time for enlisted SEALs is 6 years, and only 28% make it past 10 years due to the physical and mental toll of the job.
O-1 is the paygrade for both Ensign, U.S. Navy, or 2nd Lieutenant, USMC, the most junior officer ranks which you will commission into upon graduation from USNA. About 2 years later, promotion to O-2 paygrade, Lieutenant (junior grad) or 1st Lieutenant. Some years after that, 0-3, Lieutenant or Captain. And some years after that, O-4, Lieutenant Commander or Major. The paygrade is often used informally to indicate rank.Okay, that makes sense last question from now. What would my level be would I be a O-1,2,3,4 if I go through USNA because I know based of the level is how you determine how much actually combat you will see.
So do I have to move up a rank because I know junior officers still get to see a fair amount of action.O-1 is the paygrade for both Ensign, U.S. Navy, or 2nd Lieutenant, USMC, the most junior officer ranks which you will commission into upon graduation from USNA. About 2 years later, promotion to O-2 paygrade, Lieutenant (junior grad) or 1st Lieutenant. Some years after that, 0-3, Lieutenant or Captain. And some years after that, O-4, Lieutenant Commander or Major. The paygrade is often used informally to indicate rank.
You will more or less (unless you commit a crime or exhibit a gross departure from the personal and professional standards of an officer) promote automatically to O-2 after two years of commissioned service and O-3 after four years of commissioned service. You are up for O-4 at ~10 years of commissioned service. Officers across all the service operate in an "up or out" system as mandated by the Department of Defense Personnel Management Act of 1980. In simple terms, if you fail to promote, you will get discharged or you will retire. For non-priors, you need to make it to O-4 to retire. Prior enlisted officers with enough time as an enlisted Sailor can retire as O-3s. Anyway, promotion to O-3 is more or less automatic. You can turn down O-4, but you will be out of the military soon after. If you choose O-4, then you will most likely transition more into a middle management role where you are doing more administrative work and less operating (but you will still do stuff on occasion). The tilt towards administrative work only increases as you climb the rank ladder.So do I have to move up a rank because I know junior officers still get to see a fair amount of action.
Got some bad news for you. Officers end up behind desks. Check out the community brief for SEAL, it's on the MyNavyHR site.Thank you all for your responses! I guess I just do not want to always be stuck behind a desk. If I lead my team I would rather be on the battle field leading them there.
Pure Gold!If they wanted to make an accurate CoD game, they'd have you hit the gym at some point, go into work, have your email not work for three hours because the internet is out, go get lunch at the base Subway, come back for a meeting, work on a Power Point, do an online training that doesn't work the first time, and then go home driving your pickup.
Let’s not forget fun collateral duties and periodic assignments - command urinalysis coordinator, dental readiness, Senior Watch Officer, Wardroom Mess Treasurer, change of command coordinator, annual Navy & Marine Corps Relief Fund Drive Coordinator... At least in this community, command fitness coordinator wouldn’t be too bad, probably not running a lot of early AM remedial PTs or documenting serial PRT failures.You will more or less (unless you commit a crime or exhibit a gross departure from the personal and professional standards of an officer) promote automatically to O-2 after two years of commissioned service and O-3 after four years of commissioned service. You are up for O-4 at ~10 years of commissioned service. Officers across all the service operate in an "up or out" system as mandated by the Department of Defense Personnel Management Act of 1980. In simple terms, if you fail to promote, you will get discharged or you will retire. For non-priors, you need to make it to O-4 to retire. Prior enlisted officers with enough time as an enlisted Sailor can retire as O-3s. Anyway, promotion to O-3 is more or less automatic. You can turn down O-4, but you will be out of the military soon after. If you choose O-4, then you will most likely transition more into a middle management role where you are doing more administrative work and less operating (but you will still do stuff on occasion). The tilt towards administrative work only increases as you climb the rank ladder.
Here is the rationale behind this:
O-1s through O-3s do the most operating because they need to build foundational operational experience. This foundational experience will be capitalized upon when you go higher in rank. In theory, your operational experience will inform your managerial decisions as an O-4 and above. Once you hit O-4, you will do stuff to keep a baseline level of experience and currency, but you will not be the most up to speed on the nitty gritty details like the JOs are.
Navy SEALs, SWOs, Pilots, etc. are all Naval Officers first. That means you do the stuff you don't see in video games/movies like approving leave, doing evaluations, getting a task not in your job description because you were in a senior officer's field of vision, etc. If they wanted to make an accurate CoD game, they'd have you hit the gym at some point, go into work, have your email not work for three hours because the internet is out, go get lunch at the base Subway, come back for a meeting, work on a Power Point, do an online training that doesn't work the first time, and then go home driving your pickup. Dropping bombs, shooting missiles, and kicking in doors of bad guys is a part of the military, and everyone will do their fair share of operating, but it is not the day-to-day.
Resonates with truth and validity in every line.A lot of good advice above, but two questions-
1) Why do you want to attend USNA ? If your goal in life is to "do combat", there are a whole lot of other avenues, including but not limited to enlisting and going SEAL. Keep in mind, even then, most of your time is going to be in training and preparing for combat.
2) Why do you want to "do combat" ? I'm presuming you are young, and view war as some glorious objective. The reality is far from what you see in Hollywood movies or Call of Duty. People , including friends, are maimed and die. Nobody should want to "do combat." All the resources we put into the military, including equipment and manpower, are intended to avoid combat--- the best way to avoid war is to be prepared to fight and destroy those that stand in the way or national interests.
One final thought despite the comments about USNA graduates and officers being the leaders and administrators. I just got back from visiting the Yard the other day. I always spend a few moments in Memorial Hall when I visit USNA, and seeing the names of friends and classmates on the wall is a pretty good reminder there are plenty of opportunities to fight and die in the line of duty as an officer in the Navy and Marine Corps.
1) I want to join the Navy to serve my country and do something bigger than myself. I could just go be a engineer or doctor and create life saving cures or prosthetic or something, but I really am interested in the navy, its goals, and benefits. I want to attend USNA because I want to be set up in a position that gives me the best chances of doing so. I want to be a officer because yes I do want to lead and keep people out of danger; however, if my men are going into danger I would want to go into the danger with them. Not only do I plan to be a seal but I plan to be seal team 6 if God blesses me to do so. I want to know I am doing the utmost I can for my country and my people. I know it means a whole lot more challenges but I will take it on as best as I can.A lot of good advice above, but two questions-
1) Why do you want to attend USNA ? If your goal in life is to "do combat", there are a whole lot of other avenues, including but not limited to enlisting and going SEAL. Keep in mind, even then, most of your time is going to be in training and preparing for combat.
2) Why do you want to "do combat" ? I'm presuming you are young, and view war as some glorious objective. The reality is far from what you see in Hollywood movies or Call of Duty. People , including friends, are maimed and die. Nobody should want to "do combat." All the resources we put into the military, including equipment and manpower, are intended to avoid combat--- the best way to avoid war is to be prepared to fight and destroy those that stand in the way or national interests.
One final thought despite the comments about USNA graduates and officers being the leaders and administrators. I just got back from visiting the Yard the other day. I always spend a few moments in Memorial Hall when I visit USNA, and seeing the names of friends and classmates on the wall is a pretty good reminder there are plenty of opportunities to fight and die in the line of duty as an officer in the Navy and Marine Corps.