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Benedictus
Guest
Actually, women don’t serve on subs. “Fooling around” is indeed a problem on surface ships.
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mjdonnelly
Guest
Marines are in the Department of the Navy. We in the Navy don’t fight hand to hand, Marines do, I was stationed at GTMO with them for a while and the atmosphere is entirely different. How many of them could handle the mental strain of being isolated on a sub for months at a time, in enemy territory? Different services with different missions.
There are ships and boats in the Navy, boats being subs (sticking point of sub sailors).
No women on subs, probably never will. Marines have same problem with fraternization as you accused the Navy of having.
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dirtydog
Guest
I voted Air Force, because I did it. Going officer after getting your degree means going to OTS - check out airforceots.com
Yes
No
As an officer, your profession IS WAR. Even if you aren’t “sent off to war,” your mission will be to support those who do go to war. You need to be able to deal with that. Everyone from the most green E-1 cook to the most seasoned O-7 shares responsibility for what we do in the military.
If you PM me I can give you some details. Knowing what your degree is and what specialty you are looking for will help me in assisting you with your choice. I went pilot at a time in my life when I would have been of more use in another career field. I didn’t make it through pilot training. Unfortunately, the AF is downsizing the officer corps right now, so although I was recommended for other career fields, I was discharged. Because of the force reduction, your chances of getting in through OTS are slim to none right now. However, if you were to get a masters through ROTC, your chances would be good. Also, the tides will most likely shift in a couple of years, and you might have better chances of going through OTS. It is even possible that recruitment could become so bad that they beg me to come back. You never know.
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riverman
Guest
I am active duty AF and love it! I have been in for 12 years and have my degree. I am enlisted but hopeing for an OTS slot. I argue the point about not seeing battle if you are in the AF. In my career field there are young men and women put in hars way every day. I am a transporter and we are oversees driving convoy operations side by side with our Army Brothren. No matter what branch you join, war is not pretty. Even the CG is seeing action. If you have any ?'s feel free to ask. I do know that getting an OTS slot right now is nearly impossible for prior or a civilian. Last notice I recieved there was only about 20 slots for all of next fiscal year. We are going through a force drawdown right now. I am here for your questions!
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speedy5
Guest
as an ex-airman, i think you’d have more fun in the army. seriously. the air force is way to uptight on things that don’t matter. i’m not saying the army’s not like that, but you would have a better time.
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riverman
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The selection rate last board was only 13% I know because I was not one of the selectees. It is harder now than I’ve ever known. My Command Chief told me if I do not have a Tech Degree it will be nearly imposible to even have my package looked at for future boards. He got his info from our Numbered AF Commander.
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riverman
Guest
speedy, please do not spread negative personal thoghts about the AF. According to your age you probably were never a E-6 of above. The uptight matters you refer to are not all that. When we have airmen coming in with no respect for authority because they are products of todays society it makes it difficult to allow them the freedom to do what we ask them to do and not “Babysit” them. I am sure this is common amoung other branches as well.
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mjdonnelly
Guest
E-5 is even unlikely.
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kp1
Guest
Sorry, you have some wrong information. There are NO women in the submarine service! All nuclear trained females go to the surface ships. There are several good reasons why women are not on subs and it will be a long time before they are! 1) There is no privacy, even the wardroom men (excluding the CO and XO) share one shower and two toilets, that is 12-14 officers. The only private space is located between their ears. 2) The tight quarters! In most subs, you have to turn sideways to get two people down a hallway at one time. 3) Effects of radiation on the next generation. This may sound lame, but the info is that women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, men on the other hand regenerate sperm every two to three days. If there was a leak of the reactor, the women’s eggs would be compromised forever. Now, do not go off the deep end about the radiation on everyone, the Navy has very tight regulations on the amount of radiation the guys can be exposed to in each month and year. They are required to wear this little black item (a TLD) on their belts at all times. Inside the TLD is a crystal that absorbs the same amount of radiation as the person wearing the item. Each month the doc on board must collect, annilize, and report to the XO everyones exposure levels. The Navy’s highest acceptible level of exposure is much less than the civillian’s level. It is somewhere around the level of getting say 4 x-rays in a year. I do not remember the exact number anymore.So those are some of the major reasons why women are not on submarines. If they are ever to go on subs, I can see it happening first on the “boomers” because they have more space, but not on “fast attacks” because it is so tight on space.
As for putting women on surface ships (only submarines are referred to as boats) a carrier is as large as a small town. When inspection teams go on board they are given maps so they do not get lost. I have heard that you could spend a two-three year tour on one and never see the whole ship. Most other ships still have more space than subs so they can account for more privacy. So, I do not think you should throw the baby out with the bath water on having women on ships causes promiscuity. It is the individuals and their own moral codes. The Navy really looks down on fraternization because it breaks down the structure. (IE it would be really difficult to order someone to do something if you were dating them) It goes along the same lines as not dating someone in the work place.
As for women in the military, that is a whole different topic. There are some fabulous ones out there and there are some that purposly get pregnant to avoid deployment.
As for the Marines and Army, with their combination of men and women, I once asked a marine how do they deal with the women on their cycles out in the field. He matter of factly stated “we put them on the pill to regulate that time”. I was curious if anyone else wondered that too!
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Fashina86
Guest
I guess that I am a little biased, but if I didn’t have a hearing problem, I would join the air force easily. It is such a great opprotunity and you can fly airplanes! YAY!
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LabChick
Guest
Whoever this Marine was, he was putting you on or seriously misinformed. This is insane!As for the Marines and Army, with their combination of men and women, I once asked a marine how do they deal with the women on their cycles out in the field. He matter of factly stated “we put them on the pill to regulate that time”. I was curious if anyone else wondered that too!
And no, it’s not true. A woman’s menses doesn’t impact her ability to be in the field, fire a rifle, scale a wall, climb a rope, etc. In fact, 98% of her fellow soldiers won’t even know when she is menstruating.
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LabChick
Guest
I’m joining this thread a bit late, but here are my two cents anyways.
I’ve been an Army officer since 1986, serving 15 years on active duty and will retire next year (or maybe not). I have no regrets about making a career out of military medicine. For me, the Army allowed me to go to medical school and I experienced much more of life and the world than I would have otherwise.
I’ve found it easier to be a good Catholic in the military than in my civilian life.
Good luck!
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EsclavoDeCristo
Guest
I have a bachelors of arts majoring in Mathematics and minoring in Spanish. I am pretty much bi-lengual (not perfect but functional).
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Benedictus
Guest
Well, being bilingual could be a big benefit. It’d be a huge benefit if you happened to speak Arabic or Persian…
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liam1230
Guest
Think Coast Guard.
It’s where I started 30 years ago after a 25 year hiatus, I’m back with them as a civilian. After original 6 year enlistment, got out and recieved engineering and businees degrees. I was on the long road to nowhere when I enlisted and I attribute much of my success in life to that brief 6 year period.
It’s very rewarding and especially considering the CG’s enhanced Homeland Security role in the post 9/11 world.
I dind’t read all the posts here, but I wanted to accentuate that the friends you will make in the service are unlke any friendships you will make anywhere else in life. They will last a lifetime.
It’s where I started 30 years ago after a 25 year hiatus, I’m back with them as a civilian. After original 6 year enlistment, got out and recieved engineering and businees degrees. I was on the long road to nowhere when I enlisted and I attribute much of my success in life to that brief 6 year period.
It’s very rewarding and especially considering the CG’s enhanced Homeland Security role in the post 9/11 world.
I dind’t read all the posts here, but I wanted to accentuate that the friends you will make in the service are unlke any friendships you will make anywhere else in life. They will last a lifetime.
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Benedictus
Guest
dhgray said:
Just one tiny clarification: the Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
uscgaux.org/~08211/images/general/DHS_UnitedStatesCoastGuard_small.jpg
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liam1230
Guest
Yes but never forget we are also part of the military. The CG has participated in every war this country has fought (and sadly we lost a Coastie in Iraq within the last year).
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EsclavoDeCristo
Guest
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armywife
Guest
I realize I had misspoken. The Air Force has started supporting the shortages in the Army and Marines by doing convoys in Iraq. That just started about two or so years ago. The majority of deployments that people I know go on are to Incerlik, Turkey and they are only about 6 months sometimes extended to eight.
I still say that if you want to be a part of the military with minimal combat experience that the Air Force is the way to go. Especially considering the better standard of living. I really don’t know much about the Navy to comment.
I still say that if you want to be a part of the military with minimal combat experience that the Air Force is the way to go. Especially considering the better standard of living. I really don’t know much about the Navy to comment.
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