Naval Boarding Party said:
For example, just because someone may have been onboard a Submarine doesn't make them an expert. They may think that they are and speak with authority and conviction, but they are by no means an expert.
I certainly hope that wasn't directed at me, as I don't have much time on the new boats, but you will find most of the New submariners don't........And by no means am I an expert, Spent a year and a half on the vic, and 8 months training in Halifax......... Never proclaimed to be an expert, but then again there are those "O" Boat submariners who were experts in that "era" who are clueless in this one.....
As for the Naval Communicator trade, it is constantly evolving and if IT is your thing then sign yourself up!! Go for it!! I joined as a 277 have 10 years in, sailed on both coasts, all classes, and I love it. Currently employed at NRS is hard to take, as it seems that when an operator makes a mistake utilizing new messaging methods, we are immediately thrown back into a more redundant operation.
Personally I don't get much job satisfaction working ashore, our SOPS for doing various procedures is constantly changing, if you take 2 weeks leave you can come back and have to learn a new way to do an old thing. We do some basic IT here at NRS working at the network operations centre but that mainly consists of MONITORING equipment and paging a tech when there is an issue, our troubleshooting abilities are extremely limited. Adapting to change is one thing, but when the change is constant it does get frustrating.
It is not a bad job but since I have been in we have always been in transition, when I first got to the ship it was the merge of the two trades 262, 274, and now it is the inclusion of IT in our trade, with MOSART breathing down our necks I am sure there will be another big change coming. It is possible that I will do my entire 20 years in a constant state of change.
00299 is one of the best trades in the Navy, you are always in the "know" you have a close relationship with the CO, XO, Command team. Your duty watches in port are good, plus you work in a restricted space, we have our own world at sea, and it rocks.