Issue Date: October 04, 2004

Navy flush with new recruits
Service to counter surplus by merging recruiting forces

By Mark D. Faram
Times staff writer

The Navy says it has more than two-thirds of the nearly 39,000 recruits it will need next year already in the bank.

“I’ve got 28,000 signed to a contract, and they have a date to ship off to boot camp,” said Rear Adm. Jeff Fowler, commander of the Navy Recruiting Command in Millington, Tenn. That’s the highest number of delayed-entry recruits the Navy has ever had in hand heading into a new fiscal year. At the same time, Fowler plans to cut 770 billets from his force of 4,300 fleet sailors on recruiting duty by the end of fiscal 2007 because they’re no longer needed as the active and Reserve recruiting forces consolidate.

For the first cut, “in ’05, we plan to send 170 sailors back to the fleet without relief,” Fowler said. “We can always change our minds on the last two years of that if we get into trouble.”

But while he’s cutting onetime recruiters, he said he would also like to increase the Navy’s career recruiting force — Navy counselors on permanent recruiting duty — by 400, though he won’t say when.

“Sixty percent of the Reserve recruiting force are career recruiters,” Fowler said. “I don’t think we’ll go that high for the active-duty force, but having proven recruiters who enjoy the duty is a good thing.”

Navy recruiters have met their goal for 36 consecutive months — the longest winning streak since the start of the all-volunteer force in 1973.

Fowler’s command is also responsible for Reserve recruiting, and those recruiters have met their goal 19 out of the last 20 months. Though those numbers are still good, Fowler said, high retention in the fleet has made finding experienced sailors to enlist in the Reserve more difficult.

With the Navy downsizing its work force, demand for new recruits has been lower.

Still, Navy officials are wary of recruiting too few sailors, as was done in the 1990s drawdown. Recruiting too few sailors then has resulted in midgrade petty officer shortages today.

Fowler said he’s concentrating on increasing the “quality” of Navy recruits by raising the required percentage of high school graduates among those entering the Navy to 95 percent, up from 90 percent just three years ago.

“Also this year, 13 percent of those we’ve brought in had 12 or more college credits,” he said. “And 70 percent of our recruits scored in the top half of the [Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery].”

The new requirements, coupled with other programs at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill., have led to a boot camp attrition rate of less than 9 percent.

But having a large group of recruits waiting a long time to leave can also cause problems.

Officials said it’s difficult to keep potential recruits engaged the longer they are in the delayed entry program.

That’s why the attrition rate among delayed entry recruits is 25 percent. These are people who sign up for the Navy and officials say that number rises significantly when recruits are forced to wait more than six months. The average DEP recruit waits six months and two weeks to go to boot camp.

To counter this trend, Fowler said, recruiters must keep in contact with their recruits even after they’ve signed up by holding monthly meetings or by picking up the phone to check in.

“Each recruiter has an average of seven delayed entry recruits, though some have as many as 20,” Fowler said. “When you have that many, it’s much like running a division and takes a bit of work to track.”

So, to keep these new sailors engaged with the Navy, he said, his command will launch a special Web site in fiscal 2005 that will allow DEP recruits to get more information on the Navy and even start working on Navy correspondence courses.

Fowler says he’s planning a reward system for sailors who use the Web site. For example, if a sailor racks up a few correspondence courses and an earlier boot camp seat opens up, he will be offered the chance ship off to the Navy earlier.

“We’d also like to see sailors get a chance to get a head start on their ‘A’ school work through this site, too,” he said.

Integration effort

For years, the Navy has operated separate recruiting stations often in the same town, one for active-duty recruiting and the other for reservists — but no longer.

Fowler’s command absorbed the New Orleans-based Naval Reserve Recruiting Command last year and is working to combine the two.

A pilot program consolidated operations in the Montgomery, Ala., recruiting district. Some stations were closed, and in most cases, active and Reserve recruiters operate from the same office.

“Our pilot in Montgomery, Ala., has gone quite well,” he said, stating that active and Reserve, enlisted and officers, work side by side.

That model will go Navywide in a yearlong rollout. The south recruiting region already has shifted, and the north region’s shift begins Oct. 1. Fowler’s two other recruiting regions begin active-Reserve integration in April 2005.

He said he recognizes there are obstacles to overcome. For example, active and Reserve recruiters use different computer programs to process recruits. A short-term fix, he said, could involve recruits sharing computers, depending on if the recruits are processed for active duty or Reserve.

“Sure, there’s going to be difficulty of executing this change, and that extends from computer programs to how you route leave chits,” Fowler said. “But we’re working each of those problems as we identify them and eventually we’ll put it all together.”

http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-NAVYPAPER-313268.php

When my son went in this spring the recruiter told him they weren't taking women because all their billets were filled.  They've gotten picky, too.  My boy was home-schooled and they wouldn't take him until he took 15 college credits.  Evidently the recruiter needed a high school diploma to photocopy or he couldn't get in, even though he scored very high on the test.  

I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq?

Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq?

I would think that about sums it up. Join any of the other branches and you'll  have  a better shot to spend some time over there

ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=279052

'Splain it to me, Lucy....

Quoted: ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=279052 'Splain it to me, Lucy....

It's simple really you have to move up or out. Some are having problems moving up. That still doesn't negate the need for younger sailors for "entry" positions. Hey, someone has to clean bilges and chip paint.

For the sake of these kids, I hope they don't have to serve under JFK.

Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq?

Yes.

Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq?

WTF do you know about Navy duty?  Some of it is cushy, some of it you couldn't hack, and just about every sea duty billet will work you like a rented mule.

You will sweat like a mofo, particularly if your watch or station is topside or you're a snipe.

Quoted: Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq? Yes.

It is not quite that simple…

The Navy is in the middle of large reductions in the number of active personal while the Army is adding personal so one major factor with the Navy is they simply don’t need as many new people while the Army needs more.

Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq?

DING DING DING!!! WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

Guess Iraq makes 6 months at a pop at sea look good.

Don't think any of these kids feel a possible DRAFT,do ya?

Quoted: Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq? WTF do you know about Navy duty?  Some of it is cushy, some of it you couldn't hack, and just about every sea duty billet will work you like a rented mule. You will sweat like a mofo, particularly if your watch or station is topside or you're a snipe.

Also what are the chances of getting killed in the navy, basically no risk plus a easy boot camp.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq? WTF do you know about Navy duty?  Some of it is cushy, some of it you couldn't hack, and just about every sea duty billet will work you like a rented mule. You will sweat like a mofo, particularly if your watch or station is topside or you're a snipe. Also what are the chances of getting killed in the navy, basically no risk plus a easy boot camp.

Oh shit, here it comes....

Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq?

Hundreds of Navy Corpsmen are sweating their balls off there, and hopefully I will be too next year.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq? WTF do you know about Navy duty?  Some of it is cushy, some of it you couldn't hack, and just about every sea duty billet will work you like a rented mule. You will sweat like a mofo, particularly if your watch or station is topside or you're a snipe. Also what are the chances of getting killed in the navy, basically no risk plus a easy boot camp.

That is a ignorant comment.

The deck of an aircraft carrier is considered one of the most dangerous place on earth.

The chances of being killed while in direct comabt in the US Navy are slim unless you are a SEAL, SEABEE, Corpsman or aircrew.

The chances of being killed while just doing your actual job are very high.

Working the flight deck is one of the most dangerous jobs in the military.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq? WTF do you know about Navy duty?  Some of it is cushy, some of it you couldn't hack, and just about every sea duty billet will work you like a rented mule. You will sweat like a mofo, particularly if your watch or station is topside or you're a snipe. Also what are the chances of getting killed in the navy, basically no risk plus a easy boot camp.

If they have some many recuits, why in the hell are they sending me mail about involuntarilly mobilizing the individual ready reserves?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq? WTF do you know about Navy duty?  Some of it is cushy, some of it you couldn't hack, and just about every sea duty billet will work you like a rented mule. You will sweat like a mofo, particularly if your watch or station is topside or you're a snipe. Also what are the chances of getting killed in the navy, basically no risk plus a easy boot camp.

Ask the men of the USS FIREBOLT. Not as great as in country, but there are still risks. And they deploy even if there isn't a war on.

What was your job in the Navy?
Rate?
Rank?
NEC?
Training?

Quoted: If they have some many recuits, why in the hell are they sending me mail about involuntarilly mobilizing the individual ready reserves?

Quoted: Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq? DING DING DING!!! WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Guess Iraq makes 6 months at a pop at sea look good. Don't think any of these kids feel a possible DRAFT,do ya?

WRONG WRONG WRONG

I have spent 6 months in the gulf underwater twice. Its hot as hell in a steaming engineroom, and when you get to working between two main engines in 120+ heat and near 100% humidity (its a steam plant remember?) with every damn thing you touch burning the shit out of you, you will start to long for the relatively "cool" desert

Quoted: What was your job in the Navy? Rate? Rank? NEC? Training? Quoted: If they have some many recuits, why in the hell are they sending me mail about involuntarilly mobilizing the individual ready reserves?

I was a nuke mechanic (submarines)

I highly doubt they are looking for my training, I just think they send out a letter to all the people in the IRR

Do these stats include the Marines or is all that kept seperate although a part of the Navy?

Then why are you bitching about your fucking letter?

Quoted: Quoted: What was your job in the Navy? Rate? Rank? NEC? Training? Quoted: If they have some many recuits, why in the hell are they sending me mail about involuntarilly mobilizing the individual ready reserves? I was a nuke mechanic (submarines) I highly doubt they are looking for my training, I just think they send out a letter to all the people in the IRR

Quoted: Then why are you bitching about your fucking letter? Quoted: Quoted: What was your job in the Navy? Rate? Rank? NEC? Training? Quoted: If they have some many recuits, why in the hell are they sending me mail about involuntarilly mobilizing the individual ready reserves? I was a nuke mechanic (submarines) I highly doubt they are looking for my training, I just think they send out a letter to all the people in the IRR

Because I had to fill the shit out and DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO THE POST OFFICE AND SPEND $0.37 OF MY HARD EARNED MONEY!

ohh..i forgot...I did go to a secuirty engagement/ force protection school...but I am not sure if its in my service record  

ETCS(SS)
21 years
13 years of sea time
6 years of my life submerged away from my family
Been in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic Oceans; , Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Panama, Med., Red, Tasman, Caribbean, Adriadic, North, Irish, Greenland seas to name a few.  Been to England, Scotland, Italy, Sardinia, Turkey, Sicily, Crete, France, Holland, Australia, Panama, Kenya, Diego Garcia, American Samoa, St. Croix, Andros Island, Mexico.
NEC's:
4731
4727
4752
4252
9545
9511
14IC
14NO

2 NCM's, 1 NAM, 1 MUC, 6 GoodConduct Awards, 4 Battle E's, 2 National Defense Medals, Arctic Ops Ribbon, SW Asia Campaign Medal with bronze star, Pistol Expert Medal.

Gee whiz not a drop of sweat there.  

You friggin idiots don't know what  the hell you are talking about.

Quoted: ohh..i forgot...I did go to a secuirty engagement/ force protection school...but I am not sure if its in my service record

Botch,
My son is in the subs.  He's on the USS Cheyenne about to be deployed.  What boat were you on?  Any advise?  He doesnt have a rating yet so he's the "Cook's bitch."  Likes it so far, tho.

Quoted: Quoted: ohh..i forgot...I did go to a secuirty engagement/ force protection school...but I am not sure if its in my service record   Botch, My son is in the subs.  He's on the USS Cheyenne about to be deployed.  What boat were you on?  Any advise?  He doesnt have a rating yet so he's the "Cook's bitch."  Likes it so far, tho.

I was on USS Springfield (SSN-761). I am assuming he is a striker due to his lack of rating. My only real advice is to get his fingers into as much stuff as he can. He is only going to be able to go after forward ratings (non-nuke) but there is a multitude of things for him to do. It all depends on what he likes. It he likes guns and mechanical things.....torpedoman is a good place to go. If he likes mechanical systems (and doesnt mind hard dirty work), then A-Div (or A-gang in navy slang) is a good place. Sonar techs/fire control/navigation all had it realtively easy in my opinion and those are good options. The radiomen had alot of fun toys to play with, and radio is always nice and cool in there....a big +! The sooner he finds out what he wants, and is able to secure himself an "A" school, the better off he is.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: ohh..i forgot...I did go to a secuirty engagement/ force protection school...but I am not sure if its in my service record   Botch, My son is in the subs.  He's on the USS Cheyenne about to be deployed.  What boat were you on?  Any advise?  He doesnt have a rating yet so he's the "Cook's bitch."  Likes it so far, tho. I was on USS Springfield (SSN-761). I am assuming he is a striker due to his lack of rating. My only real advice is to get his fingers into as much stuff as he can. He is only going to be able to go after forward ratings (non-nuke) but there is a multitude of things for him to do. It all depends on what he likes. It he likes guns and mechanical things.....torpedoman is a good place to go. If he likes mechanical systems (and doesnt mind hard dirty work), then A-Div (or A-gang in navy slang) is a good place. Sonar techs/fire control/navigation all had it realtively easy in my opinion and those are good options. The radiomen had alot of fun toys to play with, and radio is always nice and cool in there....a big +! The sooner he finds out what he wants, and is able to secure himself an "A" school, the better off he is.

He really likes computers and is drawn to sonar tech.  Unfortunately, there are no openings, but he hopes that after WESTPAC there will be some.  He really wants to train in on the boat rather than go back to Groton.  He hated Groton.  He  like his new Co and COB.  The COB is a former drill instructor at  Great Lakes and likes to play practical jokes, like hiding gay personal ads in your poopie suit so you find them later.  

I actually kind of miss Groton myself. I assume he was there for sub school. I was stationed there myself. As far as getting trained on the boat to 'become' a rating, I dont think it works that way (but i was never a striker). If i remember correctly, you are trained on the boat, BUT once you decide what you want, you are sent to school to become that rating. The only drawback being that I believe you are re-assigned to another boat after school. BUT....if your kid shows motivation and the guys like hime, the COB/CO/XO might be able to pull some strings and have him come back. As far as computer stuff....If sonar tech is full, fire controlman is probably a pretty viable option for him. We used to joke that fire controlmen were "torpedomen with an education".

Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq?

My son-in-law is a corpsman, goes to iraq in January,  I'll  be sure to tell him he's safe 'cause
" he's in the Navy"

a$$wipe

Quoted: Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq? My son-in-law is a corpsman, goes to iraq in January,  I'll  be sure to tell him he's safe 'cause " he's in the Navy" a$$wipe

mike,
how about you show your tough guy image to the families of the USS Cole victims?

poking fun at another service is one thing, but you're just being a fucking asshole

Quoted: The chances of being killed while in direct comabt in the US Navy are slim unless you are a SEAL, SEABEE, Corpsman or aircrew.

Don't forget EOD.  A buddy of mine has already served alot in the sandbox.

Nobody mentioned the pilots.  Sucks for them when they get shot down or crash.  All of our services fill a need.

Quoted: If they have some many recuits, why in the hell are they sending me mail about involuntarilly mobilizing the individual ready reserves?

What was your specialty MOS, Biotch?

Quoted: Quoted: If they have some many recuits, why in the hell are they sending me mail about involuntarilly mobilizing the individual ready reserves? What was your specialty MOS, Biotch?

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Quoted:
ohh..i forgot...I did go to a secuirty engagement/ force protection school...but I am not sure if its in my service record
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The sad thing for these Navy guys is that if we get into a shooting war with the Chicoms in the Taiwan Straits we could easily lose 5,000 men in a few days of naval warfare.

GunLvr

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq? My son-in-law is a corpsman, goes to iraq in January,  I'll  be sure to tell him he's safe 'cause " he's in the Navy" a$$wipe mike, how about you show your tough guy image to the families of the USS Cole victims? poking fun at another service is one thing, but you're just being a fucking asshole

Corpsmen and the sailors on USS Cole: both in USN.

I did.

"AIRCREW"

Quoted: Nobody mentioned the pilots.  Sucks for them when they get shot down or crash.  All of our services fill a need.

The Navy doesn't have MOS's.

Quoted: Quoted: If they have some many recuits, why in the hell are they sending me mail about involuntarilly mobilizing the individual ready reserves? What was your specialty MOS, Biotch?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I wonder why so many people want to join the navy? want to serve but dont want to sweat their balls off in iraq? WTF do you know about Navy duty?  Some of it is cushy, some of it you couldn't hack, and just about every sea duty billet will work you like a rented mule. You will sweat like a mofo, particularly if your watch or station is topside or you're a snipe. Also what are the chances of getting killed in the navy, basically no risk plus a easy boot camp.

Er...The chances are pretty high -- even in peacetime -- unless you are working for NAVPERS.  The Navy loses people all the time.  It just doesn't make it to the press.