Cautious advice!?!

One of my readers sent me and email this week and asked me for some advice concerning his term in the Navy and transitioning to the commercial industry. I only had enough time to send him my thoughts on his Navy time but will generate something on the comercial industry later. Here it is for your enjoyment:

Man, do I wish that I had your options! I will give you the same advice that I gave to my last several guys in your position when I was on active duty. Keep in mind that the economy was in much better shape and that there were a lot of jobs out there. Hey, be a savvy nuke. The navy promised you a boatload of stuff to get you to enlist, make sure that you get it all before you let them off the hook. The GI bill, advanced qualification (EWS), and other cool stuff is what you can get if you have the perseverance to make the navy give them to you. It might not sound too sweet now but here is what I would do:

Firstly, adopt a pseudo-lifer attitude. Keep your nose clean, be on time, have a sat haircut, don’t smell like booze (all of the time). Tell your goat (EMC) that you want to qualify EWS and start showing up at training. Don’t really ask, just do it. If anyone gives you a hard time, ask the XO why it is so hard to just get ahead in the engineering department and schmooze up the EDMC. It may seem fake, but you will need to have some “political skills” when you get into the real world anyway. Consider it an exercise in character. You don’t have to like it just do it long enough to get thru your board. For an EM this qual is like gold in the commercial industry.

Second, start talking up p-type. Like when the EDMC or ENG or XO can hear you. Sound cautiously interested. If you demonstrate significant interest you will get “command attention.” Once you get the attention you want, get the command to do the bargaining for you. Just remember that no matter what the XO says, he really can’t get you orders. Once you get to prototype, there are several colleges that will cater to you taking on campus classes or doing distance learning. You NEED to finish your degree before you get into the crap in the commercial world. So go there and get it done. Don’t get distracted by those Charleston hotties or the babes in the spa at Ballston.

Thirdly, hold out talking about reenlisting until the very last. Make it a bargaining tool for yourself. Remember that the money isn’t worth it but, the other benefits and the money just may be. Bargain for all that you can get including quals as EWS as a second (my ET2 did it) or the best orders. And remember, that if things don’t go right or you get pissed, you never, NEVER have to reenlistment or sign the contract. Even on the day of your ceremony.