Well I think I'm about to take the plunge...something I've always wanted to do and I think the time is right for me right now. I'm 27 years old and bored w/ my career and life and would love to do something that will help others and the country.

I have a bachelor's degree and have been told I could go in at an E-3.

My only problem is my credit card debit that I plan on at least getting half of it paid off w/in the next 6 months. I have about 18,000 total and right now am on an aggressive plan to get at least half of it paid off real soon.

Will this hinder my ability to get into the Navy?

I have no medical or any other problems, never been arrested, etc.

You maybe able to get in the Navy, but you may not be able to hold a job/rate with a security clearance.

Ok What rates/jobs require a security clearance?

If you have a bachelor's degree, talk to an Officer recruiter and try to go that route. It's better pay and alot more responsibility but, it also may be well worth it.

As for you debt, talk to the recruiter about it. In most cases, as long as you are showing you are getting it paid off, and paying everything on time or early, and you have good credit, it shouldn't be a problem.

I reenlisted after being out for 2 and a half years, had to go through the whole proccess of enlisting again, all with about $7,000 in debt and a repo on my credit report. I can be done, you just have to work with the recruiters on it.

Just my 2 cents worth.

I've already talked to Officer Recruiter's in the past and have been told that my gpa would not be competitive at all. So I really don't care to go that route.

Also my credit score is around 600 and I do pay all my debt on time, never been to collections, I'm not sure if I'd be able to get a secret clearance, not top secret, but I can get a lot of the debit paid off in the next 6 months.

quote:

Originally posted by 13627538:
I've already talked to Officer Recruiter's in the past and have been told that my gpa would not be competitive at all. So I really don't care to go that route.

Also my credit score is around 600 and I do pay all my debt on time, never been to collections, I'm not sure if I'd be able to get a secret clearance, not top secret, but I can get a lot of the debit paid off in the next 6 months.

To me if you will have a good majority of dept paid off in the next 6, why not shoot to pay it all off before enlisting, or reduce it to a more manageable amount?

An E-3 really isn't making all that much money and you will find yourself probablly just keeping up with the intrest payments, vs paying off principle. You could probablly manage a debt while in, but it really reduces what you will take home and that can be a significant factor as well.

quote:

Originally posted by DC2crabby:

quote:

Originally posted by 13627538:
I've already talked to Officer Recruiter's in the past and have been told that my gpa would not be competitive at all. So I really don't care to go that route.

Also my credit score is around 600 and I do pay all my debt on time, never been to collections, I'm not sure if I'd be able to get a secret clearance, not top secret, but I can get a lot of the debit paid off in the next 6 months.

To me if you will have a good majority of dept paid off in the next 6, why not shoot to pay it all off before enlisting, or reduce it to a more manageable amount?

An E-3 really isn't making all that much money and you will find yourself probablly just keeping up with the intrest payments, vs paying off principle. You could probablly manage a debt while in, but it really reduces what you will take home and that can be a significant factor as well.

Your exactly right I'm going to shoot to pay it all off, if not all, almost all of it off before joining.

quote:

Originally posted by HawkeyeFM521:
If you have a bachelor's degree, talk to an Officer recruiter and try to go that route. It's better pay and alot more responsibility but, it also may be well worth it.

As for you debt, talk to the recruiter about it. In most cases, as long as you are showing you are getting it paid off, and paying everything on time or early, and you have good credit, it shouldn't be a problem.

I reenlisted after being out for 2 and a half years, had to go through the whole proccess of enlisting again, all with about $7,000 in debt and a repo on my credit report. I can be done, you just have to work with the recruiters on it.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Having seen the active duty application and heard about the civilian app from over at www.usnavyocs.com debt is a negative factor for the highly competitive officer selection boards.

In other words, it's okay for a junior sailor to go to NMCRS (Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society) but an officer doing so might reflect poorly upon the officer corps.

Brandolf,
Not looking to go in as an officer, I was already told that my gpa, 2.9 would be a waste of time to even try.

quote:

Originally posted by 13627538:
Brandolf,
Not looking to go in as an officer, I was already told that my gpa, 2.9 would be a waste of time to even try.

Told by whom? An actual OFFICER recruiter or an ENLISTED recruiter?
The board uses a "whole person" concept. . .worst thing that happens is you are denied and go enlisted after all.
If you go over to the usnavyocs site you can see some people who have gotten in with 2.8's.
Now granted some of those are sailors who are qualified Chief-of-the-Watch, Dive, or other senior watches normally stood by Chiefs and Officers but others are just civilians in challenging schools or majors who have solid extra-curriculars.

Now if you do poorly on the ASTB (the officers entry exam) then you are truly out of luck.
You can have one or two weak areas. Your GPA may not be the deciding factor if you have enough other stuff going for you.

I was told that by an Officer recruiter, he said I would be wasting my time and his, this was while I was living in Florida bout a year ago.

I didn't go to a challenging school and my major was Computer Info Systems, I did have a 3.3 in my major but kinda slacked on my other classes.

I'm actually fine w/ enlisted as long as I would go in as an E-3

In that case, good luck with your chosen path.

Remember to verify that E-3 is written on the final contract. If it is not in the contract it will not happen.
Your recruiter can receive your college transcript for the appropriate paperwork to get you E-3. . .you actually only need 45 credits I believe to get the E-3.
Remember to make sure E-3 and any other promises are all written in the contract before signing.

quote:

Originally posted by Brandolf:
In that case, good luck with your chosen path.

Remember to verify that E-3 is written on the final contract. If it is not in the contract it will not happen.
Your recruiter can receive your college transcript for the appropriate paperwork to get you E-3. . .you actually only need 45 credits I believe to get the E-3.
Remember to make sure E-3 and any other promises are all written in the contract before signing.

Critical right here as to why i quoted it. They tried to tell me even with my college credits (92) that i would get E-3 but they couldn't put it in my contract the first time i was at MEPS. I said, i won't finish going through with the process if its not written in there. They wrote it in there.

Just cover all your bases and DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING before signing anything. If they say you are getting a bonus or advancement, make sure at all necessary points in the paperwork its written in there.

James