i read all about the position so i know that they work long hour. work hard party hard etc. but what is exactly that they do? what is a small vessel duty? and what is a cutter?
also, are they out to sea more than all ratings since their work is mostly on a ship? i think
i like the pride that previous BMs show....the "true sailor" attitude.
The Navy hasn't had cutters for years. Its a smaller vessel but not that small. The Coast Guard still has them. Theres three in Portsmouth NH right now and they look to be about the size of an old destroyer escort.
USS Liberty, Never Forget.
I believe in Murrays Law, he thought Murphy was an optimist.
So you want to be a Boatswain's Mate. Fine! You have chosen one of the most interesting and one of the most difficult ratings in the Navy. We will not deceive you by telling you that a Boatswain's Mate's life is easy. As a Seaman, you should have a good idea of what life in the deck force is. You found the life is hard, frequently dangerous, and seemingly thankless. Undoubtedly, you have spent many long hours performing tiring and dangerous tasks, such as handling stores while replenishing at sea. You may have run your boat far into the night while you were cold and wet. At times, duty has kept you from sitting down to eat while the food was still hot. Often you were anchoring or mooring the ship while other shipmates were cleaning up and changing clothes to go ashore. Surely, you've been razzed by shipmates with less demanding jobs. Such things are aggravating, and you may even have wanted to find an easier job that would permit you to eat and knock off on time. Then again, maybe you like hard work with an element of danger. Perhaps you like the responsibility of running and caring for your own boat. Maybe you have detected a note of admiration in your shipmate's good-natured needling. Whatever your reasons, you are about to begin studying for one of the most varied and interesting ratings in the Navy!
sweep, swab, forth and aft, chips paint, prime it, repaint it, deck haze gray is going to be your favorite color, shining the S@!^ out of brass, handling all type of lines, splicing, moving, you name it I've done it. It is fun if your interested in seamanship. I didn't mind it but sometime there is duty that is meaningless but I guess is everywhere. Enjoy! and experience it.
Originally posted by chase2009: sweep, swab, forth and aft, chips paint, prime it, repaint it, deck haze gray is going to be your favorite color, shining the S@!^ out of brass, handling all type of lines, splicing, moving...
Having more leadership and responsibilities as a 3rd class then most 1st classes in other rates will ever have....PRICELESS
i definitely dont want to join the military to sit at a desk and handle paperwork....this sounds like my kind of job. if im gona be on a ship at sea without my family, i rather be working than "relaxing" i guess i picked right!
another question: when your out at sea, is it like a regular job as far as a schedule goes, or when youre not asleep your working type deal 7 days a week.
Originally posted by 21920473: i definitely dont want to join the military to sit at a desk and handle paperwork....this sounds like my kind of job. if im gona be on a ship at sea without my family, i rather be working than "relaxing" i guess i picked right!
Be careful what you wish for
another question: when your out at sea, is it like a regular job as far as a schedule goes, or when youre not asleep your working type deal 7 days a week.
At sea, there really is NO "regular job", and you will find out that everyone works. Schedules is an understatement, the only thing really in a set schedule is your watch rotation, and even that will change. At sea, 1600 hrs (4pm) is the typical knockoff time for "ship's work", however, that is by no means any type of guarantee, or really even followed. You will have downtime and some time to relax, but the more junior you are the more additional training you will be doing. You will have watchstander quals to meet, job quals, damage control quals, and so on, so you will be kept busy.
as for a guy that went in uundesignated because i didnt know what i wanted to do i was a deck ape on USS NEWPORT LST 1179 from 1990 - 1992 and all i can tell you is some days are the best you ever had and others what the hell did i get myself into ? this is the worst day ever hop i die soon example flight quarters,flight quarters from 1900 - 2400 hey you got the balls to 4 watch get off and got to slush cables at 5 and its time for the next day and guess what stand by for high seas and heavy rolls as the ship comes about we got to do an unrep e-3 and below working party thats the bad example now for the good one sure most of the other guys are off the ship at port but you and a few buds are out in town now and did you ever think you would ever see paris in real life ? portugal ? spain? greese? italy? those days are wow the coolist ones !!!
