I've been speaking with a recruiter and he tells me that after I graduate from basic that my wife and daughter will be able to live with me on base wherever I'm stationed. Is this correct? Because I have others telling me that it may not happen.
I always want to know from anyone's personal experience if they leave of out or exaggerate certain things about the navy.
Also, from someone's personal experience, in basic are you allowed to take short breaks in between your push-ups and sit ups? I can do a lot but I always need a short break after about 25-30. As in a 10 second 15 second break.
Thanks

Not going to touch the push-up issue except to say you need to pace yourself and try to build your endurance in that regard.

As to family living on base, it will depend on the availability of housing for your specific rate and family size. Don't be shocked to find you are living on the economy for awhile until housing becomes available. The Housing Office in the area your permanent duty station is located can tell you how long the waiting list is as well as who you can/cannot talk to with regard to living in town.

there's a difference between being able to have your family join you at a duty station and being able to live ON base.

You must have accompanied orders to have your family with you. generally speaking.. that means a PDS of at least 6 months in duration Stateside or 3 Years Overseas.. and the Navy will not routinely grant accompanied orders to E3 and below overseas. in that case you are talking 12-24 months alone.

living On base in MFH is different. you are granted housing based on paygrade and bedroom entitlement..and the waiting list can be a year long. In the meantime, you live in town. no matter what you wil get BAH to help offset the cost. but living in housing you forfeit ALL of it back to the housing office. if you find a place in town under your BAH, you can pocket the rest.

quote:

Originally posted by NAR7KX:
I always want to know from anyone's personal experience if they leave of out or exaggerate certain things about the navy.
Also, from someone's personal experience, in basic are you allowed to take short breaks in between your push-ups and sit ups? I can do a lot but I always need a short break after about 25-30. As in a 10 second 15 second break.
Thanks

As for the pushups and situps, you can take a breather in the two minutes, but you can only rest either up or down and you can't break your form. Basically if you want to take a break from situps, you can rest in the up or down position, but you can't take your hands off your shoulders. Pushups, you can't rest on your knees, etc.


Housing has been touched upon by those who done it more.

As for recruiters, they really do get a bad rap because everyone and their brother says they lie, cheat etc just to get someone to join, not the case. Secondly, many people fail to do their homework and fail to ask questions and join up and find themselves doing jobs they "didn't sign up for" such as working parties, mess cranking etc. Stuff that every sailor does and jobs junior sailors do a lot of like cleaning. You also get people whining that their recruiter said they could get shore duty etc, yet they didn't read the sea/ shore rotation on their rating. Basically, much of the info you get from "my recruiter lied" can go directly back to the person telling you.

Basically, just do some research before signing up. Not saying their were not shady recruiters out there, nor even questionable tactics done in the years your parents were contacted and so forth, but today, in this economy, the military isn't really hurting for potential recruits and really have no reason to "sweet talk" and sugar coat to get people to join.

Another thing, Recruiters talk about what they know from their experiences. They don't know everything about every rating, they cant

My recruiter wasn't a nuke. He could tell me what he knew of the Navy based on his experiences in the Navy, but the nuke world is a hell of a lot different in some respects. Is that his fault? No. He just didn't know.

Thank you. This was a lot of help.st little nervous of the unknown. I know for a fact I'm joining I just don't want to be startled by something I didn't know.

One thing my recruiter said was that the navy boot camp isn't "squat." But, I've been reading up on it and it doesn't sound very easy. I think the running is the only thing that I'm going to have a problem with.

quote:

Originally posted by NAR7KX:
Thank you. This was a lot of help.st little nervous of the unknown. I know for a fact I'm joining I just don't want to be startled by something I didn't know.

One thing my recruiter said was that the navy boot camp isn't "squat." But, I've been reading up on it and it doesn't sound very easy. I think the running is the only thing that I'm going to have a problem with.

If you think running may be an issue then you may want to start preparing now. There are a lot of programs out there designed for beginning runners that will help with both increasing distance and lowering time. You will also want to look for exercise programs that will help with the core (sit-ups) and upper body (push-ups). If you are in high school see if one of the coaches have some suggestions.

Have you already had/passed your physical for the Navy? If not, then you need to see your family doctor before starting a program to get physically ready for recruit training.

no I haven't taken the physical yet. I'm a healthy 19 year old kid. It's just that I haven't worked out in a long time and behind. I've been running every couple days though. And doing push-ups everyday. I've also started lifting weights again to help with the pushups because i tried the test now I'd fail the pushup part.
And does the navy boot camp gradually prepare you for the mile and half run?

quote:

Originally posted by NAR7KX:
And does the navy boot camp gradually prepare you for the mile and half run?

Yes.

Like you, I am not the runner type of person and couldn't always complete the mile run in school. I did do some running before boot and would try to do the mile and half, but didn't always happen. When in boot you find that you will be doing a fair share of running. Also you have a few physical tests which increase up to the requirements needed to pass, by the time you do your final test you should be good.

Another nice thing about boot was that you ran in a group with your company, you were not on your own against a clock like you will be in the fleet. I found that I would get somewhere in the middle of the group and towards the inside of the track and you didn't have to run as fast to keep up. Usually some members are setting the pace and you could gauge how you were doing by a countdown timer for each lap and it was fine.

I had no problems in boot, the key is to understand boot is just the beginning and to keep up the fitness when you get to the fleet. I was able to pass my PRT's in the fleet and today will still run for workouts. Today I routinely run 2 miles non-stop, I still hate running, but I can recall not able to complete a mile in school, you do get used to it. Just don't hurt yourself trying to do the max everyday...pace yourself.

Alright that's good. I figured that they would train you to run that far and not expect you to run that well when you first join. I'm not really worried too much about boot camp anymore I'm sure I'll do just fine.

ONE more question though. How is that gas chamber? I studied on it a little bit and read that when you come out of it if your throwing up or snotting you CANNOT let it hit the ground at all. Was this true in anyone's experience?

quote:

Originally posted by NAR7KX:
ONE more question though. How is that gas chamber? I studied on it a little bit and read that when you come out of it if your throwing up or snotting you CANNOT let it hit the ground at all. Was this true in anyone's experience?

Gas chamber is nothing and nothing to worry about. Yes, you will get tearing eyed, you will cough etc, but that is what the gas is supposed to do. As for throwing up, it happens and I'm sorry, but nobody can truly order you to not let it touch the ground. However vomiting is very rare.

When told that you are ordered not to let snot, etc touch the ground, it is basically about discipline. They just don't want you doing farmer blows to clear up. Just take some deep breaths of the fresh air and march on back to where you go and there you will have a chance to clear your sinuses. They just don't want you doing right outside the door, don't sweat it.

Dont sweat boot camp its simple. . . as far as your family joining you for your schooling goes they are not going to join you unless your schooling is 6 months or greater. so unless your nuke or aecf program your fam is not going to join you.

quote:

Originally posted by tiki135:
Dont sweat boot camp its simple. . . as far as your family joining you for your schooling goes they are not going to join you unless your schooling is 6 months or greater. so unless your nuke or aecf program your fam is not going to join you.

Nuclear Power and AECF schools are not the only Navy "A" Schools longer than six months.

quote:

Originally posted by tiki135:
Dont sweat boot camp its simple. . . as far as your family joining you for your schooling goes they are not going to join you unless your schooling is 6 months or greater. so unless your nuke or aecf program your fam is not going to join you.

This is based on your VAST experience in the Navy? Yet again, you are spooning out bum dope. Look, kiddo seriously, don't answer if you don't know. OK. It just makes you look the fool, and gives others a reason to smack you down. Your answer is wrong, or more fully, not fully complete. There are other schools that allow for accompanied orders.

To OP.
Don't worry too much about boot, K? It's mostly mental discipline, with very very simple rules. Keep your mouth shut, eyes and ears open, do what they tell you the way they tell you. You won't have problems.

Don't sweat the gas chamber. It's not very rough at all. No where near as bad as what I went through at Parris Island when I was in ROTC. Again, just do what they tell you, you'll be fine.

Hey Erik got any EB Green that we can use on the NUB.

quote:

Originally posted by mpwimmer:
Hey Erik got any EB Green that we can use on the NUB.

Plenny... lets tape him to the shaft, then do a flank bell? That'd be fun.

quote:

Originally posted by NAR7KX:
no I haven't taken the physical yet. I'm a healthy 19 year old kid. It's just that I haven't worked out in a long time and behind. I've been running every couple days though. And doing push-ups everyday. I've also started lifting weights again to help with the pushups because i tried the test now I'd fail the pushup part.
And does the navy boot camp gradually prepare you for the mile and half run?

I HATE running, HATE it. I can't and don't do it on my own. But when I am in formation, it is much easier. You will be running with others to push you. Much easier, IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by NAR7KX:
Alright that's good. I figured that they would train you to run that far and not expect you to run that well when you first join. I'm not really worried too much about boot camp anymore I'm sure I'll do just fine.

ONE more question though. How is that gas chamber? I studied on it a little bit and read that when you come out of it if your throwing up or snotting you CANNOT let it hit the ground at all. Was this true in anyone's experience?

You will find that your body has more snot in it, then you thought possible,lol. The chamber is no big deal. Yeah, it burns and chokes, but it passes, fairly soon.