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I was thinking about joining the air force a year ago. My grandpa was army air corp or so I was told and my dad was air force. I was told at that time that my credit score was too bad to get in. I had a 400 dollar bill in collections. I paid that off and they said that they don't have any slots at the time.

Now I am considering joining the navy just to get some work experience and pay off my student loans from school. I dont really know much about navy life. Can anyone give me an un biased perspective of life on a boat/navy base?

I am 26 so I figure this a now or never thing...

Try the Marines first: it's no shame to be unable to hack their "entrance-exams." If you do get in the Navy, score high, and aim for Naval Security Group. You might never see the sea. You might be in an airplane or back on earth doing analysis on the intell you just gathered, or doing the same thing off of satellites. You will gain the awesome ability to speak in more than one exotic language. GO FOR THE LANGUAGE, and not electronic Intell. But my best advice is this: be the first man to speak up ANYTIME a volunteer is asked for. You might be the FIRST and ONLY man to ever know what any particular "thing of interest" is; you will gain the respect of the upper echelon; you will get the reputation of a man who wants to learn EVERYTHING; you will always have that ACE up your sleeve, based on knowledge no-one else will ever know; and you will soon learn to be ready for anything required of you. Good Luck.

Can't speak for the Navy I am sure if you pick the right job it will work out great for you. I spend many years in the Army as a Electronis Tech and loved it. My son is joining to do the same , he leaves in a few months. His brother is a MP in Alaska and he loves it too

I was Navy submariner (nuke field electrician) for 8 years. Was very academically challenging. Prepared me for current job in power plant maintenance & operations. It was very hard on familylife, DO NOT GET MARRIED, but I don't have any regrets.

Whatever field (or branch) you choose, POLYMERFAN gave pretty good advice.

been in the USAF since 2007. if the job sounds reallly really awesome and cool from the written description a recruiter gave you, its probably a lie or was true ooo 17-22 years ago. example my job said TDY 185 days a year. this was true long ago and with now days technology we can have the info sent back to us via internet so the job is boring(IMO). on the bright side i was force merged into another career field and its AWESOOME!

also any job you find you might like research it on the net and military forums to get the most up to date info.

Credit score should not hinder you from enlisting in any of the branches of service. However, it can hinder you from obtaining a security clearance. It sounds to me that the Air Force Recruiter you are speaking with may already have his quota (speculating). I have been in the Marine Corps for 22 years and still going. Served 4 years on Recruiting Duty as well. If you are qualified, there are openings in all branches right now. Good luck to you and thanks for wanting to serve.

A good idea is to take someone you know that's in the Service with you to talk to the recruiters. I was looking at the Air Force, the day I went, they wanted welders and were paying good bonuses to weld. Not what I wanted and I dropped the idea for a while. Point is - Recruiters get their performance evaluations based on their ability to meet/fill certain manning shortages and critical needs of the Service, so they "sell" what needs filling. Keep this in mind when you are being steered towards a specific training area. "Master Gunns" pointed this out above and it's very sound advise.

The Services are hiring, it's still a global conflict to support and man for a while. I'm Army, 23 years worth and still going, but I was once in your position and had the same concerns. Any Service will train you and prepare you for duty and what's next in your life. With the GI Bill, you gain the ability to go college with a paycheck, this is a big asset that can't be overstated. Regardless of Service Branch, you are going to get away from where you are at now and do something different for a while. I grew in the Northwest, I'd have never went to, lived at, or have seen what I have been able to with the Service. Hard duty? Yes, at times, I've done up to 16 months deployed away from home. It's part of the job, but you are usually surrounded by your buddies in the same situation, you find friends and form bonds that will last a lifetime, while getting you through each day. I agree with "PolymerFan", be the guy that steps up, it can take you interesting places and get your foot in the door on some pretty cool things. Good luck with your decision.

USAF 2004-2008 3P051 Security Forces

Tell that recruiter that you want to go in to Security Forces. I would bet he has an opening there. They always have room for more Security Forces. I would start running and drinking water now because thats what you will do alot of in basic down in Lackland AFB TX.

79inPA........My son joined the military because he never did really care for book work or sitting at a dest etc. His brothers & sisters are all college grads but my youngest wanted to be an Airborn Ranger since he was 12 years old. So be it and he will ship out soon.

The ARMY has the most jobs available! The Marines are cutting back some 20,000 troops for this year. I don't know squat about Navy life but never like being on the sea or big water. I chose the Army years ago and was happy I did so. Go see an Army and Navy Recuitor and get the real facts ok. Good Luck!

79inPA,

Haven't seen a response...hopefully your in Boot Camp as we speak! Thanks to all that replied and great advice. Bottom line is serve your Country in any branch and you'll be a better man for it...as well as a stronger nation. God speed to you.

MGunns

Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see.And never ever volunteer!

alright i went to meps with the navy and got rejected.....

1. can't duck walk....never did that before
2. 30 percent scoliosis....never thought it affected me and i can live 275 pounds
3. pectus excavatum..basically a dent in my sternum...the last specialist that i went to said that it wasn't an issue. The doctor at meps didn't agree. In high school I could rip off a 6:36 mile. Haven't timed myself lately.

hmmm...how much time did you spend in the desert while on that hitch? 1 year 2 years?

Sorry to hear you ran into medical issues. Not sure if the branches all use the same entry standards but it wouldn't hurt to ask if you wanted. I can say, at least for Army, that they are being more strict with enlistments as they are over strength in a lot of MOS's. The last memo I saw from HRC showed closed to prior service (except for a very short list of critical shortages)with no reclass or reductions authorized and initial entry is having wait lists and closures. Basically a lot of the options of the past are no longer there and the available lists of jobs are much shorter.
The overstrength issue is hitting current soldiers too. I know of some armor soldiers(a shrinking branch) who are not able to re-up without reclassing.

Re-enlistments are through the roof. Most soldiers are staying in so they have a J.O.B. Something they might not be able to get if they get out.

The normal annual enlistment quota for the regular Army is in the 90,000's. This year is in the 30,000's. The Army is being "extremely" selective on who they let in.

Alan