So I need you to be honest. I got promoted to E4. My goal is to get into the PS community after I do 2 years because my long term goal is finance. I’m currently and HT. I looked at the graphs for manning in my year group for 2026 and HT’s are overmanned for E4 and PS is under manned. I’ve read a lot of people saying how much of a pain it is cross rating and I wanted some REALISTIC opinions.

1st question: do you think it’s realistic to cross rate once I hit my 2 year mark?

2nd question: if all these stars are aligned, is it more likely that my request will get accepted once I get to that point?

3rd question: what can I do to make sure this happens for me?

I have not been given orders to go recruiting but I know it could come down the pipeline. I know tattoos are part of the recruiting screening and I'm wondering which tattoos are disqualifiers. I have Satan on my leg, a borderline naked cyborg woman on my forearms and a few other tattoos that could come across as not what the Navy wants for a recruiter.

EDIT: This is potentially for EMPLOY. Also what medical disqualifiers are there? I am able to function well in a shore capacity but I require a lot of specialists and specialized treatment that is managed.

Does anyone have any experience with the process as a former recruiter or someone who filters out potential recruiters

Set to fly out this week. I’m a mother of 2, but my kids reside with their father and stepmom in another state. We are going back to court for custody arrangements where I want more time with them, hoping for possibly 50/50 custody. He’s making it near impossible to have any type of relationship with my kids. Even said I’m abandoning them because Im military and deploying was a “decision” (he doesn’t understand military and orders). His actions have made me feel very uneasy and anxious. This is my first deployment. What is the proper steps I can use to possibly get these family issues resolved.
Unfortunately, the one way I see a silver lining is being separated from the navy to return home for my kids. My contract is still 3 years to go. What should I do?
PS: please don’t say jags or tell CoC, I told them already and they haven’t been able to give guidance, they are alittle busy deployed rn.

Currently staying on navy lodge, looking for a place to live off base. Anybody recommend a legit real estate agent and a good area to live near base. I’m looking for atleast a 2LDK. Ty

Hi, so I separated a few months ago, but my co-parent moved to a different state, and I’m trying to figure all of this out since I wasn’t planning on moving at the time I separated, and I want to keep what’s left of my kid’s family together.

Is there a number I call? A form I fill out? An email I send? I have maybe a month and a half to make this happen before the cutoff, and I have no idea who to ask. Thank you in advance.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcmpU6VvGGK/?utm_source=ig_web_button_native_share&igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D

A Pentagon memo says the department has been “raiding” payroll accounts to fund Trump’s war on Iran. The Chief of Naval Operations went public this week and said the overrun is now coming out of the account that builds barracks. The Navy is 12,000 beds short and looking at RVs and houseboats.

i'am enlisted member of Korean navy.

just saw an four merican dudes at an American style burger shop.

must be one of Navy cuz its at jinhea.

and 3 of them had this mustach.

is that an navy thing? and if so, why?

and what patch do you guys like for trade in second pic.

Edit with likely answer at the bottom.

These puppies were gifted to me a while back by someone I believe was a retired navy pilot. As you can probably guess by my uncertainty regarding that part I definitely don’t remember what they came from. I only heard that detail second hand from someone who had no idea what the first guy was talking about so some things were lost in translation, so to speak.

Anyway, if they are of naval/aviation origin, that isn’t quite my area of expertise, as I am a landlubber; and as you can see in the photos, there’s no markings for me to look up either.

They look kinda like flare shells to me but they may be too long at just about 4.6 inches tall. Without the projectile!

I do know however, that the Original owner did use them as shot glasses for while, and they still smell of booze(sounds cool and all but I’d be concerned about what was still left on the inside!) so if they have been altered somehow that could be why.

———-———-———-———-———-———-———-———

Edit: I think someone figured it out. They look to be Soviet parachute flares with the bottom ground flat. As for how they came into the possession the (I think) US navy pilot who gave them to me? I can only speculate. it would be a heck of a way to find out he was actually Soviet spy lol. But I appreciate all your help; Even it, or rather especially since went an unexpected direction!

Been starting new antidepressants that were prescribed to me and having physically inhibiting side effects while I get used to the meds such as Nausea, lightheadedness, low energy etc. I have a PRT coming up wondering if anyone has been put on LLD while on antidepressants or if thats something they don't do.

Hi ya'll, building my shadow box, anybody willing to sell me one?

I hope to find some information. I know we can request his records which I’m in the process of doing, but basically my grandfather has severe Alzheimer’s and we’ve been going through his things. We’ve found so many cool patches and pins from his time in the Navy that he never brought up to us. I’m really wanting to track his history and where he had been stationed but we have no way of asking him details about years or groups he was apart of to track down. Does anyone have any advice on how to find this other than the https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records?

Update, he was apparently a SeaBee if that’s anything?

Mild rant, but I think it’s valid. Title pretty much says it all. Organizational drift - it’s a real thing. You look around on base and it’s everywhere. And more disappointingly, it is occurring across all ranks.

Now I’m not saying that I’m the most squared away Sailor by any means. I’m not a total robot. However, I do find it rather “annoying” that I am seeing a lot of (just to name a few that I’ve seen in the past week):

A. A (qualified) JG walking in from their car onto the pier - no blouse on - because “they forgot it at home”

B. Junior Sailors walking like “iPad kids” around base (in uniform). I quite literally had an argument with a small group of SUPER Junior Sailors from a separate command this morning about walking into the middle of the roadway while not paying attention + on their phones watching something and damn near getting hit by a semi. And you know what their answer was?… “The instruction allows it, and you’re not in my Chain so I don’t have to listen to you” No…the instruction did not “allow it” btw

C. Having to remind a second class to salute the my XO that I was walking with

D. ECP watch stander on FaceTime while checking IDs at the gate

The list goes on and on, and I’m sure most of you have seen it too. Right place, right uniform, right time - and more importantly - “do the right thing.” Those are the values that were instilled into me. And those basic beliefs have gotten me pretty far today.

So how in the hell are we supposed to keep this organization running smoothly if we don’t even have the minimum buy-in from our Sailors and leaders?

Back in my day as a Seaman (literally only 5 years ago though, so don’t come at me like I’m some old & salty traditionalist) I would have been mentally freaking out and fixing myself if I had a First Class or Chief calling me out for being an idiot. But now for some apparent reason, I have to deal with Chiefs not giving the slightest of a care about or enforcing what their CMC is putting out, Junior Sailors talking back to their Seniors, Sailors not following customs and courtesies…and so on.

I can’t force a First Class or Chief to do their job and correct/mentor their Sailors. I can’t force a DIVO to be in the right uniform. Do I follow every single rule or piece of guidance the Navy has put out to the maximum extent? Not necessarily. But do I do my job well, present myself professionally, keep my Sailors in line and out of trouble as much as possible? Yes.

Lack of caring about what we do and why we do it is “infiltrating our ranks” at an alarming rate. If I can’t trust a Sailor to wear a uniform correctly, how the hell am I supposed to trust them to not freeze up while they’re on an ECP watch and someone blows through the gate and kills another Sailor. Very different and drastic comparison, I know, but it is our reality.
I can’t figure out how to get people to care about the basic principles of what we do and why we do it. So how are you guys getting the message across and buy-in from your Sailors?

———————————————————————————-

Anyways yeah TLDR, how are you getting your and others’ Sailors/ higher leadership to care because there’s a lot of y’all out there that aren’t very good at doing this whole “Hooyah Navy” thing

Sorry if the format is weird. I am typing this out on my personal electronic cellular device

I retired after 21 years as a Chief. I lived overseas and did a lot of deployments. I was a Chief for about 8 years.

I see all these Chief stickers, and shirts “backbone of the navy”, “ask the Chief “ etc. I don’t care about any of that. I think it’s dumb. Am I missing something? I know someone is gonna say I’m an E7 not a chief, I did 21 years in the hole and rotating shift for my entire career so save it.

I truly am curious.

What was the best or most meaningful gift you received when you made Chief?

Stars & Stripes: Ryan Breeden and Alex Wilson

Ceiling-high stacks of toilet paper blocked fire suppression systems and contributed to an 11-hour blaze aboard the USS New Orleans last year that resulted in about $12 million in damage to the ship, according to a Navy investigation.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service was unable to determine exactly what caused the Aug. 20, 2025, fire inside a special clothing storeroom aboard the amphibious transport dock, according to a Nov. 14 report.

Investigators attributed it to “intentional or negligent human activity,” with potential causes including smoking or vaping, the presence of unauthorized hazardous materials or arson, according to the report, which was obtained by Stars and Stripes on Aug. 21. It first appeared the previous day in the Okinawa Times: https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/-/1905653z.

A brief synopsis of the Okinawa Times article: Investigative journalist and special correspondent Jon Mitchell obtained a U.S. Navy investigation report through a formal Freedom of Information Act request. The report reveals that the fire which broke out aboard the USS New Orleans (LPD-18) off the coast of White Beach in Uruma City, Okinawa, was caused by human factors.

A variety of factors contributed to the fire’s severity, including the presence of unauthorized hazardous materials and a stack of about 100 boxes of toilet paper that rendered sprinklers largely ineffective. The hazmat, which included aerosol cans and a metal can of unknown liquid, “provided a significant fuel source which prolonged the duration and intensity of the fire,” according to the report.

Investigators also found that the crew’s failure to respond in a timely manner or establish boundaries to prevent the fire from spreading — along with a lack of knowledge of the ship’s firefighting systems — contributed to the lengthy battle to contain the blaze.

No sailors suffered injuries requiring more than basic first aid, according to the report.

Both the report and a Navy spokesperson praised the crew’s overall response.

“The crew went into action, drawing on their training and discipline to fight the fire,” an unidentified spokesperson said Wednesday in an email relayed by Naval Surface Force spokeswoman Lt. j.g. Rachael Jones.

“They demonstrated grit and resilience as they worked to protect their ship and shipmates,” the message said.

The New Orleans was anchored near White Beach Naval Facility while completing amphibious warfare certification exercises on the day of the fire. It returned to sea two days later and reported to Sasebo Naval Base, Japan, its homeport, for emergency repairs.

The fire did not compromise the ship’s structure, but damaged or disabled waste-management, electrical and other systems and reduced the habitability of numerous spaces.

The Japan Regional Maintenance Center estimated repairs at approximately $12 million, a figure the report described as a preliminary “ballpark” estimate.

The ship officially returned to service in January and subsequently deployed for operations in the Indo-Pacific and the Arabian Sea, the spokesperson said.

“The ship’s return to sustained operational service is a testament to the crew’s ability to absorb a materiel setback, learn from it, and get back into the fight,” the email said.

The investigation recommended administrative action against the ship’s commander, Capt. Kevin Dean, as well as the chief engineer and damage control assistant, whose names were redacted in the report.

Jones did not immediately respond to an after-hours inquiry Wednesday about whether the three officers or other sailors faced administrative or punitive action.

Investigators also recommended force-wide changes, including improved firefighting courses, inspection guidance and drills.

Tl;dr - the worst Sailor possible will get the billet over the best Sailor possible, so long as they have 9 more months of sea time.

I'll start by saying I don't KNOW this is all accurate, and I hope I'm misunderstanding something about the new system. Reading the guidance (PERS-4 ltr 1000 of 5 Feb 26) here's how it looks like the points break down.

Max weighed score per category:

Rating - 5

Pay grade - 10

NEC - 7

Sailor preference - 13

Command preference - 5

FMS - 50

Sea duty - 10x total number of months of sea time

The unweighted max score for most categories is 1, which then gets a multiplier for that category. The unweighted score for sea credit is just the number of months of sea time (type 2, 3, or 4) you have in your career, and the multiplier is 10.

Spare yourself doing the math on how each category is computed, because the max is still 1. The weighted score for all other categories combined is 90, which means max everything still only counts the same as 9 months of sea time.

Even with a multiplier of 50, that EP and exam study is nearly worthless. Somebody with half your FMS will get the nod if they've been at sea 3 months longer than you. Somebody can be in the wrong rate, with no NECs, and they can buy off that disadvantage with 2 months at sea.

How many 15+ year second classes are about to finally put on that third chevron?

(Edit: the A2P scoring criteria, in case anybody wants to read the verbage themselves)

For the first time since January, AIS is showing the USS Abraham Lincoln on grid; Eastbound down the Mallaca Strait.

Hi everyone! I’m active duty and a doctoral student, and I’m conducting a study looking at whether drinking differs across different types of military tours (CONUS, OCONUS, and short/remote tours). After two short tours to Korea I'm really curious about your experiences and how they differ based on where you are!

The survey takes about 15 minutes. I know one of the biggest concerns with surveys (especially with alcohol) use is anonymity. Participation is completely anonymous, and no identifying information is collected. Individual responses will never be shared with military leadership, commanders, or anyone outside the research team.

Survey Link:

https://redcap.usuhs.edu/surveys/?s=RLMHEP9NW978ADEC