How often do you deploy or spend time out on the water when in the Navy?

SPC Dustin Boyd — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 23:15:41 -0400

Possibly going Navy, spoke to a recruiter today and it seems like the Navy fits my goals and needs better than the Airforce, but I do need to know how often I will be home and how often I'll be gone.

Response by SN Kevin Neff made Sep 21 at 2016 11:24 PM

SN Kevin Neff — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 23:24:05 -0400

Depends on your command's rate of deployment. My sub command had a 85% rate of deployment so we were barely home. Some commands have a lower rate.

Response by TSgt David L. made Sep 21 at 2016 11:25 PM

TSgt David L. — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 23:25:43 -0400

I think they have training for a while (6mo to a year?) and then deploy for 6 months or whatever length is warranted. I hear that they would then return to home port to train and refit. Then the cycle starts again. Depends on the platform you serve on I'm sure.
Different than the AF without a doubt.

Response by SN Kevin Neff made Sep 21 at 2016 11:28 PM

SN Kevin Neff — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 23:28:54 -0400

What rate, or job, are you targeting?

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2016 11:29 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 23:29:21 -0400

Make sure you can keep your rank, I knew a guy who went from Army to Navy and to do so he had to go back to E-1.

Response by TSgt David L. made Sep 21 at 2016 11:29 PM

TSgt David L. — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 23:29:55 -0400

The Air Force doesn't have that kind of deployment schedule for the most part. It depends on the MOS (AFSC) and the political environment.

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2016 12:43 AM

ENS Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 00:43:04 -0400

Depends on the rating. As an RP, you will do 3 year tours. 36 months sea/36 months shore (however, due to the limited about of sea billets for RPs, OCONUS billets tend to suffice.)

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2016 1:31 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 01:31:02 -0400

So many different factors that go into this. The biggest being your rating(MOS). First thing to understand is the Navy has Sea/Shore rotations. These tours alternate but it is possible to do back-to-back sea tours. A Sea tour does not necessarily mean a ship, but assigned to a command that is deployable. Sea tours vary in length between 3-5 years. Lengths depend primarily on your rating and also which sea tour it is in your career (most ratings have shorter sea tours as they progress). Now a 5 year Sea tour does not mean you will be deployed or underway for 5 years, only that you will be attached to a deployable command for 5 years.

Shore tours are usually 3 years in length and include such duties as instructor duty, certain types of staff duty, general billets, etc. These duties are like having a regular 9-5 job and gives you a chance to recharge, spend time with the family, college, etc.

Ships in the Navy follow a 27 month cycle. They go through an 4-6 month maintenance period(shipyard) followed by a 6-9 month training period. the rest of that 27 month period they are available for tasking and will usually go on a 6-8 month deployment during that period with shorter underways (up to a month maybe) on either side of the deployment. There will also be many underways (1-2 weeks) during your training period.

This is from a surface community(ships) perspective. I have no experience in the aviation, subsurface or expeditionary side of things.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2016 12:39 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 12:39:33 -0400

Most of these Sailors covered everything for you, I will add this as a Ground Warfare type. You could risk getting assigned to FMF, and or Seabee Battalion, and those are a whole different ball game. You could be FMF regiment, and they rotate the RP's on deployment and Deployments are 7-8 out, and then you would go back to your HQ element, and stand down for at least a year, if not more. Seabee Battalion you will be out 7-8 months and when the CHAPS travels to what we call DET sites you will travel with him, and if in Combat zone you are his PPO (Personal Protective Officer) They are deployed all over in places like Africa and Middle east, South America, and regular Deployment sites like Okinawa, Spain, Guam, these three sites is where the skipper hangs his HQ element, or command element, and that is where the RP, and CHAPS hang out. The thing with that is if you are on one of those sites you can take up to 14 days leave, on commands approved and there are NO go times for leave periods on deployment. They deploy out 7-8 then back for 12 months, but have at least 6 months of training from rate, and Tactical training, and you will be out in the field for up to a month on FTX. You could also go to NECC type commands like EOD and Coastal Riverine, just putting that out there, not everything in the Navy is haze gray and underway, by the way these count as Sea-duty also.

I am covering this as many people in the Navy don't no anything about us and what we do, and where we deploy..

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2016 12:49 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 12:49:27 -0400

PLEASE, FOR YOUR COMPLETE BENEFIT: check out the Coast Guard. Except for PSUs, the longest deployment I've heard of recently was about five months. The majority are a few weeks or a month or two.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Sep 22 at 2016 3:00 PM

SN Greg Wright — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 15:00:40 -0400

That's going to depend entirely upon the job you choose. If you become a gas turbine tech, you're going to spend a lot of time at sea. If you become a band member, probably not so much.

Response by PO2 Kristy Williams made Sep 22 at 2016 10:08 PM

PO2 Kristy Williams — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 22:08:08 -0400

I went on one 6 month deployment in 5 years but a few mini detachments to bases here in the US. Also I was aviation so it was a little different for me.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2016 8:43 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 20:43:06 -0400

You didn't mention that you checked out the USCG. Go ahead with your plan, that's fine. I was in your shoes 47 years ago. I realized the error of my ways fourteen years later. After that, it was twenty years of pure enjoyment.....and the same pay and benefits!!!

Response by SCPO Joshua I made Sep 27 at 2016 6:49 AM

SCPO Joshua I — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 06:49:15 -0400

As already said, depends on your rate.

Sailors belong on ships and ships belong at sea.

Response by PO2 Kayla Modschiedler made Sep 27 at 2016 6:53 AM

PO2 Kayla Modschiedler — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 06:53:19 -0400

I spent a LOT of time at sea, but I used it wisely i.e. Working on ESWS, the next higher pay grade, going to school, finishing a book I wanted read. Granted you will spend a lot of time on watches (depending on your rating) but when you are on deployment it's good to make the most of the time you have been given to get things done. You know when they ask you "Where do you want to see yourself in 20 years?" Get that done on deployment lol. It's very peaceful being out at sea in the deep ocean especially before the sun sets and they call darken ship. I always like to go out to the wing walls or the flight deck and reflect before we hit the Persian Gulf and things got a little hectic. One of the best decisions I've made in life was the Navy hands down, not all them time it was fantastic but I've gone very far because of it. I'm going to a school that my parents would have never been able to afford for me to attend because it's $41,000 a year (Otterben University). I'm also going there for free the only thing I pay for is my parking pass and maybe a little extra for my books.

Response by PO3 Donald Murphy made Sep 27 at 2016 9:17 AM

PO3 Donald Murphy — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 09:17:58 -0400

Go submarines. More money. More training. Better food. Safer. When I joined the Navy in 1985 the Air Force stayed in an office behind a desk. The Army/Marines went out in the field to do maneuvers. Only the Navy went to sea (deployed). Now, thats not the case. All branches are going to spend considerable lengths away from home. Subs have rough schedules that you can use. If you're on a missile boat, your rotation is two months out, four months in.

Response by CAPT Hiram Patterson made Sep 27 at 2016 9:55 AM

CAPT Hiram Patterson — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 09:55:09 -0400

There are proscribed sea/shore rotations depending on your rating. The Navy is in the process of making changes to either reduce/increase sea duty lengths. Ships are either deployed, in the yard or training for deployment.

Response by PO2 John Riley made Sep 27 at 2016 10:37 AM

PO2 John Riley — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 10:37:14 -0400

the recruiter should have told you, it depends on your rating but from my limited experience you will be at sea at least 50% of the time

Response by PO1 Kerry French made Sep 27 at 2016 11:02 AM

PO1 Kerry French — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 11:02:36 -0400

LOL. NEITHER DO WE!!

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 27 at 2016 11:07 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 11:07:11 -0400

To know how long you be at deployable(Sea) units refer to the link below. NAVADMIN 361-12 Read more at: https://www.navycs.com/blogs/navadmin-361-12

Read more at: https://www.navycs.com/blogs/navadmin-361-12

SEA SHORE FLOW ENLISTED CAREER PATHS UPDATES

A Navy recruiting blog that delves into the military enlistment process and benefits of service. This is NOT an official United States Navy or government web site. The opinions expressed are my own, and may not be in-line with any branches of the government or military.

Response by CPO Jack De Merit made Sep 27 at 2016 2:48 PM

CPO Jack De Merit — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 14:48:24 -0400

How much time you spend "on the Water" depends on your rate and where the Navy needs you the most. When I was active, a normal deployment was 6 months. Westpac Cruise (western pacific) sailed from my home port which was Long Beach, to San Diego to pick up our air group as I was abroad an Aircraft Carrier, then to Hawaii for one or two weeks, then to Japan for one or two weeks, on to Vietnam for 30 - 45 days, then to Hong Kong for about 2 weeks, back to Vietnam, then to the Philippines for two weeks, back to Vietnam, then back to Japan, and back home. On the east coast the cruise is completely different. If you love being on the ocean as i do, it is the only way to go.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 27 at 2016 5:28 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 17:28:43 -0400

Depends on your rate. But most rates have a sea shore rotation. Just finished 4 years on sea duty. 435 days at sea in 4 years. Out of that time, spent 8 months in the Persian gulf. So yeah. You're going to miss a lot of birthdays, anniversaries, funerals, holidays. The navy can be a rough life.

Response by CAPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 28 at 2016 3:37 AM

CAPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 03:37:11 -0400

BLUF: You will be gone from home more if you go Navy than if you go USAF.

Response by PO1 Scott Cottrell made Sep 28 at 2016 6:16 PM

PO1 Scott Cottrell — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 18:16:45 -0400

As the old saying goes, "choose your rate choose your fate" As an AC (Air Traffic Controller) sea/shore was 36 months sea and 60 months shore. But also depended on rank and open spots on ships. For AC, we only went on CV's, LHA, and LHD's. My 20 year career TACRON 11 (2 Deployments of 6 months plus) 5 years, NAS Miramar 3 years, USS Boxer (LHD-4) 4 years (1 Deployment), NAS Pensacola 5 years (Begged for a ship afterward), and NAS Key West last 3 1/2 years.

Response by CPO Zack Lindsey made Sep 30 at 2016 8:26 AM

CPO Zack Lindsey — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 08:26:19 -0400

It will also depend on the the needs of the world and the ships ate time and like every else has said your rate but the last thing I seen ratings is not going to be around any more so that maybe up in the air but take a lot of books with and learn to enjoy not having your own space it is hard to find lol but it is all great did 26 years and would do it again in a hart beat

Response by CPO Charles Helms made Oct 7 at 2016 12:47 PM

CPO Charles Helms — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 12:47:22 -0400

It depends on the ship, squadrons and their missions in the Navy!! My deployments in the 70's in a VP squadron were 6 months each, followed by 12 -18 months at home!! My ship board deployments were from 9 months to 6 months!! The schedules for ships are always subject to change as is any unit in the Navy!! f you want to be home I suggest you go to the AF!!!

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 18 at 2016 2:15 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 14:15:48 -0400

It all depends on your rating, and when you are due to arrive to your ship (if you are going to a ship based on orders). When I went on sea duty, I may have spent 3 months at shore then I was embarking on the ship (and was attached for almost 2 years before I left AD).....depending on what the ship is doing, you will go out for a few weeks (2-4) and then you'll be back for another 2 weeks then back out there again. When it gets closer to your ship's deployment time, your underways get closer together ; you have inspections that need to be completed and can't be when you are pier-side.

If you need any more help, please get a hold of ENS Private RallyPoint Member , PO2 Ed C. or myself. I would be glad to share with you some insight, opportunities and answer any questions.

Response by PO2 Maria Riffe made Oct 19 at 2016 9:31 AM

PO2 Maria Riffe — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 09:31:21 -0400

I spent seven years in the Navy and never spent more than a day out at sea. I went as an undesignated seaman, take PO3 exam for YN3, made it, and stayed in the aviation field with the P3s.