How true is this Article 9?( REASONS NOT TO JOIN THE NAVY) part 2 of 2?

Posted by admin on June 13th, 2011

The double standard is the only standard.
This is one of the most frustrating things you’ll ever encounter. for instance, leaders like to reference instructions or regulations for enforcing the crap they give you, but when you read the same instruction and find something that contradicts what they said, it all of a sudden becomes open to interpretation, and the higher rank is going to win. Chief Messes are notorious for this. if a Chief is an alcoholic and gets in trouble out in town, it’s usually swept under the rug. The same goes with Chiefs who are overweight. They might obviously be out of standards, but they somehow pass weigh-ins or are conveniently exempted from the physical fitness assessment (PFA) for whatever reason. yet, their subordinates will usually bare the full consequences of being a drunken fool in town, or will be out-processed because they can’t meet weight or physical fitness requirements. this also applies to other areas, like personnel. Women have a lot more power than men. Women can be sick and call off work, while men are expected to tough it out, and may only sleep during working hours if they have direct orders from the medical department, which is impossible to get unless you’re close to death. Women also usually get special treatment, especially when we’ve been underway for a while. Guys will bend over backwards for women, even at the sake of screwing over another shipmate, just so they can be in the good graces of the female. Here’s an example from where I work. Someone will come to the door with a computer problem. if it’s a male, no one wants to help him, or they tell him to put in a trouble ticket, or just refer him to me. yet, when it’s a female, everyone’s helpful all of a sudden, stopping what they’re doing, just to help this girl out. All because they’re men, and as men, we’re stupid and we do stupid things because we always want to be seen as helpful to the ladies. if a bunch of second and third classes can do it, so can a bunch of senior leaders, and they do. this doesn’t apply to all women, but there are many women who understand this and use it to their advantage.

The stress will probably kill you.
If you figure an 18 year old does 20 years in the Navy, he’ll retire at 38, which is still relatively young. unfortunately, the stress of having to work 100+ work weeks underway, and deal with endless frustrating bullshit, will leave this normal 38 year old man looking nearly twice his age. his hair will be gray, and his skin will be wrinkled and leathery. He’ll most likely have health problems or be overweight, and because he’s a veteran, will get substandard care at a 2nd or 3rd rate facility. He’ll have at least one failed marriage under his belt, maybe some kids who he doesn’t have a great relationship with, and will most likely be a heavy drinker. there have been many Sailors who’ve retired from the Navy, only to die from a heart attack, or other illness, because they just couldn’t adjust to the normalcy that living a civilian life brings. you might not hear it on the news, or read it in papers, but there are at least three dozen suicide attempts or threats made by Sailors every year. Between 1999 and 2003, there were 216 completed suicides amongst US Navy personnel. if he doesn’t die by his own hand, it’ll probably be from something he worked on or around during his career. We are working and living in an industrial workplace everyday, and there are still hundreds of former Sailors dying from asbestos related illnesses and other diseases caused by the ship environment. to be fair, there are programs in place to address all of these issues, but they have a long way to go to be effective. a PowerPoint on why you shouldn’t drink or kill yourself isn’t always the most effective means of helping someone who might really need it.

You’re married to the Navy.
With the amount of time spent out to sea or forward deployed, it’s only a matter of time before relationships crumble. There’s nothing that shows commitment like meeting a woman, and then after a few dates, having to get underway. It’s no secret that married and involved couples cheat, on both sides. a common phrase is “what happens underway, stays underway” and it’s generally accepted by both parties. when you’re out to sea for a long time, both you and your significant other will yearn for the affection and love that comes with a relationship. Sailors might find it in the arms of a lady in port, and their wives might find it with shore-based Sailors or other men back home. when they’re finally united, things are back to normal, and the outside activities are usually never addressed. when you finally retire, and you’re still with your husband or wife, he or she might not be able to get used to the idea of having you around all the time, and it’s common for relationships that survived a Naval career to fall apart when the Sailor retires.