Any enlistment bonuses?

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Permalink Reply by terri on August 27, 2009 at 5:14pm

Right now there don't seem to be any signing bonuses in the Navy. My son was told the same thing. Also, he went to MEPS and enlisted in June and doesn't go to basic until June 2010. In the meantime he's in DEP. Apparently a bad economy is good for the Armed Services--at least in terms of enlistment. I have heard of other kids getting bonuses still in The Guard, Army, and Marines.
Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by beachcomber on August 27, 2009 at 5:18pm

Hi there.

What type of position did your son sign up for? Is he currently in school with any type of military scholarships?

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Permalink Reply by Anti M on August 28, 2009 at 1:54am

Bonuses change by the quarter, but there aren't many right now. Too many recruits to fill the ranks to need to bribe them to join.

There's nothing wrong with being an enlisted sailor and doing 20; my dad did it (29 years), my hubby did it, and the only reason I stopped at nine was I couldn't be stationed with my spouse. Perfectly good money and potential, the retired pay has been a tremendous help, the other benefits amazing. Being an officer is fine and honorable, but it surely isn't everything. He can still get an education, and he can still move from enlisted ranks to officer if he chooses to pursue that avenue.

Sorry I'm grumbly, but I have earned two bachelor degrees ... the tone of your post set me a bit on edge, as though enlisting without a bonus was the end of the world. I understand your concern, but feel you are saying us enlisted pukes ain't good enough.

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Permalink Reply by beachcomber on August 30, 2009 at 2:22pm

I didn't mean to convey anything negative. My son has always been concerned about earning as much as possible, likes to shop and invest, and is a hard worker. I just want him to be satisfied with his choices long term.

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Permalink Reply by Joann on August 29, 2009 at 7:51am

I thought that he could still change his mind, even though he signed the contract, until the final swearing-in when he actually leaves. My son did ROTC all through high school and a year of ROTC in college and still decided to go the enlisted route. He can go to college while he's waiting in the DEP program. So there are still options out there for him.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on August 30, 2009 at 9:54pm

Your son can still be an officer in the Navy if he starts out in the enlisted ranks. My husband is currently in boot camp and will be starting out as an E3 because of the 2 year college degree he already has. He plans on attending college while in the Navy and earning his 4 year degree, then he will try to enter OCS. His plan was always to be an officer, but he wanted to go the enlisted route first. His choice and I support that. He too wants to make a career out of the Navy. He didn't get an enlistment bonus, but he wasn't looking for one either. He joined the Navy because he wanted to serve his country, have a chance at an amazing career, and give his family (primarily our children) the chance to have amazing experiences around the world they would otherwise not have. Not for a bonus. I agree with Anti M, your intentions and your son's may be genuinely good, but the tone in the original post was not-so-nice. Your son should not join just because he thinks he'll get a good chunk of change that he can "shop and invest" with. If memory serves me right, don't they have to wait a while anyway before they can even get that bonus? As far as I know the only ratings offering bonuses nowadays are the ones that you have to work your behind off and be VERY smart for, ie. special ops and Nuke program. So if he does sign up for one of those ratings for the bonus (and Nukes can get a very pretty bonus) he really needs to make sure he really wants to do the job itself because it will be a LOT of hard work to get there. A-schools for those ratings are very long. I am sorry if my post is sounding negative, I just don't like it when someone says they'll join but they want to see some dollar signs first. That's not supposed to be why you're joining.

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Permalink Reply by ChrisAmo on September 1, 2009 at 2:56am

My son is a rescue swimmer and will get a nice enlistment bonus because he's spec. ops. The training is brutal, long (18 months so far) and almost as rough as SEAL. He got a bonus for being a college graduate, plus a bonus for spec. ops. He got 20% after boot camp and the rest he'll get after his SAR graduation. But he didn't join the Navy for the bonus, he was quite surprised when the recruiter told him what he'd be entitled to. But that was then, this is now and bonuses are harder to come by.

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Permalink Reply by Lady Hamilton on September 1, 2009 at 10:30am

A fast track NROTC college program?

As Anti M mentioned, your son can earn a college degree and pursue the Navy officer route if he wishes. The Navy has a program, STA-21, that sends promising enlisted personnel to an accelerated college NROTC program for 3 years, graduating with an ensign commission. While in school sailors continue to draw full pay, allowances and benefits. Another program pulls the cream of the enlisted crop and sends them off to the Naval Academy.

Several officers have spoken to my daughter about STA-21, but she doesn't feel she'll ever hit the 500 SAT math requirement. So she is slowly working towards her BS in her off hours, taking advantage of the $4000 a year Navy tuition assistance program. If she sticks with the Navy, I have no doubt that she can get that degree and an officer commision eventually. And if she doesn't, she can finish off her education under the GI Bills and hit the civilian job market with a terrific resume.

In the meantime, she is earning more than most of her high school friends, even those that have graduated from college. They are all struggling with the bad economy and student loans, while she has a peach of a high security job in the Washington DC area, a new car and a beautiful apartment. Life is good. And she has never gotten any bonuses.
Emma

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Permalink Reply by Achseh on September 1, 2009 at 11:59am

He will get an education if he pursues it. He will get advanced if he pursues it. He can try for officer if

he pursues it.

Mom, he's an adult and has pursued something that interests him. He made his decision and legally entered into the contract. He doesn't have to show you the contract.

And if he doesn't pursue the above, doesn't mean that he's messed up his life. It will be alright. Have faith in him.

Celebrate him and his choice to serve his country. It's a fine and honorable thing that most young people never do. He should be commended and I thank him for his willingness to serve our country.

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Permalink Reply by EmilyFCwife on September 6, 2009 at 4:20pm

I agree, it sounded alittle negative, my fiance signed on to be an FC and he got a bonus(however didn't know it till he had already picked the job) and he has to wait till all his school is done to get any of it. His recruiters also told us the other day that recruiting for the Navy has shut down till November, with exceptions for SEALS and Nukes. Don't join for the money, join because it's honorable and it's what he really wants to do. Otherwise he may be dissappointed with his choice.

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Permalink Reply by Danno on October 18, 2009 at 5:40am

Even if your son DEPped in, he can still apply for the NROTC scholarship at https://www.nrotc.navy.mil. If he gets accepted than he can legally drop the Navy contract or keep it at his decision since the Navy sees both being of equal importance. The only way he cant enroll now is if his ship date is before the deadline for scholarship applications which I believe is March (could be wrong on the date). Also, there are certain requirements to that scholarship. If he has more than 30 college credits presently he is not able to get it. But as others have mentioned, he can go STA-21 for officer programs or work on his degree with Tuition assistance or his GI Bill.
Daniel

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Permalink Reply by Viki on October 25, 2009 at 7:54pm

No bonus $$ with Obama in office

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