(Belated) Congrats! (nm)

I picked up a rate! by JulyFlame on 2016-01-14 08:09:00 UTC Reply

While I suppose this will have a vast majority of people going '...?' at this, I'm extremely excited about it!

I struck a rate! Operations Specialist! No more deck for me!

..This means instead of spending the vast majority of my time sanding things and then painting them, I'm going to be staring at a radar screen going "I think that's a big thing. Maybe a whale?" and occasionally sanding things and then painting them.

Very excited despite less opportunity for sleep,
July

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Huzzah and hurrah! by PoorCynic on 2016-01-17 01:47:00 UTC Reply

I look forward to the day when we will have to address you as Grand High Commodore JulyFlame.
(Belated) Congrats! (nm) by TheShyIon on 2016-01-16 13:35:00 UTC Reply
Congrats! (nm) by Elcalion on 2016-01-15 11:41:00 UTC Reply
Congratulations1 (nm) by Sergio Turbo on 2016-01-15 09:04:00 UTC Reply

Argh, I accidentally ended up with a !!!!11oneone... (nm) by Sergio Turbo on 2016-01-15 09:04:00 UTC Reply

Congradulations by Dark Brother 16 on 2016-01-15 02:46:00 UTC Reply

Interesting job, I've got to say. Maybe you'll find a Big-Mouth Whale!
...? by Larfen J. Stocke, esq on 2016-01-15 01:08:00 UTC Reply

You did... it!

From what I understand, which I admit isn't much: by Scapegrace on 2016-01-15 01:37:00 UTC Reply

Striking a rate in the US Navy is sort of akin to picking a class in an RPG. It allows you to progress through the ranks, getting more rewards, and enabling you to do a specific thing.

I'm impressed. by Huinesoron on 2016-01-15 09:31:00 UTC Reply

You somehow resisted the urge to make a 'July has class now!' joke.

I, on the other hand, did not.

(Hey, if Munchkin can do it, so can I!)

hS

It still eats away at me from the inside. =] (nm) by Scapegrace on 2016-01-15 12:45:00 UTC Reply

That is actually a pretty good away of putting it. by JulyFlame on 2016-01-15 07:29:00 UTC Reply

You can either do a rating straight away (like OS) or end up undesignated as a seaman, airman, or fireman, which are more generalized, and have different routes.

Seamen can eventually strike any rating available in the navy- if it's something that is air or engineering related, they tend to have to wait for a school outside of a couple, because it's more specialized.

Airmen can eventually pick any aviation based rating, and don't have to go to school for those, usually, since they're learning it while onboard.

firemen can eventually pick any engineering based rating, and again, usually don't have to go to school for those, because they're learning it onboard as well.

Once you get a rating you can pick up petty officer, and thus more responsibilities, and can specialize further and further in your field. All OSes don't have the same specialities, and neither do BMs, and so on and so forth.

So yeah, comparing it to picking a class in an RPG works out pretty well.

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Striking rates by Larfen J. Stocke, esq on 2016-01-15 03:36:00 UTC Reply

That is easily the best explanation anyone could have given.

Hooray! by Neshomeh on 2016-01-14 16:30:00 UTC Reply

Shame about less sleep and the wear and tear your retinas will no doubt sustain, but stepping-stones to better things are good. {= )

(BTW, did you get my package remotely near Christmas? I've been meaning to e-mail you to ask this, but since I'm writing here...)

~Neshomeh

I did, yes! by JulyFlame on 2016-01-15 07:23:00 UTC Reply

I've also got a package to mail you in return, once I've time. (This may take a bit).

I think I slightly got what it means so ... by James Shields on 2016-01-14 15:51:00 UTC Reply

Congratulations to you, July! :D
Congratulations, I guess. by Hardric on 2016-01-14 15:04:00 UTC Reply

From what you said, you're selected for more work, less tan and same pay. But you say it's a good thing so... Good luck taking over the ship one grade after one.
Well... by Matt Cipher on 2016-01-14 14:07:00 UTC Reply

I'm not going to pretend I understand what that is...

Congrats! :D
OMG! Congrats! by doctorlit on 2016-01-14 13:52:00 UTC Reply

July's movin' on up! To the . . . sea side!

. . .

But really! Congratulations. Soon, July, will have taken over the entire Navy. All shall love her and despair!

—doctorlit

Actually.. by JulyFlame on 2016-01-15 07:10:00 UTC Reply

It puts me in an enclosed dark place for the rest of deployment. ;D

Ah! Enclosed dark places are by doctorlit on 2016-01-15 14:13:00 UTC Reply

nice and quiet, with not too many people around! That sounds nice.

—doctorlit is enjoying zookeepering in mostly empty animal buildings, but that will change when the area opens to the public and the public starts pounding on the glass

YAAAY! \o/ To progression! (nm) by S.M.F. on 2016-01-14 13:20:00 UTC Reply
*wanders off to ask her dad what this means* by Iximaz on 2016-01-14 12:57:00 UTC Reply

Ooh, okay! Very nice!

And many congratulations to you. :D
Congratulations! =] by Scapegrace on 2016-01-14 12:14:00 UTC Reply

We are all so, so proud of you.

...

Wait a minute. Does this mean you're the Board's Phones? I think this means you're the Board's Phones. hS, any other Supermarionation fanbeings, back me up on this, willya? =]

I'm not confirming or denying that. by JulyFlame on 2016-01-15 07:09:00 UTC Reply

Wait, yes, I am. I'm denying that!

Congrats! by Desdendelle on 2016-01-14 12:05:00 UTC Reply

Since I think I understand what this means, congrats again! Here, have this cup of — sorry, the kittens souldn't be there...

Yes, tis a good thing. by JulyFlame on 2016-01-15 07:08:00 UTC Reply

Despite less sleep and no holiday routine in my future, yeah.

But kitties.

Does that translate as 'a promotion'? by Huinesoron on 2016-01-14 09:03:00 UTC Reply

Or 'a sideways promotion which means they can give you harder work without actually giving you more authority and/or pay' (I got one of those at one point)?

Either way, congratulations! Though I'm sure you'll miss sanding off the tattered remnants of the paint you applied last time you had to sand the same blasted object over and over again... yeah, maybe not.

hS

It means... by JulyFlame on 2016-01-14 12:11:00 UTC Reply

That that I have an actual 'job' so to speak, and thus can actually get promoted. Instead of being forever just a seaman.

So in a couple months I can take an exam, which will hopefully lead to me getting promoted to third class which will get me 'frocked' and thus give me more responsibility and harder work without actually more pay for a few months until it kicks in on paper.

...So kinda yes, over the pay thing, but not quite yet.

Mostly I'll be staring at green circles on screens. In the dark. (There goes my tan.)

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