Subject: Congratulations, I guess.
Author:
Posted on: 2016-01-14 15:04:00 UTC
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.
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
I look forward to the day when we will have to address you as Grand High Commodore JulyFlame.
Interesting job, I've got to say. Maybe you'll find a Big-Mouth Whale!
You did... it!
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.
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
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.
That is easily the best explanation anyone could have given.
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've also got a package to mail you in return, once I've time. (This may take a bit).
Congratulations to you, July! :D
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.
I'm not going to pretend I understand what that is...
Congrats! :D
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
It puts me in an enclosed dark place for the rest of deployment. ;D
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
Ooh, okay! Very nice!
And many congratulations to you. :D
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? =]
Wait, yes, I am. I'm denying that!
Since I think I understand what this means, congrats again! Here, have this cup of — sorry, the kittens souldn't be there...
Despite less sleep and no holiday routine in my future, yeah.
But kitties.
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
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.)
