About to (Hopefully) enter DEP.

[SouthBay]

I have a few questions about entering DEP, hopefully you good people can help me out. I am to go to meps this week to enter DEP, recruiters give me the info that its all ok.

1. I have horrible credit and owe less than 10k in debt. Would the recruiter be knowledgeable of this (I wrote it down on my paper work about my debt so it's only obvious they would run a credit check) and then give me the thumbs up or down. OR is this something I will run into discussing with someone at MEPS later this week.

Basically right now I am stoked and feel like I am in to take a job and DEP. Is it possible at MEPS they have more to say about my credit? Wouldn't the recruiter handle this before sending me out?

2. What rates are less bogged down with sailors. I plan on staying in for some time (4 at first, re-enlist for 6 after). In other words if I have to wait 12 months for IT I would rather jump in as BM or AE or (have a long list of jobs) if the DEP date was shorter.

My current living situations are kind iffy and spending 12 months here would be rough. Trying to ship out asap. EAGER!!!

3. What type of jobs do not have a sea rotation. As a single man with no ties to family/friends that would keep me saddened to be at sea... I want to ship out. I want to be at sea. I am also super willing to enter DEP. I do not want to join up and spend my time all on shore...



I know I got more questions but I am currently just creating a list of jobs I'd be ok with so when I go to meps later this week I know what I'd be down to take.


Also I would LOVE a CTI/CTM type gig but my credits so bad I doubt I will get top secret clearance...

[Depper20100427]

I can tell you that CTI seems to be one of the jobs that aren't too booked at the moment. I know at my recruiting station, they are pushing hard for people to do anything in the nuclear field, Navy divers/swimmers, SEALs and CTI because they want to get people to boot camp and not waiting around in DEP for months at a time. I'm sure it's different at every recruiting station though. Obviously some recruiters only push for those because they get bonuses for signing up recruits to certain fields, but those also would get you in the Navy and out of DEP as quickly as possible.

As far as your debt situation, I can't tell you much other than the worse your debt is, the worse your chances are at getting a job that requires a top secret security clearance.

[SouthBay]

Would really love someone with knowledge response to question #1. Its got me worried.

[MacSteve]

with proper knowledge all given to your recruiter, you should be good.
also it depends what kind of debt.. student/mortgage/car loan is different then credit cards
not saying that credit cards are bad though.

[LoweinTX]

I can tell you that having just gone through this process myself that pretty much any debt owed is going to be a problem with your security clearance. I was behind by about $2500 on an auto loan and was going to let it get repossesed as I was completely upside down on the car, anywho...that wasnt going to fly with the Navy, as I was told by my recruiter and MEPS. Their advice was based on the fact that the Navy is very fat right now and actively looking for reasons to DQ people. So I bit the bullet and paid. As far as when it would become an official problem during your recruiting process would most likely not be at MEPS but after you sign while they are conducting your background check. You may be so lucky as to get a call from the Office of Personnel Management(as i did) and they will either tell you its a no-go or may ask you to go down and sit for an interview with them. Long story short....Through my personal experience yes it will most likely be a problem for you. If your serious about joining I would reccommend getting in touch with the people you owe and ask about a possibility of a settlement.

[MacSteve]

wow you should probably rethink your goals and responsibility if you were just going to let a car get reposessed because you were upside down. way to dig yourself out of the hole you created...

[LoweinTX]

Well I'll be as respectfull as possible here. I wasn't trying to step on any toes or speak on behalf of the Navy as to what will or wont happen, rather, just offer some advice based on my personal experience. Wasn't trying to undermine your response Steve...Not quite sure why my response warranted an attack on my moral fiber, and I'm not quite sure your response deserves an explanation on my part. I was simply in a bad way as so many Americans are today. So maybe next time before you start questioning peoples "goals and responsibilitys", you should step down off your "Super Moderator" high horse(which I find laughable) and realize that maybe you have no idea what you are talking about. Sorry for any offense, really not trying to pick a fight here...just felt that needed to be said. Thanks!

[SouthBay]

I can tell you that having just gone through this process myself that pretty much any debt owed is going to be a problem with your security clearance. I was behind by about $2500 on an auto loan and was going to let it get repossesed as I was completely upside down on the car, anywho...that wasnt going to fly with the Navy, as I was told by my recruiter and MEPS. Their advice was based on the fact that the Navy is very fat right now and actively looking for reasons to DQ people. So I bit the bullet and paid. As far as when it would become an official problem during your recruiting process would most likely not be at MEPS but after you sign while they are conducting your background check. You may be so lucky as to get a call from the Office of Personnel Management(as i did) and they will either tell you its a no-go or may ask you to go down and sit for an interview with them. Long story short....Through my personal experience yes it will most likely be a problem for you. If your serious about joining I would reccommend getting in touch with the people you owe and ask about a possibility of a settlement.



Thing is, I am broke.

[Retired Navy Chief]

Chances are, if you come up with a decent plan to repay your debts ... they should work with you.

The recruiters aren't going to send you to MEPS if there isn't a way for you to get in ... go there and see what comes of it. You may be surprised.


Cheers,
PISTOL

[N@vychick]

hey there are a couple of people here that back ground check came to bite them in the a** because of there debt. It really depends on what rate u get. Alot of the security clearances dont get done til after bootcamp and by then ur foot is already in the door. so worst case senario is that ur rate gets changed to something that didnt require a security clearance. happend to a couple shipmates here.

[boudc1022]

Alot of the security clearances dont get done til after bootcamp and by then ur foot is already in the door.

Thats what I thought too, but I had someone scheduling an interview with me about three weeks to a month after I signed and almost a year before I ship lol.

[anxanther]

I am currently in the DEP program. I was ready to leave the day I went to MEPS. They said the soonest I could leave was 9 months. I feel ya on the iffy lifestyle but the Navy is not a surefire quick ticket outta here. I wish it was.

1. For entering the navy in general, your recruiter should know generally if you qualify. (That is their job, after all.) However, if your job requires a high level security clearance, your credit is going to be scrutinized much more.

2. You can look on about.com and find a chart that tells you which jobs are undermanned or overmanned at different levels. This should give you an idea, but what jobs happen to be available when you go to MEPS don't really have a lot to do with those charts. The charts do, however, help give you an idea of which ratings will offer incentives for reenlistment/opportunities for quick advancement.

3. You can pretty much get all the sea duty you want, I've heard. (I wouldn't do CTI, though. That's supposed to be an office job. That's the one I'm waiting for.) For certain ratings they actually try to bribe you with extra pay to stay at sea longer. I think those were mostly aircraft maintenance and the like.

[MacSteve]

yea i don't know what you mean by bribe you with extra pay... if your out at sea, you get sea pay....

[Retired Navy Chief]

Not much bribery going on ... mainly because you earn every penny of it !!

Flight Deck pay
Submarine pay
Imminent Danger pay
Jump pay (parachuting)
Sea pay

Yeah ... if you are eligible to get it, you definitely earn it.

Cheers,
PISTOL