Was I ripped off?

[Sirhcrod]

Don't know where to start, so I guess I'll just say there were some complications due to my having a GED.

Basically I went into MEPs KNOWING that I wanted to do either IS or CT, and IT as a back up. When I get there, there seems to be a huge deal about me having a GED, and all I keep hearing is "HP3". Apparently that was my code, a highschool non-grad.

So when I go meet with the classifier he tells me that with a GED I cannot qualify for CT or IS. He runs my numbers and finds that I am able to do IT. Then he tells me that if I can get 15 college credits before my ship date, I can reclassify myself and try for CT or IS.

Now I posted about this on another forum, and a girl sent me a PM and told me she has a GED (She was homeschooled) and is going to become a CTI. She's just waiting for some test results or something.

So what's going on here? What steps should I take?

[sweetmtn]

Chris...have you asked your recruiter? If you want some answers sooner..I can get you my son's recruiter..or post him a PM on that other site..he goes by DryDeckedET..or PM me from there and I will give you his phone number. Its his B-day today...but my DEPer here at home still has to check in with him!

[Retired Navy Chief]

Are you and this "other person" in the same location ??

You didn't get "ripped" ... the other person got lucky !! You could go back tomorrow and the rules may have changed as far as whether they could even bring you in at all. I have had that happen to me as a recruiter ... had a young man all ready to go and was told that I had an opening for him and after making the 4 hour drive to MEPs .... the position was GONE... traded to another recruiting district so that they could reach their recruiting goal for the year.
It's a fact of life and unfortunately, it's due to you not completing a traditional high school course of instruction... I personally would recommend getting the college credits if you are in a position to do it. Not only would it help you get the job you want, but it will help you later on in your naval career for other programs (possibly officer candidate stuff).

However .... you can speak with your recruiter about cross-rating to the job field that you want after you get in if you truly only want THAT job. Wouldn't be very fast but it is possible. Just another option ... the world hasn't come to an end for you.

Cheers,
PISTOL

[KYmom]

Just remember time is on your side. If you don't get want you want don't sign the final papers till you are satisified with your contract, even if it means going back to school and picking up a few college credits. It is your future not the recruiters.

We told our son wait and go when you can get what you want. Pick the job that you classify for that you want and wait for that opening. LOL.. .

[Kristie]

KYmom is right....you hold the power we told both of our....DO NOT sign until you get the job you want even if it means waiting.....

[Tyler's Dad]

Enroll in your local Community College, complete one full load semester and re-apply. Good luck.

[cousinIT]

with your credits, i think you need 24 to get E-2...

[cousinIT]

with going CTI, you'll have to take another test to be sure that you can learn a foriegn language. i was also goin to take that route, but they offered me IT, so i chose that. being a CTI you'll have to learn two different languages in six months. i have a friend from boot camp learning chinese right now! they do top secret missions and stuff...but i hear they're a very weird crowd...my friend isn't, but i havent met any rated CTI's yet...

with the IS and CT thing, if you do choose IT, and later on want to cross rate while you're in the fleet, you can. when you start A School, they start your Security Clearance investigations, and you'll get Secret, Top Secret, or Top Secret SCI [cant remember what it stands for, but that's what the Navy gave me]. with the clearance, you'll easily be able to cross rate.

[Sirhcrod]

Thanks a lot for the information. I too heard that the linguists are quite a "special" crowd... No answers as to why though. They offered me IT as well, which is what I'm currently contracted under. I'm going to take the DLAB this coming Tuesday.

If I can't do CTI until after I go active, I will be perfectly content doing IT. How are you enjoying IT so far?

[cousinIT]

I LOVE being an IT. In A School you dont really learn much about what we actually do in the fleet, but when you get to your first ship you learn so much. Not to mention you gain a lot of respect just for being an IT. You get a lot of hook-ups which are pretty sweet when you're underway. =] At first I wasnt really sure about it because I didnt know a lot about computers, but now that I work with them hands-on, I couldnt be more happy with the decision I made.