From Civilian to Sailor

There are, from what I've gathered, a few things that factor in when choosing your first duty station.

Part of it is all on you. If you go through "A" school and do the best you can do,(which shouldn't be hard, just apply yourself. School work and duties first, play time later) and graduate #1 in your class that gives you first pick from the billets(a billet is basically a slot available for your rating, or job, on a particular base or ship). If you rank #2 you get to pick second, from whatever is left over after the #1 ranked student picks, and so on and so forth with the 3rd, 4th, and on.

A second and more important factor in selecting a billet(and one you have no control over) is the "Needs of the Navy". Sure you can do your best to get first pick from that list of billets, but if there isn't a billet available in the place you want, then it wont be on that list. Plain and simple. If the Navy doesn't need an MC at Pearl Harbor then it will not be on the list, regardless of how well you do in "A" School.


I imagine that down the road seniority also plays a great deal, although I haven't talked much with people about this one, as I'm just worried about making through RTC and "A" School still.

Of course I could be completely wrong about this, this is just what I have heard from all the people I have talked to about it. So if someone reading this knows better, feel free to let me know.

12 days.

First of all I need to start off by stating how thankful I am that Mass Communication Specialist(MC) was open to me when I went to MEPS. My paper work tells me that there are about 1400 individuals in this rating. That is 1,400 MCs out of about 340,000 active duty Sailors. So the odds were against me but I was very fortunate.

With that out of the way I will describe what an MC is and what they do:

Mass Communication Specialists are Public Affairs and Visual Information experts. They present the Navy story to audiences in the Navy and to the rest of the world through a variety of media. MCs write and produce print and broadcast journalism news and feature stories for military and civilian newspapers, magazines, television and radio broadcast stations. They record still and video photography of military operations, exercises, and other Navy events. They serve overseas, on ships, and at stateside commands as photographers, public affairs specialists, newspaper and magazine staff, and TV and radio station staff and talent. MCs also create graphic designs in support of the public affairs mission, create and manage official websites, and perform high-speed, high-volume graphic reproduction.

What they do
The duties performed by MCs include:

• Prepare and write news and feature articles for publication
• Photograph events for publication and historic documentation
• Operate and maintain a variety of state-of-the-art still and video cameras
• Operate computer-based graphics software and desktop publishing systems
• Create original visual information displays and graphics
• Multi-media design and production
• Design and manage public and secure websites
• Layout and design military newspapers and magazines
• Manage radio and television stations
• Operate video and electronic imaging equipment
• Operate digital electronic reproduction equipment
• Edit video news, features, and documentation
• Shoot still photographs and video for accident or incident investigations
• Conduct interviews
• Market stories
• Perform as a Public Affairs Officer

Related Civilian Jobs

• Screen Writer
• Photographer
• Photojournalist
• Copy Writer
• Reporter
• Editor (Film)
• Editor (Video)
• Camera Operator (Television)
• Graphic Designer
• Multi-media Artist and Animator

Once Recruit Training Camp is over in late October/early November I will be heading to Ft. Meade, Maryland. There I will be attending my "A" school for 25 weeks. In "A" school you have more freedom than in RTC, meaning I will have internet access again. From what I've heard "A" School is much like college, just a little more strict. Earning more privileges as I progress. From here on expect a few updates before I go to RTC, I will be somewhat busy in this last month of civilian life, but I will have enough time to update a bit I am sure.

27 days!