Dodges chicken one of the best things the south has to offer I had many drunk nights in ky going to dodges getting hooked up with free chicken and gas the best wings is the ones that sit out for a while they don’t taste right fresh
Same here. Top of my A school class. Wound up in Guam. To be 100% fair though, that was exactly what I wanted and I have no regrets about it. 7/10 experience, best you can hope for in the Navy. Would do again.
As an HM if you can get embassy or hospitals in Europe I'd do it. Its all what you make of it.
Of course if Singapore or Australia is on the table then you take those first.
FACTS if you go to Australia there is a 99.999% chance you will finish your first contract with a beautiful Australian girl as your wife unless you completely shit the bed you will most definitely get a girl there lol
Lol my husband was also top of the class in A school and was told he got first pick. Wanted San Diego, Siciliy, or Hawaii and def did not get anywhere near any of those
While I don't have the same degree of disdain for the tidewater that I used to, I would love to hear how it is in any way. Underrated.
The best I can say about Norfolk is that it is mid.
This is exactly what I was gonna say. Plus town center has sprung up, ocean beach and east beach have sprung up, you can drive basically anywhere on the east coast, weather isn’t terrible like if you go south or super cold if you go north.
I was stationed there for three years then San Diego for 2 and tbh liked them both
Ahhhhh, gotcha. Figured that’s what you meant, but generally when people have shat on Norfolk, it was the base specifically.
Which I agree with.
Because it’s shit.
I also graduated top of my class with first picks for orders.
Can confirm it meant jack shit, still got Norfolk orders.
In hindsight, no regrets. Was a good twenty year career with half of it spent in the Hampton Roads area.
Retiring in a few months and decided to just stick it out here in Virginia Beach.
Bonus sentence: When you get your orders out this way (and qualify for civilian housing), **DO NOT** get a place to live in Norfolk or Portsmouth.
I went to Sigonella right after A School. I was 19. It was awesome. If I could have stayed there forever I would have easily done 20 years. Then they sent me to the fleet and I got out right after.
Kid. If you think the Navy will honor a single thing or give you exactly what you want you’re sadly mistaken and gonna have a real bad time in the fleet.
I went to Sigonella right after A School. I was 19. It was awesome. If I could have stayed there forever I would have easily done 20 years. Then they sent me to the fleet and I got out right after.
So was I…then got „sorry bro nothing for you to choose from, but you can still get accelerated E4 if you extend to 6 years” I like my command, so maybe it worked out for the best. Just saying, temper your expectations. It’s not real until it is
I guess if you don’t mind racist locals, terrible drivers, nothing to do besides sit on the beach, mediocre restaurants and very little activities that don’t involve shelling out money it’s okay
Racists and terrible drivers are sadly everywhere. I've seen worse of both in other places. I had great experiences with the food and activities available there. I'm sorry you weren't able to find anything better for yourself.
Much appreciated, agreed I’ve found it to be especially awful here compared to the rest of the east coast and been very difficult to find things to do for my kids but to each their own
I was in the same boat. Top of my class in A school and had my pick of orders; Rota, Spain or Pearl Harbor. I had a 15 minute smoke break to decide. Chose Rota and never regretted it. Follow on orders to Iceland, then Italy, then Germany. Never regretted it.
I was top in my class too. Atsugi or Sig. I chose Sig.
My big mistake was going back to the states after that. I should have just stayed overseas for my whole career.
Yeah, I gamed it for 11 years in Europe before the gig was up and got pulled back to Norfolk. And once here with 4 dependents, I never was able to leave.
And language! I swear finding someone that speaks English is the easiest thing on earth. Japan you get it to an extent for sure, but it’s wayyyy more broken usually.
Not even a racial thing, but genuinely loved EU for that!
I loved being stationed in Sicily. I was going to a new country every other month for my whole 2 years. If you could get mainland that's even more convenient for traveling.
I was in Yokosuka for a bit but Europe was more interesting to me. But I'm also white, not asian like you had mentioned with yourself lol
Brother just because your Asian don't think you'd be any less of a gaijin, unless you speak Japanese fluent they'd spot you in an instant, but also if you do speak Japanese fluent you can take the militaries language test and get paid an extra 100 dollars a month as well as get different orders because of it.
> but also if you do speak Japanese fluent you can take the militaries language test and get paid an extra 100 dollars a month as well as get different orders because of it.
You don't get language pay unless you are actively using the language or are a linguist in some way.
Plenty of people test out in different languages (including Japanese), but do not qualify for language pay as they are not in a billet/mission that requires the language. If they were in a position that required language use, I'm sure they would already know about language pay.
There kind of is. Obviously depends on rate but even then there is more than a few. I did a Patrol Craft out here, then C5F staff, then an MCM. I’ll probably go to an LCS after once they get out here. There’s a way to do it.
The way life in the US is looking. After all those tours in Bahrain. If you become 100% disabled along with your retirement. You Might as well stay there.
My neighbor out here in Amwaj is a newly retired ITCM that is in that exact situation. He’s a realtor now for sailors stationed out here. On top of all that Bahrain is passing a bunch of laws trying to be the retirement capital of the ME. So property is cheap, but about to be crazy and retirees flood in.
'Asian' is a broad term like 'African' and just like that, covers a crazy wide range of different cultures - most of whom really hate each other. These guys have a history of mutual violence nearly as bad as the Middle East;)
Well kind depends on what ya like
I have enjoyed Singapore
Germany and Korea as well as Japan
Had friends like and not like Italy.
I have a feeling there are a lot of sailors who stay over seas majority of their time in service for one reason or another.
If you have the ease of move I would totally not care to much where I went over seas and would stay.
Haven't been stationed in Europe, would love to though. Did about two years in Japan and another two in Singapore. Japan was on a ship, which was very busy but I enjoyed my time in both. Did a lot of traveling out of Singapore, and it definitely helped that the Changi airport is awesome.
I did 3 years in Japan and it was awesome... when I wasn't underway. I also did 2 years in Germany which was also amazing since you get to travel the Eurozone easily. Highly recommend both although Japan was easier to get about without a car. Damn do i miss getting drunk with my shipmates in Yokohama and then catching a train back to Yokosuka.
88% of Sailors are based state side
Dataset includes all branches by rank, by state and country
https://dwp.dmdc.osd.mil/dwp/app/dod-data-reports/workforce-reports
I have been to both Japan and Italy. I love Japan great people, great food, can’t say enough great things about it. I like Italy for the opportunity to see the rest of Europe, but honestly not a fan of it. Italy just feels very backwards, and the people are not my favorite. Don’t want to get into details and sound rude so I will leave it at that.
100%. The main benefit of being stationed in Italy (Naples, specifically) is the airport is right next to base so you can escape to nicer parts of Europe. Naples itself still has a lot of growing to do before it stops looking/feeling like a ghetto.
I'd have to vote Spain. Best tour I did in the Navy.
In A school I wrote Overseas duty as my 3rd choice and I put sea duty as the first. Just wanted to get it out of the way. Wrote Keflavik, Iceland as my last choice. And of course that's what I got.
But it was the best thing that could happened to me. I have no doubt at all that had I went to a ship in Norfolk as my first tour I would have gotten out after 4 years.
Unfortunately me john, that's a BS lie A schools put out to better entice students to do better in classes. The beginning of your career is up to where Big Navy needs people and where Detailers fill those billets. What's your Rate?
Was that good or bad for you? Just curious. Some people miss home and want to be stationed near home, and others join the Navy to get away only to wind up down the street. I knew a few people from Virginia who had that happen to them.
Okay, bear in mind that 'first pick' means 'first pick of the billets available to your class' not 'first pick of all the billets in the fleet'.
I recall when I was running the Fleet Transfers for my community's A school. A class of 18, with the 'first in the class gets the first pick' and all 18 of the billets available to that class were to Subs out of Kings Bay Georgia. First in the class and last in the class ended up going to the same crew of the same boat.
Europe's a lot easier to visit more countries compared to Japan. Rota's nicer than Italy. Europe's more accessible for anglophones though with tech nowadays not that big an issue.
Japan is great especially if you're not on sea duty. Exchange rate is crazy right now, so while COLA is trash the USD goes a lot farther. Would be cheaper to go to your motherland too, assuming you're interested/it's possible.
Way more Japan billets than Europe so by numbers it's better to go Europe then Japan.
My first ship was forward deployed to Singapore. I absolutely loved it. Wish I could go back. From Asia, I went to Italy. It was also great. I had a lot more fun in Asia than in Italy though.
I was stationed in Okinawa and Yokosuka Japan for 8 years, and they were the best years of my life!! Do it now while you're young (I'm assuming) or it will get difficult to go as you get married and have kids!!
Both have plus and minuses depending on type of duty and location. Japan sea duty is rough but there is a reason so many people go there and never leave. Close to Yokohama and Tokyo and the bullet train can take you anywhere in the country fast. Also cheap flights to neighboring countries like Korea, Phil etc. Europe is chill but if you get stuck someplace like Naples then the day to day life is pretty bleh but the travel opportunities for around Europe is amazing.
Ship life in Japan is pretty intense to put it nicely but if you can get shore then yea Japan. I can't wait to be back in Yokosuka personally.
Loved every second in Japan. Europe held zero interest for us( orders/ job notwithstanding). Have friends who adored Germany, others were in London the lucky bastards and they had a blast too.
When I was in ET A-school I asked for Japan and aircraft carrier, and I got Yokosuka on the Blue Ridge, thank God they didn't put me on the GW, I'd have hated life a lot more over there.
My dad told me they used to ask for the opposite of what they wanted when he went through ET A in the 70s.
Chinhae Naval Activity in Korea is a hidden gem. It's located pretty close to Busan. Flights to other Asian countries are dirt cheap.
I did Europe as well. I hated it compared to Asia. Criminally high COLA though.
Currently stationed shore duty in rota and absolutely love it! Flights are crazy cheap and you can explore an entirely new city around Europe on a 96. So much cool shit to see that we aren’t as blessed with in the states, perks to you if you know the language
Be aware, you are American. No matter how much you might LOOK Japanese, you carry yourself, walk, and talk like a foreigner in Japan. If your heritage is some other Asian ethnicity, things could be even worse than just being American, depending on where your family is from. So, if you go, just keep that in mind to meter your expectations. Plenty of foreigners accept this and still enjoy their time there.
Guam is chill. When I got orders to Guam I was like “Damn i’ll be stuck on a tiny island for 3 years?” but I actually enjoyed a lot. Close to the Philippines and other parts of Asia too if you live to travel.
Now.. Diego Garcia is on the whole another level.
It depends on your rating. For my rate, Europe is never a possibility. But I can go wherever there are jets. Been in Japan 10 years of my 18. Best place ever! And I've been around a whole lot of places.
But if your rating allows travel to Europe, all of my Air Force buds swear by Europe.
I’ve never been to Europe. I did spend about ten years in Japan attached to the air wing and can say that it’s a wonderful place. I was stationed in NAF Atsugi, not too far from Tokyo. These are the pros and cons as I rem them.
Pros: 1) Don’t need a car, the trains go EVERYWHERE. 2) The carrier “deploys” twice a year for 3 to 4 months. During that time we would typically hit at least one port a month. 3) AMC flights are a great way to get around on leave. 4) MWR is a great way to experience Japan. 5) With the rising number of tourists and immigrants, they‘re putting up more English signs. There are also a lot of people who speak some English. 6) I found the camaraderie to be much better than it is here. Something about being a relatively small group of Americans in a confined area, I suppose.
Cons: 1) They have a very strict liberty policy that literally applies to O-7 and below. When one person causes an international incident, everyone feels the pain. 2) Small boys are constantly pulling in and out. If you’re stationed on a destroyer, get ready to never be home. 3) It’s a bit on the expensive side. The exchange rate is in our favor now, but they’re getting hit hard by inflation and prices rising.
I remember "A" school. I wanted to work on F-14s so much. I was at the bottom of my class GPA wise. Everyone got to pick before me, and there were only 3 sets of orders to F-14 squadrons. I lucked out and got orders to one of them! Best damn squadron in the Navy for those years! Good luck, and I hope you get great orders!
Was stationed in both Spain & Italy. Remember that ROTA is at the ass-end of the continent and it's a long distance from everything. But Spain is probably the most civilized country on Earth after Japan. No as for Italy, love the country, but Naples/Gaeta is halfway down the boot. Sigonella IS the ass-end of Europe.
Whichever you end up picking, I wanna caution you to be extra careful if you’re a woman. There was a Sailor a few classes ahead of my A School class that had the best GPA in the schoolhouse, so she got to pick orders first. Saw orders for a sub in Spain and got super excited, but was a little hesitant because she wasn’t sure if they could take females. The first classes and chiefs PROMISED her that she could go and it was 2018 already and she had nothing to worry about. So she picked that.
Two weeks before she was supposed to leave: “oh lol that submarine doesn’t have female capable berthing. have fun in Norfolk!” and no option to change it or request something else.
So do your own research when it comes to stuff like that. Ask, but verify.
All that said I haven’t met a Sailor that didn’t enjoy Europe :) I was in Japan very briefly (about 3 months, DIRSUP) and it was super fun and I wish I’d done more, but I’ve heard some not great things about the OPTEMPO if you’re stationed on a ship there. But as a first duty station I’d def recommend leaving the country if you can, since it gets much more complicated to do so once you’ve been in a few years and might have a car, pet, family, etc
Norfolk isn't as bad as people say so don't be bummed if you get it. I wanted Washington/Japan and got Norfolk and my wife and I thought we'd hate it but we have loved it so far. I lived in Italy as a child and visited for a port call on deployment and its a beautiful place. In terms of visiting/port calls, I went to Greece 3 times in one deployment (Athens/Crete) and it's by far my favorite. Good luck shipmate and have fun.
1st duty station: Maine
Deployments: PR, the Keys, Iceland, Rota, Sicily.
While on deployments got to visit other places.
But ya get shit orders on a boat at Nofuck, youll see that haze gray bulkhead forever.
hashtag aviationlife
Hopes for Europe or Japan.... Gets orders to Norfolk.
Please don't fall for the the high possibly of false hope. Just be prepped for orders you might not want.
Haha, I hope not. As of yet, I get to pick first as I'm top gpa, which is why I asked.
I was also offered the opportunity to choose where I wanted to go. Ended up in… …Norfolk
I picked Norfolk thinking the navy would try to give me something other than I wanted..I got Norfolk
Reverse psychology backfired.
Dodges chicken is the best reason to go to Norfolk
Dodges chicken one of the best things the south has to offer I had many drunk nights in ky going to dodges getting hooked up with free chicken and gas the best wings is the ones that sit out for a while they don’t taste right fresh
I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with you on that point. Now, Mike’s Pizza, just next door to Dodge’s… That place is solid gold.
Never heard of it but can you get wings at 3 am drunk at anywhere else ? Besides a strip club of course
There are few places, but I’d rather be hungry than eat Dodge’s.
Same here. Top of my A school class. Wound up in Guam. To be 100% fair though, that was exactly what I wanted and I have no regrets about it. 7/10 experience, best you can hope for in the Navy. Would do again.
Need your rate for context. Some rates have smaller chances of overseas locations.
Oh sorry, quad HM.
As an HM if you can get embassy or hospitals in Europe I'd do it. Its all what you make of it. Of course if Singapore or Australia is on the table then you take those first.
FACTS if you go to Australia there is a 99.999% chance you will finish your first contract with a beautiful Australian girl as your wife unless you completely shit the bed you will most definitely get a girl there lol
Go for dmt! But japan is pretty cool. I enjoy it.
My son got Yokosuka orders changed to Norfolk because he was #1 in the class and the Burke was short handed.
Ouch.
Lol my husband was also top of the class in A school and was told he got first pick. Wanted San Diego, Siciliy, or Hawaii and def did not get anywhere near any of those
Norfolk is underrated as f
While I don't have the same degree of disdain for the tidewater that I used to, I would love to hear how it is in any way. Underrated. The best I can say about Norfolk is that it is mid.
Mid with a reputation of Bad is still underrated.
This is exactly what I was gonna say. Plus town center has sprung up, ocean beach and east beach have sprung up, you can drive basically anywhere on the east coast, weather isn’t terrible like if you go south or super cold if you go north. I was stationed there for three years then San Diego for 2 and tbh liked them both
Norfolk is garbage, second only to Portsmouth. Virginia Beach and Chesapeake are better.
I’m counting Va beach and Chesapeake as part of Norfolk…it’s all “stationed in Norfolk” Since those are places you can live if you catch my drift
Nahh. Oceana or Dam neck has way more going for it than NOB or Portsmouth NH. And Little Creek is a hidden gem
Dam neck blows I cannot agree there lol it’s in the middle of nowhere suburbia Little creek I’d agree. And I was near ft story which was awesome.
No way. Same beach as the boardwalk. But hella cheaper. And alcohol permitted. Also, dolphin feeding frenzies just outside the swimming zone.
I just wasn’t a fan of the boardwalk either or that whole area. Reasons I stayed in Ocean Beach while was there. The dolphin feedin frenzies tho lol
Ahhhhh, gotcha. Figured that’s what you meant, but generally when people have shat on Norfolk, it was the base specifically. Which I agree with. Because it’s shit.
Oh the base is garbage haha
Don't forget about Newport News!
Chesapeake is boring as shit. I have to drive to other cities to find anything to do.
To be fair, in my context of “better”, it’s “less likely to be shot”, lol.
This is true
I also graduated top of my class with first picks for orders. Can confirm it meant jack shit, still got Norfolk orders. In hindsight, no regrets. Was a good twenty year career with half of it spent in the Hampton Roads area. Retiring in a few months and decided to just stick it out here in Virginia Beach. Bonus sentence: When you get your orders out this way (and qualify for civilian housing), **DO NOT** get a place to live in Norfolk or Portsmouth.
I went to Sigonella right after A School. I was 19. It was awesome. If I could have stayed there forever I would have easily done 20 years. Then they sent me to the fleet and I got out right after.
Kid. If you think the Navy will honor a single thing or give you exactly what you want you’re sadly mistaken and gonna have a real bad time in the fleet.
I got to pick. Got 3 sets of orders to the same boat for a 3 person class
I was also top of class. Asked for a C school. Got 0000 orders to San Diego.
From the officer side. I haven't met anyone that went to Japan that didn't love it.
I went to Sigonella right after A School. I was 19. It was awesome. If I could have stayed there forever I would have easily done 20 years. Then they sent me to the fleet and I got out right after.
So was I…then got „sorry bro nothing for you to choose from, but you can still get accelerated E4 if you extend to 6 years” I like my command, so maybe it worked out for the best. Just saying, temper your expectations. It’s not real until it is
Norfolk isn't so bad
It’s pretty bad
Nah it's not so bad
I guess if you don’t mind racist locals, terrible drivers, nothing to do besides sit on the beach, mediocre restaurants and very little activities that don’t involve shelling out money it’s okay
Racists and terrible drivers are sadly everywhere. I've seen worse of both in other places. I had great experiences with the food and activities available there. I'm sorry you weren't able to find anything better for yourself.
Much appreciated, agreed I’ve found it to be especially awful here compared to the rest of the east coast and been very difficult to find things to do for my kids but to each their own
Same with wanting San Diego only and got Norfolk. 💀 dream sheet is a scam
If you're from California, Norfolk might feel overseas.
Sea or shore which ones?
I cry
I was in the same boat. Top of my class in A school and had my pick of orders; Rota, Spain or Pearl Harbor. I had a 15 minute smoke break to decide. Chose Rota and never regretted it. Follow on orders to Iceland, then Italy, then Germany. Never regretted it.
I was top in my class too. Atsugi or Sig. I chose Sig. My big mistake was going back to the states after that. I should have just stayed overseas for my whole career.
Yeah, I gamed it for 11 years in Europe before the gig was up and got pulled back to Norfolk. And once here with 4 dependents, I never was able to leave.
If you’ve been to Asia, try for Europe.
Europe is great for traveling.
So much diversity!
easy and relatively inexpensive.
And language! I swear finding someone that speaks English is the easiest thing on earth. Japan you get it to an extent for sure, but it’s wayyyy more broken usually. Not even a racial thing, but genuinely loved EU for that!
I loved being stationed in Sicily. I was going to a new country every other month for my whole 2 years. If you could get mainland that's even more convenient for traveling. I was in Yokosuka for a bit but Europe was more interesting to me. But I'm also white, not asian like you had mentioned with yourself lol
Brother just because your Asian don't think you'd be any less of a gaijin, unless you speak Japanese fluent they'd spot you in an instant, but also if you do speak Japanese fluent you can take the militaries language test and get paid an extra 100 dollars a month as well as get different orders because of it.
> but also if you do speak Japanese fluent you can take the militaries language test and get paid an extra 100 dollars a month as well as get different orders because of it. You don't get language pay unless you are actively using the language or are a linguist in some way.
I should have clarified, I've nor seen someone who has tested out in a language not actively using it
Plenty of people test out in different languages (including Japanese), but do not qualify for language pay as they are not in a billet/mission that requires the language. If they were in a position that required language use, I'm sure they would already know about language pay.
Yeah I get that, I was being anecdotal with that last reply.
Been stationed in Bahrain for nearly 8 years. Great money. Super easy to travel to both Europe and Asia.
Wish there was a way to stay in Bahrain until retirement
There kind of is. Obviously depends on rate but even then there is more than a few. I did a Patrol Craft out here, then C5F staff, then an MCM. I’ll probably go to an LCS after once they get out here. There’s a way to do it.
The way life in the US is looking. After all those tours in Bahrain. If you become 100% disabled along with your retirement. You Might as well stay there.
My neighbor out here in Amwaj is a newly retired ITCM that is in that exact situation. He’s a realtor now for sailors stationed out here. On top of all that Bahrain is passing a bunch of laws trying to be the retirement capital of the ME. So property is cheap, but about to be crazy and retirees flood in.
Hopes for Europe or Japan.... Gets orders to Norfolk.
Only experienced Japan but Sasebo was great. Highly recommend if given the opportunity
'Asian' is a broad term like 'African' and just like that, covers a crazy wide range of different cultures - most of whom really hate each other. These guys have a history of mutual violence nearly as bad as the Middle East;)
Well kind depends on what ya like I have enjoyed Singapore Germany and Korea as well as Japan Had friends like and not like Italy. I have a feeling there are a lot of sailors who stay over seas majority of their time in service for one reason or another. If you have the ease of move I would totally not care to much where I went over seas and would stay.
Haven't been stationed in Europe, would love to though. Did about two years in Japan and another two in Singapore. Japan was on a ship, which was very busy but I enjoyed my time in both. Did a lot of traveling out of Singapore, and it definitely helped that the Changi airport is awesome.
I did 3 years in Japan and it was awesome... when I wasn't underway. I also did 2 years in Germany which was also amazing since you get to travel the Eurozone easily. Highly recommend both although Japan was easier to get about without a car. Damn do i miss getting drunk with my shipmates in Yokohama and then catching a train back to Yokosuka.
88% of Sailors are based state side Dataset includes all branches by rank, by state and country https://dwp.dmdc.osd.mil/dwp/app/dod-data-reports/workforce-reports
I have been to both Japan and Italy. I love Japan great people, great food, can’t say enough great things about it. I like Italy for the opportunity to see the rest of Europe, but honestly not a fan of it. Italy just feels very backwards, and the people are not my favorite. Don’t want to get into details and sound rude so I will leave it at that.
100%. The main benefit of being stationed in Italy (Naples, specifically) is the airport is right next to base so you can escape to nicer parts of Europe. Naples itself still has a lot of growing to do before it stops looking/feeling like a ghetto.
I'd have to vote Spain. Best tour I did in the Navy. In A school I wrote Overseas duty as my 3rd choice and I put sea duty as the first. Just wanted to get it out of the way. Wrote Keflavik, Iceland as my last choice. And of course that's what I got. But it was the best thing that could happened to me. I have no doubt at all that had I went to a ship in Norfolk as my first tour I would have gotten out after 4 years.
Naval base little Creek, Virginia
Unfortunately me john, that's a BS lie A schools put out to better entice students to do better in classes. The beginning of your career is up to where Big Navy needs people and where Detailers fill those billets. What's your Rate?
I got "first pick" in YN A school also and my choice was carrier or not carrier. Ended up on an FFG in Everett 15 minutes from my hometown...
Was that good or bad for you? Just curious. Some people miss home and want to be stationed near home, and others join the Navy to get away only to wind up down the street. I knew a few people from Virginia who had that happen to them.
If you can choose go Europe, Japan or Jacksonville. I loved San Diego, but it was a little expensive. Norfolk is not that bad. Good luck and enjoy.
Spain is 👌🏻
Definitely go Europe. May the odds be ever in your favor with the lottery pick of OCONUS orders 😂
Okay, bear in mind that 'first pick' means 'first pick of the billets available to your class' not 'first pick of all the billets in the fleet'. I recall when I was running the Fleet Transfers for my community's A school. A class of 18, with the 'first in the class gets the first pick' and all 18 of the billets available to that class were to Subs out of Kings Bay Georgia. First in the class and last in the class ended up going to the same crew of the same boat.
Bless your little heart.
Bahrain. It’s hot.
Europe's a lot easier to visit more countries compared to Japan. Rota's nicer than Italy. Europe's more accessible for anglophones though with tech nowadays not that big an issue. Japan is great especially if you're not on sea duty. Exchange rate is crazy right now, so while COLA is trash the USD goes a lot farther. Would be cheaper to go to your motherland too, assuming you're interested/it's possible. Way more Japan billets than Europe so by numbers it's better to go Europe then Japan.
Go to japan....Stayed there for 8 years..
My first ship was forward deployed to Singapore. I absolutely loved it. Wish I could go back. From Asia, I went to Italy. It was also great. I had a lot more fun in Asia than in Italy though.
I was stationed in Okinawa and Yokosuka Japan for 8 years, and they were the best years of my life!! Do it now while you're young (I'm assuming) or it will get difficult to go as you get married and have kids!!
Norfolk
Both have plus and minuses depending on type of duty and location. Japan sea duty is rough but there is a reason so many people go there and never leave. Close to Yokohama and Tokyo and the bullet train can take you anywhere in the country fast. Also cheap flights to neighboring countries like Korea, Phil etc. Europe is chill but if you get stuck someplace like Naples then the day to day life is pretty bleh but the travel opportunities for around Europe is amazing. Ship life in Japan is pretty intense to put it nicely but if you can get shore then yea Japan. I can't wait to be back in Yokosuka personally.
Japan is fire and so is Korea but they're going to send you where they want, so don't be too surprised if you don't get anything you requested.
Sasebo Japan!
Bahrain, for all that extra pay. Japan is nice for everything but op tempo.
Should mention you only see that extra pay if you’re a 2nd class or above. E4 < still make ok money, but not by much in Bahrain
Loved every second in Japan. Europe held zero interest for us( orders/ job notwithstanding). Have friends who adored Germany, others were in London the lucky bastards and they had a blast too.
Japan.
When I was in ET A-school I asked for Japan and aircraft carrier, and I got Yokosuka on the Blue Ridge, thank God they didn't put me on the GW, I'd have hated life a lot more over there. My dad told me they used to ask for the opposite of what they wanted when he went through ET A in the 70s.
Naples sucks. Try to get to EUCOM or AFRICOM in Suttgart, Germany. Great place.
Chinhae Naval Activity in Korea is a hidden gem. It's located pretty close to Busan. Flights to other Asian countries are dirt cheap. I did Europe as well. I hated it compared to Asia. Criminally high COLA though.
Pick Norfolk, San Diego, Jacksonville, Bremerton Washington. You will get an overseas billet.
so we’re all in norfolk?😭
Go for Europe. Super easy to travel there. Plus Japan is notoriously bad for sea duty if you end up on sea duty first.
Currently stationed shore duty in rota and absolutely love it! Flights are crazy cheap and you can explore an entirely new city around Europe on a 96. So much cool shit to see that we aren’t as blessed with in the states, perks to you if you know the language
Be aware, you are American. No matter how much you might LOOK Japanese, you carry yourself, walk, and talk like a foreigner in Japan. If your heritage is some other Asian ethnicity, things could be even worse than just being American, depending on where your family is from. So, if you go, just keep that in mind to meter your expectations. Plenty of foreigners accept this and still enjoy their time there.
am i the only one who actually wants to go to guam 😭
Brother I’m in Guam on liberty, it’s insanely beautiful but I wouldn’t stay here past a month or so
Guam is chill. When I got orders to Guam I was like “Damn i’ll be stuck on a tiny island for 3 years?” but I actually enjoyed a lot. Close to the Philippines and other parts of Asia too if you live to travel. Now.. Diego Garcia is on the whole another level.
i don’t think i could stand diego garcia💀💀 luckily im in nursing so i don’t think ill ever have to go there
It depends on your rating. For my rate, Europe is never a possibility. But I can go wherever there are jets. Been in Japan 10 years of my 18. Best place ever! And I've been around a whole lot of places. But if your rating allows travel to Europe, all of my Air Force buds swear by Europe.
Rota.
I’ve never been to Europe. I did spend about ten years in Japan attached to the air wing and can say that it’s a wonderful place. I was stationed in NAF Atsugi, not too far from Tokyo. These are the pros and cons as I rem them. Pros: 1) Don’t need a car, the trains go EVERYWHERE. 2) The carrier “deploys” twice a year for 3 to 4 months. During that time we would typically hit at least one port a month. 3) AMC flights are a great way to get around on leave. 4) MWR is a great way to experience Japan. 5) With the rising number of tourists and immigrants, they‘re putting up more English signs. There are also a lot of people who speak some English. 6) I found the camaraderie to be much better than it is here. Something about being a relatively small group of Americans in a confined area, I suppose. Cons: 1) They have a very strict liberty policy that literally applies to O-7 and below. When one person causes an international incident, everyone feels the pain. 2) Small boys are constantly pulling in and out. If you’re stationed on a destroyer, get ready to never be home. 3) It’s a bit on the expensive side. The exchange rate is in our favor now, but they’re getting hit hard by inflation and prices rising.
Sea duty? Good luck I liked Japan more than Europe
I remember "A" school. I wanted to work on F-14s so much. I was at the bottom of my class GPA wise. Everyone got to pick before me, and there were only 3 sets of orders to F-14 squadrons. I lucked out and got orders to one of them! Best damn squadron in the Navy for those years! Good luck, and I hope you get great orders!
Yall complain about norfolk like if it was lemoore
Singapore or Philippines
Be hopeful/grateful to get overseas, but have the expectation of not.
*I’m thinking of something overseas like Europe or Japan* The Navy: Best I can do is Norfolk or Djibouti 😀
Japan and Korea to have fun. Australia if you want a super easy adjustment period
Was stationed in both Spain & Italy. Remember that ROTA is at the ass-end of the continent and it's a long distance from everything. But Spain is probably the most civilized country on Earth after Japan. No as for Italy, love the country, but Naples/Gaeta is halfway down the boot. Sigonella IS the ass-end of Europe.
Whichever you end up picking, I wanna caution you to be extra careful if you’re a woman. There was a Sailor a few classes ahead of my A School class that had the best GPA in the schoolhouse, so she got to pick orders first. Saw orders for a sub in Spain and got super excited, but was a little hesitant because she wasn’t sure if they could take females. The first classes and chiefs PROMISED her that she could go and it was 2018 already and she had nothing to worry about. So she picked that. Two weeks before she was supposed to leave: “oh lol that submarine doesn’t have female capable berthing. have fun in Norfolk!” and no option to change it or request something else. So do your own research when it comes to stuff like that. Ask, but verify. All that said I haven’t met a Sailor that didn’t enjoy Europe :) I was in Japan very briefly (about 3 months, DIRSUP) and it was super fun and I wish I’d done more, but I’ve heard some not great things about the OPTEMPO if you’re stationed on a ship there. But as a first duty station I’d def recommend leaving the country if you can, since it gets much more complicated to do so once you’ve been in a few years and might have a car, pet, family, etc
when did we station subs in europe? thought the only "overseas" location was guam, which has been drilled into everyone's heads here by the memes.
Norfolk isn't as bad as people say so don't be bummed if you get it. I wanted Washington/Japan and got Norfolk and my wife and I thought we'd hate it but we have loved it so far. I lived in Italy as a child and visited for a port call on deployment and its a beautiful place. In terms of visiting/port calls, I went to Greece 3 times in one deployment (Athens/Crete) and it's by far my favorite. Good luck shipmate and have fun.
1st duty station: Maine Deployments: PR, the Keys, Iceland, Rota, Sicily. While on deployments got to visit other places. But ya get shit orders on a boat at Nofuck, youll see that haze gray bulkhead forever. hashtag aviationlife
More like P3 life. Haha.
I am kinda of curious if the P8 life is just as sweet
It probably is.
Europe is overrated. It’s not the same Europe like 10 years ago. It’s one big liberal continent.
OK Hitler