Navy rates wiped out.

[freakazoid]

https://www.navytimes.com/articles/navy-scuttles-sailors-enlisted-rating-titles-in-huge-career-shake-up
So apparently this just happened yesterday. All 91 rating titles just wiped out. Just over 240 years of tradition destroyed. I imagine Boatswain's Mates and Gunner's Mates and will not take this too kindly.

Within the next three to four years, earlier if possible, the service plans to allow sailors to retrain in related skills

Yeah, it's called printing off a damn PQS and getting trained.

Apparently this is how it all started,

It began by a directive from Mabus to find gender-neutral rating titles that stripped them of the word "man," in an effort to be more inclusive to women sailors who make up an increasing size of the force.

“Sailors take great pride in earning those coveted warfare designations and they like to place those behind their ratings because they want people to know they’ve earned them," said Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (IDW/SW) Steve Giordano said in the Sept. 19 interview. “That won’t go away — they will still have those as part of their titles.”

Yeah. That Surface Warfare designation that use to actual mean something back when it wasn't required and when you got it it also added to your advancement points. Now everyone is required to get it within a certain amount of time and it doesn't add any points, since it no longer means someone took a lot of their time and effort to get it.

When I heard about this, as soon as I went to lunch I hurried over to the NEX and bought another First Class patch, a Chief patch, a gold Chief patch, and another FC belt buckle just to make sure I've got them before they are gone. Unfortunately they don't sell cap pins or any sort of rating stickers. When I fly back to the states soon I'll have to make sure to stop at the next and pick those up.

There is a White House petition that was started real soon after the instructions went out. So if you feel like helping out, feel free to sign and pass along on FaceBook and stuff. :) https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/restore-traditional-navy-rating-specialty-titles-disestablished-9292016

[roo_ster]

I am of the mind that we ought to have no more women in the armed forces, anywhere.

[KD5NRH]

I am of the mind that we ought to have no more women in the armed forces, anywhere.

Just give them their own branch. 

[RevDisk]

So... The Navy is going to have a sane enlisted rank structure that's possible to understand? Impossible! I do not believe it!

Next you'll tell me they'll align the officer rank names to match the other services! Where will this madness end?

[TommyGunn]

Just give them their own branch. 

Rush Limbaugh's "First Amazon Battalion." 

[HeroHog]

They can have my Engineman's gear when they pry it from my cold, dead sleeve!  

[BobR]

So... The Navy is going to have a sane enlisted rank structure that's possible to understand? Impossible! I do not believe it!

Next you'll tell me they'll align the officer rank names to match the other services! Where will this madness end?

The enlisted rank structure is actually very easy to understand once you know it.

They already realigned the Rear Admiral rank so the other services would quit whining about the Rear Admiral (Lower Half). I guess the other services got all butt hurt because their one stars were actually wearing one star where their counterparts/equals in the Navy  (Rear Admiral, Lower half) wore 2 stars. What else do you want?  

bob

[French G.]

My Official date to retire is tomorrow, letter says Aviation Structural Mechanic First Class, so goodbye new Navy. Shoulda been AMS anyway.

[BobR]

Congratulation on your retirement, now go find some civilian tin to bend.


Even though I was an Aviation Electricians Mate (AE) I identified more with my last NEC of 8251 (P3 Flight Engineer) because we did not have a rate for that, we used AE, AM, and AD as the source rates for that job (during my time).

bob

[HeroHog]

My Official date to retire is tomorrow, letter says Aviation Structural Mechanic First Class, so goodbye new Navy. Shoulda been AMS anyway.

Happy DD-214 Day!

[Hawkmoon]

They can have my Engineman's gear when they pry it from my cold, dead sleeve!  

Not for you, of course, but for future generations: Should it be "Engineperson" or "Enginecreature" or "Enginecritter"?

Or just generic "Engine operator"? ("Engineer"? Whut? -- They gots trains on boats now?)

[dogmush]

Not for you, of course, but for future generations: Should it be "Engineperson" or "Enginecreature" or "Enginecritter"?

Or just generic "Engine operator"? ("Engineer"? Whut? -- They gots trains on boats now?)

We use "Snipe" or "Moleperson"*



*As in: "Who let the Molepeople up here?  GET BACK IN YOUR HOLE!!"

[wmenorr67]

My Official date to retire is tomorrow, letter says Aviation Structural Mechanic First Class, so goodbye new Navy. Shoulda been AMS anyway.

Congrats, how many year, months, days?

[French G.]

Congrats, how many year, months, days?

22 by pay numbers. Few months more actually. Entered DEP on Sep 11 1993, boot camp July 94, left active  may 08, entered reserves June 08. So, already have a dd-214 and do work in rate, just not on airplanes. Now I see if I can live past 60 to wring some money out of this.

[Andiron]

Mabus needs keelhauled.

They pulled this same *expletive deleted*it on the Corps.  0351 assaultman person?  WTF?

[RoadKingLarry]

If they were actually trying to destroy moral I can't imagine much that they could do different.

[zxcvbob]

If they were actually trying to destroy moral I can't imagine much that they could do different.

What makes you think that's not what they are trying to do?

[RoadKingLarry]

  Benefit of doubt?

Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by negligence and stupidity?

[HeroHog]

From my years of experience in IT: Make something idiot proof and they will build a "better" idiot!

[HeroHog]

Addendum: Build something any idiot can use and only idiots will use it.

[Mannlicher]

Ray Mabus, taking his orders from Ash Carter and barack hussein, continues to one up Isoroku Yamamoto, when it comes to sinking the American Navy.

[markdido]

China, Iran and now Iran are all saber rattling, the LCS ship class is crap and we couldn't fight a naval war in two theaters if we tried.

And this is what Mabus is freaking worried about?

[Hawkmoon]

China, Iran and now Iran are all saber rattling, the LCS ship class is crap and we couldn't fight a naval war in two theaters if we tried.

And this is what Mabus is freaking worried about?

Don't forget Russia in the saber rattling department ...

[freakazoid]

So they gave a response:

Thank you for adding your name to this We the People petition and for your concern regarding the men and women who serve in the United States Navy. The Navy's recent announcement about Navy Occupational Specialties has garnered attention from many veterans and supporters like you who cherish naval tradition.

This new classification system, which was produced by a comprehensive review led by the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and his senior
enlisted leadership, moves toward occupational specialties titles similar to the other armed services. Modernizing this system provides
many benefits within the Navy, such as increased flexibility in training and assignments. It also affords our Sailors opportunities when
transitioning to the civilian workforce by aligning their specialties with civilian occupations.

This Administration believes that providing widely-recognized credentials will improve service members' chances of success in the private sector.
Improving hiring opportunities for veterans remains a high priority for this Administration, embodied in efforts such as the First Lady and Dr. Biden's "Joining Forces" initiative.

Organizational changes that require a cultural shift can cause friction during transition periods, but the President has confidence in the decisions made by U.S. Navy leaders and agrees that the benefits in future years will outweigh growing pains in the next several months. Whether one's Navy career occurred under the former rating structure or today's modernized system, the President maintains his steadfast pride in Sailors who have sacrificed and worked hard to serve with distinction.

  Hopefully there is a more receptive administration come January.

[French G.]

Praying to St. Mattis on this one.