6 Things I’ve Learned From My Year In The Navy
April 28th was my one anniversary since that very first night I stepped off the bus at Boot Camp and on to entirely new life in the Navy. It’s strange to look back and think that this whole experience has only been a year. A few weeks ago, I was a sponsor for new guy in my division, explaining all the details of what he could expect being on board my ship and I’ve yet to spend one day out at sea.
I choose to write about this experience because a lot of my friends and family (mainly the one’s not in the military) always ask about what my experience is like. What’s the Navy like? Is it fun? Do you like it? Are you a different person now?
But looking back, it’s been a pretty interesting ride. Sometimes it’s boring. Sometimes is frustrating. Sometimes it’s fun. But it’s always one thing…..never the same. That sameness and monotony was exactly what I was trying to avoid in my previous career. Working for one company in one position in one city for the rest of my life really scared me. How was I ever going to meet new people? Where are was I going to learn new skills? Was Houston my final resting place in this life.
One thing is for sure about the Navy is the friends I’ve made along the way. From Boot Camp to A-school and now to San Diego, I’ve met people and made friends at every place I went to. And you get people from all walks of life. You get Chicagoans, Oklahomans, Texans (my favorite) and even a guy from the Virgin Islands as my bunk mate a Boot Camp.
The experience as a whole has changed me in many ways. In some ways for better and in some ways for the worst. But for anyone considering this path or with an interest in what the Navy is all about here are some of my life lessons so far.
1. You need very little possessions to make you happy.
I live aboard the ship, even when it’s in port, so I have roughly the space of a dorm mini frig to store everything I own and use on daily basis including multiple pairs of my 5 different uniforms all my civilian clothes and laptop. When comforted with such small living space, you start realize that all you really need is a few clothes and few books read to live comfortably. If I had to, I’d eliminate even more stuff to fulfill my ultimate goal of traveling around the world on with only a backpack, I now know I could.
Could you get rid of half your stuff today and still be happy?
What do you own that you could donate, trash, or sell?
2. Don’t listen to negative people.
Working for the Navy and probably most of the military for that matter will make a person develop a pretty tough skin. Most sailors aren’t afraid to tell you exactly how they feel about you. Living together in such close quarters leaves no hesitation for hurt feelings.
There’s a job to be done and if you get way, than so be it. But that doesn’t mean you should always listen to what other tell you. You know what needs to be done and that’s who you should be listening to.
Are you listening to the naysayers too much?
What do your own instincts tell you?
3. Fitness & nutrition are still your responsibility.
When I first went to Boot Camp I thought the PT and food programs they had in place were awesome. Someone to wake me up every mourning and motivate me to work out everyday was inspiring. Not to mention healthy foods at every meal and no snacking or boozing.This optimism all ended when I got to my first ship and soon found out that fitness was not the focus.
Apparently they spend more time cleaning the ship then exercising they crew that runs it. The Marines, Army, or Navy Special Forces is probably a better option for someone who wants the benefit military on-the-job fitness. In the end, you’re the only one responsible for keeping yourself healthy whether it be in the Navy or beyond.
What have you done to make make diet and nutrition not just a
one time “boot camp” in your life, but as a lifestyle change.
4. Time with your friends and family are precious.
Even though I’ve lived on my own since college back in 2001, I’ve come to appreciate the time I can come home and visit family and friends. Being gone for months at time with people you may have only known for less than a year can really make you feel all alone sometimes. I have some amazing friends in San Diego, but I’ve only known them for such a short period of time.
The friendships that have lasted even after I’ve move away are really valuable to me and I will always treasure them. I know it’s going to be such a rewarding feeling coming home from a 7 month deployment and reconnecting with these people.
Are there any relationships you’ve neglected recently because of convenience?
If you left on around the work trip today, who would you miss the most a year from now?
5. Attention to detail!
Any Navy recruit will almost instantly roll his eyes at the sound of those phase, but I think I finally understand why it’s so important. In Boot Camp, our RDC (Recruit Division Commander) who yell at us for seeming meaningless mistakes like stamping your towel 1/2″ in the wrong direction or pointing your blanket the wrong direction. Because a simple mistake like this on a ship could mean putting the ship or crew in a very dangerous situation. Attention to detail means putting not being afraid to point out others mistakes. It means having the courage to follow the rules even when it’s hard or uncool to.
What details are you missing at work?
What rules or processes have you neglected?
What’s stopping you from enforcing them?
6. Don’t forget who you are.
This whole experience has really challenged my identity about who I am. Am I a sailor? A computer guy? Am I who I was in the past? Do I have to live up to this new stereotype now that I’ve joined the military. I know a lot of my friends who are fairly new to the Navy are going through this.
It’s like we all want to want to identify ourselves with the positive characteristics of the Navy (hardworking, adventurous, brave), but still maintain some sense of individuality that we held before we joined. I notice a lot of people will proudly tell everyone about how they just joined the Navy, then after a couple of years try to hide the fact that they’re in and finally hit a point where they’re in for so long that it becomes who they are.
Who are you? What do you value?
What’s important to you in your life?
…Try some journaling, you’ll remember.
So there you go. I’m sure if I really thought about it, there’s countless of lessons to be learned from this experience, but…like I said…it’s only been a year for me. Who knows where this journey will lead…Hopefully somewhere warm and sandy. 
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