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John H.[_5_]

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:29:24 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 12:10:31 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/26/2018 11:42 AM, wrote:

I was supposed to be fast tracked in the CG and it was not uncommon
for guys to be E-6 (FT1) in 4 years with the CPO as the incentive to
ship over. Unfortunately me taking the GM 3&2 course and pushing that
instead of the FT3 that was pretty much automatic after "A" school,
derailed that path. When I got to my reserve unit I was in an ORTAUG
and back to being a Gunner's Mate until they finally found me 3 years
later. They gave me my FT3 crow and shipped me off to the ORTEL
(electronics unit). I couldn't wait to get out after that.

I don't know of anyone who was "fast tracked" in the Navy. Some were
given E-3 straight out of boot camp if they had a college degree. I
also never heard of anyone getting advanced as an incentive for
re-enlisting. Money, yes, as a re-enlistment bonus for critical
(needed) rates but no advancement in rank. To be advanced you had to
have completed the qualifications, done the courses, get the sign-offs
and recommendations, have the required time in your current rank, take
the test and wait and see if you made it.

You still needed the courses and the recommendations but if you had a
rate in the pipe near your enlistment date, they would hold it and
tell you you got it when you re upped.
The FT rate (and a few others) were on the fast track in the CG. You
could get your FT3 right out of "A" school, about 6 months in. That
was up to the ship captain and mine did not believe in it. Even so it
would usually be by your first anniversary. Then it was 6 months FT3
to 2 and one year time in grade for the FT1 (if you had the courses
in). CPO was 2 years. You could have CPO in the pipe after 4 and just
waiting for the clock. I was just not that motivated to be an FT. I
really preferred to be a GM. There were a couple of FTs in the ORTEL
who did do that for a while but stalled at FT2 or FT1 and really
didn't care any more either. The ORTEL was the most useless waste of
time anyone ever had. In the ORTAUG (deck apes and snipes) we had a 40
footer and if you got on the crew you actually did stuff. I helped
rewire the boat when it was just a hole in the water we were throwing
time and money at so I had a place on the crew.

Often the Navy had several "increments" of advancements. If you scored
high enough on the test combined with time in rank, you might make it on
the "first" increment, meaning sooner than others. Some may be advanced
but would have to wait until the second or third increment. I remember
that some delayed advancements permitted you to sew the new "crow" on
your uniforms and take on responsibilities for the new rank but you had
to wait until the official date according to what increment you were
advanced under to receive the additional pay.

For some reason in the critical rates they made it go as fast as you
wanted to go but most FTs were in the reserves. I only met a few who
were regular coast guard. The advancement was the same tho.
I think they shipped over from the reserves.
It was a new car in those days. ($2500 or so)
The 22 year old FT chiefs were famous, although most were in reserve
units. I met one in New York who screwed with me about why I did not
have my crow yet. He didn't get the GM idea at all ;-)
I had an interesting reserve career. My first year I was in Category
H, no drills and one 30 day ACDUTRA a year. They made that go away and
put me in the ORTAUG. I had to TAD to a local unit whenever I
traveled. That was interesting. I did it in Boston and New York. Then
they changed the rules again and I had to come back to my own unit for
drills. IBM hated that. In the summer of 69 they had to fly me home 4
times, 3 for drills and one for the regular "8 week trip".
They really squeezed me hard to get out when my time was up and paid
me to do it (raise and a promotion). I imagine that was illegal.

Sure wish the Coast Guard had been drafting people back in '65!