United States Navy Employee Reviews for Airman

What do you like about working at United States Navy?

"I liked knowing that working as a Flight Deck Airman on the Uss Iwo Jima lhd-7 I was able to help the evacuation efforts. Our ship was the Command Ship in Joint Task Force Katrina Relief in 2005. Where we helped with medi-flight and evacuations on land and air. I was also part of the 2006 deployment with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Me and my fellow flight deck airman were responsible for all the safe movement of the aircraft. Launching and recovering to evacuate more than 14,000 US Citizens from The US Embassy in Beirut. As Israel was bombing Beirut with no remorse."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"The Navy wants you to be honest when you go to the recruiting station. This day and age people have medical conditions but the Navy needs to know the severity and if treatment and or medication are capable of working in your situation. There's also waivers for many conditions depending on the evaluation by a Naval Doctor at MEPS. Don't withhold any criminal background from your past also. If you get in with a background normally it will never come up again unless you are wanting to be a Career Squid. Also, falsifying any military or government document can be subject to discharge under dishonorable or worse. Possible time in civilian confinement. If your rate requires a clearance, the background comes into play again."

What don't you like about working at United States Navy?

"I didn't like that I was unable to leave Virginia but once a year or so. I really wanted to be stationed in San Diego but needs of the Navy mission critical. A lot of painting and sanding a steel ship. There was constant cleaning if we weren't in Flight Operations. So we would fly for 6 days straight, 16 hrs a day, then the one day there isn't flight operations we have to clean all day. Never got time to ourselves on deployment, i.e., missions. I feel like we were the slaves of the Navy. We got 6 hrs to ourselves a day pretty much to sleep and not be late in the morning. All other Enlisted Rate's besides Deck Seaman had it made 12 hrs work 12 hours off."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Recruit more flight deck airman, i.e., bring the hanger deck airman up topside to work too. Our crew was elite though and our Captain was an Air-dale, meaning he flew Navy Helicopters before his orders to the ship and he had never seen a crew launch and recover jets and helicopters nearly simultaneously. We had been trained and trained to clear all aircraft off within minutes if we were ever attacked by Air."