The New Navy: Not What You Think

By Erik M. Meeks-Chicago Editor/Tell Us USA News Network

"An area that's of great interest to me, of great focus to me is the issue of diversity within our military. The military of the United States must reflect the nation. We have to work today to put in place the demographics of 40 years from now." This is a statement from Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead, and his belief sets the tone for today’s United States Navy.

In keeping with Adm. Roughead’s vision, the Navy is actively working to greatly improve their diversity numbers. One of the ways in which the Navy is attempting to accomplish this goal is to present programs that offer very bright “lights at the end of the tunnel”. As I am learning about some of the Navy’s outreach efforts, I am more and more convinced that this is not the Navy of old.

When and where I was growing up a number of years ago, folks around me seemed to use the military only as a place where a kid could learn discipline…”the military will straighten that boy out”. Frequently teenagers—usually males—were “shipped” off to the military, often as the only alternative to going to jail or facing some other dreadful fate. I have observed up-close on many occasions where military personnel would return home to continue a life not much different from the one he had hoped to escape. This always left me with the basic question: “What was the point?” The soldiers and sailors usually came back home with maybe a bit more maturity, but usually with not much more education or job training, resulting in very limited decent career choices.

Recently I spoke with a current Naval officer, and she informed me of some of the ways of the “new” Navy. Lt. Lori Campbell used words such as “exciting”, “pride”, and “honor” when describing her career in the Navy and is clearly passionate about Navy life. Lt. Campbell directed my attention to two particular areas: the Bachelor Degree Completion Program (BDCP) and the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC). Each of these programs has its own special features, but generally they provide the following:

• Full tuition
• Room & board
• Books & fees
• Monthly stipend

Completion of the Navy’s education/service programs results in being commissioned as a Naval Officer, receiving a fully funded undergraduate degree in one’s chosen field (and possibly higher education degrees), and employment guaranteed for a minimum of four years. In addition the Naval Officer will have —in the words of an ardent Lt. Campbell— “elite credentials with elite status…and leadership skills second to none”.

I asked a couple of questions of Lt. Campbell that I anticipate many parents would ask if given the opportunity, the first being: “Why would I want my child to enter the military now when our country is at war in various places around the world? Isn’t this unsafe?”

Lt. Campbell’s immediate response: “I have been watching a national cable news station just this morning and observed what’s going on in our cities—Chicago, Detroit, Philly, and others—across the US. Where are your kids safe? You can let them hang around without jobs and direction—which will surely not be a positive environment—or you can put them on a path to education, employment, and other immeasurable life experiences by seriously looking into Navy opportunities.”
A second question a parent might ask: “How can I in good conscience send my child into the military when we are so opposed to wars, violence, and other acts of aggression?”

Lt. Campbell continued: “Nobody likes war; but consider the humanitarian activities in which we constantly participate. For example, following the Tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004, the US military deployed quickly sending ships, planes, and relief supplies to the region. These actions saved lives with evacuation efforts and by providing water, food, and medical facilities for thousands. The same is true of the relief we provided to the citizens of the Gulf Coast during the devastation of hurricane Katrina in 2005. Just remember… the Navy is not all about fighting.”

Lt. Campbell summed up her feelings by saying that she and her husband are Naval Officers in San Diego and have been for several years. They are raising children, working at great careers in the medical field, and she is beginning work on a PhD (at the Navy’s expense). She emphasized: “We have not felt the effects of a souring economy like most of the country. With our current positions in life, we have no complaints.”

Right now…today…seems to be a perfect time for families to consider the Navy as a serious alternative when planning a student’s education and career paths. Find additional details at www.navy.com and www.nrotc.navy.mil.