Navy My Pay

Navy program aims to get its vets civilian jobs

CORRY STATION NAVY BASE, Fla. (AP) — The president and some members of Congress want tax breaks, expensive studies and even a "reverse boot camp" to tackle the unemployment rate among veterans, which runs higher than the national average. Another option the Navy would like to see: Expand a program that has helped tens of thousands of soon-to-be-ex-sailors get certified to use their skills outside the military — medics leave ready for health care jobs, cooks are trained for restaurant work and so on.

The chances of online accreditation program is to ensure that military training is not expensive mothballed after a sailor's uniform hangs up. More than 45,000 sailors have received certifications or licenses paid by the Navy to help them qualify for jobs in everything from pharmaceutical technicians to welders police officers, or heads of restaurants.

Program officials say it could be a piece of the solution to curb alarming rates of unemployment, particularly among young vets. A March report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that more than 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were unemployed last year, while the civilian unemployment rate for the same 18-to-24 age group was 17.3 percent. For Iraq and Afghanistan veterans of all ages, the unemployment rate last year was 11.5 percent compared with a national jobless rate of 9.4 percent.

With the military drawdown in Afghanistan and Iraq and the economy still wobbly, the problem is expected to get worse.

On Friday, President Barack Obama proposed $120 million worth of tax credits to help companies hire the nation's 1 million out-of-work veterans. He also called on private employers to hire or train 100,000 veterans by the end of 2013.

But often the transition to the civilian workforce gets held up because qualified veterans lack the right paperwork. A Navy corpsman might work in a pharmacy or hospital on a military base or in a war zone, but frequently has to complete extensive outside training courses to do similar civilian jobs.

"A machinist mate can run a nuclear power plant on a ship without any certifications or licensing, but as soon as they get off that ship, they cannot go to the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) and run a nuclear power plant," said Keith Boring, who directs the certification program headquartered at Corry Station near Naval Air Station Pensacola, in the Florida Panhandle.

A veteran with experience on a nuclear sub would be "at the top of the agency's hiring list," TVA spokeswoman Barbara Martocci said.

Recent college graduate and Life in the Navy? | Articles About Finance

I recently graduated college in May with a Bachelors in Business Administration and a Minor in Sports Management…. In college, I was also a student-athlete for 4 yrs in track & field and also an exceptional basketball player. Currently I am enrolled in a Masters of Arts for Education program. My career goal is to coach collegiate track & field or basketball, where you earn a decent living or to start of teaching business education at a high school and coaching at a high school.

In the mean time, I would like a full-time job, while I am taking classes online for my Masters. But I am having trouble finding employment with the current state of the economy and considering joining the Navy for 4 years. I have 5 years to complete my Masters, but I know the Navy can help me pay for it… Also I only have to pay loans for only yr of my undergraduate due to my athletic scholarship, so I heard the Navy can cover that too. I am interested in competing for the Navy Track & Field teams, while serving… So how does that work? And a recruiter told me that I would enter as an E3, because I have a BBA, but I thought I could enlist as an Officer? What is everyone’s opinion about life in the Navy and boosting my future career? I could really use the pay to start saving money too. When traveling do we get to explore the areas also to enjoy the nightlife, the scene, meeting ppl, etc.

You can go into OCS and then become an officer because you have a bachelors. however, it’s getting pretty competitive and since your degree isn’t in science or engineering you might have a lower chance. that said, you should definitely contact an officer ascensions recruiter; a recruiter that recruits officers. they would be able to help you out a lot more. do not enlist thinking that it’s a faster way to get into OCS. it’s not. i think the training you could get from the navy would be great and i’m sure you’re a shoe in physically. good luck!

The National register

Register of commissioned and warrant officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and reserve officers on active duty

Congressional record, proceedings and debates of the ... Congress

Congressional edition

Kiplinger's Personal Finance