Posted on 06/04/2002 6:51:13 AM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Beaderman, faced with choosing between home and the high seas, joined an unprecedented number of others when he chose to stay a sailor.April became the top month in history for naval re-enlistments, and experts say the defining factors are the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and a Navy effort to keep young sailors rather than replace them with recruits.
The attacks rocked the U.S. job market, and that jolt coincided with a Navy plan to court sailors whose commitments are nearly met. The resulting fusion of patriotism, pay incentives, marketing and what the Navy calls "customer service" culminated with April’s record-high numbers.
"Of first-termers eligible for re-enlistment in April, 80.5 percent decided to stay on," said Capt. Jake Ross, director of the naval Center for Career Development in Millington, Tenn. "That’s the highest we’ve ever seen."
Of the 10,000 sailors up for first re-enlistments this fiscal year, 66 percent decided against jumping ship. That’s up from 43 percent three years ago.
"We’re seeing increases across the board, but it’s particularly dramatic in our younger people," said Lt. j.g. Bill Danzi, spokesman for the Millington office.
For the Navy, it’s become a war dividend.
Even counting re-enlistment bonuses, which have been delayed in some cases because so many sailors are staying aboard, leaders say it’s cheaper to keep sailors they have rather than recruit and train new ones.
The 24-year-old Beaderman admits he once wondered what sort of job his Navy-instilled computer skills could land him in the United States. But Sept. 11 made the choice to re-enlist nearly automatic.
"I felt that being in the military put me in a position where I could actually do something about what happened," said Beaderman, who serves with 6th Fleet headquarters in Gaeta, Italy.
He said the fleet was transformed after the attack.
"It’s like an electric charge went through it," Beaderman said. "People are a lot more motivated. It woke everybody up."
The 6th Fleet’s command master chief, Jim Rabb, said sailors have a stronger sense of pride.
Sailors are "walking around with their chest farther out than they were two or three years ago," Rabb said. "You have a mission focus. You don’t focus on tiny stuff that doesn’t matter."
At first, the trend puzzled even him. Was it the war? Was it the money?
He decided to ask the sailors.
"The standard answer is: they like the climate of the Navy, and the Navy has, in their opinion, a true purpose," said Rabb. "It’s not a peacetime Navy anymore. They’re fighting a war on terrorism, and they like that."
Patriotism is not the only reason so many are staying on.
Ross said this courting of current sailors results from a concerted effort to make the Navy a better choice.
Detailers, who traditionally sent sailors wherever the Navy needed them, now are more likely to act as employment agents who place people in jobs they want.
Ross said the Navy also is making it easier for sailors to make rank.
"Our goal is to satisfy our sailors, who are essentially our customers," Ross said.
This pitch paints a picture that’s a thousand nautical miles from tired stereotypes of sailors as indentured servants, terminally seasick from ocean swells and bad food.
This month, Navy Personnel Command even opened a U.S. customer service line, 1-866-U-ASK-NPC, which uses Oracle software to track sailor queries and complaints. Operators answer questions on pay, benefits and Navy programs. An international access number also is in the works.
On Monday, the service plans to unveil a remodeled version of its "Stay Navy" Web site, www.staynavy.navy.mil, which opened nearly two years ago after retention rates plummeted.
The site allows users to calculate their future retirement incomes. It also allows them to research Navy jobs.
Ross said several more electronic innovations are planned.
"This is a big old iceberg, and we’re just chipping away at the top," he said. "This will be in our sailors’ lives forever."
While Ross says the Navy is doing its part to keep sailors onboard, he admits America’s dismal job-market has helped.
Sailors with high-tech skills might have been siphoned away by dot-coms a few years ago, but that bubble has burst.
Even so, Petty Officer Beaderman said that while the temptation to seek a high-paying, high-tech civilian career remains, it can’t compete with making history overseas.
"I think that’s something you have to think about, the lure of that is always there," he said. "But I think the Navy offers you something a little bit beyond what a private company would offer. Money is just one part of being in the Navy. Especially now."
I give 'em all credit. Patriotism is great but it doesn't seem to pay the bills or feed the family.
Homeschool mama-blessings on your nephew for his decision to go into the Navy. So many are joining up to help protect and defend our nation. God keep them all!
Now sit down and eat your peas. They're getting cold.
I've seen enough homeless vets, with and without all of their limbs, to make me agree. Our government, and our people, generally seem to treat these brave men like trash. Hate to say it, but a lot of the people and a lot of the things in this country aren't worth getting shot at.
(Yes, we do have the cynics on board this don't we).
The fact is when a nation is at peace, its armed forces tend to be neglected. But when a nation is at war - as we are now - surely we turn our loving eyes towards those who are willing to fight for us all.
One thing Hillary and Billary counted on was for total erosion of that love of country and any dedication to wanting to fight for it.
In one single day, the leftist attacks on America were bashed back in their faces by the patriotic fervor, the love and respect for our military, and by the dedication to fight to keep America safe and free.
I think that is one of the reasons for Hitlery's disgust during PResident Bush's speech to Congress. She knew that her Marxist anti-Americanism and that of all her comrades was trashed - in that one day of destruction on 9-11.
I think it was also disgust that the coup d'etat she had so hoped for did not succeed.
Our son signed up for the Army Reserves before September 11, and the respect and downright joy the recruiters had in our CIC was obvious even then.
Thanks for the ping, FWI. This is great news!
Congratulations on your nephew, HSM!!! Did you keep this wonderful news from me because I'm an Army mom? huh? Did you?
He hasn't lost them. He has 90% approval from Conservative Republicans.
Reality is is a stern taskmaster, it forces one to remove their blinders.
I am well into my eigth decade, I remember FDR telling us he would never draft American boys to fight in foreign wars. Well, Mom, he lied. In war, my brother never came back, I got home in one piece. Cast aspersions if you must, but we did our duty, I saw what I saw, I offer nothing more.
At least if you're a cop or fireman you get a decent salary and pension. You go home to your loved ones every night and the farthest you'll ever be deployed is to the other side of town. No one will up and move you and your whole family to who knows where all of a sudden either. You're also not a pawn is someone's "I'm a bigger humanitarian than you are" game in some overseas peacekeeping nonsense.
Thanks for what you did though, on behalf of an ungrateful nation....Hope you never need the VA for anyhting. My dad's experiences have been less than positive.
lol! I mentioned it briefly on the Dose a month or so ago.
GO NAVY!!!
My husband was a Naval Aviator. His father was a Marine.
My father was Army. :o)
Isn't that the truth? Having W and Rummy at the top is what the military would call, "A multiplier effect on morale."
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