“There are always plenty of qualified sailors to take their places.”
The Navy has been cutting upper enlisted ranks for a while now. Any blemish on your service record, and you don’t get renewed.
I know a couple of guys that have gone through this. One got pushed out for a DWI, and another got renewed, simply because he is a Diver/underwater repairman, which I’m told is a rare specialty, especially given what these guys can make in civilian life.
The Navy is getting smaller, and lower ranks need to move up, and train. You can always call the older guys back, if you need them.
Exactly. You can’t make cuts only to the E-1s to E-6s and leave the Navy top heavy with chiefs, senior chiefs and master chiefs looking to max out their retirement benefits.