A young man or woman interested in a Navy career can still learn much from a parent, brother or relative who served in the Navy. Sitting around the dinner table, many listen to sea stories about sea time, lengthy deployments, bug-juice and foreign ports.

Getting into the Navy and starting a career in the Navy is very different. According to Oak Harbor’s Navy recruiters, the best way to start a Navy career is to visit their offices; joining the Navy requires a lot more than a GED and picking out any job in the Navy.

“Gone are the days of coming in and bargaining for a career,” said Aviation Electronics Technician (AW) 1st Class Eric Smith, a recruiter in Oak Harbor. “The biggest thing now is the economy. Lots of people are not getting out (of the Navy) across the board.”

And why would they? The Navy offers guaranteed pay, job training, travel, education, housing, food when on board a ship or deployed, free medical and dental, vacation pay, life insurance and after 20 years, a generous retirement package.

In these days of economic uncertainty, people are looking to stay in the Navy. The Navy, in turn, is now in a position to be more selective when choosing recruits.

“We’ve elevated the standards,” said Smith, explaining that all prospective recruits need a basic knowledge of algebra, English and science. They also must score at least a 50 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), 15 points higher than it used to be. The cut-off for recruits interested in a career in the nuclear Navy is 65.

Before meeting with the recruiter, men and women are encouraged, and expected, to search the Internet for information about the Navy.

Nineteen-year-old Brian Silveira, a recent recruit from Oak Harbor, did. He’ll be going in as a master -at-arms and hopefully, a rescue swimmer, if he can qualify before he leaves for boot camp this summer.

Silveira’s parents support his decision. His father Manny, a retired chief aviation structural mechanic, told him if he had the opportunity to do it again, he would.

Once Silveira goes through boot camp and joins his division, he’ll be one of approximately 340,000 active duty sailors.

One of the ways the Navy retains its Sailors is the Career Reenlistment Program. If a Sailor finds himself in a rate that is overmanned, it is possible to change rates to one that is more open and has more opportunity for advancement.

The recruiters have a tradition that once a recruit joins, he comes into the recruiting office saluting the American flag and asks permission to come aboard. It makes sense since they’ll spend a lot of time doing that while being in the Navy.

“Our role as recruiters is to give them the tools they need to succeed,” said Smith. “Whether it’s during recruit training or at other times during their career, we try and give them the education, offer leadership and show them by example what the Navy expects of its Sailors. That way they leave for boot camp with the confidence to accomplish what they need to do – serve their country.”