Hegseth’s Pentagon Lurches off the Rails - The Atlantic

Short and worth the read. While The Atlantic does obviously have some biases evidenced by some of the unnecessary adjectives used to describe Pentagon officials, the heart of the story speaks truth. Of particular note:

"The result of all this is that the United States is losing a war to a third-rate power in the Middle East. The Russians, meanwhile, are continuing their rampage in Europe and apparently considering things so perilous that the CIA director had to fly to Moscow just to warn the Kremlin off of whatever it was thinking of doing. The Chinese are watching as Trump and Hegseth have stripped the Pacific theater of its only American aircraft carrier."

While I don't think the article is inherently political, the discussion will obviously quickly go there, hence the flair.

I’m currently dealing with a Sailor who just can’t seem to figure it out.

Bad hygiene, not going to sleep on time, showing up late to watches, not being competent enough to complete maintenance, on EMI, on FEP, on tiered liberty, etc etc.

This Sailor is now at the point where they’ve been counseled and are dancing the line of DRB. They haven’t done anything terrible yet but leading to it.

I need this Sailor to start performing and acting like an adult. They work in a job where I need them to be a little competent.

I’m looking for advice on how to possibly improve this Sailor. I’m looking for creative solutions that others have used. An example I’ve heard is sending Sailors to clean whatever engineering needs cleaned. Stuff similar to that but to encourage the Sailor to improve, appreciate, and learn the job they have.

I want to explore all my options before I send this Sailor to DRB so please don’t recommend that.

Extra credit if you know what this command is. Recommend zooming in.

This is random, but I’m curious did you have to go to the PS office yourself to pick up your check? Did LPO for the division go to pick it up for everyone? When you were at sea for months, how did you deposit it to your bank? How did this process go when you got to the fleet?

While watching the CNO Townhall I saw CNP wearing Oakley boots. Was seeing if anyone has heard of them being back in regulations. Thank you.

This photo shows the long-gone Musicians School at Naval Training Station, Newport, Rhode Island in 1921.

The following emails you see are between my detailer and I. He was obviously no help at all. My wife and I are so stuck and not getting any CLEAR clarification on our situation. No instructions say anything about BBA/Mil to Mil Co-located sailors. I am trying to select for 1st class orders but I also am co located with my wife. We are not trying to separate again because we have done that before and it sucked, this time we have kids now so I’m not trying to be away from my kids as well just for the next pay grade!

Am I stuck 2nd class forever now since the navy changed to BBA? If that’s the case then my wife and I talked about getting out the navy because it’s not the same no more… we both want to do 20 years. She is at 12 and I am at 8 right now. Can someone please give us better and clear guidance on our current situation and what we need to do for us to stay together and I can finally make 1st class?

Top pick for my first cycle has a BBA interm score of 0.8. Lowest Pick has .75. I’m an E6 applying for an E6 billet, which last cycle no one even bothered to apply for. Preference, Skill, and Policy match are green. Moving cost is yellow. I have the required NEC’s for all my applications. There are 20-30 other applicants, presumably most of which are E5’s considering the drastic lack of E6 applicants last cycle and only 4 other possible applicants that I know of at my pay grade with the required NEC to even apply. Only thing I don’t have going for me is any cumulative Sea time.

How could this go wrong for me?

Hey guys so I was in the Navy for 6 years (discharged Honorable in 2024) had a lot of fun and not so fun memories made a lot of friends, but it was time for me to move on to something new. Now I’m 27 Male for a wife and two kids going through paramedic school loving life. Anyways my brother and his finance are getting married, and money is a little tight don’t really want to buy or rent a Tux and I’ve stayed in shape since I got out, would it be weird to wear my old dress whites to his wedding? I’m going to be his best man I probably should ask him before but I was curious how does it make other former enlisted members feel when you put your old uniform on. To be honest it feels like something wrong I shouldn’t be doing like I broke some sacred code or like I’m living in the past anyways what are thoughts. Do you still wear your old dress uniforms? If so what was the occasion and how did it make you feel putting it on after some time.

Hey guys, long story short I went limdu, got Medboarded and then retained and got a “0091” NEC “fit for continued naval service but non worldwide deployable” after I got denied my first set of orders after my Medboard by a carrier, now I’m on another ship, a carrier as well and the NEC seemed to have been removed completely from NSIPS, etc. has this happened to anyone? I was told it would be there forever but either way this is a good thing if I choose to reenlist for the third time just wanna know if anybody else experienced this!

I’m currently active duty Navy and I’ve been seriously thinking about transitioning to the Reserves when my active contract ends in 2029. I’ll have around 8.5 years of active service by then, and ideally I’d like to finish the rest of my 20 in the Reserves rather than stay active duty.
My husband and I are also both active duty Corpsmen right now. He plans to remain active duty after I transition to the Reserves, so I’d be a Reservist married to an active duty service member. I’m especially interested in hearing from anyone who has a similar setup and how you manage PCS moves, Reserve units, school/civilian employment, and your spouse’s active-duty career.
My biggest reason is quality of life. I’m ready for more control over my schedule and my career outside of the military.
The plan I have in my head is:
• Transition from Active Duty to Navy Reserve
• Go to school for sonography using my GI Bill
• Work part-time/PRN while I’m in school if my schedule allows
• Drill with the Reserves and do my annual training
• After school, work full-time as a sonographer while continuing in the Reserves
• Eventually reach 20 years total service and qualify for Reserve retirement
I know Reserve retirement works differently than active-duty retirement and that I wouldn’t immediately start collecting a pension at 20 years. I’m more interested in whether this is a realistic lifestyle and career plan.
For anyone who went Active → Reserve around the halfway point of their military career:
How was the transition?
Do you feel like the Reserves actually gave you a better work/life balance?
How manageable is being a full-time student while drilling?
How often does “one weekend a month, two weeks a year” turn into more than that?
Did you have issues balancing a civilian healthcare career with Reserve obligations?
If your spouse stayed active duty, what happens when they PCS? Were you able to transfer Reserve units relatively easily, or did you end up traveling for drill?
And most importantly — if you were already around 8–10 years in when you left active duty, do you feel like finishing 20 through the Reserves was worth it?
I’m not expecting the Reserves to be completely hands-off. I just don’t want to stay active duty solely because I’m approaching the halfway point if I can still serve, finish my 20, build my civilian career, and have more control over my life.
I’d especially love to hear from prior-active Navy Reservists, Corpsmen, healthcare workers, or Reservists with an active-duty spouse.

Currently in the separation process and my terminal is right around the corner.

Originally before my skillbridge my NCC said that I needed to get with them every month to put in an application for reserves, as all enlisted after 2020 are obligated to go Active reserves for a time. Okay cool that's the contract I signed. "You always have the option for rerating for active reserves, but itll add time onto your contract ". I politely declined. Im fully intentional on serving the contract the I agreed to and nothing more than that.

"Alright, well since active reserves for your billet is full, we have to put you down as Inactive reserves. We will continue to do this until an active reserve billet for your rate opens up. If one doesnt by the time you leave, youll be IRR." Sweet deal. But im not even mad if I end up with an active billet. Again, the contract I signed when I enlisted.

Fast forward to now, I go to the NCC, they tell me im already good, they sent up the application for the month, without me being there like they had said they needed me to be, to be able to send the monthly application--- And that they had applied for me to rerate.

"I thought it was either Active reserves or inactive reserves? Why was I applied for rerating for active reserves?"

"We were not able to put you down for Active Reserves for your billet, or inactive reserves. The only option was Rerate, so that's what we applied you for"

So they tell me they need me present to be able to send an application. They do it without me there.

They tell me that rerating is not a requirement, active reserves is, and irr is the alternate if an AR billet is not available for my rate. Not only that but time will be added to my contract due to being rerated.

So NCC is asking me to sign a Form "in the event my rerate gets accepted". Havent even looked at it, been too busy trying to find someone that knows about this stuff, as the only one who does know about this the NCC.

Is it normal to get forced into a Rerate for active reserves and get time added to your contract? And i thought I was supposed to be present for every application?

Someone please correct me and let me know if something is wrong with whats happening. I dont believe I should be forced to serve more time in the Navy reserves simply because my original active billet is full, and because "it wont let us input irr".

I am a junior officer going through a CND separation. Medical submitted their recommendation, as did my captain.

PERS-834 sent back a “notice of administrative separation” and “acknowledgement of rights” on which it says “You may tender a qualified resignation request for an Honorable discharge in lieu of separation processing.”

Forgive me, but after researching I am still confused on the difference between tendering a letter of resignation and following the separation process. I’ve reached out for legal counsel but have not heard back and my 10 day clock for acknowledgment of rights is running short.

My biggest concern is potential hundreds of thousands of dollars of student loans indebted to the government. At the end of the document it states “You may be required to reimburse the government for the unearned portion of any contract for incentive, special pay, bonuses, or educational assistance you have received which obligated you to active or reserve service according to the original terms of the contract.”

My main question is essentially, will I be more likely to be indebted to pay my schooling should I tender a letter of resignation? Or am I completely off the mark on understanding this document?

This was a command initiated separation. It is not for mental health purposes or adjustment disorder if that matters for the case. I have been severely struggling with a health condition, and do not intend to show cause for retention.

Hey yall,
I was goin to get gas on my way home from work today, saw the price for gas on base ($4.15/gal) and started to wonder, why is gas on base the same price if not more expensive than off base rn? Maybe this is just Groton? The closest gas station off base is $3.93/gal right now. I’m use to Hawaii where nex gas was SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than off base. Are they intentionally raising prices on base? Who should I ask about this? Or on the flip side, is it even worth the hassle or just get my gas off base

I cant seem to find any of it in genesis, where do i go?

Hey everyone,
I’m currently on my second contract and serving as a recruiter. I’ve been at a very difficult recruiting station, working 12+ hours almost every day and Saturdays for about the past 6 months because the station hasn’t been making goal.
On top of that, I have some serious family issues going on right now, and at this point I’m mentally and physically drained.
My command wants me to get evaluated by Mental Health. From what I understand, depending on the evaluation, there’s a possibility I could be sent back to the fleet or potentially separated from the Navy.
Going back to the fleet would be very difficult for me right now because of my family situation, so I’m trying to understand what separation would actually look like.
For anyone who has been through something similar or knows the process:

- If I’m separated due to a mental health condition, what type/characterization of discharge could I potentially receive?
- Since I’m already on my second contract, is an Honorable discharge possible?
- Would this affect my GI Bill, VA benefits, disability claims, or VA home loan?
- What kind of RE code or separation code could I receive?
- How much would a mental-health-related separation affect getting a civilian job, federal job, or government contractor job afterward?
- Is there anything I should make sure I understand or document before agreeing to any separation?

I’m not trying to get out just because recruiting is difficult. I’ve already served through my first contract and continued into a second one. I’m just at a point where the combination of recruiting hours and my family situation has become extremely difficult to manage.
I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who went through a mental health evaluation, LIMDU, CND/ADSEP, med board, or separation while already established in their Navy career.
Thanks for any advice or personal experiences.

My great uncle is buried at Arlington, WW2, submariner, and this Navy subreddit deleted my comment that said somebody nameless attended Princeton.

Random question: I ran into someone whose official Navy email display name doesn’t list a rank, it just shows “MIL” with no POx/CPO attached.

I’m not talking about their signature block, I mean the actual email display name.

Is there a specific reason someone would have that format? Curious if it’s tied to a certain status where their rank would come into play.

Edit: the display name. I went to email them and when you populate their email in the “to” line, the display name didn’t have a rank so I didn’t know how to address them.