Five common misconceptions about the Navy

5.  People join the Navy to avoid the fight

The Navy is the professional fighting force in charge of defending the interests of the United States of America on the seas, which makes up more than 70% of the earth. Their battleground has no cover, no concealment, and an area of operation larger than any other branch.

Commander Ernest E. Evans, the commanding officer of the USS Johnston (DD-557) and Medal of Honor recipient said it best during WWII, “This is going to be a fighting ship. I intend to go in harm’s way, and anyone who doesn’t want to go along had better get off right now.”

In addition to fighting from war ships the Navy has MOS’s that put sailors directly on the ground in combat zones. For example, in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Navy electronic warfare technicians (EW) and explosive ordnance disposal technicians (EOD) were some of the first service members to work on defeating IEDs.

4.  Life in the Navy is easier than other branches

Yes, the Army and Marines will likely end up on the ground in a war zone but in the Navy you can count on being away from home most of the time, even in peace time. All sailors that are assigned to a ship are expected to deploy 2 weeks a month or on a six month deployment. Just hope you are assigned to a large ship because the quality of life on a ship can vary drastically.

3.  The Navy is full of gay seamen

In reality, homosexuals serve in every branch of the military. It is impossible to get a count of homosexuals by branch to determine which one would win as the “gayest,” but there are other indicators. In 2005, when the ban on open homosexuality in the military still existed 726 were discharged for being gay. Of the 726, more than half were from the Army and only 177 were from the Navy. According to a Census report, only 1.3 percent of men on active duty are gay and as many as 9.3 percent of women are lesbians. So when you are standing in formation you are more likely to find that the female sailor to your right is a lesbian over the male sailor to your left being gay.

2.  The Navy will let anybody join

The Navy is not the hardest branch to join, but it is not the easiest either. The Army takes the cake for easiest to join when it comes to minimum ASVAB scores required for entry. The Army requires a minimum of 31, but next in line is “the few and the proud” (Marines) who only require a 32. The Navy requires a minimum ASVAB score of a 35 to join which is only one point lower than the Air Force*.

1.  NCIS is just a TV show

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is more than the ‘cash-cow’ show on CBS. The NCIS mission is to investigate and defeat criminal, terrorist, and foreign intelligence threats to the United States Navy and Marine Corps—ashore, afloat, and in cyberspace. NCIS Special Agents are authorized by law to conduct arrests of military members and civilians alike, both on and off military installations. It has 165 locations and 17 field offices, including one operational unit dedicated to counterespionage, around the globe. It is safe to say the American public knows more about what Navy SEALs do than they do NCIS.

*The Air Force requires an ASVAB score of 65 (36 for applicants with high school diplomas) for applicants who have a GED while the other branches only require a 50.

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