Joining the United States Navy is part of a series that includes books on the other armed services (including the Coast Guard). The most important questions facing a young person joining the military are dealt with in the first section;
• Why do I want to join the Navy?
• Do I really want to join the Navy?
• Can I get in?
The usual warnings are included - You may not get the training you were promised. The exotic foreign travel may be to nasty places populated by people trying to kill you. People will constantly be telling you what to do. And you’ll do it or suffer the consequences. Assuming you can deal with that (or to choose to ignore it), the author offers the best advice possible: finish high school, get good grades, stay out of trouble, and get in shape. (Throughout the book, specific concerns of female recruits are addressed.)
Perhaps the most valuable advice is what to do between taking the oath and being called up. - Stay out of trouble. Exercise. Get a short haircut (girls included), but not a buzz cut, shaved head, or anything else that makes you look like a Junior Commando wannabee. Give up what you won’t be able to have in Basic – alcohol, tobacco, fast food, cell phone, Internet, video games. Get used to it without a NCO screaming at you. And once you get there, do what you are told to the best of your ability. Remember, washing out of Basic doesn’t mean that you get to go home, it means that you start over again. And that is why you want to get into good physical condition before you go.
The last part of the book deals with the specifics of the Navy’s basic training. All initial training is at Great Lakes Naval Station in Chicago now. There is a good list of books for you to read ( Bluejackets’ Manual, for example). It also provides links to web videos that will show you what things look like – invaluable.
Follow the advice in this book, and don’t be a wise guy, and you’ll do fine.
(Parents of enlistees should read this book as well. Attempts at ‘helicopter parenting’ will cause nothing but grief for the enlistee.) ( )

I would recommend this book for any teenager interested in joining the navy straight out of high school. This book covers the requirements for joining the navy and the first few months of training after joining. It also is loaded with advice for how to behave as a new recruit.

This is a fairly comprehensive guide for people thinking about joining the military. Much of the information is geared toward military service in general - checklists of things to consider for potential enlistees and their parents and spouses, brief descriptions of each branch of the service, tips on talking with recruiters, basic eligibility requirements and what to expect during initial enlistment processing. The first section in particular is reasonably frank about issues such as gender and sexual orientation - while the author doesn't outright discourage women, homosexuals and bisexuals from joining, she doesn't hesitate to mention that military life can be especially challenging for people in these categories. The most Navy-specific sections give a brief history of the Navy, describe career options, and cover how to prepare and what to expect during basic training.

The book seems to be geared toward people in their late teens - it is peppered with frequent reminders that potential recruits must finish high school before they can complete enlistment. The author also encourages potential recruits to discuss their options with their parents and to bring a parent with them to meetins with recruiters. While the Navy accepts enlistees up through age 35, no specific advice is given for this older group, though all potential recruits are encouraged to quit smoking, get in shape and put their affairs in order before completing enlistment.

Overall, Joining the United States Navy is a comprehensive overview of the enlistment process, and well worth a read for anyone thinking of joining up. ( )

I recommend this book for anyone thinking about joining the Navy.

I did a lot of research when I was thinking about joining the Navy. I wish I had this book then it would have made things easier for me and saved me a lot of time. ( )

An excellent resource for young adults interested in military service. I have it in the guidance office at school. ( )