Hello there. I am interested in joining the Navy as a Naval Officer. I am a female, 21 this year, graduated from SP last year.
I have encounted many different opinions which got me thinking for a very long time. Friends have been telling me to consider and "it's a bad idea" etc. But I really like to join, I don't mind the training. I just want to know what's the life inside there. Is it the same for men and women? I heard from some people that I may not be able to get what I applied for. Is that true? If I apply for Naval Officer would I be transferred to another department? Anything to share? Thankyou.
I rather you join civilian maritime companies such as Keppel Corp, SembCorp, ST Marine...etc.
look at your own handle...
go do your own analysis of what you want to do with your life because no one else is going to live your life for you.. and the decisions you make will shape the rest of your life
why do you want to join navy? i from navy during NSF and i have seen my fair share of female officers, though not many. but you got to have a reason for signing on. share with us and see how we might advise you.
Originally posted by lazytothink:Hello there. I am interested in joining the Navy as a Naval Officer. I am a female, 21 this year, graduated from SP last year.
I have encounted many different opinions which got me thinking for a very long time. Friends have been telling me to consider and "it's a bad idea" etc. But I really like to join, I don't mind the training. I just want to know what's the life inside there. Is it the same for men and women? I heard from some people that I may not be able to get what I applied for. Is that true? If I apply for Naval Officer would I be transferred to another department? Anything to share? Thankyou.
If you really want to sign on that badly, get a recognised degree first.
Those with a degree get promoted much faster than those with a dip.
think of a backup also [if officer cannot, senior expert also can].. get a recognized degree 1st.. specialist/dip officer quite hard life
as above. get degree first. unless you joining SAF for the scholarship scheme, then still ok.
If you can, just say no.
Alot of my friends say that sigining on is the worst thing and waste time. They won't make things different just because you are a lady.
years ago i would say don't join..........but now..........
with so many foreigners in the private sector and even more on the way........SAF seems to be a better option...........
even the non-uniform civil service will one day see many foreigners in it as PAP continues to sell out S'poreans.........
but Navy will be dangerous compared to Air Force especially if posted on warships as Lee Hsien Loong will send Army and Navy to hazardous locations so as to impress his Jewish masters........
if posted on warship, pray that your captain won't play ''chicken'' with a container ship...........the last time a captain did that, the warship was sliced in 2 by the container ship..............
Originally posted by Forbiddensinner:If you really want to sign on that badly, get a recognised degree first.
Those with a degree get promoted much faster than those with a dip.
good advice.........in the PAP government........they will promote a retard with higher qualifications............but not a capable guy without a degree..........
if you have a degree.........you can join SAF and just go to sleep..........
girl join saf good wat. promote very fast. last time my camp got 1 aunty and another fat female.cb cannot do anything but 1 is master sergeant and another 1 is warrant official.kan ta neh neh.go taiwan sit outside their room door and eat and chat while we doing shit.bak to camp,we running and training they walk walk walk and eat eat eat.kan ta mama cb
they lacking females so they promote females faster.................
also SAF now got give tampons for free, right ?
HI ALL. THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE! :)
Reasons I would like to join are basically very simple:
It's not half as bad as most people make it out to be. But do note the following:
- The training of a naval officer takes around 3 years. Given that you're likely to disrupt for uni, it means it's likely that you won't command any men or hold any appointment until 1 or 2 years after you graduate from uni (a long, long way from now). This is unlike army officers who can hold an appointment once they are commissioned.
- Navy training is non-physical and it won't make you fit. You'll only be fit if you put in the effort to exercise on your own, which could also be said for any other job.
- Travelling with the navy doesn't apply equally to all postings or all ships. In general, bigger ships (like the LST and frigate) travel overseas more frequently and further. Smaller ones may spend all or most of their time in Singapore waters or the South China Sea (or in harbour).
- You have to do duty (including weekends and public holidays), and sailing happens on weekends and public holidays too. Duty is the inescapable dark side of military life.
As for your question, if you apply as a naval officer you'll either be a naval officer or drop out of course and return to being a civilian. You won't be transferred to another vocation.
Of course, do consider carefully because you'll be there for the next 8 to 10 years (including your uni education) once you sign...
Originally posted by lazytothink:Hello there. I am interested in joining the Navy as a Naval Officer. I am a female, 21 this year, graduated from SP last year.
I have encounted many different opinions which got me thinking for a very long time. Friends have been telling me to consider and "it's a bad idea" etc. But I really like to join, I don't mind the training. I just want to know what's the life inside there. Is it the same for men and women? I heard from some people that I may not be able to get what I applied for. Is that true? If I apply for Naval Officer would I be transferred to another department? Anything to share? Thankyou.
My supervisors in Navy are mostly female. They are mostly technical naval officers (naval engineers with degree) . I dont remember any ship naval officer that is female. The female regulars deployed to the naval ship is mostly specialists.
Well, I remember some1 told me that her poly friends peer batch never washed toilets after they graduated. And she dont understand why she is still washing toilets on the ship.
SAF deployed people like goodies. I remember some1 sign on with a nursing diploma and supposed to be a medic. But she ended on the ship as specialists. Depends on where they need you they will just put in any where they like.
Naval officers sails with the ship. Most likely you will be deployed on the ship for a few years. Unless you have a degree, it is unlikely they will deployed you to do executive work.
I have another close friend, who sign on as a naval officer as diploma holder. She later finishes her courses and deployed to the ship. But later she asked for early-opt out. She then becomes my junior in university. She says it is fun to be in the navy but there are certain things that she do not like.
It is really up to individual person. Some people are okay with anything. They can cope with different job or bosses and they can be happy with it. Others like to decide on their path by themselves. And it all depends on LUCK.
I'll just give my two cents on the reasons you want to join the Singapore Navy.
Degree sponsorship
Good to hear that you want to further your education. Degree holding officers do promot relatively faster than their diploma holding counterparts.
Good pay
If you take the degree sponsorship through SAF or do your college first and sign on later, as long as you have a degree from a college recognized by the SAF, you will be placed into the Scheme B officer pay scheme. The pay is not extremely high but its comparable to jobs outside the military.
I want to be fit and I'd like to be trained
OCS training for Midshipmen is balanced between physical and academic training. You'll get your daily dose of exercise while learning some basic knowledge about sailing, ships, naval traditions etc. After commissioning, you'll be posted to a ship as an additional officer, during which you clock hours shadowing duty personel to get your certificate of competency so that you can do duties in harbor. After OCS, physical exercise is mostly own time own target. If you choose to pursue a degree, you will leave for studies that same year. When you graduate, you will have to go through a navigation course that lasts a few months, after which you are accessed and deemed suitable to join the crew of a ship as a navigation officer.
I love the sea/ship/travelling/uniforms whatever
Hopefully you dont get seasick easily haha! a naval officer's life can be stressful at times. You may have a large workload once in a while and may even miss public hoilidays because you have to sail. However, if you really want to experience the life of a seafarer, go ahead! And if you find that its not suitable for you, you can leave after your bond is up (4 years for local study award, 6 years for anything award or scholarship above it)
thanks a lot guys! you've helped me a lot. I guess I'm going for it, just waiting for their letter now, they said it'll take about 2 weeks!
Ha, and no I don't mind committing 3/4 years of my life. I'm just worried I cannot get the degree sponsorship. Some people told me 99% can get unless you OOC and terminate the contract. Others tell me my gpa has to be 2.8 and above. Zzzz, very confusing.
By the way, for the local study award.. the only unis I can apply for is like, SMU/NTU/NUS/SIT right?
For LSA, the SAF will provide for your school fees locally, namely NUS/NTU/SMU (SIT too i think). But you can choose to top up with your own money and study overseas.
really? I didn't know that. I thought overseas studying is under another scheme.
Hi,
There are 3 scholarships that pay your full tuition and other frills for overseas study, they are the SAS, SMS and SAFOS.
For LSA, they pay you the amount to study in a local university but you can request to top up and study overseas. Alot of those who cant get into local colleges but manage to get into overseas universities sanctioned by the SAF top up the money and study overseas.
Hey so you mean if I cannot get into local uni I can top up? But then, are you sure this is not only for the those who excel in OCS?
Cause the main problem I'm worrying now is that I'm afraid I cannot get a degree. I don't mind paying for myself but I can't get into any local uni due to my low GPA. And I doubt I can get scholarship either.
I suggest you to try to apply for the local Uni now to test water. Assuming is never a good thing, especially when it comes to SAF, heard of the pharse "You think, I thought, who confirm?" ?
I have already seen ppl who aim high but in the end get disappointed. Aim to be officer but can't get in. Or get into OCS but buang the course (gets injured, fail physical, etc). Think can get scholarship but in the end fail to get into Uni due to poor grades (not in sense fail grade but the competition is just too strong that you are out of the selection circle). Or get into Uni "ta pao" too many times and buang Uni, espically those from poly route who cannot get used to the Uni lifestyle. etc, etc.
All I can say is be mentally prepared that when you sign on, you will end up as a specialist and can't get into Uni, this is not throw cold water at you because I also want to see you succeed but just be mentally prepared that you might not get what you want.
Especially in the SAF.
so how much is your GPA in the first place ? i think if your gpa is low and you cant get into the uni yourself i dont think they want you as well from ploy to uni i think best is to have at least gpa 3.0 to try for the chance unless you going to sim which they only look at weather you got a dip or not