Hard Sea Trades Attrition Rate

[Cloud Cover]

I noticed in the recruiting thread there are a lot of openings for hard sea trades, especially NESOP's and NE Techs. This leads me to believe people are leaving the Navy in droves again. Does anybody have some information on the rate of NCM attrition in hard sea trades compared to other trades?

 

[Navalsnpr]

The Navy does have a high attrition rate and it appears that it's like a rollercoaster, some years its minimal others its pretty bad.

If you get posted from ship to ship and each time the ship is going into a high tempo, that can really be bad for family life.

I spent just under 300 days at sea on one ship one year in the late '90's. Wasn't bad for me at the time being young and single, but for the older married personnel, it was difficult for the families.

 

[Marty]

Ive heard the term before but still am not sure what it means ............Hard Sea Trade ???

 

[Navalsnpr]

Ive heard the term before but still am not sure what it means ............Hard Sea Trade ???

Basically those trades whos sole existance is sail. NE Techs, NW Techs, Stockers, NESOPS, NAVCOMM, Sonar Operators etc.

Obviously a RMS Clerk or Cook wouldn't be considered a hard sea trade.

 

[FSTO]

Was at a RPC on the REGINA the other day and the ORO's were lamenting the abilities of their ops team. Basically they have to do everything because the people they depend on are incompetent. For a young person joining up and has a half a brain, the ops trade is the way to go for quick advancement.

 

[Navalsnpr]

FSTO, sounds like they don't know how to motivate their crew!!

I've seen a crew go from fully functional and competent to the opposite after the COC changed out and started treating the crew like children.

Treat the men well and with respect will make them work that much harder for you.

 

[FSTO]

Hard to motivate when there is no talent.
There ship is going into the ditch so of course the good ones have been farmed out to high readiness ships, which means an increase in attrition as the good ones burn out while the sick lame and lazy lounge around Victoria or Halifax collecting sea pay and using the system.

(Sorry if I sound bitter, but this is the result of the FRP and piss poor recruiting.)

 

[FredDaHead]

Would it be right to assume hard sea trades (btw, does MARS "qualify" as one?) basically do the odd jobs nobody else bothers to while they're on the ground? (ie, janitor-type jobs, random maintenance) If your job revolves solely around being at sea, I don't see what you'd do while on the ground, so... yeah.

 

[Navalsnpr]

(btw, does MARS "qualify" as one?)

Yes they would be considered Hard Sea Trades.


Like the Combat Arms trades would be considered Hard Field Trades as that is their purpose for being, Trades that are out there solely for the Navy, which include the schools etc would be considered Hard Sea.

 

[FSTO]

Would it be right to assume hard sea trades (btw, does MARS "qualify" as one?) basically do the odd jobs nobody else bothers to while they're on the ground? (ie, janitor-type jobs, random maintenance) If your job revolves solely around being at sea, I don't see what you'd do while on the ground, so... yeah.

When a ship comes alongside we don't shut everything down and go away. Our ships are our offices and workplaces while we are alongside so we have lots to do.

 

[FredDaHead]

When a ship comes alongside we don't shut everything down and go away. Our ships are our offices and workplaces while we are alongside so we have lots to do.

Well, I didn't think the ship was locked down until sailors had to leave, but I was kindof hoping to get examples of what goes on while the ship's in harbor, if that's not "protected" or anything.

 

[Navalsnpr]

Time alongside home port is made up of some of the following items:

Maintenance of the equipment
Refresher training
Administration
career courses

Every trade is different and depending on what point you are in your career would depict what you would be doing more of alongside.

 

[Grimey]

Time alongside home port is made up of some of the following items:

Maintenance of the equipment
Refresher training
Administration
career courses

Don't forget burning off the rest of your annual in such sun-filled, back-yard-loungin' months as Feb and March

 

[Navalsnpr]

Back to the original issue....


There are some Hard Sea Trades who will punch 10-12 years posted from ship to ship without a shore posting. Now there are some out there that love the life on a ship and dread shore postings, but for the majority of personnel wear down after doing 7 or 8 years straight on a ship.

This would have a direct effect on retention..