The shortest Royal Navy career is four years, but you can choose to serve up to 22 years and beyond, depending on the needs of the Service.
It’s a common misconception that joining the Royal Navy means you’re in it for good. But that’s simply not true. A normal minimal contract is four years. However, if you find that it’s not for you, you can leave at any time within the first 30 weeks.
Holidays: How often and for how long? All Royal Navy personnel get six weeks of paid holiday every year (on top of public holidays), along with additional allowances for time spent at sea, for certain roles. Generally, there are three main leave periods per year: Easter, Summer and Christmas.
You would usually be on call 24 hours a day, generally working eight-hour shifts, which would include weekends and public holidays.
Men and women aboard Royal Navy ships were duly given separate “mess decks”, which are the areas where they sleep. Should a relationship between two individuals arise and become discovered, there is a risk of a court martial and possibly even a dishonourable discharge.
The Navy will offer a two-year active duty enlistment, but they couple it with a two or four-year active (drilling) Navy Reserve commitment. The minimum active duty enlistment periods offered by the Air Force, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps are four years.
Leaving the Royal Navy can be a successful and smooth process, but preparation is key. The earlier you start planning, the better. That means exploring everything from the career you want to pursue to where you’re going to live.
The Marine Corps does not allow any cell phone access until after graduation. The Navy has their trainees place cell phones into a bag with their clothes and personal belongings, then the whole bag is shipped home to their family. Army recruits keep their phones shut off and in a locker.
The Navy and Air Force typically shut down job schools but do not shut down basic training. The 10-day break generally starts a week before Christmas and lasts until a week after Christmas.
Specific underway schedules can vary widely. Normally ships will go to sea for 10 days to 2 weeks each month for training operations in preparation for deployment. Extended operations away from home port can last up to 6 to 9 months, and ships typically deploy once every 18-24 months.
Although the length of your deployments may vary depending on the tasking, you’re likely to be away for a maximum of four months at a time.
The average Royal Navy salary ranges from approximately £12,864 per year for Business Support to £40,607 per year for Petty Officer. Average Royal Navy hourly pay ranges from approximately £7.50 per hour for Team Member to £8.00 per hour for Seaman.
That means earning up to £98,909 as an officer, and £51,800 as a rating, with the opportunity to be selected for officer training at any time. If you apply for the Submarine Service or Medical roles, you may also be eligible for a joining bonus and extra pay.
Do Navy ships have WiFi? The simplest answer is Navy ships do not have Wi-Fi that you can connect a personal/unauthorized device to.
Most tattoos and piercings won’t prevent you from joining the Royal Navy, providing: Tattoos are not visible on a front-view passport (e.g. not on your face, throat area or in front of your ears) Tattoos are not offensive or obscene (see our policy for full details) Any piercings can be removed.
As somebody who’s actually served in the Navy in this century, I can answer this. Yes, *sailors* aboard ships are allowed to date each other, with the following restrictions: They cannot be officer and enlisted – that’s a big part of the fraternization policy that has been mentioned in other answers.
How Long Will I Serve? Enlisted positions typically require an initial service commitment of four years, but positions involving longer-term training may involve five- or six-year obligations.
The reserve years are only in case of emergency (war). More than likely you will never hear from the military again. 4 year active means you will live on base where you are needed for the next for years and deploy on a schedule to where your unit is needed.
Thus, servicemembers may be thought of as trading flexibility for training. While four-year contracts remain common, the Navy has moved increasingly toward longer (five- or six-year) contracts over the past 20 years.
There is nothing better than working as a team and good training both of which the navy are great at. You learn and work as a team you are respected and given advice and help when you need it. You get to see some if not all of the world its an amazing life but its not for everyone due to the time away at sea etc.
A life in the Royal Navy is a rewarding one filled with adventure, possibilities – and job security. Whatever branch you join, you’ll receive all the support you need to fulfil your ambitions, travel, and go further than you ever have before, with the best-friends you’ll ever make.