Life in the Naval Service.

[hptmurphy]

It has to be via the ringaskiddy side as the launch will not take unsupported passengers.......

[hptmurphy]

On second thoughts I'm sceptical that the medical will take place in Haulbowline as the medical facilities required are non existant there....check up on that one as such medicals usually take place in GMH Collins barracks, cork:o

[gaillimh85]

UPDATE: Lads no offence but the last few posts are rife with b*lls**t.
1. Went over on ferry from cobh

2. All medicals were done in the naval hospital.

3. Everyone does 2 years cadetship (Curragh< Haulbowline and Onboard Ship) before they are commisioned. Then EVERYBODY goes to the Maritime College thats being built in Ringaskiddy. Subbies course in Dartmouth then promoted to S/Lt then take up appointment.

Thats it! ( Ive checked!)

[hptmurphy]

For one who was looking for info you've certainly developed an atitude....Perfect officer material.

In my time in haulbowline all the medicals were done at GMH by the command CMO .

Access to the base was restricted to people working for the DoD and service members.These were the only people allowed to use the launch. All others including prospective recruits had to use road transport.

[mattydread]

No offence to you HPT, but it IS quite a while since you were in the Navy, and things have changed down there, quite drastically in fact!! (Cept for the same old bulshit at top level!) But the Naval Hospital, as it is now called, has been updated, upgraded etc. It now can do chest xrays, hearing tests, heart checkups, it has a dentist, CMO and fulltime doctor. There is no need to go to GMH anymore, unless being admitted for something. Anyone with a pass can use the launch, obviously after being approved by Naval Int.
Also Gallimh, if actually commanding a ship, at some stage, is your thing, as far as I know, only Executive officers can do this and not engineers. I'm open to correction on this! But on the other hand, the engineers get to do all the degree courses etc, and get better jobs, generally, when they leave.
Hope this helps and don't be intimidated by your instructors, its all a game!!

[Vice Admiral]

The engineering officers do get more job offers but they also get pushed out to sea more than deck officers.
As for degree qualifications, I believe all deck officers eventually get a BSc.

WRT the Maritime college, it was a building site the last time I saw it in May. The NS will make extensive use of it but exactly how remains to be seen. I do know that the Marine firefighting courses are to be moved over and they will be using natural gas for fires over there because they didn't even want to try and get an IPC licence from the EPA.

On a positive note, part of the justification for the college was to provide training to the NSR as well as the NS et al, and this was/will be factored into the annual budgets so I'll be watching this closely.

[hptmurphy]

Thanks matty....I was actually in Haulbowline a couple of times in the past week and was amazed to see the changes...all for the better I might add. No offence taken as it had been some time since I was on the base.Met afew guys I used to know and very surprised at some peoples appointments ....especially the bosun of the eithne given that he failed his AB's exam twice!

Only watch keeping executive branch officers may be come ships captains.! :D

[gaillimh85]

well, i have being offered a cadetship in the engineering branch and i might get the exeutive branch aswell. Im really not sure which to take. Having being shown the Orla and Ciara and talked to some Ex-NS people Im swinging towards the exuitive branch. Is this wise???

[Goldie fish]

Yes. I dunno if th eresident greaser i sstill about,but Exec is a bit more hands on than Eng. ERAs do most of the eng work.
Last time I saw an eng officer in the control room he was wondering where he had left his ear muffs.

[gaillimh85]

so what does he/she ( the MEO) do all the time? i have a pretty clear idea what a exec officer does.

[Goldie fish]

I have spoken to EAs and ERAs who dont know what the MEO does. A lot of people are under the impression that the position will be phased out,as more and more ERAs get better qualified,and engineering spaces become more automated.

[Goldie fish]

Right,not satisfied with my own answer,I was asking a recently comissioned engineering branch officer about his career on saturday.
Basically they are involved in the managment of machinery and fittings aboard ship. For example, Eithne is shortly due to go into dry dock for a major refit. One of the MEO's tasks is to schedule the work that has to be undertaken during this refit,and make sure everything is in place. For example, if new plant is to be installed aboard,what preparatory work must be undertaken,who is capable of doing this,will outside contractors be required and are they available? What way will installation of this equipment hinder other scheduled work during the refit? What duration will the installation take? what if there are delays,can the patrol schedule be altered to take account for unforseen delays or will it be possible to go to sea with the equipmens partially installed. For example the Haley Davits aboard eithne were fitted on one side some time ago,but are not incorporated into the ships electrical system,and the deck on the other side has been prepared for a similar installation.
Prior to all this work being undertaken,other equipment will give trouble. The MEO has the job of deciding whether the ship can continue with her patrol schedule and wait till the next scheduled minor refit,or proceed immediately for repair at the next available opportunity.
If you compare it to the industrial environment,Officers are managment,NCOs are supervisory,and other ranks are the ordinary workers,who may be skilled. While the engineering officer may not have a hands on view of ship repair,he must have the knowledge of the Electrical,mechanical and electronic technicians job to such an extent as he knows what the job would entail.

[gaillimh85]

Thanks very much Goldie. Thats the first detailed job description ive got for a MEO. Although it was a tough choice ive decided to accept the Exec branch instead.
I think it would suit me better

[Goldie fish]

Best of luck to you,may see you round cobh maybe.

[Goldie fish]

Originally posted by Vice Admiral
Executive Branch career progression: (Roughly)
Cadet : 2 years
Ensign: 2 Years : Typically At sea as an OUT (Officer under training) and or some short courses and a Gunnery course
Subbies course in Dartmouth
Back to sea for 2 years, first appointment as Gunnery officer (Conditional upon having passed Watchkeeping cert)

.

I am told that Dartmouth is no longer on the programme,as our people had already learned everything the RN could teach them,during cadet training,so the recent classes have been going to NUIG to study marine related topics....such as geology....
As one future Nav officer put it "when i hit a rock,at least i'll know what kind of rock it is".
However it is expected that all training,from Cadet to Sub Leftenant should be carried out in the New Maritime college in Ringaskiddy.
Indeed the way the RN are going,I imagine before too long they will be sending their young officers to us to be trained...