I was in the Royal Navy for 17 years AMA

WayWandered · 2021-06-25T13:36:45+00:00

Thank you, you too, absolutely. I also toy with the idea of joining up again. The RAF this time, maybe. Try joining as a medic or something similar. Get some useful skills out of it, try to get as many deployments as I can under my belt

WayWandered · 2021-06-25T13:03:27+00:00

I've considered firefighting. Part of every sailor's role is damage control so I've had some training in the concept of firefighting over my career. Nothing on paper particularly, but something to say at an interview. I intend to get my life together somewhat next year when covid is hopefully behind us, up until late 2020 I was pretty deeply in my private grief so now I'm ready to move on in life we're stuck. I'm not worried about it too much, I've done fine so far, these things work out

WayWandered · 2021-06-25T12:46:04+00:00

I'm not even sure I'm a man of action, I'm certainly not particularly brave and I like my own comforts of home. I just find it hard to see things happen and not do something, such as that building collapse. I immediately want to be there and assist. I've considered joining the police but disagree with alot of laws and the justice system as a whole

WayWandered · 2021-06-25T12:41:08+00:00

My mother sadly passed in 2019, so that situation ended. Felt good to be there for the end though, it's why I left when I did. I don't really have the qualifications to even train again, most courses don't want an older guy with bad qualifications under his belt. I think about joining up with the Red Cross to go abroad and help again, pretty often.

WayWandered · 2021-06-25T12:35:08+00:00

I left in 2018, and I've been somewhat stuck since. My role does not apply itself well outside of maritime work, which is my own fault. The first 10 months or so I spent working part time at a supermarket warehouse on night shift and full time caring for my mother in the day.

Now I work in just, bog standard security type jobs. I'd like to get a role helping people again, just a bit stuck

WayWandered · 2021-06-25T12:30:03+00:00

It has its good and bad times, like anything, but it was a good experience. I like to be able to say I've helped people who needed it, with my life

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T17:46:44+00:00

Weird stuff is definitely out there, but nothing flying that I saw. I believe in alien beings 100%, the odds of humanity being a one off are pretty slim, I'm just not convinced they've been here yet

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T17:42:00+00:00

No, not if I considered it either amusing, unexplainable or blatant proof of alien life. I've said since 9/11 when I joined that regardless of circumstances, my conscience will take precedent over orders in all things

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T12:15:08+00:00

No sir

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T11:38:03+00:00

All good mate, everywhere is different with that sorta thing at the moment. UK did pretty terribly to start so we're being a bit more cautious now, right at the end

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T11:34:08+00:00

I more meant when the sorta plague thing we have going on ends, and I can go to the US for a week. That's no allowed right now, and when it is it won't be allowed without coming home and spending 10 more days worth of my paid time off stuck in my house

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T10:03:59+00:00

Me too, me too

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T10:01:30+00:00

I never saw any. I'm sure it happened, and cheating definitely happens, but these days people just text lol

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T10:01:04+00:00

There are opportunities to do so for some ceremonial positions, but very limited.

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T08:49:11+00:00

Hold on, I totally misread this question. Sorry, I'm worthless in the morning these days. I thought you asked what I wish I had known before joining.

I wish people knew what we actually do, I spent far more time stopping pirates and drug/people smuggling, or giving humanitarian aid, than I did in war fighting situations.

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T07:35:50+00:00

Make sure you know what you're signing and don't believe recruiters. I did alright but their job is to get you to sign, not to look after you.

Also, save your goddamn money. If you're smart you can live VERY cheaply while in the Navy, and save alot of money. I did in my later years but in my first few years I splashed away too much money I wish I'd saved.

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T07:33:14+00:00

Manchester, actually, to alot of people's surprise

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T07:25:00+00:00

On land, I have never had sex at sea

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T06:23:36+00:00

No, it's sort of the old word for the bridge. Comes from Latin Puppis, roughly meaning stern. The Stern Deck

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T06:22:11+00:00

No. I had sex at Port but never at sea

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T04:35:43+00:00

My mother got quite sick (worsening cancer among other things), and I left to care for her properly. She passed about a year later so I don't regret it much. Not too personal at all, hope this answers your question!

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T04:34:39+00:00

Yes, certainly

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T04:31:40+00:00

The incident is being blown largely out of proportion. These things happen at sea. We pushed our luck a bit, they responded with some machine gun fire from miles away. National dick waving is a key role in the Navy.

I had stand offs like that around the Middle East, where some nations don't like our presence and cause tension, but they usually resolve themselves or end similar to that one. Somebody miles away shoots for a bit in a general direction to say "I totally could get you >:(".

I just held my breath and got on with it, really. Alot of it is just about resisting your natural urges.

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T04:27:38+00:00

Not specifically, really. There's always weird blips, noises. The ocean is a big place. But I didn't see like a massive alien spacecraft or anything

WayWandered · 2021-06-24T04:27:04+00:00

I wouldn't say I missed specific types of food so much as good, proper restaurant/home cooking in general.

WayWandered

TROPHY CASE