As promised today we will discuss striking. This has nothing to do with hitting anyone or anything. It has to do with getting a new job. As mentioned before non-rated seamen, airmen, and firemen can only advance in rate up to E3 without a specific job.

Normally what happens when you report to your duty station you are placed into a division who needs an extra body. You then being to stand watches under instruction and learn the every day workings of the division you are in. If you are lucky you will be placed in an area that is of interest to you, otherwise your are stuck where they need you.

The act of striking is as simple as telling your LPO, leading petty officer, you will to strike for a certain job. Since I know the process for a gas turbine person, I will follow those steps.

Fireman Smith reports to the ship and spends his first day checking in and getting his rack. He talks to the chiefs in engineering and they decide to send him to MER1, Main Engine Room. He spends the next weeks and months getting qualified to stand watch both in port and underway. He works with the people in MER1 and the people in his import watch section to learn what he needs to know. Soon he is standing watch on his own and decides he would like to be a GSM, Gas Turbine Systems Technician, Mechanical. He tells the LPO for MER1 and starts to do his correspondence books.

The correspondence books cover both military requirements and gas turbine systems. He spends his free time working his way through these. They might be computerized by now, but I had to use a book. The Gas Turbine 3&2 book was like 2” thick. After the books are done they are scored and if he passes they are entered into his service record. Also while doing the first two books another smaller book full of PARS is started to be filled out. These are tasks that a new GSM3 should either know, or know how to do. Each PARS needs a signature and these also take time.

After all of the initial work is done it is now time to take the first test, Basic military requirements. This one was fairly easy and straight forward, but people still fail. If Fireman Smith is lucky the ship is in port and he can take the test in a calm non-moving ship. After that test is passed he can study for his GSM3 test. This is the only way he can move up in rank to E4. Once again if he is lucky the ship will be in port and he can take the test at a shore facility, otherwise he is subject to the whims of the ocean.

When I took my E5 test we were in the North Atlantic during the fall, needless to say, it was rough!! He spends 4 hours taking a test on the finer points of being a GSM. After he takes it he waits for 3-4 months for results. One day the captain will address the crew and announce the results for the tests. He will run down the list of people who passed the test. Since our list was alphabetical, my name was first. It is a great feeling to hear your name called off for advancement.

Now fireman Smith is no longer a fireman, he is a prospective petty officer. He is also a rated petty officer, he will know as GSM3 Smith after he finishes NCO school. It may take a few months before he is paid for his new rank, but soon the ship will hold a frocking ceremony and he will be allowed to wear the rank on his sleeve. Shortly after hearing he is now a GSM3 he starts work on GMS2. It is a never ending task.

While attending A-school, I did my correspondence books for GSM2 and started on my GSM1 and Chief books. It is better to get them done and move along to other things. It was hard working ahead into books I really was not ready for, but it did help me in the long run.