# Homeport selection for the new guy



## Goat Boy© (13 Oct 2009)

Hello,

Just had a question with regards to home port/vessel assignment, etc.  I've tried the search, but can't find it, so:

Thinking about joining up, but my entire life is on the west coast.  Just wondering what the process is for selected a home port, how much say you can have about it, and anything else that may be relevant?

Thanks much.


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## Otis (13 Oct 2009)

You will be given the opportunity to request where you would like to be posted.

Don't count on it.

The Forces will assign you to where they most need you ... given Murphy's Law, it will not even be close to where you want to be.


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## Ex-Dragoon (13 Oct 2009)

Actually in recent years the Navy has been really accomodating for what coast you get _most_ times you get the coast you ask for. That being said, if they need you on a certain ship on a certain coast you will go there.


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## Pat in Halifax (14 Oct 2009)

Otis is correct in that 'the system' is much more accomodating than even a few years ago due to shortages but keep something in mind: You will not actually recieve an HPD assignment until you are QL5 qualified in your trade which generally is at a minimum of the 5-6 year mark. Simply put, this means that you will be put where needed until assigned an HPD. That being said, numbers for most trades are lower west so you may just luck out.


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## gcclarke (14 Oct 2009)

I'll second that assessment. From what I can tell, this is mostly due to the fact that the Navy has a disproportionate amount of Maritimers, who for the most part prefer to stay closer to home. Which is fine by me if it increases my likelihood of living in the paradise that is Victoria.


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## rob1972 (14 Oct 2009)

I am with you on that one GC.  I just got back from Victoria for my NOAB.  Wow, what a nice place that is.  I start BMOQ (going MARS) on January 11th.  My hope (yes, I understand I can't count on it) is to stay in Victoria after I am done MARS IV.  I was pleased to find out from a LCdr who is involved with personnel selection for the NAVY that I will get a paid move to bring my family out there with me during the MARS training.  So after BMOQ I plan on moving my family as soon as possible.


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## FSTO (14 Oct 2009)

rob1972 said:
			
		

> I am with you on that one GC.  I just got back from Victoria for my NOAB.  Wow, what a nice place that is.  I start BMOQ (going MARS) on January 11th.  My hope (yes, I understand I can't count on it) is to stay in Victoria after I am done MARS IV.  I was pleased to find out from a LCdr who is involved with personnel selection for the NAVY that I will get a paid move to bring my family out there with me during the MARS training.  So after BMOQ I plan on moving my family as soon as possible.



Just remember that there is no home port selection for officers.


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## gcclarke (14 Oct 2009)

FSTO said:
			
		

> Just remember that there is no home port selection for officers.



And that all roads lead to NDHQ...


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## rob1972 (15 Oct 2009)

So how does it work for officers?  My understanding was that we get to state a preference for either east or west coast.  Is that different than choosing home port?  I really don't know anything about home port or how things work for officers.  Any information would be much appreciated.  Thanks.


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## gcclarke (15 Oct 2009)

rob1972 said:
			
		

> So how does it work for officers?  My understanding was that we get to state a preference for either east or west coast.  Is that different than choosing home port?  I really don't know anything about home port or how things work for officers.  Any information would be much appreciated.  Thanks.



The idea of a home port selection is that an NCM will get assigned to either the east or the west coast, and the majority of his or her future postings will be to other units on that coast. 

For officers, this is generally not the case. During your training, once sent to your first ship, typically the members of the class you're graduating from (Your MARS IV course or your engineering Apps courses) will be given am opportunity to try to sort out who is going where. On my course, we were told which ships had how many slots available, and used the mid-term grades to let people start picking which ships they were sent to. Turns out that way, everyone still got the coasts they wanted, although some of those who weren't doing as well didn't get their pick of ship (Or even class of ship). Too bad, etc. 

Once we are trade qualified (At least for us Engineers) what happens is that we'll have a yearly meeting with our career manager where we can discuss what opportunities for postings are available, and which we would prefer. The CM will certainly try to match the wants of the individual to the needs of the service, but you can probably guess which win out. 

For the MARS people, another hiccup is the fact that they do their initial trades training in Victoria, then go out to one of the fleets to get trade qualified, and then go back to do their D level training, which can be done either in Halifax or Esquimalt, depending upon which D Level they want to do (Navigator and Clearance Diver are the only ones that do their training on the West Coast). 

Again, they do try to avoid moving people *too* often, both because moves are not cheap, and because excessive moves would adversely affect retention. But at the same time, breadth of experience, both geographically and in different types of jobs is considered important for a well rounded Naval Officer. If you don't wish to move, and the CM is able to accommodate you, it will still impact your career progression. 

And there are other factors that tend to cause officers to move more often, such going off to study for a post-graduate degree somewhere (Kingston, MIT, the UK, various other places), followed by the pay-back time they have to serve with the organization that sponsored their post-grad.

But yeah. As an officer, you might be able to stay on one coast until promotion to LCdr. I know of at least one person who did so. But you can bet your bottom dollar that you'll be headed inland shortly thereafter. 

Please note that the purpleness of Logistics also messes things up, and this post isn't really talking about them.


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## rob1972 (15 Oct 2009)

Thanks gc, that was a very thorough answer and it helps shed some light on the situation for me.  Since I am MARS, I know that I will be out west for at least the first little while in my career (assuming I don't get posted to an east coast ship after MARS IV).  I don't want to get ahead of myself so right now I am just looking at BMOQ, NETPO, MARS III and MARS IV.  After all that, the world will likely look different to me so there is no sense thinking too deeply about that stuff.  One step at a time.


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## SomethingImportant (29 Oct 2009)

gcclarke said:
			
		

> But yeah. As an officer, you might be able to stay on one coast until promotion to LCdr. I know of at least one person who did so. But you can bet your bottom dollar that you'll be headed inland shortly thereafter.



I'm sure there is a lot of variability, but from your experience, can you tell us how many years the 'average' MARS officer takes to reach LCdr.?  Or a range of years perhaps?


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## gcclarke (29 Oct 2009)

SomethingImportant said:
			
		

> I'm sure there is a lot of variability, but from your experience, can you tell us how many years the 'average' MARS officer takes to reach LCdr.?  Or a range of years perhaps?



Ahhh frankly I'm going to have to let someone else handle this one. Of the MARS folks that I know who've been promoted to LCdr, I honestly just don't know how long they've been in, what postings they've had, etc.


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## willellis (2 Dec 2009)

Hey Rob, just FYI, I am in the process right now and I was told by several recruiters, both NCM and Officers, that for the next little while at least, depending on how hiring goes, the west coast will take around 90% of the Navy recruits, in certain fields. I would ask your local recruiting office what the situation is for the trade that you are looking to get into. They will most likely have the answers that you are looking for. Oh yea, I am applying through CFRC Victoria. Great guys and girls there.


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## Wilshire Blvd. (3 Dec 2009)

willellis said:
			
		

> Hey Rob, just FYI, I am in the process right now and I was told by several recruiters, both NCM and Officers, that for the next little while at least, depending on how hiring goes, the *west coast will take around 90% of the Navy recruits, in certain fields.* I would ask your local recruiting office what the situation is for the trade that you are looking to get into. They will most likely have the answers that you are looking for. Oh yea, I am applying through CFRC Victoria. Great guys and girls there.



90% of Navy recruits in what percentage of fields? 90% of one trade may not be that many recruits. If your recruiters meant 90% of new recruits will be going west, you will have a number of disappointed people.


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## stabmasterarson (3 Dec 2009)

I'm in the hopper right now for a MAR ENG MECH position...what do you think my chances are for the west coast (crosses fingers) ;D


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## willellis (3 Dec 2009)

Yea, I am not sure which MOC's were in the percentile i put up earlier. As mentioned, I would call your recruiter and verify if the trade you are hoping for falls into that category. This advise should also be applied to you stabmasterarson. Since you and your family are from the west coast, that too will help your chances.


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## aesop081 (3 Dec 2009)

willellis said:
			
		

> Since you and your family are from the west coast, that too will help your chances.



Its irrelevant.


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## willellis (3 Dec 2009)

That's what I was told by my recruiters  ???. They said that if there are two equal candidates from separate sides of country, the CF would keep them near there homes, if requested and possible.


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## aesop081 (3 Dec 2009)

willellis said:
			
		

> They said that if there are two equal candidates from separate sides of country, the CF would keep them near there homes, if requested and possible.



I've been in the CF long enough to have seen many a person moved to the oposite end of the country from where they are from, simply because the dart landed on their name.

I'm from Montreal. I was recruited as a franco. Recruiter told us we would all be posted back to the province. Even the school told us the same thing. Out of the 25 who graduated, 12 (myself included) went to bases elsewhere in the country.

4 years ago, we had one guy from the west coast asking to stay and one guy from the east coast asking to stay..........when the messages went out, each was posted to the other's location.

I'm not saying a guy wont stay on the west coast if that where he is from, but being from there and family being there doesnt give you any more chances of staying that anyone else.


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## willellis (3 Dec 2009)

Well there it is. Can't argue with experience. Good of you to clarify for those enquiring and I.


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