I’m watching the BUD/s documentary on the Discovery Channel (it follows a class of 83 people through SEAL training).
In epsiode 3, we met an officer who is shown evaluating students for potential dismissal for poor performance. The on-screen caption shows him to be Lt. Burns, but I think is shirt reads LT JG Burns. So either a Lieutentant or Lieutenant Junior Grade.
However, he looks to be at least mid-thirties if not older. Wouldn’t you normally be a higher rank by that age? If you join as enlisted at 18 and then go to OCS after ten years, do you start as an 28-year-old Ensign?
Yes, you do.
I’ve seen some old second lieutenants a few times (I was an Air Force guy, not Navy), and many of them were prior enlisted.
You get credit for years served (for example, your pay would be O-1 with 10 years of service) but you still have to work your way up the ranks on the officer side.
what pilot141 said.
Likely, Burns was an experienced Petty Officer, who took an opportunity to earn a commission in a billet where that experience is an asset. Also, this particular officer could have enlisted at an older-than-usual age to begin with, or have spent part of his early career in Reserves.