# Ahoy Navy Personnel, Accuracy of "In The Navy" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 20, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661 "2017-01-20T20:11:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/1 "2017-01-20T20:11:17Z")
According to the song “In the Navy” by the Village People there’s a lot of stuff you can or will do in the navy\*. Which is these are generally true, i.e. that a fair percentage of naval personnel would have a chance to do this: 1. Search the world for treasure? 2. Learning science (and) technology? 3. Learn to fly? (without being specifically a naval aviator) 4. Skin dive? 5. Study oceanography? 6. Sail the seven seas? Does the navy actually operate in all seven seas? I feel this more about the navy than the song as I hoping maybe some navy people will mention some of the cool things you can do in navy if these aren’t some of them. - - Focusing on the US Navy but if somebody has something really cool to add about their local navy that’s fine with me. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/2 "2017-01-20T20:49:59Z")
Of the items on your list, #1, #3 - #5 would be leisure-time-only activities for all but a very few Navy personnel. But sailors have leisure time, like most everyone else. As for #2, it would be quite difficult to perform most ship-board jobs without some understanding of technology, and even some science. As for #6, naval ships routinely visit all the bodies of water counted among the “seven seas”, but it would be unusual (though certainly not unique) for any one ship to do so, even in a fairly long career. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/3 "2017-01-20T21:26:30Z")
Not the Navy, but rather the Merchant Marines. The California Maritime Academy has a container of water from the 7 Seas. The container is said to contain water samples collected from the 7 seas. The 2nd Class ring dance was next to graduation the biggest formal event during the year. Tradition calls for the 2nd Class Midshipmen to receive their class rings the spring trimester. And not to wear the ring until the night of the Ring Dance. One Midshipman at a time with his date take the ring to the container at the center of the room. The ring has a string looped through it. She dips the ring into the water then takes the ring off the string and hands it to the Midshipman. He then puts it on for the 1st time. This is to bring good luck. Not sure the luck held with my ring. Had it stolen from my home. And I have not been able to replace the ring. forgive me from only considering a Midshipman as being a male. When I went to the Academy there were no Midshipwomen. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/4 "2017-01-20T21:51:14Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > forgive me from only considering a Midshipman as being a male. When I went to the Academy there were no Midshipwomen. Sure, forgiven. As long as you let a Midshipman bring a male date, if he wants (it is a Village People song that started the thread, after all\*) - Though my sources tell me only about half of the Village People were gay. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/5 "2017-01-20T22:55:10Z")
> [@BeepKillBeep](#): > > …I feel this more about the navy than the song as I hoping maybe some navy people will mention some of the cool things you can do in navy if these aren’t some of them. > … I wasn’t Navy but my brother flew for them. His comment: “You get to sleep in crowded conditions the Supreme Court has prohibited in prisons. But with an extra benefit: the chance of drowning.” And he was a junior officer in much less-crowded conditions than the worst the seamen lived in. He did have lots of fun and some small adventure as well, but that’s a different story. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/6 "2017-01-20T23:03:57Z")
Someone should do a thread like this for “YMCA”. Although we may have to make a special forum for it… ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/7 "2017-01-20T23:08:53Z")
If curious about Army life, check out Bill Murray’s documentary _Stripes._ ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/8 "2017-01-20T23:24:32Z")
As for signing up for the big band, and sitting in the grandstand: [http://www.navyband.navy.mil/](http://www.navyband.navy.mil/) ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/9 "2017-01-20T23:27:20Z")
Also, they’re still signing up new seamen. And you shouldn’t wait to enter. The 70s were a more innocent time, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/10 "2017-01-20T23:35:25Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > The 70s were a more innocent time, I guess. My aunt LOVED the Village People. She had NO clue… ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/11 "2017-01-20T23:41:51Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > His comment: "You get to sleep in crowded conditions the Supreme Court has prohibited in prisons. I remember once touring a WWII ship parked in Wilmington, NC. (I suppose [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_North_Carolina_%28BB-55%29) one.) There were metal hammocks attached to the walls, 3 or 4 high. Is that how it works now? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/12 "2017-01-20T23:43:32Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > My aunt LOVED the Village People. She had NO clue… And Liberace? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/13 "2017-01-21T00:34:26Z")
Fred Astaire sang it like it is in Follow the Fleet. [QUOTE=Irving Berlin] We joined the Navy to see the world. And what did we see? We saw the sea. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/14 "2017-01-21T01:07:28Z")
Well to be fair, 3/4ths of the world does look just like that. So most Navy folks have seen that much of the world at least. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/15 "2017-01-21T01:21:16Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > If curious about Army life, check out Bill Murray’s documentary _Stripes._ The first half of the movie was filmed in Fort Knox. I have no idea how they got cooperation from the army. The room they meet Hulka in was the actual room where you first meet the reception station drill sergeants. I still have vivid memories of that place. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/16 "2017-01-21T02:40:04Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The room they meet Hulka in was the actual room where you first meet the reception station drill sergeants. I still have vivid memories of that place. Light up, Loach. I bet the US Army makes more of an initial impression than the Canadian one. What was reception like? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/17 "2017-01-21T02:46:00Z")
Yes, it’s a man’s life in the modern Navy. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/18 "2017-01-21T03:03:10Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Well to be fair, 3/4ths of the world does look just like that. So most Navy folks have seen that much of the world at least. You’re right, though as a Seabee, I only saw the sea from the seashore. See? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/19 "2017-01-21T05:04:10Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Light up, Loach. > I bet the US Army makes more of an initial impression than the Canadian one. What was reception like? Reception wasn’t horrible. It was mostly confusing. And really really cold. But that’s what I get for joining in February. It’s only a few days long (can’t remember exactly how much). It was mostly getting a lot of logistical issue out of the way before you are turned over to your training platoon. Uniforms and gear are issued. Lots of paperwork. Shots maybe? It was almost thirty years ago. I remember the worst part was wanting to get it over with. I just wanted to get done with Basic and move on. Reception meant you weren’t there yet. The clock didn’t start ticking until Basic started. Reception was like purgatory. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661/20 "2017-01-21T08:38:04Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I remember once touring a WWII ship parked in Wilmington, NC. (I suppose [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_North_Carolina_%28BB-55%29) one.) There were metal hammocks attached to the walls, 3 or 4 high. Is that how it works now? No, but pretty similar. Most Navy vessels have bunks (aka “racks”) with thin mattresses. There is a storage space under your mattress. There is also a curtain for a modicum of privacy. Do a Google image search for “Navy berthing area,” and look for the more modern photos. Here’s an [example](https://cnet1.cbsistatic.com/img/-d_Kw8MjDZEYfRlraqkU4dcIszA=/0x878/2010/07/17/449510ff-f0ed-11e2-8c7c-d4ae52e62bcc/Crews_berthing.jpg) of enlisted berthing for a submarine, and [here](http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/44/63/22/9647269/9/1024x1024.jpg) is an officer’s stateroom (for three officers). It’s much roomier on surface ships. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ahoy-navy-personnel-accuracy-of-in-the-navy/777661.md?page=2)