View Full Version : Gunners Mate Job on SEAL Teams.
Elwood2020
01-03-2003, 08:04 PM
If anyone knows, what exactly does a Gunners Mate do on a SEAL team? I think I would like to get my HM rating changed to Gunners Mate, because I dont think HM is right for me. One more question, is Gunners Mate a hard rate to get into?
Kbar-207
01-04-2003, 03:58 AM
I was a GM. If I were you I would stay a HM. Couple of reasons for that. In the teams a GM's main responsibility will probably be the maintaing of the weapons, lasers, and optics. However anyone could be in charge of them. You could easily have a EN or BM doing that job. When it comes to advancement exams I thinlk the HM have it a liitle bit easier for the soul reason they work in their field much more that a GM. On a GM advancement test a very small % of the questions are about small arms. Most are about the big ship guns, magazines, hydrolics, what kind of grease to use on a MK 76. No SEAL in their right mind would know that stuff. I was more worried about dive tables, making sure my time fuse was cut for 1 min not :30 sec, making sure all my weapons were dialed in and my gear was ready to go. The most important reason I would go HM over a GM is your future. I did 8 years in the Navy and when I got out there were not that many high paying jobs for a GM. HM's on the other hand have great opportunities. With the trainning at 18D they are considered Doctors in any other country. A couple guys I know have gotten out and taken jobs as sales men with medical device companies. These guys can make over 100K in their firast year and 350K as a sales rep. And Doctors love SEALs.
In short---- Stick with the HM!
Elwood2020
01-06-2003, 01:27 PM
That does sound better than being a GM, but I heard HM's have to sit out half of training as stand by for medical assistance in case someone gets hurt. Is that true?
Kbar-207
01-06-2003, 02:33 PM
Somtimes you may have to stand back if you are going to be the stanby medic. Usually their is a regular navy HM that the platoon can pull from medical to cover any trainning. the pros of being an HM far outways the cons. Stick to HM.
Elwood2020
01-06-2003, 03:21 PM
That does clear it up for me, and I will stick with HM. I was under the impression that HM's have to sit out a lot of training which I didnt want to do, I was unaware that they have regular navy HMs on the scene. What are some of the cons of being an HM?
You can't be a sniper. that is probably about it. (Sorry K-bar, had to say it)
A62 out
stratmn5105571
01-07-2003, 10:52 PM
K-bar,
What are some other rates that have futures outside of the SEALs? I'm interested in IT and that seems like it may have potential in the civilian sector, but I don't know if it does.
Strat
Kbar-207
01-08-2003, 04:36 AM
A62 I don't know where you get your info but it is wrong. I knew plenty of HM's that were snipers. If you put a HM that is a sniper with a RM that is your spotter you have one powerful team. All the bases are covered.
Strat I realy don't know that much about outside the Navy potential for employments. I do know for a fact that a HM/SEAL/ with a college degree as amazing potential in the medical sales field. And it is a fun job.
KBar,
My son is HM. He put in for sniper, they said no. Reasoning being is a HM will be busy during fire fight being an HM, no time to be a sniper. Maybe it was just him, but I got the impression it was generally Teams wide.
A62 out
Kbar-207
01-08-2003, 01:30 PM
A62
In a fire fight the first responsibility of every SEAL is to gain fire superiorty. That includes the HM. After you gain the upper hand in a fire fight and are able to put some distance between the enemy and the wounded do you aloow the HM to go to work. Every SEAL is trained in the basics of what o do if the man next to you takes a bullet. That is get him to a safe zone then treat the wound.
As for being a sniper I know your son is wrong or the guys who told him that are wrong. It is up to your Cheif or OIC to decide who in the platoon they will send to sniper school. Of course just like any job the senior guys get first picks. There is also a shooting test that all must pass before the team will send them. Pretty much all SEALs are good shots but there are some that coulden't hit water if they fell out of a boat. My suggestion to your son, if he wants to be a Sniper, is to begg his cheif. I had the opportunity to due either Free fall or Sniper. I picked Free fall and they sent our HM in my place to sniper.
Kbar.
I defer. Maybe he was just pullin an ol' grunt's leg. I can assure you he would, just for s&g's. it made sense to me , cause back in the old days, when the s&#$ hit the proverbial fan, the Medic(HM) was usually almost immediatley employed. I would think it also to be true of small unit ops. Yes, must didi and get out but must perform immediate measures to stabalize wounded. Normally I think of snipers being a distance from the objective. Snipers at 50 ft isn't too effective. How can Corpsman treat wounded when he is being sniper covering the withdrawal of the others?
There is no doubt in my small mind that he could complete, and complete well, any sniper training he was offered. he has the other skills required to be sniper and is an excellent shot. Not just a proud dad talkin, fact.
Respectfully,
A62out
FutureSEAL2005
01-09-2003, 06:57 PM
a62 is your son a SEAL HM? or just a HM? BTW a62 im not that much of an expert, but your son probally could get sniper training but that doesnt mean for every mission he will be behind a sniper riffle only when he is in a SEAL sniper team which consists of 2 people... the spoter and the shooter, correct me if im wrong
a62 is your son a SEAL HM?
he is 18Delta trained SEAL HM. Shortly will go to 18Delta "long course" to become eligible for CPO. I have defered to Kbars post as he is more knowledgable than I am on the subject. Anything I know from the teams I have learned reading and from what I hear from son and teammates. Oh, and from some of the ol' Frogs on this forum. This does bring up a question. If a Team is going on 8 man mission with sniper support, would the sniper be stand alone or would he have a spotter, thereby reducing the number of men available for main part of mission?
A62 out
Kbar,
I need to profoundly apologise and more than defer to your knowledge. You were absolutly correct, of course , and I was 99% wrong. This was the stated poloicy when he applyed for sniper right our of 18D. in 95? That is not the policy anymore and hasn't been since? I should know better. Again, sorry.
A62 out