Black Women in the US Navy?
I am a 23 yo black female preparing to go to Navy boot camp on March 29th. I'm excited and also pretty anxious. I've done lots of research, but of course I still have plenty questions and I don't want to bug my recruiter every day. So here are *some* of my questions: 1. I have been getting into shape to prepare for boot camp. Running and push ups are not TOO much of a problem, but I still can't do sit ups without putting my feet under the couch. Any ideas on how to gain the upper body strength for sit ups without assistance? 2. I went "natural" and cut my hair back in October and now I have what's called a "teeny weeny Afro." I've read a lot of the regulations about hairstyles and couldn't seem to find a definite answer on what's allowed during boot camp. I would like to find some hairstyle (possibly a short weave or something) to protect my hair and stay within guidelines since I won't be able to use any hair products at boot camp. 3. I chose the Electrician's Mate rating at MEPS. Actually, that's all that was available at the time and my recruiter mentioned he "might" be able to get my rating switched before I ship out. As my ship date gets closer, it seems likely that that won't happen. I've read about the rating, but I would still like to know how it is on a daily basis. Any women out there that have worked as an EM? What are some pros and cons of that rating? I've heard that it is a good rating that can transfer over to the civilian world, but I want to get into a different field later down the road. 4. I don't know a lot of black women that have gone to the military. I'd love to hear from any black women from any military branch? What are the pros and cons of serving? Any advice/tips for new recruits? 5. I have an associate's degree, but I have a couple years to complete my bachelor's degree. I'm curious to know how difficult it would be to complete a degree while on active duty? 6. One of the ratings I am interested in is the Legalman rating. However, I was told that this rating cannot be chosen until one has served in the military for some years. Would I be able to switch to that rating from the EM rating that I have now, and what would the process consist of? Thanks in advance to anyone that can answer my questions!