Career Advice

[DeeUniQue]

I juss recently graduated corps school and dental strand here at Great Lakes, and i got shore duty orders to Okinawa, Japan working at the Naval Dental Center over there. Initially those were not the orders i wanted because i wanted to attend an FMSS and hopefully earn my FMF warfare pin for being with the Marines but they were not any available billets at the time. So my plan is now after i get done with my 2-3 years of shore duty in Okinawa i plan on requesting an FMSS in the states as my next career move. But now im also thinking about my other options as being an HM/DT, like being on a ship or being with a air squadron and earn my SW/AW pins. What should i do? is FMF always going to be there? Will getting orders to a ship or squadron be more difficult? I am so confused on what i should do next and what is best for me and my career in the Navy. Any suggestions or words of advice would help very much thanks! :not:

[Da-Chief]

Let me break it down "Barney Style.."

With all the ships and all the HM's in the Navy.. There are only
"877" billets for HM/DT's on ships..

Many, Many, Many more FMF...

Odds are your going.....

Magic 8 Ball says..

FMF..
;-)

HMC

[HM2(SW)Mom]

Try to do anything operational. I was in Okinawa and once I left there I went straight back to shore duty again in San Diego. Leaving Okinawa though you have a better chance of getting what you want. FMF is a good opportunity to advance and so are squadrons and ships but like the Chief said they are hard to get to. Good Luck!!