What student loans qualify? Existing education loans must meet all of the following requirements in order to qualify for repayment:
a. Must have been made towards your education.
b. Must qualify under part B, D, or E of Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq; 1087a et seq; 1087aa et seq). Unless you are actually listed as the student on Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), this type of loan is ineligible for repayment.
c. The loan must have been made after October 1, 1975 and before your active duty service date (date you go to boot camp).

The LRP application is complete when you select the LRP option during the classification process at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS). You will provide all items on the LRP checklist your Recruiter will provide. Once all the items from the checklist are obtained MEPS will forward the information to the Commander Navy Recruiting Command LRP Coordinator (CNRC N5312) for final approval and enrollment into LRP. All these items must make it to CNRC N5312 within 60 days after entry into the Delayed Entry Program.

Understand this, you will be automatically disenrolled from LRP and forfeit all future loan repayments if any of the following occur:
a. The last payment has been made on loans submitted at initial enlistment (your loans are paid in full).
b. You receive a commission or warrant appointment (Your an Officer Now!).
c. You are discharged or released from active duty.

So, what is the benefits of LRP? The United States Navy will pay the lesser of the original loan amount or the unpaid principle balance at the time you ship off to Recruit Training Command (not to exceed $65,000). Any accrued interest, fines, penalties, or processing fees cannot be paid for by the Navy. Loan payments will be made directly to lender(s) in payments of 33 1/3 percent of the loan or $1,500 (whichever is greater) for each completed year of service. If the outstanding principle balance becomes less than 33 1/3 percent of the initial balance, the outstanding balance will be paid. The loan(s) must be in good standing to be eligible for repayment. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), loan repayments are subject to federal and state taxes. Taxes will be withheld from your pay for the LRP payment amount and the amounts will be included in your W-2 form. The Navy will not refund any amount of the loan paid by other parties!

Enrollment in the LRP does not exempt you from all obligations associated with the repayment of the loan. Since the first LRP payment cannot be made until you have completed one year of service, you may choose to seek loan deferment or forbearance to prevent defaulting on loans. It is YOUR responsibility to secure deferment or forbearance on your loans and you must communicate such intentions directly to the lender.

Special stuff – If you do not complete your initial term of enlistment may qualify for prorated credit if you completed at least one full year of enlisted service. If you do receive a commission or warrant appointment or are selected to any pre-commissioning programs you lose your LRP eligibility. The Navy will prorate any eligible payment, the prorated amount is based on the number of years completed at the time of commissioning/appointment.

You may utilize the GI-Bill however, the law currently does not allow LRP participants to use GI-Bill benefits unless you enlist for a second term (and have served a minimum of 24 months of that second term). ***If you want the GI-Bill, you will have $100 per month deducted from your pay for the first year of enlistment. This amount is not refundable if you do not reenlist.***

Update: The new Post 911 GI-Bill does NOT have a $1200 ($100 per month) requirement.

Only you can determine if this program is right for you. Weigh your options and do the math! Some enlistment bonuses may bring the loans down to a manageable amount or may even cover the total.

2009 Military Pay Chart
2010 Military Pay Chart

Navy Student Loan Repayment

Delayed entry is the military status gained by an enlistment in which a service member’s entry on active duty (ACDU) or initial active duty for training (IADT) is postponed for up to 365 days (12 months) with the exception of juniors who will be mid-year graduates. All up and coming new high school seniors (scheduled to graduate at the completion of the next school year) entering DEP during the months of May, June and July are authorized to remain in DEP for a maximum of 455 days (15 months).

When you enlist your date for leaving to recruit training (boot camp) will hinge on a few factors. First is when would be the first day you would be eligible to leave. Are you still in school? You want to ensure proper notice of current employer or you have entered a program which requires a certain amount of time in the DEP due to additional qualifications you must meet – the number of things to consider are as varied as the people who join. Next is what are you qualified to do? Are there any boot camp vacancies and do those vacancies line up with the class convening date of the job training you wish to select and are qualified for? The DEP is a management tool used to ensure proper boot camp and follow-on school level loading. It provides the ability to place people in “out-months” to help the recruiting commands gauge and monitor the potential to hit in-year accession targets.

The Delayed Entry Program is NOT available for applicants to “try out military life.” If you are not convinced the particular branch is for you, then do not join – seek out more information until you are satisfied with your decision. If you do join a branch of the military and during your DEP time realize you absolutely do not want to leave for boot camp, then tell your Recruiter. Expect him or her to ask you some questions – it is not uncommon for anyone to have a certain amount of “oh, crap, what I just do” – that’s human so don’t let the emotion over take the sound logic you used while making the choice in the first place. In the end, if you are convinced the military is not for you – you will be discharged.

Because it is the right thing to do, all the branches of the US military use the time you might have to wait [DEP time] before boot camp to maintain your motivation for the military service. Your Recruiter would enter into a more of a mentor-leadership roll. Taking the time to ensure you are mentally and physically ready for the challenges of boot camp greatly reducing your chance of failing. Attend the DEP meetings, work on your advanced qualifications and for goodness sake, ask questions!

Your military experience will be what you put into it.

2009 Military Pay Chart
2010 Military Pay Chart

Purpose of the Delayed Entry Program

It is sometimes mentioned, but rarely accentuated, that your use and abuse of drugs and alcohol can have a profound negative effect on your future – lets take a close look at how it might effect the Navy.

When you go to the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) to process for the military one of the very first things you are going to do (shortly after filling out some forms) is to take a drug and alcohol test. The Military Drug and Alcohol Testing (DAT) Program is actually two tests; The alcohol test will be a breath test which is approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the drug test will be a traditional urinalysis following the procedures set forth by the Secretary of Defense for Health affairs.  The test results are considered final – if you even THINK you may produce a positive result DO NOT go to MEPS!

If you test positive at the MEPS for even a trace of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, or methamphetamine you would be ineligible for enlistment.  If you were preliminarily enlisted pending receipt of drug test results you must be discharged from the Delayed Entry Program (DEP) when the result is annotated in you record.  Keep in mind if you test positive for marijuana, cocaine or methamphetamine on your initial test you are permanently barred from reprocessing for the Navy.

If it was a positive for alcohol on the initial DAT you are ineligible for military service for a period of 45 days from the date of the DAT. You can only retest on or after their 46th day following the initial test. You produce a positive result on your second test you are then permanently ineligible for the Navy.

Also, if you had a previous MEPS positive DAT for drugs, regardless of service processing for, you are permanently ineligible for enlisting in the United States Navy.

More and more companies across the U.S. and the world are adopting the zero tolerance position on the use of illegal drugs and the abuse of alcohol – heed this and the other warnings you are hearing and just in case let me say it one more time for the people in the back row – Stay away from drugs, just say NO!

2009 Military Pay Chart
2010 Military Pay Chart

MEPS Drug and Alcohol Testing (DAT) Program

Here is a list of stuff you can bring to Navy boot camp:

• One pair of prescription glasses (most recent pair) and reading glasses. You will not be allowed to wear contact lenses during recruit training. If only contact lenses are worn (e.g., a recent pair of glasses is not available), you may wear the contact lenses to RTC and bring a contact lens case with a small bottle of solution for cleaning, disinfecting, and storage. Military glasses will be issued during the first few days of in-processing and contact lens wear will then no longer be permitted.
• Money – maximum of $50 (you won’t need more than that)
• Light sweater/jacket for winter months
• Completed Direct Deposit Sign-Up (Standard Form 1199A).
• Check book and ATM card
• Photo Identification/ Drivers license
• Two pairs of clean socks
• Prescription drugs with identifying prescription labels
• Small Bible
• One pair of athletic footwear (running shoes) if size 5 or smaller or 17 or larger or greater than EE in width. (No high top running shoes!)
• Social Security Card
• Two pair clean underwear (males)
• Six white cotton panties (females)
• One full cup bra (females)
• One sports bra if 40 DD or larger (females)
• One pre-paid calling card
• Conservative nightwear/lingerie (females) – Note: Female lingerie will be inspected upon reporting, and if within specifications, will be authorized for wear.
• Basic makeup (females)(due to time constraints and a lack of personal storage space, new recruits are not permitted to wear makeup except during photographs, family night, and on graduation liberty. No glass items, including mirrors, are permitted).

Note: At a designated time, you will be sent to the dispensary at RTC for medical evaluation.
Additional Items to Bring, if Applicable;

• Immunization Record
• Small address book
• Jewelry (limit to Wedding Ring, Watch, Religious Medallion)
• Retainer case
• Passport
• Credit Cards
• Family Papers. If your married bring copies of your marriage certificate and the birth certificates of all your dependent children. These certificates are necessary to register allotments. You must also bring copies of court decrees pertaining to alimony and child support. Additionally, if either your wife or husband has been previously divorced, a certified copy of divorce documents is required.
• Alien Papers. You must bring a copy of your certificate of entry.

Females – To expedite your medical processing, if you have had a PAP smear/pelvic examination during the six months prior to leaving for RTC bring the test results with you. Additionally, if you’re currently using birth control pills, bring copies of exam records (in addition to the pills) specifying type(s) of birth control pills both presently and previously prescribed. You will receive a pregnancy test within three days of arrival at Recruit Training. If the test results are positive, you will be discharged.

Your hair – Female new recruits may travel to RTC with their hair styled as desired. The standard hair length for females may touch but not fall below a horizontal line level with the lower edge of the back of the uniform collar. Females will have their hair cut (styled) to military standards after reporting to RTC for a nominal fee. Males will have their head shaved to a stubble lengh

2009 Military Pay Chart
2010 Military Pay Chart

What to Bring to Navy Boot Camp

So, let me be clear, before you head off to boot camp you must be physically prepared for the rigors recruit training will offer. Too much training time is lost because prospective Sailors arrive at RTC without the minimum level of strength and endurance. The answer is a conscientious pursuit of Initial Fitness Assessment (IFA) standards and successful completion of this test prior to leaving for RTC. Placing a greater emphasis on this program will result in improving your physical status.

• You should be advised of the Navy’s physical readiness program and the height/weight or body fat standards.

• If weight maintenance tends to be a problem adopt a healthy lifestyle including an exercise plan and a healthy eating program. If you do not meet the Navy height/weight or body fat standards you cannot be shipped to recruit training.

Note: Your Recruiter is discouraged from promoting specific diet plans. Your Recruiter and the Navy want to reduce the possibility of the Navy becoming liable for any ill effects various diet plans may cause. You should seek the advice of health care professionals before starting any diet plan.

Hopefully you read and heed, it is a sad day when you, your family and friends thought you were off to start your career only to return home the same night potentailly having to reinvent yourself. Now, get off your computer and get to work!!

2009 Military Pay Chart
2010 Military Pay Chart

Physical Preparation For Boot Camp

Make sure you take the pretest in your Recruiter’s office prior to taking the retest. Your contract will be honored even if you tank it (but still getting above a 10) but keep in mind the retest will be the score that follows you to the fleet and could have an impact if you choose to change jobs. Before making the request ensure your ready!

2009 Military Pay Chart
2010 Military Pay Chart

Retesting Of DEP Personnel