I can assure you that the United States Navy DOES deploy to Iraq depending on what MOS (Military Occupational Specialty, or military job) he takes. I am a former US Naval Sea Cadet, I know a lot about the branches of the US armed forces. What is his status as of know? Does he still want to enlist? I encourage him to look beyond the U.S Navy if he really wants to serve his country. One branch that deploys the least, in fact, rarely from their Active Duty enlistees would be the United States Coast Guard. It is the smallest of the military branches and they are sea based, responsible mainly for enforcing maritime laws, providing emergency services in the immediate coastal vicinity of the United States and protection of the US's oceanic resources. UNITED STATES COAST GUARD:
They are VERY SIMILAR to the United States Navy, they have the same system of rank but they do a different job. He is very unlikely to end up in the sandbox (Iraq) because it is a sea branch and because the Navy is mainly the only oceanic based branch that patrols the waters in the region.

The Navy has many negatives, I encourage him to either look beyond the mainstream branches like the U.S Navy or else join the Coast Guard (an experience he will love, absolutely fantastic branch and he can come home every night).

EDIT: He would like to be a firefighter? Great, because the Coast Guard and Air Force are the best branches for that. The Coast Guard trains all personnel in firefighting, so he would have that training in addition to whatever specialty or job he would like to take (Rescue Swimmer AST, AMT, Boatswain's Mate, etc). The Air Force is also an excellent choice for him. The AF gets the best food and facilities (sorry Seth, Navy is runner up) and they have better pay than most other services. He can definitely get a spot as a Firefighter in the Air Force. Tell him as I said to avoid the Navy, Army and Marines and look into the CG or AF. They deploy less and have better benefits.

Oh and before he takes any commitment of service, tell him to look into the jobs he likes best. Recruiters won't usually lie but they will "accidentally leave out" some parts of the job, or bend the truth a little. The best way to find out about a service is to speak to a service member himself. They have no incentive to recruit him so they will be entirely honest.

Yea. That's a super safe job. My old science teacher worked with the slingshot thing that launched jets off the ships and loved it.

the Navy is a relatively "safe" branch. he may get deployed to the Persian Gulf on a ship but relatively few sailors die compared to Army or Marines. not to mention it's very difficult in fact nearly impossible for terrorists or insurgents to directly strike a U.S navy ship.

also recruiters are not always honest. if you ask a recruiter if you will be sent to iraq they will more than likely say no just to get you to join. even if they know you will. also how are sailors being sent to relieve army units? that doesnt really make sense

It doesn't, but there are plenty of Sailors (Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Corpsmen, etc) who are fighting alongside Soldiers and Marines on the ground. Even the Air Force Security Forces are running convoys with the Army/Marines.

Oh, and a few more details:

The Coast Guard cross trains in many areas so he may not be assigned as a Firefighter only, they may have him in a helicopter working a winch and assisting patients or on a boat patrolling, etc. In the Air Force he would only work as a Firefighter and would most likely never get deployed to Iraq (usually just to Airfields in the U.S or AF establishments responding to emergencies like vehicle collisions, etc). Tell him to also look into the Reserve Components such as the Coast Guard Reserve, Air Force Reserve, or Air National Guard. A warning about the CG Reserve, if you don't want him to deploy then he should not become a Port Security Specialist, they are one of the few MOS groups of the Coast Guard to actually deploy as troops on boats or even on the ground with Army/Marines/Navy. Good luck, I can answer any other questions.

tastey

what?

Why can't he Get a fucking job like the rest of us. :mad:

I am working, 5 days a week 9 hours a day too pay for my college placement, is he not good enough to actually get a job?

Look if he joins the navy of course he's gonna be sent to a warzone, sorry to point out the obvious but it's the military for fucks sake, what do you expect but no he won't be sent to the front lines and chances are he will come home safe (he has more chance of dying in a car crash than in conflict). I don't know if it's the same in the US but all members of the royal navy are trained firefighters so it's perfect for what he wants, he'll really enjoy it and if it's what he wants to do i don't see why you should stop him, they will help with his college costs AND give him experience.

"Why can't he Get a fucking job like the rest of us. :mad:

I am working, 5 days a week 9 hours a day too pay for my college placement, is he not good enough to actually get a job?"

The military is a job, and a very good one. There is nothing wrong with going into the military to get money for college. I'd rather enlist than slave away for 45 hours a week flippin burgers or whatever for low pay.

I am 17 on the 27th of this month, I have vary little skills in my line of duty (Landscaping with the Council) and they took me on.

If he becomes a royal marine he would probably get sent into a warzone, but anything else....i dont think you would be on the front line.
I could be wrong lol.