Is it possible to be a non-rate for the entire 4 years of active enlistment? My daughter is on an 87 ft cutter. She graduated boot camp last November, and dep'd in last June. She is on an A school list and based on the amount of students they are taking for the next 2 classes, it could be 2013 before she goes to A school! Her 4 years ends June 2013! Are there any other options? She is on a critical  A list! She is becoming very discouraged. Any Ideas out there?

Welcome to the club. She should look at taking college classes, getting dive certified, or something. back in march I thought I was getting my orders to IT A school, to find out that I won't be going for at least another year. I finished striking, but that will take 1+ years at least. I just don't focus on school, I focus on setting up college, using TA to get a dive cert. If shes on a critical A school list than she is on the IS list isn't she? I have been very discouraged lately about having to wait so long, but to hear stories from when they took servicewides at such low ranks and waited 3+ years to get rated shows that eventually it will speed up, which slowly it has. BM strikers are going from 4 to 8 per month, IT A school is taking classes of 5, EM has a fairly short wait. MK list is moving pretty good now.

Im on a 110 so I know what it's like to be out, and 87 and 110 don't ride that good. Our XO worked on his masters on the boat, I can barely hold lunch down. I don't have much input, she pretty much has anything I was going to suggest.
It sucks to see valuable shipmates discouraged, choose a faster rate, or get out just because of the wait. I finally made the decision to wait out my time for IT(in the 20's on the list now) and have yet another 1+ year wait.
The 87 have a nonstandard small boat, don't know if shes a deckie or not but she could always ask to break in coxswain for it. I asked when I was going IT and I will be finishing up my quals when our boat gets back in the water.

I just recently hired an ex-coastie who spent his entire 4 years as a non-rate he had no issues...loved where he was and really did not want to leave. They were allowing him to strike BM or Coxian cannot remember exactly which but he knew he was getting out in a year because his wife (coastie as well) was getting medically discharged so they both were going to return to the civi world so he just hung out with them until his time.

Patients is virtue...

Why is IS critical when the wait time is 2 years?

I have been a non rate for almost 2 years now, and depending on what happens in early september, if I decide to go with my original plan (long story), i will have been a non rate for a total of 2 years and 2 months before i even go to the airman program, +4 months at airman program, +5 months at A school = 3 years as a non rate.
everyone that is senior in the CG that ive chatted with says that the CG goes through phases, kinda like fashion fads in the civi world. things move in cycles, and right now the non rate advancement cycle is at a damn near screeching halt.

Its tough to stay motivated, but bottom line is that we signed either a 4 or 6 year contract, so no matter what happens we still have to ride this wave.