On a daily basis, a navy sailor performs a variety of tasks. The navy sailor must perform a variety of tasks, from cooking and cleaning to aircraft control, and each sailor is trained in a specific job title. A ship is similar to a floating city, with navy sailors holding jobs such as dentists, doctors, and electricians. Auto mechanic, carpenter, and truck driver are some of the other jobs that can be found on a land base. Within the navy’s workforce, officers also fill positions such as aircraft pilot, ship captain, and lawyer.
A navy sailor can do any job that is needed on a ship. Sailors are educated in all aspects of daily life, from the cooks who prepare nutritious meals for the ship’s crew to the laundry workers who keep the sailors’ linens and uniforms clean. Radar operators play an important role in a naval force’s safety and security, and the navy sailor is in charge of all radar operations. A navy sailor is in charge of safely landing and launching aircraft on aircraft carriers. During all launches and recoveries of naval aircraft on a carrier, a navy pilot is also at the controls of the rescue helicopter.
A crew of navy sailors also operates and maintains nuclear reactors aboard navy ships. The members of a television and theater crew are in charge of providing entertainment to an off-duty ship’s crew. Several jobs are filled by navy personnel at naval land bases. A navy sailor maintains land-based vehicles such as trucks, automobiles, and other wheeled and tracked vehicles. Members of the navy run machine shops and welding shops, and while working in a land-based repair shop, these sailors may be called to sea duty aboard a ship.
Many jobs on the naval land base can be filled by civilians; however, once at sea, all jobs must typically be filled by naval personnel. Because the navy has long been the recipient of some of the most advanced military technology, it is the responsibility of a navy sailor to be educated in the most up-to-date technological methods and operational procedures. The sailor is in charge of computer-assisted missile launching controls, as well as tracking, targeting, and guidance system analysis. Navy pilots are often in charge of some of the first combat missions of any military personnel, so they must be trained to interpret mission-related data reliably and accurately.