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How does striking for a rate work when you ship undesignated?
TL;DR — Quick Answer
Undesignated (PACT) sailors ship to the fleet without a guaranteed rating and must "strike" for one after arriving at their first command. The process typically takes 12-18 months minimum, requires command approval and open quotas, and carries real risks: limited choices, delayed advancement, and years of general deck or admin work. Choosing a rate at MEPS or waiting for the one you want is almost always the better path.
What does "undesignated" actually mean?
An undesignated sailor, officially called a PACT (Professional Apprenticeship Career Track) sailor, enlists without a guaranteed A-School or rating. You ship to boot camp as an SN (Seaman), FN (Fireman), or AN (Airman) and get assigned to a ship or squadron to work in a general labor role. You are not trained in a specialty. You scrape paint, stand watch, sweep decks, chip rust, and do whatever manual tasks your division needs. You are essentially an extra pair of hands while you wait for the chance to "strike" — request conversion into an actual rating with a guaranteed A-School seat. The PACT program was designed to expose sailors to shipboard life before choosing a career path, but most people end up in it because the rate they wanted was not available at MEPS.
The three PACT designators: SN, FN, AN
Your PACT track determines what department you work in and which ratings you can strike for. SN (Seaman) works topside — deck division, navigation, and seamanship. SN can strike for surface ratings like BM, QM, OS, GM, and others. FN (Fireman) works in engineering — the engine room, aux machinery, and hull maintenance. FN can strike for engineering rates like MM, EN, EM, HT, DC, and GSM. AN (Airman) works on the flight deck or in aviation maintenance. AN can strike for aviation ratings like AD, AM, AE, AT, AO, and ABE. Your designator limits your striking options, so which PACT track you enter at MEPS matters more than most people realize.
The striking timeline: how long does it take?
Most PACT sailors cannot strike for a rate until they have been at their first command for at least 12 months. The official minimum time onboard before submitting a strike request varies by instruction but is generally 12 months for E-3 and below. Realistically, the full process takes 12-24 months from the day you arrive at your first command. Here is the rough breakdown: months 1-6 are spent qualifying on your ship (damage control, watchstations, basic seamanship), months 6-12 you start exploring ratings and talking to your command career counselor, and months 12-18 you submit a strike package if quotas are open. Some sailors strike within a year. Many take 18-24 months. Some never get the rate they want and either extend, reenlist for a different rate, or separate.
How many "looks" do you get?
There is no hard limit on the number of times you can submit a strike request, but each attempt depends on open quotas, your command's willingness to release you, and your ASVAB line scores qualifying you for the rate. In practice, most PACT sailors get 2-3 realistic windows to strike before their first enlistment is up. The Navy releases a PACT conversion quota list roughly every quarter. If your desired rate has zero quotas that cycle, you wait another quarter. If your rate has quotas but your command will not release you because they are undermanned, you wait again. Each "look" is not guaranteed — it depends on timing, availability, and your chain of command. Check what ASVAB scores you need for your target rate so you are ready when a window opens.
The strike package: what you need
To strike for a rate, you submit a formal request package through your chain of command. This typically includes: your ASVAB scores proving you meet the line score requirements, an evaluation showing acceptable performance, your command career counselor's recommendation, a letter from the department head or division officer of the rating you want to join, your CO's endorsement, and proof you have met the time-on-station requirements. Some commands also require you to complete specific PQS (Personnel Qualification Standards) for the rating you want to strike. The package goes to the rating's community manager via your career counselor. If quotas are open and your package is approved, you receive orders to A-School. The process is not instantaneous — expect 30-90 days from submission to approval.
Common pitfalls PACT sailors fall into
The biggest pitfalls are: (1) Assuming you will strike quickly — many sailors expect to pick their rate within months and are shocked when it takes 18+ months of deck work. (2) Not maintaining ASVAB eligibility — if your line scores are borderline, you may not qualify for the rates available when quotas open. Some sailors retake the ASVAB after boot camp, but this is an extra hurdle. (3) Getting stuck as "too useful" — if you are a hard worker, your division may resist losing you. Your chief may delay your strike paperwork because they need bodies. (4) Choosing a rate you do not actually want out of desperation — after a year of hard labor, some sailors grab the first available rate just to escape undes life. This leads to years in a career field you never wanted. (5) Not tracking quota cycles — the PACT conversion list updates regularly. If you are not watching it and preparing your package in advance, you miss windows. (6) Ignoring advancement data — some rates are easy to strike into because nobody wants them and advancement is slow. Research the rate before you commit.
The most common regrets
The number one regret PACT sailors report is not waiting at MEPS for the rate they wanted. Many sailors were told by their recruiter to "just ship undes and pick your rate in the fleet — it is easy." It is not easy. The second most common regret is taking the wrong rate out of desperation. After 12-18 months of undes labor, the temptation to grab any available rate is strong. Sailors who strike into rates like CS or BM just to escape the deck may spend four more years unhappy. The third regret is not researching the fleet experience beforehand. Undes life is physically demanding, monotonous, and can feel purposeless. Sailors who go in expecting a structured career path are demoralized when reality hits. If a rate matters to you, use the quiz to confirm it is a good match before you commit at the counselor's desk or in the fleet.
Striking vs. choosing a rate at MEPS: key differences
When you choose a rate at MEPS, you sign a contract guaranteeing your A-School seat. You ship to boot camp, go directly to A-School, graduate with your rating, and report to your first command as a trained specialist. Total time from enlistment to arriving at your first duty station with a rate: roughly 3-9 months depending on A-School length. When you ship undes, you go to boot camp and then straight to the fleet with no A-School. You work general labor for 12+ months. Then you apply to strike. If approved, you leave for A-School. Then you return to the fleet — or get new orders — as a designated sailor. Total time from enlistment to having a rate: roughly 18-30 months. That is a year or more of extra time doing work that does not build your career. The gap is significant for advancement, pay, and civilian career preparation.
The cross-rate alternative: enlisting with one rate, switching later
A third strategy sailors consider is picking a rate at MEPS that is available — even if it is not their first choice — and then requesting a cross-rate (conversion) to their preferred rate later. This has real advantages: you go to A-School immediately, earn a rating, advance on a normal timeline, and build actual job skills. The cross-rate process requires your rate's community manager to release you and the new rate's community manager to accept you. Quotas, manning levels, and your performance record all matter. The downside is that cross-rating is not guaranteed either. Some rates are "locked" because they are undermanned and will not release sailors. Others are overmanned and not accepting conversions. But you are in a far stronger position than an undes sailor: you have a rating, advancement potential, and A-School training. Compare rate-specific manning and advancement data on the advancement page.
Pros and cons of each path
Choosing a rate at MEPS — Pros: guaranteed A-School, faster advancement, shorter path to a career, higher morale. Cons: the rate you want may not be available at your MEPS visit; you may need to wait for a future ship date or accept a different rate. Shipping undesignated (PACT) — Pros: you ship sooner, you get fleet exposure before committing to a career, you might discover a rate you never considered. Cons: 12-24 months of manual labor, no guarantee you will get the rate you want, delayed advancement, risk of settling for a bad fit, lower morale and higher attrition. Cross-rating after choosing a different rate — Pros: you have a rating and career from day one, you build skills and advance while pursuing a conversion, you have stronger leverage in the cross-rate process. Cons: cross-rating is not guaranteed, your current rate may not release you, and you spend time training in a field you plan to leave.
Best strategy if the counselor does not offer your rate
If you are sitting at the job counselor's desk at MEPS and your dream rate is not available, here is the best strategy in order of preference: (1) Ask when the next slots open. Rates refresh regularly. Your recruiter can request a later ship date when your rate has availability. Waiting 2-3 months for the right rate is vastly better than 18 months of undes labor. (2) Pick a closely related rate in the same community. If you want IT but it is not available, consider CTN, ET, or IS. You will be in a related field and can cross-rate later from a position of strength. Use the rate comparison tool to find similar rates. (3) Check if a bonus rate aligns with your interests. The Navy pushes bonuses for undermanned ratings, and some of these are excellent career fields that you might have overlooked. (4) Only ship undes as an absolute last resort — and only if you have fully accepted that you may spend 1-2 years chipping paint before you even begin your career. Never ship undes because a recruiter pressured you. Your recruiter has shipping quotas. Your career is not their priority.
The bottom line
Striking for a rate as an undesignated sailor is possible, but it is the hardest and slowest path to a Navy career. The process depends on quota availability, command willingness, ASVAB scores, and timing — most of which are outside your control. The vast majority of career counselors, senior enlisted, and fleet veterans will tell you the same thing: if you can choose a rate at MEPS, do it. If the exact rate you want is not available, pick something close and cross-rate later. Shipping undes should be the backup plan, not the strategy. Use the rate-matching quiz and ASVAB calculator to find rates that match your goals and qualifications before you sign anything.
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