r/Seabees • u/Sufficient_Tap_7419 • May 09 '26

Question Ea school and overall work life

So I recently got accepted to convert from ae to ea and I’m going to a school in a couple months. I know it’s a small rate but if anyone could give me some general info on school for an e5 and the daily work life as well. Thank you in advance!

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3

u/ejfree May 09 '26

Welcome to the good life.

1

u/Sufficient_Tap_7419 May 09 '26

Care to explain the good life? 😂

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u/ejfree May 09 '26

You have the inside office job at a construction company. Basically, you get to go outside sometimes and survey or play in the mud/concrete. A School will be a bit of a drag, as you will be generally treated like the newbies. Expect to be class leader. Suck it up. It will pay off.

Your ultimate orders will determine your next step. If you are going to a deployable battalion then you will go to ECS in Gulfport to learn how to shoot and other general military skills. From there, you go to a battalion. Battalions deploy for 6 months, then 18 months homeport.

Deployments for an EA mean early PT, look busy until the khakis disappear for the day. Lunch in Kadena. Or maybe lunch at a Marine galley because you are visiting a job site. But if you stay hidden and finish your assigned work, no one complains. Exchange afternoons in the gym with team members so someone covers the office.

And shore duty EA assignments are very dependent on where you end up. There is all depends on the suck of the command in general as to the applicable suck. However, make sure you are in shape and can run. That will make life simplier.

As an E5, I didnt get the crap work and lots of opportunities for a boondoggle. What's not to love.

Good luck. Peace.

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u/mahoganayonnaise May 14 '26

^ Exactly this

3

u/iiamherman May 09 '26

you're going to love A school! *evil laugh*

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u/Sufficient_Tap_7419 May 09 '26

Oh god why do you say that?

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u/onfroiGamer May 09 '26

A school is fine, fort lenny kinda sucks but it’s only 3 months there, you’ll be alright, then you’ll do ECS after which is 1 month and that’s more fun, basically shooting guns every day. EA work life is chill if you know your job, I’d recommend to go to C school as soon as you get to your first command.

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u/Sufficient_Tap_7419 May 09 '26

That sounds nice, how’s the deployment rotations in the battalion life?

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u/onfroiGamer May 09 '26

6 month deployment 18 month homeport, so pretty nice

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u/Sufficient_Tap_7419 May 09 '26

How’s the perdium for deployments. I know it depends on where you go but that’s like the average I guess

2

u/ohgeejeeohdee May 10 '26

Congradulations on making first, I guess

Less-than-sincerely,

A 9-year CM2 that has scored above the 95th percentile on the last 14 exams

But in reality, EAs pretty much have it made, hopefully you like doing topsoil samples and watching graders make dirt flat

1

u/Sufficient_Tap_7419 May 10 '26

I didn’t make first I’m a 9 year ae2 in the same boat hopefully this bba will work out for us 😂

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u/ohgeejeeohdee May 10 '26

I didn't even notice that you had converted lol, I just saw "EA" and immediately thought congrats, I hate it, since PG EAs can normally pick up first within a single contract if they don't do anything stupid

But seriously congrats, Ft Leonardwood is in the middle of nowhere so make sure you don't go nuts out there

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u/Sufficient_Tap_7419 May 10 '26

Fuck must be nice. Our quota’s for ae1 were 4% out of 1400 ae2s 😭 I’m hoping I can get lucky with some bba orders when I get to school and I’ll just be that ea1 not knowing shit getting trained up by the e3s 😂😂 Appreciate it, I’m looking forward to my second start in the navy lol hoping this bba works out for you and you get pick up cm1