what to take to A school/power school

[drbyyz]

Okay, so I'm leaving for boot camp in 3 days.  I already know what I'm going to need to have with me then, next to nothing.  But, I'm wondering what stuff I can have with me once I get to A school and Power school.  I tried asking my recruiter but he said it varies from school to school what you can and can't have, but didn't know what the specifics of nuke school were.

So my question is...what can I take? and what will be useful?  I'm thinking of maybe buying a laptop while I'm there, but I don't really know what else I can have or that would be useful.

So anyone thats been through recently or is still in, I'd love some feedback.

thanks

[mbrasi]

The only thing you need is your brain, but you can have anything that you could fit in a locker.  I had a stereo my roomate had a laptop.  You can have a few nice things but everything must be able to be locked up.

[Rad Sponge]

Boot

1. Your butt
2. What you are wearing
3. Your orders

A-School

At first:

1. Your sea bag
2. All your stuff in your sea bag
3. Your butt
4. Your orders

Give it a few days:

1. Get some civvies
2. Some personal effects
3. Whatever you can get, fit, and not worry about being stolen.

Give it a few weeks:

1. Now that you are grounded, I hope, add to your collection

Remember:

1. What you buy you have to move
2. Some Sailors are less than reputable even in nuclear power, but they get beaten eventually.
3. Don't go credit crazy.
4. Avoid pay day lenders
5. Avoid car dealerships within 20 miles of a military base

[Fermi2]

NEVER loan another sailor money no matter how luck his whining tale of woe is. Remember he/she makes the same exact paycheck that you do.

Mike

[Marlin]

NEVER loan another sailor money no matter how luck his whining tale of woe is. Remember he/she makes the same exact paycheck that you do.

Mike

Wow this hits home. When I was at "Great Lakes Training Command" a sailor hit every barracks (full of home sick nubs) with a sob story about needing to go home for a funeral then went AWOL with a good chunk of change from some very naive young squids (including me).

[LaFeet]

A school will only require your brain and maybe a calculator.

After that, you can expand...one thing I highly recommend is starting a savings of some kind. 

Navy Federal has an excellent IRA program...look into it.  Use the allotment system and make it automatic and painless.

[Samabby]

Do not go into debt by purchasing a new car that you will have little time to drive. Get a beater near the end of Power School. You will need wheels for Prototype.

Good luck!

[hamsamich]

or you could get a car during pretty quick.  that way you can enjoy florida!  but if you end up being a mandocommando, wheels may not be good for you.  go to an auto place with your dad or some other responsible person when you are home on leave though, don't go to a place near the base.  I'm sure all the killjoys will shoot this down but you gotta live a little! life aint all about reaching the next professional goal until you are SIXTY TWO and then you realize you will be dead soon>>>GETERDONEBUTALSOHAVESOMEFUN!

[93-383]

or you could get a car during pretty quick.  that way you can enjoy florida!  but if you end up being a mandocommando, wheels may not be good for you.  go to an auto place with your dad or some other responsible person when you are home on leave though, don't go to a place near the base.  I'm sure all the killjoys will shoot this down but you gotta live a little! life aint all about reaching the next professional goal until you are SIXTY TWO and then you realize you will be dead soon>>>GETERDONEBUTALSOHAVESOMEFUN!

I also recomend vechicals but the school is in Goose Creak SC now not florida. Personal possions are not realy all that limited. Personnly I would recomend not buying much until you get a couple of weeks into school and know if you are smart enough to have low mando hours like 5-0s of vols(volentary hours) if you are on something like 35-5s you may not want much stuff since you wont be seeing much of it.

[hamsamich]

oops, sorry that's right...well i lived in charleston also, and that place is great; you could use a car there too!  isle of palms and all kinds of other beaches, make sure you go down to savannah.

[LaFeet]

 Cars smars....   get a vehicle when you know that you are gonna make it through Nuke School.   Go to Navy Federal with 50% of the cost in ahnd and get the rest financed through them.  Set up an allotment to pay it off in 18 months or less.  DO NOT buy a lousy, used car.  Find a certified one and get the best price that you can.  NFCU will guaruntee a loan to you based on your good credit and paygrade.... take advantage of it.  And good luck

[Cycoticpenguin]

I know you guys bashed me before, but im going to say it again!

Getting a car was a good thing for me. Maybe not for everyone, but for most, having a car was good because it allowed you to get around on your own. Bumming rides is fine for about 2 months. What you guys ARENT taking into consideration is T-Track. If I didnt have a car for T-Track Id have  gone insane!!!

Lafeet - getting a loan from NFCU is NOT gaurenteed at all. Even thuogh they say our loans are 100% gaurenteed, I could not get any kind of loan from them for a long time. I got a personal loan from them to get my clutch fixed up after hassling with Fleet and Family support center for a long time. Getting a car loan allowed me to build up my credit again, and get re established I guess.

Good luck, dont bring anything but a smile  for your RDC's, and come expecting to learn!

-Graham

[LaFeet]

Lafeet - getting a loan from NFCU is NOT gaurenteed at all. Even thuogh they say our loans are 100% gaurenteed, I could not get any kind of loan from them for a long time. I got a personal loan from them to get my clutch fixed up after hassling with Fleet and Family support center for a long time. Getting a car loan allowed me to build up my credit again, and get re established I guess.

Did you have some sort of bad credit ??  Anyone new into the navy with little (good) or no credit history can get a signature loan based solely on their pay.   Glad you built it up... good luck in the future

[Rad Sponge]

Did you have some sort of bad credit ??  Anyone new into the navy with little (good) or no credit history can get a signature loan based solely on their pay.   Glad you built it up... good luck in the future

Okay, credit histories are subjective, so are loan officers, and all the stuff that goes into securing a loan.

Everyone is different. Bank management changes.

Be careful, involve your Certified Financial Counselor at your local command or base, and take a senior person with you to the dealership.

Jason

[LaFeet]

Okay, credit histories are subjective, so are loan officers, and all the stuff that goes into securing a loan.

Everyone is different. Bank management changes.

Be careful, involve your Certified Financial Counselor at your local command or base, and take a senior person with you to the dealership.

Jason

Good point Jason,

I did sit the credit committee while stationed in lovely Groton.  And I can recall peoples loans declined due to poor or no credit history while they had 10k in the bank....  we just secured the same amount and issued tohe loan.