Contemplating the nuclear program..

[edisons_acolyte]

I'm interested in the enlisted side of the Navy's nuclear program, having grown tired of the lower-level IT world, but I have a few career-related questions I'd like to put to rest.  Thanks in advance for your consideration; I know everyone here is a 'volunteer', and posts at his/her leisure.

I'm familiar with the fundamentals of the three nuke rates, and all sound compelling in unique ways. How extensive is the cross-training between them? Selfish though it may be, I'd like to maximize the amount of schooling/training I receive through the Navy, given that I'll be signing over six years of my life to them.  EM/ET seem more comprehensive in that regard; their A-schools are longer (even if everyone ends up attending p-school and prototype in the end), and the rate descriptions make them sound more "technical". While I'm on the subject of formal instruction, what "follow-on" schools are available for the three rates?  I've heard about ELT and welder schools for MMs, but EM and ET follow-ons remain a mystery.  How hard is it to get selected for these schools; will I have to extend my enlistment to score one, or wait until one of my (future) ship's specialty billets opens up, or both?  Is it possible to attend multiple C schools?  Do nukes ever get dive billets on submarines?  Regs seem to be against that, but I keep hearing captivating rumors..

If I go surface, and eventually end up an instructor at the New York prototype, my educational horizons appear considerably broader, with both RPI and the New School accomodating nukes (both great schools, from what I gather).  That's a heck of a lot of ducks to get lined up, however, and submarines seem awfully interesting. What outside schooling is available for SPUs at the other prototypes (particularly the sub sites)? 

How applicable is your training to the civilian world?  It seems that many nukes choose to get involved in civilian nuclear ops upon seperation, but what about other occupations?  Ever hear about any former nukes who became trade electricians?

Finally, which of the three rates do you consider "the coolest", or the most interesting?  I realize this is an incredibly subjective question, but the answers should prove revealing.

Also, if you've got the patience to keep going, I've got a few genuinely 'absurd' questions.  I'm not very serious about them, just curious...

1) Has anyone here ever been assigned to NR-1?  Did you like it?  How difficult is it to pull this duty?
2) Any Special Projects people?  Did you like it?  How difficult is this to achieve?
3) Do some nukes really make chief in 7 years?  STAR folks only, or normal people as well?

Once again, thanks for your time.  I know some of these questions seem awfully self-centered, but I'm really not that way as a rule; as previously established, I'm just trying to get a few nagging career issues out of the way, before I make any decisions. The ultimate goal and purpose of the program is to serve the interests of the United States, and I'm ever mindful of that.  Oh, and MMs...please don't take my earlier comments personally...I wasn't suggesting that you're underqualified compared to the other two rates, it's just that the formal training for the other two is a bit longer. 

[Fermi2]

1) Has anyone here ever been assigned to NR-1?  Did you like it?  How difficult is it to pull this duty?
2) Any Special Projects people?  Did you like it?  How difficult is this to achieve?


NR1 is a part of Special Projects. I was a Projects Sailor. You have to be recommended and you have to pass a security check which is FAR above what most squids get for a Top Secret Security Clearance. You aren't even allowed to mention what your security clearances are. You'll get about a 3 to 4 hour long interrogation from the FBI and DIS. They'll ask you the names of 10 people who can give you a reference. If you can't give 10 you're out of luck. They'll investigate you and those 10 people. They'll interview them and ask them for 5 people who know you for a total of 50 more people. They'll interview all those people about you too. I got a call from a guy I hadn't seen since 5th grade wanting to know what I did to have the DIS and FBI asking questions about me. Keep in mind Projects will NOT give you any further qualifications for the Big Leagues. Also it won't help you for advancement as virtually every reward or medal you receive for projects will not ever make it to your service jacket. That is except for regular Navy type rewards. If you have any problems when you were a civilian then you most likely will not get projects. Also you have to have straight 4.0 Evals in the Navy to be considered. The duty is great. You'll never go to sea unexpectedly and ORSE is a joke in projects. Your CO determines when you come back from your sea time. Usually you'll go to sea 4 times a year. For one week, Two weeks, two weeks and for your ++++++. You'll never go to a foreign port and when you get back if there's a foreign vessel in your home port you'll just turn circles underwater till they leave. Usually your boat will be in the Shipyard for most of the summer. Don't think you'll become some sort of master nuke in projects. Outside of PMs and Emergency work you'll never repair anything. The shipyard will replace it. During my time in projects I never repacked a valve, I never aligned a pump, I never rebuilt a seal. I did clean a strainer once and the Lube Oil Purifier once. The Electrical types had the same deal. We'd make a list of stuff for the Shipyard to fix and they'd take care of it. Usually once in Projects you'll never have to leave it if you don't want. We had guys who had lived in Vallejo for YEARS, one guy had been in projects for 19 years when he was on my boat. As for NR1, the only 2 guys I knew from NR1 were so squeaky clean it wasn't funny. They looked like recruiting posters.

No ET/EM does not give you any additional training thats worth anything. In other words they are not trained to a higher level than an MM.

I was a chief selectee at 6 years. I reenlisted STAR after I made 2nd Class. I made 2nd Class immediately after Nuke School the first time I took the test. I'd been in the Navy 1 year 3 months. I made 1st on my first exam about 2 or so years later. I was a Chief selectee but got injured and had to get out of the Navy. It all depends on a few things

1: Keep your nose clean
2: Get good evals and as a student the only way you'll get the evals you need is to stay in the top 5% of your class.
3: Luck, how many of the various ratings and rates do they need. I had a VERY lucky Naval Career in that everytime I was due for promotion the needs of the Navy lined up correctly. On the other hand I put myself into a position where given the needs of the Navy were lined up correctly they had no choice but to promote me.

Plenty of Ex Navy Nukes become Trade Electricians. It doesn't matter the rate. One of the BEST MMs I knew in the Navy was also the best Electronics guy I ever knew too.

Hope this helps. I really cannot speak in any detail about Projects but I can and will answer questions to the best of my ability provided it doesn't steer anywhere near close to being classified or potentially classified or maybe potentially classified or probably almost potentially classified.... You get the picture.

Mike

[Fermi2]

I answered your private message my man.

Mike

[ranger2]

I knew more nuke divers than non-nuke.

I've known a few sailors who made chief that quickly, but there was a reason...they were the best and brightest I have worked with.

Regarding projects and NR-1, there are only so many slots available, so in addition to BZ's comments, the planets have to align perfectly with your rotation.