Is Navy Nuke a good idea?

[Miss Robin P]

I'm currently in DEP to become a Navy Nuke. Right now my I'm scheduled to ship out to bootcamp in early Sept. but lately I've been hearing descriptions about the NUC program that differ from what I first understood about the program and it makes me question whether it is really for me or not.

I really just need more information, real information about

• what the program is really about.
• what are the daily tasks?
• is it really that difficult to get in?

These are all things I really need to know.

[hamsamich]

It would be easier if you post why and what the differences are between what you thought it was supposed to be like and what you are hearing it is like.  The Nuc Navy was crazy but I'd do it over in a heartbeat considering my situation at age 18.   Post our issues and see if people agree or disagreee.

[Marlin]

BZ?

[shovelheadred]

..MissRobinP..a big percentage of the contributors to this website are ex-Navy Nukes...so you shot a question that will get many replys..with varied answers...to answer your questions

1. the program is about taking you off the street, knowing zero about Nclear power and training you...so you will b e knowledgeable, not just about the Nuclear portion of the plant, but what ever job you decide to do to be a specialist in that area and a novice at the others
2. SCHOOL, Training....study for the first 18 months
3. Difficulty depends on how well you adapt to the Navy style of teaching...if you adapt well, and can be trained, they will train you


...its all worth it...after the training, the fleet and the BS....you will have more than enough training, skills and confidence to apply for work in more than the Nuclear field.....

...this is just my opinion, and we all know what that is........red

[Roll Tide]

BZ?

I don't think he will be responding for a few days. His "Post-Licensing Exam Party" has morphed into a "Paused Licensing Exam Party".

[93-383]

the job of a Navy nuke is realy no different than the job of boiler techs in the past the only thing that changed is where we get the steam. Have you ever sceen Titanic the sceen with the guys shoveling coal into a boiler thats what the job feels like most of the time (note: we do not litteraly shovel coal) daily tasks maintenance(some helps break the boardom) watch(lots standing in a hot 110F engine room for 5hrs writing temps and press down on a clipboard substitiue voltage and switch possitions for ET an EM) and of course cleaning this is your primary job you are realy joining to become an over paid janitor expect to spend most of your time painting chipping removing rust and vertegries(the green stuff on copper)

Now I know this sounds like a sh!#y life and some times it is nuke power is hard the five years I spent on a CVN contained some of the worst and best days of my life. This is a life of extreams some days you think the place is hell and then other days you are sitting on a beach in _______ sipping cheap drinks. I have seen places in the world I never would have without the navy. Nuke power will offer you a great oportunity both for advancment and pay in the navy as well as your future in the civilian world, but that oportunity comes at a price I think the first lesson I learned as a nuke is nothing in life is free the navy dosen't give us thoes huge bonuses for nothing.

[Fermi2]

I'm currently in DEP to become a Navy Nuke. Right now my I'm scheduled to ship out to bootcamp in early Sept. but lately I've been hearing descriptions about the NUC program that differ from what I first understood about the program and it makes me question whether it is really for me or not.

I really just need more information, real information about

• what the program is really about.
• what are the daily tasks?

• is it really that difficult to get in?

These are all things I really need to know.

If you can't figure out the Search function here will provide many of these answers OR if you can find the time to search through posts that might have your answers MAYBE you should consider changing your rate to Mess Specialist. Grrrrrrrrrrr

[93-383]

If you can't figure out the Search function here will provide many of these answers OR if you can find the time to search through posts that might have your answers MAYBE you should consider changing your rate to Mess Specialist. Grrrrrrrrrrr

Just for note the MS's are now CS's culinary specialist

[Fermi2]

LOL NO way!!! I hear there are no Radiomen or Torpedomen or whatever they used to be called.

By the way if anyone has a Principles Of Naval Engineering book I'd love to take it off your hands!

Mike

[Charles U Farley]

LOL NO way!!! I hear there are no Radiomen or Torpedomen or whatever they used to be called.

By the way if anyone has a Principles Of Naval Engineering book I'd love to take it off your hands!

Mike

If its what I think you want, I've got it.  It's a 6 MB PDF file.

Dave

[HydroDave63]

If its what I think you want, I've got it.  It's a 6 MB PDF file.

Dave

just in case you need to win a bar bet on the true definition of "QAWTES" or " athwartships p-way"...

AAArrrrrrr matey! 

[Fermi2]

If its what I think you want, I've got it.  It's a 6 MB PDF file.

Dave

Davy my email is Fermi2@msn.com, could you pretty please email it to me??

My hobby is researching Naval Ship designs from years gone by. I like to verify the stability calculations and PONE has the BEST chapters on Stability that I've ever read. My wife threw my first one away, the Second one got lost in my move to Tennessee and I'm NOT about to pay 100 dollars on Amazon.

I of course will do my best to honor any request you make.

Mike

[Marlin]

If you can't figure out the Search function here will provide many of these answers OR if you can find the time to search through posts that might have your answers MAYBE you should consider changing your rate to Mess Specialist. Grrrrrrrrrrr

Much better I was becoming disenchanted by the silence.

[Sirveri]

LOL NO way!!! I hear there are no Radiomen or Torpedomen or whatever they used to be called.

By the way if anyone has a Principles Of Naval Engineering book I'd love to take it off your hands!

Mike

This is true, Radiomen were merged with ET (sort of makes sense), on our sub all the nav people are also ET. I'm not 100% sure if they still have QM since I don't hang around many skimmers. And torpedomen are now.. MM's. I'm waiting for STS and FT to merge into ET, I mean, why not, right? Put EM and ET together as well, why not. Soon it will just be MM, ET, EOD, SEAL, AB, and some Constructionman type rate.

I'll actually answer the OP though, because I think just using the search function stiffles discussion and makes for a dead board that nobody visits.

You spend most of the time cleaning. But that's because it's the Navy, every rate is like that.
You work a lot of hours and it sucks because half of it is spent cleaning.
But I'd do it again, I loved power school and A school. I really enjoy the classroom environments. When I got to the part where I actually had to talk to other people is where it all broke down for me. I knew way more than I needed to know, but I didn't want to actually talk to anyone to actually get the signature (I really hate quals, most people do). Basically there is a lot of stupid BS that surrounds some occasional fun stuff. For ratings:
ET, they are the only people who can stand RO, they also have the biggest re-enlistment bonus (more later)
EM, six months of school like ET (make 3rd get more $ after A school) but the worst re-up bonus and working around all those EM fields tends to make almost every EM I've met who has any major time in just a little bit 'off'.
MM, I am so I'm biased, but yeah. ET and EM primarily spend their time (once qualified a senior watchstation) sitting at a panel and watching a screen. only the most junior watchstations can really walk around. MM however have a much wider space to roam about and you don't have an officer sitting behind you staring at you at all times. Also they can't keep mechanics in the Navy, they're losing tons of people at the 6, 8, 10, 12 year points. This means that MM re-up bonuses are skyrocketing. Also, only three months of A school, so you make 3rd faster, so you get paid more. And finally they are the only people who can go ELT, don't worry about that until prototype though (you'll actually see what they do there and won't be able to put in for it until then).

The program is all about nuclear power, and operating safely. Daily tasks involve, cleaning, paperwork, cleaning, taking logs, cleaning, adjusting the 700# air reducer because it's a piece of garbage that needs to get replaced, cleaning, studying, cleaning, and then field day (more cleaning). Occassionally you'll do maintenance (most of that time is spent doing paperwork). But for the most part you just walk around and write down numbers and make sure you're not on the verge of breaking the plant. When a major evolution happens a supervisor will basically stand behind you and say do this, and you'll do it, and if you don't know where the valve is because you didn't prep for the evolution at all he'll point it out to you (or yell at you depending on what type of supervisor they are). And getting in is not hard. If you've gone to MEPS and are officially in DEP with a ship date and everything then you are going to go nuke. Congrats you're in. Just don't do stupid shit (DUI, pissing on the side of buildings, wild sex party with pictures put in finadable spaces, drugs, spouse abuse, sex with another mans wife, sex with staff, etc etc etc...) and get good grades and you'll do just fine.

[hamsamich]

I agree with you serveri about answering posts, I just wish she would have asked the question a little more specifically.

[LaFeet]

By the way if anyone has a Principles Of Naval Engineering book I'd love to take it off your hands!

Mike

Mikey  I may have a copy or two back home,  will do a look see when I return to Okieland

[Fermi2]

Thank you my man.

Mike

[s1wlightning@msn.com]

Serveri is right for the most part, but it sounds like he is from a sub vice a carrier.  since you are a female you have only one option... that's right a carrier.  I served four years on the John C. Stennis and absolutely hated my job, not nuclear power just the navy part of my job. You will do a lot of cleaning, and by a lot I mean a metric butt ton of cleaning.  I wouldn't trade any of that though for anything else I could have done because I am set up for when I get out in six months as far as a career, a very good paying career at that.  To me the best part about being a nuke though is learning, I always hated to study and do class work but the best time I had in the navy was 'A' school and power school.  It was just a cool enviroment to be in.  The studying does get to be taxing, but when all is said and done the knowledge you gain far out weighs the time spent.  You may have heard about the attrition rate being really high such as 90% which is what I heard going through boot camp.  When I got to 'A' school indoc they did the whole look left, look right thing, chances are tehy wont be here at the end.  None of that is true, attrition is maybe about 10-15%, which is considerably lower then it used to be.  Why you ask?  Well, the whole structure of Power school as been redone and you will here it reffered to as a pump vice a check valve.  You'll understand more later.  I would say go for it, don't re-enlist, 60,000 is not worth it, and get the most out of your job while your in.  Take every experience and job you possibly can to better yourself. 

[LaFeet]

Robin  good luck with your choice... I enjoyed my time in (for the most part).  And the NNPP can be a challenge.... take it and use it on down the road.

Marssim... you too funny... besides, if she goes in, you got at least 6 years to convince someone you are indispensable

[Fermi2]

Every time I've ever convinced someone I was indispensable I've turned right around and refuted that new found fact within a week

Mike

[LaFeet]

Every time I've ever convinced someone I was indispensable I've turned right around and refuted that new found fact within a week

Mike

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHHAAAAA

Ow  my ribsa hurtin....  I owe you a beer