Information on a new construction SSN-778

[mhsharpshooter]

I had a few questions about the positives and negatives of a new con. I was wondering about making ews. Would it be feasible even if I am only going to be commisioned for 3 years before getting out. Basically I want to know if I need to re-enlist to make ews before getting out of the navy. Thanks in advance -MM3 Haines

[jsilvavalentin]

Being in a precom right now (carrier though, but I'm pretty sure its the same as a sub) I'm going to tell you. At the beginning it's like a glorified off crew @ prototype. Study, believe what you read w/o actually seeing it, checkouts. Later on you get into doing stuff. You'll qualify your watches in phases and after commisioning you'll be "really" qualified all those watches. As for EWS, I don't think you need to reenlist to qualify. If you qualify quick I'm pretty sure you'd be able to do EWS well before your 6 yr point. What I'm saying is, don't reenlist only to be able to qualify EWS. Reenlist because you like what you do. Good luck with everything.
MM2

[JustinHEMI05]

Now for the truth, since sub and carriers are nothing alike, even in precomm. Although some blue shirts qualify EWS on their first tour (like me) MOST do not. It really depends on your manning. If you have a bunch of second tour 1st that haven't qualified it, no MM2 or nub 1st is going to get it. Thats not even counting all the chiefs that have to qualify. So, in summary, I don't think your chances of qualifying EWS on a new boat on your first tour are good. Now, you might be some hot shit but I don't know. That could make a difference. I was hot shit AND there was no one ahead of me so I lucked out in both departments and qualified as a 2nd. Anyway, about the re-enlistment. In MY opinion... there is only ONE good reason to re-enlist and that is true love for serving the navy. Thats all I have to say about that.

Justin

[jsilvavalentin]

Well I might be wrong about sub/carrier precomm being alike. I have a couple of friends in the New Mexico, and a couple of more on other subs and from what we've shared from our experiences, it kinda seemed like the same. Again, I might have gotten the wrong impression of how things were on their boats. That being said, I'm definetly with Justin on the reenlistment issue. You really truly have to love the Navy to bear to stay in, it doesn't matter if you're on a sub or a carrier. Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide on doing.
MM2

[mhsharpshooter]

I just want ews before I get out. When I get to my boat I will ask about it. Thanks