Is my future as a 'Navy Nuke' realistic?

[gman82]

Hi, I'm Steve

I wanted to get some feedback on my situation and my future as a 'Navy Nuke'

Brief Bio:

I'm 25, I'm married and havin' my first child in mar 08'. I've got an Associates in Computers and Electronics, with work experience in mechanical & electrical construction, electronics, and sales & service. I've hit sort of a dead end in the civilian world and I'm looking forward to a career in the 'Navy Nuke' program for the following reasons:

1. Basic stability for my family.

2. Full coverage medical for my family and I.

3. An expanded education paid for by Uncle Sam.

4. Housing and other allowances (untaxed, gotta love it!).

5. Advanced pay grade with rapid advancement (compared to other rates).

6. The pride of serving my country and being a part of history.

7. The opportunity for travel and great life experiences.

8. The LRP program which will pay off my 45+ G's of student loans (in lieu of a bonus)

and one of the following...

9. A chance to become an officer and maybe retire with the Navy at 45!

or...

10. Valuable skills and experience to obtain a great civilian job when my duty is up.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I never considered the Nuke program until I talked to recruiters recently. I did well on my practice test and they recommended it, after some thought it made sense for me and what I wanted as a career (I've always leaned toward computers and electronics, high tech in general). I scored a 90 on the ASVAB and my scores let me bypass the Nuke test so here I am. I ship out in June and my wife and I are ready to go wherever the Navy sends us. We want to rent a place near my school/base whenever possible and raise our little Navy brat. After some research I'm planning to list my preferences in this order; ET, EM, and MM (with hopes of being accepted as an ELT). I think I'd prefer work on a carrier but I understand "the needs of the Navy" prevail, so I'm willing to make the best of what I'm given. With all that said I still have my doubts and worries and I wanted some feedback.

1. I know that being a nuke is demanding and I'm worried that I'll have little time to be a father and husband (at least a good one)

2. I'm worried about long periods underway (more than the standard 6 months) and long work hours in port, especially while I'm a nub trying to get all my quals signed off (which could be much worse I think if I'm assigned to a sub).

3. I'm worried about what crappy rate I could get if I'm de-nuked, or even not liking my Nuke job and being stuck there without other options in the Navy, or even getting the big boot in general.

4. If my pay and allowance's will provide for my family, not lavishly but comfortably.

5. If becoming an officer down the line is even possible, I've heard its not as easy as they make it seem.

6. Or if maybe a different rate like AEF-AECF would be less consuming and a better choice for me.

7. Mainly I'm worried that life as a Nuke will consume me so much that I'm forced to neglect my wife and son. I'm afraid that my wife wont be able to handle an absent husband and either cheat or leave me, and/or my son will grow up without really having his father there and resent me. I didn't have a father cuz of drugs and alcohol but I know that an absent father is an absent father regardless of why he's gone (thats my worst fear). And no matter how strong a relationship, women have needs and anything could happen.

So...

Thanks for reading all this if you did and thank you even more if you have some feedback for me, the more I learn about the unsung hero's that are the 'Navy Nukes', the more I respect you guys and gals and hope that one day I can share in your pride and accomplishments.

Sincerely,
Steve 

[JustinHEMI05]

Hi, I'm Steve

I wanted to get some feedback on my situation and my future as a 'Navy Nuke'

Brief Bio:

I'm 25, I'm married and havin' my first child in mar 08'. I've got an Associates in Computers and Electronics, with work experience in mechanical & electrical construction, electronics, and sales & service. I've hit sort of a dead end in the civilian world and I'm looking forward to a career in the 'Navy Nuke' program for the following reasons:

1. Basic stability for my family.

2. Full coverage medical for my family and I.

3. An expanded education paid for by Uncle Sam.

4. Housing and other allowances (untaxed, gotta love it!).

5. Advanced pay grade with rapid advancement (compared to other rates).

6. The pride of serving my country and being a part of history.

7. The opportunity for travel and great life experiences.

8. The LRP program which will pay off my 45+ G's of student loans (in lieu of a bonus)

and one of the following...

9. A chance to become an officer and maybe retire with the Navy at 45!

or...

10. Valuable skills and experience to obtain a great civilian job when my duty is up.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I never considered the Nuke program until I talked to recruiters recently. I did well on my practice test and they recommended it, after some thought it made sense for me and what I wanted as a career (I've always leaned toward computers and electronics, high tech in general). I scored a 90 on the ASVAB and my scores let me bypass the Nuke test so here I am. I ship out in June and my wife and I are ready to go wherever the Navy sends us. We want to rent a place near my school/base whenever possible and raise our little Navy brat. After some research I'm planning to list my preferences in this order; ET, EM, and MM (with hopes of being accepted as an ELT). I think I'd prefer work on a carrier but I understand "the needs of the Navy" prevail, so I'm willing to make the best of what I'm given. With all that said I still have my doubts and worries and I wanted some feedback.

1. I know that being a nuke is demanding and I'm worried that I'll have little time to be a father and husband (at least a good one)

2. I'm worried about long periods underway (more than the standard 6 months) and long work hours in port, especially while I'm a nub trying to get all my quals signed off (which could be much worse I think if I'm assigned to a sub).

3. I'm worried about what crappy rate I could get if I'm de-nuked, or even not liking my Nuke job and being stuck there without other options in the Navy, or even getting the big boot in general.

4. If my pay and allowance's will provide for my family, not lavishly but comfortably.

5. If becoming an officer down the line is even possible, I've heard its not as easy as they make it seem.

6. Or if maybe a different rate like AEF-AECF would be less consuming and a better choice for me.

7. Mainly I'm worried that life as a Nuke will consume me so much that I'm forced to neglect my wife and son. I'm afraid that my wife wont be able to handle an absent husband and either cheat or leave me, and/or my son will grow up without really having his father there and resent me. I didn't have a father cuz of drugs and alcohol but I know that an absent father is an absent father regardless of why he's gone (thats my worst fear). And no matter how strong a relationship, women have needs and anything could happen.

So...

Thanks for reading all this if you did and thank you even more if you have some feedback for me, the more I learn about the unsung hero's that are the 'Navy Nukes', the more I respect you guys and gals and hope that one day I can share in your pride and accomplishments.

Sincerely,
Steve 

Steve,

Here is my take on your points/questions.

1. Basic stability = yes. Don't expect to live high on the hog. Also, I don't consider months at sea as stability, but you really don't have a choice in that if you are going Navy.

2. Yes you get covered, but be careful with it. It isn't the best coverage in the world.

3. Good luck finding time to do that. In my 9 years, I can count on both hand the number of people I know personally that were able to complete a "real" degree... not Thomas Edison or something else like it.

4. Its not the best housing but when you are living basically, who cares? Its a roof with appliances.

5. Sure, it is what it is.

6. Hoo Rah.

7. Good luck with that part. My experience in the traveling part is working until 1700 everyday in every port on both med cruises due to a douche bag Master Chief who didn't make Master Chief by taking a day off, and so we weren't going to get any days off. No worries though, Europe was nice in the dark. Hopefully, yours will be better.

8. 45Gs and only an associates? Ouch.

9. Retire... from the Navy... ROTFLMAO... that is one of the funniest things I have read in a while. Yes retire, just so you can start out at the bottom somewhere else when you realize "retirement" isn't even above the poverty level.

10. This is clearly your best option. There are 25 year old "6 and outters" clearing 100K a year. You tell me which is better?

Nuke is by far your best option for a successful and fruitful future for your family. It will be tough for a few years, especially if your wife isn't working, but it will be worth it in the end when you are working at a commercial power plant. You and your wife need to be strong though. The money will be tight, you will be gone for long periods of time, and life will generally be a struggle. But get through it, and you will both be able to get through anything else life has to offer.

Your worries are legitimate and well founded. But again, it will take strength on both of your parts to get through the next few years. You are going to have a lot of time taken away from your family because frankly, the Navy doesn't give a s**t if you have a family. Its the whole "not issued in your sea bag" thing. But it has been done many many times and with the right attitude, you can do it to. If you are truly worried that she might cheat and/or leave you, then I submit that something isn't right already. You really need to figure that out before you raise your hand. Good luck to you!

Justin

PS I am concerned about your number 9 above. Please don't fall for the trick of someone convincing you that you can really retire at 45. Its pure lies. PURE LIES!

PSS This is one of the best, most well thought out newbie posts ever. Thank you!

[gman82]

Thanks Justin

I really appreciate ur post. Yeah 45 G's is a lot, thats bulls**t private schools for ya (the expanded education I was referring to was NPS itself, I know TA and the GI bill will have to wait). And the retirement thing I understand, its not so much that I thought of the finances, its that they tell you that you COULD retire after 20 years unlike civilians that wait for social security till they're 59 or some shit. Regarding being a Lifer, I have the silly idea of the "Glory" of one day commanding my own vessel (stop laughing, let me believe in Santa for a little while  ) and making fat O payrates. I guess the real question is if I could realistically retire at 45 and that depends on my wife working and what I do with my money. And on my wife cheating or leaving me, I'm imagining a scenario that I've read in these post's, something about 300 straight days at sea (and if I'm on a sub that's no contact at all), I think any women could be tempted alone that long raising a child. 

Were or are you in with a wife and kids? (especially pre-nub, I'm sure that 2 or 3 yrs will be the most time consuming.

[mlslstephens]

Thanks Justin

I really appreciate ur post. Yeah 45 G's is a lot, thats bulls**t private schools for ya (the expanded education I was referring to was NPS itself, I know TA and the GI bill will have to wait). And the retirement thing I understand, its not so much that I thought of the finances, its that they tell you that you COULD retire after 20 years unlike civilians that wait for social security till they're 59 or some shit. Regarding being a Lifer, I have the silly idea of the "Glory" of one day commanding my own vessel (stop laughing, let me believe in Santa for a little while  ) and making fat O payrates. I guess the real question is if I could realistically retire at 45 and that depends on my wife working and what I do with my money. And on my wife cheating or leaving me, I'm imagining a scenario that I've read in these post's, something about 300 straight days at sea (and if I'm on a sub that's no contact at all), I think any women could be tempted alone that long raising a child. 

Were or are you in with a wife and kids? (especially pre-nub, I'm sure that 2 or 3 yrs will be the most time consuming.

Steve,
I agree with Justin on just about everything.  But what he told you was 100% true for him.  My story is just abit different, but with many similarities.  If you raise your right hand today, all your troubles/concerns won't be solved tomorrow; however, there are different approaches to this whole Navy thing.  You can read my post on my views of staying Navy.  I won't rehash all that.  Just use the search by member option.  The readers digest version of me is that the Navy has been good to me and my family, but it is a personal decision everyone has to make for themselves.

PM me and I will tell you more of my family details and how my wife and I have survived 22 years in the canoe club while raising three children.

I do have to chime in just a bit about the whole retirement thing seeing as how I'm just a little more qualified to speak about that than Justin.  However, while Justin is ROTFLMAO, I'm just LOL. 
Here is what I mean.  A Navy retirement is a great annuity.  But for most people who are retiring with children at home, there is more work to be done.  The reason is that 50% of your base pay is really only about 30% of your normal active duty pay because of all the little extras.  I do have a few friends whose kids are out of the house, and they are actually retiring from the Navy.  How are they doing it?  Well, they invested through 20 + years of the Navy, they aren't paying for college tuition, and they've decided to make it on their retirement pay.  This is not my story.  I have invested for a majority of my 22 years, but I still have three kids in the nest and my love of cars is too great to actually retire.  That is why I've sent my resume to several companies represented here on this website. 

Good luck with your decision and the little one on the way.  Get some sleep now...

[JustinHEMI05]

Thanks Justin

I really appreciate ur post. Yeah 45 G's is a lot, thats bulls**t private schools for ya (the expanded education I was referring to was NPS itself, I know TA and the GI bill will have to wait). And the retirement thing I understand, its not so much that I thought of the finances, its that they tell you that you COULD retire after 20 years unlike civilians that wait for social security till they're 59 or some shit. Regarding being a Lifer, I have the silly idea of the "Glory" of one day commanding my own vessel (stop laughing, let me believe in Santa for a little while  ) and making fat O payrates. I guess the real question is if I could realistically retire at 45 and that depends on my wife working and what I do with my money. And on my wife cheating or leaving me, I'm imagining a scenario that I've read in these post's, something about 300 straight days at sea (and if I'm on a sub that's no contact at all), I think any women could be tempted alone that long raising a child. 

Were or are you in with a wife and kids? (especially pre-nub, I'm sure that 2 or 3 yrs will be the most time consuming.

You can certainly command a vessel someday. Someone has to do it! But if you think your family is going to suffer now...

Justin

[gman82]

Steve,
  The reason is that 50% of your base pay is really only about 30% of your normal active duty pay because of all the little extras. 

Thanks NaVI4 for your post, this site has been a godsend for me. The more I learn, the more I realize that recruiters as some mutated form of car salesman (and I should now having spent 4 months doing so). Even sincere ones that try to be honest still cant speak about what its like to be a Nuke.

Can you elaborate on the quote above? I've been trying to crunch the numbers on my Navy future but there are still many gray areas. In your experience, is it better to live in base housing or get the housing check. for instance, I've been told that CA allowance is around 16 to 18 hundred, and I could probably get by on maybe a thousand to 12 hundred here (rent and utilities). wouldn't that equate to pocketing about 4 to 6 hundred extra untaxed? I know it depends on the areas cost of living, but with the commissary and the exchange, I'm envisioning navy pay going a lot farther than it seems on paper.

When you started nuke school, did you have kids? or for that matter a 4 to 5 month old? I know I'll be stretched very thin, do you think I can be a good father (that my kid recognizes). I figure at worst I would get a better chance after 6 yrs (if I leave the navy) to really influence my boy from 6 yrs old on.

Thanks,
Steve

P.S. Keep the posts comin' guys, I love learn for everyone's experiences

[mlslstephens]

Thanks NaVI4 for your post, this site has been a godsend for me. The more I learn, the more I realize that recruiters as some mutated form of car salesman (and I should now having spent 4 months doing so). Even sincere ones that try to be honest still cant speak about what its like to be a Nuke.

Can you elaborate on the quote above? I've been trying to crunch the numbers on my Navy future but there are still many gray areas. In your experience, is it better to live in base housing or get the housing check. for instance, I've been told that CA allowance is around 16 to 18 hundred, and I could probably get by on maybe a thousand to 12 hundred here (rent and utilities). wouldn't that equate to pocketing about 4 to 6 hundred extra untaxed? I know it depends on the areas cost of living, but with the commissary and the exchange, I'm envisioning navy pay going a lot farther than it seems on paper.

When you started nuke school, did you have kids? or for that matter a 4 to 5 month old? I know I'll be stretched very thin, do you think I can be a good father (that my kid recognizes). I figure at worst I would get a better chance after 6 yrs (if I leave the navy) to really influence my boy from 6 yrs old on.

Thanks,
Steve

P.S. Keep the posts comin' guys, I love learn for everyone's experiences

Steve,
I appreciate your honesty and willingness to ask the questions.  Some of the answers are found if you use the search function; however, I also understand the difficulty in searching for something you don't know to search for.  I am going to break down my current active duty pay for you and then describe to you how it will change in a very short time when I transition to the retired list.

Here is what my Leave and Earnings statement looks like

Base pay......... 71% of Gross Pay
BAS (food)........2% of Gross Pay
BAH (housing)..18% of Gross Pay
Sub Pay............9% of Gross Pay

Then there are the deductions:
Federal Tax, medicare, Social Sec, and insurance is 14% of Gross Pay

( I am not going to account for TSP deductions )

The way the military comes up with your bi-monthly payment is take the Gross Pay - Deductions and divide it by two.  That comes up with a monthly payment of $xxxx which is 35% of my Gross Pay.

Now, my take home pay comes up to be approximately 50% of my base pay.  Now, when I retire, the Navy will pay me once per month 50% of my base pay (55% for me as you add 2.5% for every year past 20 up to a max of 75% at 30 years).  For sake of discussion, I will not include VA benefits and disabilities which can reduce your taxable retirement pay or even pay you more for retirement pay if you are really broke.

So the month following my retirement date, I will receive a check $xxxx which comes out to be approximately 40% of my current pay.  Now, this does not account for the annual bonus I receive which I account for when I calculate my annual salary.  If you add that, then now, I am down to my retirement take home being about 30% of what I live on right now.

What does all this mean?  Not much except that when a recruiter tells you that you can retire at 20 years with 50 % of your pay, he is technically telling you the truth, but it will be about 30 to 40 % of what you are accustomed to receiving.

This isn't a bad thing.  I am thankful for the additional check that I will receive for the rest of my life. 

Here is the rub...many will tell you that why spend 20 years in the Navy to receive a small check for the rest of your life when you can get started in the civilian world earlier and make more money.  This is a true statement.  However, I offer another side to this story.  First, I am NOT  (sorry that means I screamed in forum speak) a Navy recruiter.  I can only speak for my career.  I haven't just worked for 20 plus years to get a check for the rest of my life and then to start out 12 years behind my counter parts in the civilian world.  I have experienced many wonderful things that the Navy has allowed me to experience.  This doesn't mean you can't experience great things if you get out.  What I am saying is that my family (wife and children included) have enjoyed this experience and we have lived all over the world.  I have a daughter who is in the 7th grade and this is her 8th different school.  That may sound frightful to some, but my kids have enjoyed moving around and meeting people from all over the world.  We have friends in so many countries and that is priceless.  Not to mention all the very cool things I have been able to do in the military.  Yes, I will agree that as an officer, I have been afforded many opportunities that I did not have while cleaning motor generators.

You asked about kids and nuclear power school.  I have been through the pipeline twice, once enlisted and the other time as an O-ganger.  The first time I was single and the second time I was married and had two kids (age 4 and 2).  We had our third just after prototype while I was in SOBC.  (See the terms list that Honeycomb worked sooo hard on if you don't know what that means.)

I personally believe that the Navy has strengthened my relationship with my wife and children.  We are an extremely close knit family that relies on each other every single day.  We are strong for many reasons.  I won't go into the issues of church here, but the fact that I have been deployed for some of my girls young lives has actually strengthened our family.  You see, learning to lean on friends is a good thing, and absence does make the heart grow fonder.  We learned very early that we should not take one single day for granted because you never know when you won't see each other again.  This applies to everyone, but very real in the submarine community.

I have only lived in Navy housing twice.  Once in prototype (good deal) and the other in Monterey CA while attending NPS (great deal).  In CA, my experience was that the BAH would not cover the housing, electricity and utilities.

I hope this helps.

I feel like Beercourt. 

[Loffy Muffin]

I think some of the nuclear plants are hiring people to train.  South Texas Project was setting up training classes to meet their estimated labor demands.  See if you can bypass the Navy and go directly to commercial nuclear.  I think it's very possible if you are willing to relo...

Officer?  The Army has enlisted flight school training that will commission you as a warrant officer after completion and 15K/yr flight bonus.  I think they will send you to jump school and other cool stuff.  Not sure, its been along time since I heard the army pitch.  In two years you can be an officer guaranteed as long as you complete the training.  Do your own reseach, of course.  This a huge decision and not be be taken lightly, especial since you are married.

Lets see, fly choppers as a warrant officer (which have full officer privileges) or spend 4 plus years on a sub cleaning bilges for some sadistic lifer?  Tough call.  I think I'll take the warrant officer for 200,  Alex.

Tell your Navy Nuclear Recruiter if nukes are so special and smart, why are they not promoted to warrant officer upon graduation like the Army does for their top recruits?   

[mlslstephens]

....spend 4 plus years on a sub cleaning bilges for some sadistic lifer?   

Your true colors show.

[taterhead]

Just like everything else in life, there is good and bad to the Navy.  This is not my style, to post this personal stuff, but it needs to be mentioned in the spirit of all things considered.

I know that job security and healthcare and all that jazz sounds good to a family man, heck, I have reenlisted a couple of times in order to preserve them, but the intangibles are hard to measure, both positive and negative.

For every family that thrives, there is a family that is torn apart by long deployments and the stress that one brings home from a job that can be spirit-sapping.  My sons didn't recognize me after my last deployment.  My brother and I look similar, so for the 2 weeks I was home on Post-Deployment leave, they called me by my brother's name.  Harsh reality, and it broke my heart.

I won't tell you what to do.  I won't even make a recommendation other than to say that there are less sea-intensive rates (see below).  It took 11 years for me to see what was truly important to me, and it took things falling apart for me to get the picture.  My kids don't care about bonuses or retirement, they want their dad home.  I can give them that, along with all of the other benefits, it just takes a little more work on my part to do it without the Navy.  They are worth it to me.

Luckily, my marriage and family will survive my career.  My situation is not the rule, but it is certainly not the exception either.  Strong marriages can fail, and strong families can fall apart, despite how "together" you think things might be.

I am not anti-Navy by any stretch, but I am certainly not going to sugar coat it (not that it has been sugar coated in this thread, but as everyone says, your mileage may vary).  I will say that there are less sea-intensive rates than nuclear rates.  There are some rates that will get you all of the pay, alot of the bonuses, most of the advancement, and you will hardly spend a day at sea if you so choose.  You could look into crypto tech, maybe.

Best of luck.

[xobxdoc]

Good post!

[gman82]

Thank you guys very much for your posts, it's all a lot to consider, I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed. I feel like I'm moving towards a giant freeway interchange with a ton of ramps that all will decide the rest of my life in their own twisted way. I need to just go to bed cuz I'm overly stressed out 2nite, thanks again guys. 

[JustinHEMI05]

Thank you guys very much for your posts, it's all a lot to consider, I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed. I feel like I'm moving towards a giant freeway interchange with a ton of ramps that all will decide the rest of my life in their own twisted way. I need to just go to bed cuz I'm overly stressed out 2nite, thanks again guys. 

I just watched my first BWR startup today... I know how you feel. I wanted to poke my eyes out.

Justin

[Moonquille]

Most of the replies here are from former (and current) active duty Navy members.  I figured I'd chime in with the perspective from the other side.

I was active duty Air Force who met and married a Navy man while we were both stationed in Panama. My life as a Navy wife was not an easy one, but I had the benefit of knowing how the military worked.  He was away, A LOT.  Your wife should plan, at the very least, on considering herself to be a single mom most of the time.  Plan on being away for many of the important events.  My husband was sent to a school in the States when I was due to have a baby.  The needs of the Navy always comes first.  As an military member myself, I accepted this.  Many Navy wives can't.

Very strong marriages get strained.
Weak ones break.
If you've got a wife that relies on your input for every decision, you're going to have problems.  You're just not going to be there for many of them.

In all honesty, it's the middle of the road relationships that tend to make it.

If you value privacy, do NOT live in base housing. 
If your wife can't push a lawnmower, do not live in base housing.
If you have to have wall to wall carpet, do not live in base housing. 
Base housing is old, drab, bare bones and plain.  Especially at the lower ranks.
Plan on spending money for private schools.  Public schools near Navy housing tends to run on a ... bad side. 

The Navy isn't all bad.  But being a Navy family isn't a walk in the park, especially for a family that's already been established on the outside.  It's not going to be a walk in the park.

But, good luck.
My son lived through it, and is joining the Navy.

[JustinHEMI05]

Most of the replies here are from former (and current) active duty Navy members.  I figured I'd chime in with the perspective from the other side.

I was active duty Air Force who met and married a Navy man while we were both stationed in Panama. My life as a Navy wife was not an easy one, but I had the benefit of knowing how the military worked.  He was away, A LOT.  Your wife should plan, at the very least, on considering herself to be a single mom most of the time.  Plan on being away for many of the important events.  My husband was sent to a school in the States when I was due to have a baby.  The needs of the Navy always comes first.  As an military member myself, I accepted this.  Many Navy wives can't.

Very strong marriages get strained.
Weak ones break.
If you've got a wife that relies on your input for every decision, you're going to have problems.  You're just not going to be there for many of them.

In all honesty, it's the middle of the road relationships that tend to make it.

If you value privacy, do NOT live in base housing. 
If your wife can't push a lawnmower, do not live in base housing.
If you have to have wall to wall carpet, do not live in base housing. 
Base housing is old, drab, bare bones and plain.  Especially at the lower ranks.
Plan on spending money for private schools.  Public schools near Navy housing tends to run on a ... bad side. 

The Navy isn't all bad.  But being a Navy family isn't a walk in the park, especially for a family that's already been established on the outside.  It's not going to be a walk in the park.

But, good luck.
My son lived through it, and is joining the Navy.

Wow what an awesome post! This thread just get better and better.

Thanks! Karma for you.

Justin

[Moonquille]

Oh, and P.S. the Air Force has all those things you mentioned, except the Student Loan Pay off, have better housing, less deployments, and of all the branches, it's the most like being a civilian.

[93-383]

.

1.If you value privacy, do NOT live in base housing. 
2.If your wife can't push a lawnmower, do not live in base housing.
3.If you have to have wall to wall carpet, do not live in base housing. 
4.Base housing is old, drab, bare bones and plain.  Especially at the lower ranks.
5.Plan on spending money for private schools.  Public schools near Navy housing tends to run on a ... bad side. 

PPV has changed much of this changed
1. if you are refering to inspections they no longer exist
2. law work outside of the fence is done by PPV company laws inside the fence are small
3. some do some don't depends on region and climate
4. not true anymore all old housing is being demolished and replaced with new (technicaly this is inprogress)
5. this is still true for most bases

[Gamecock]

  Plan on being away for many of the important events.  My husband was sent to a school in the States when I was due to have a baby.  The needs of the Navy always comes first. 

The way it was told to me was that you are either home for birth or conception....but never both

[Cycoticpenguin]

The way it was told to me was that you are either home for birth or conception....but never both

oh my...

[mlslstephens]

The way it was told to me was that you are either home for birth or conception....but never both

Is this why the phone tree list calls the wives 24 hours before we come home...a heads up if you will???

[gman82]

Wow,

Thank you all for posting, I am very grateful for everyone's advice.

I think I'm at a crossroads, see technically I'm in the AEF-AECF program and I ship out in June. I wanted nuke at MEPS but they put me here until I could get an "age waiver" (wow that hurts, I guess I'm an old fart at 25! ) So here I am writing up statements about why I wanna be a nuke, and callin' up three strong references to vouch for me that I'm a good candidate. My Used Car Salesman, I mean recruiter is houndin' me to get it all together and I find myself wondering if maybe Nuke isn't for me. I'm thinkin' that maybe AEF-AECF would be less demanding, less school, and less stress on my family and I. And in terms of the money and rank, I'm already going in an E-3 (nuke or not) and I believe I'd reach E-4 after A school with AEF-AECF. What I need is more info on that program so I can make a weighted decision on this, but I haven't found much online about it (real info without glossy navy spin). Can anyone help? I mean I would love to be a nuke and someday work in private industry makin' 100k as I've heard, but my family is very important and I've already got a degree in electronics and job experience so I'm thinkin' that AEF-AECF would be a good fit for me and my family.

I would consider myself lucky if anyone here had info (or a place to find it) for me, I know this is more than just a "navy" nuke page, and I respect all types of nukes out there.

Anyways thanks again, and more importantly, thank all of you that are out there (past or present) defending our freedom in ways that 99.99% of Americans just don't understand.

Steve, aka Squirrel Master 

[93-383]

Wow,

Thank you all for posting, I am very grateful for everyone's advice.

I think I'm at a crossroads, see technically I'm in the AEF-AECF program and I ship out in June. I wanted nuke at MEPS but they put me here until I could get an "age waiver" (wow that hurts, I guess I'm an old fart at 25! ) So here I am writing up statements about why I wanna be a nuke, and callin' up three strong references to vouch for me that I'm a good candidate. My Used Car Salesman, I mean recruiter is houndin' me to get it all together and I find myself wondering if maybe Nuke isn't for me. I'm thinkin' that maybe AEF-AECF would be less demanding, less school, and less stress on my family and I. And in terms of the money and rank, I'm already going in an E-3 (nuke or not) and I believe I'd reach E-4 after A school with AEF-AECF. What I need is more info on that program so I can make a weighted decision on this, but I haven't found much online about it (real info without glossy navy spin). Can anyone help? I mean I would love to be a nuke and someday work in private industry makin' 100k as I've heard, but my family is very important and I've already got a degree in electronics and job experience so I'm thinkin' that AEF-AECF would be a good fit for me and my family.

I would consider myself lucky if anyone here had info (or a place to find it) for me, I know this is more than just a "navy" nuke page, and I respect all types of nukes out there.

Anyways thanks again, and more importantly, thank all of you that are out there (past or present) defending our freedom in ways that 99.99% of Americans just don't understand.

Steve, aka Squirrel Master 

Rating wise AECF is FCs (surface) and FTs (sub) and most ETs (except nukes) the comunity is constantly getting its ratings merged and changed so in that regard it can be easy or hard to make rank it all depends on luck and timming.

School will be shorter and less demanding

You will work with electronics but you will also work with mechanical systems like certain parts of the 5in and CWIS guns (the GMs do some of the work) you also have all the cooling systems for the wepons radars. Most of you electronics trouble shooting will be looking up fault codes and replacing cards. For watch you will sit infront of a pannel much like a EM or ET nuke just completely different purose.

You may get to be directly responsible for killing someone if that appeals to you (pushing the button for the a Tomahawk)

Now as for the stress on your family you will find little diferance between the two communities. Bolth are ship based and worse FCs/ETs can and will be assigned to DDGs and CGs these ships are gone all the time and leave with only days notice. I have seen this in my job with the shipyard. I would say a CVN is at sea around 50% of the time you are stationed there. A DDG on the other hand seems to be underway over 75% of the time.

[gman82]

Now as for the stress on your family you will find little diferance between the two communities. Bolth are ship based and worse FCs/ETs can and will be assigned to DDGs and CGs these ships are gone all the time and leave with only days notice. I have seen this in my job with the shipyard. I would say a CVN is at sea around 50% of the time you are stationed there. A DDG on the other hand seems to be underway over 75% of the time.

DDG, CG, CVN? I couln't find those in the nuke terms post, could you clarify those for me? 

[Gamecock]

DDG = Destroyer

CG = Cruiser

CVN = Aircraft Carrier

[rumrunner]

Having been on a CGN and a CVN  I can endorse the assessment of underway time.  On the Texas (CGN39) it seemed we'd always be surprised with a short notice underway period.  Maybe just a week or so, but enough to ruin any plans.  On the other hand a carrier doesn't go to sea just because it can.  One of the happiest moments in a ship's company sailors life was when the air wing debarked, because it meant we were going to be in port for a while.  Granted this was 25 years ago but I doubt things have changed much.

[taterhead]

Life ain't as great as it used to be, OPTEMPO-wise, on a carrier.

In the good old days (pre 9/11), there was a predictable 24 month cycle.  As many of you remember, you were in the yards for 6 months (avg), then in and out for 2-3 weeks at a time doing CQ for the pilots for a year, then a 6 month deployment.  Very predictable.

Not anymore.

Now, following a yard period, there is anywhere from 6-8 months for the same number of workups and CQ's, which means for that period of time you are out to sea quite a bit more.  Then comes the deployment, but wait, 6 months is now just a guideline.  Many go for 7+ months.  Now, you might think that you are coming home to enjoy a 6 month yard period, but not so much.  There might be a month to a month and a half of yard time, then back out on a "surge", or as we called it, REployment for 4-6 months.  So, for those of you counting at home, that means 2 overseas deployments between full yard periods.

Gone are the days of 1:1 sea to shore ratios.  It's more like 1.5:1 nowdays.

What was that I heard about grains of sand on the beach?

[Gamecock]

Note about the DDG's and CG's and any other non-nuke, gas burning ship we have......

The cost of fuel is outrageous and our ships burn a lot of it.  The powers that be have put limits on the amount of underway time in a given quarter, outside of deployment. 

Optempo is less then what it was back in the day. 

Suffice it to say, in today's navy, life ain't that bad on a CG or DDG. 

[rumrunner]

Wow.  I guess things HAVE changed!  If the Navy brings back nuke cruisers I sure wouldn't want to be on one unless I loved being at sea a lot.

[Cycoticpenguin]

Wow.  I guess things HAVE changed!  If the Navy brings back nuke cruisers I sure wouldn't want to be on one unless I loved being at sea a lot.

where can i get info on what the different ships do(rotations and etc info)? NKO?

[93-383]

where can i get info on what the different ships do(rotations and etc info)? NKO?

Rotations are a relative tearm in todays Navy. The old cold war surface craft deployment and workup skeds are all up in the air now. As for the actual sked for the ships that information is classified.

[Cycoticpenguin]

Rotations are a relative tearm in todays Navy. The old cold war surface craft deployment and workup skeds are all up in the air now. As for the actual sked for the ships that information is classified.

gotcha, Im gonna make a new post to clarify somewhat what I mean

[withroaj]

where can i get info on what the different ships do(rotations and etc info)? NKO?

I can tell you that on a fast attack submarine, affectionately designated SSN (Saturday, Sunday and Night), your OP Tempo will be at or above 70%.  That means that you spend 70% of your time poking holes in the ocean.  On an interesting side note, it costs 1/10 to keep a submarine at sea than it does to have it in port.  Not that that has anything to do with the amount of sea time.  Someone has to combat the Kooftan Navy (Hawaii training ops opponents).  The "Surge" deployment thing happens on a boat, too.  Get back from Westpac, have a few BRUTAL upkeep periods and head out on "Mini-Pac."

I heard Trident guys don't have it too bad, but every time I have asked a detailer for a Trident (only twice now), they have actually laughed at me.  You might want to check it out, though.  Married people don't need to visit southeast Asia.

Having been on both the East Coast and West Coast I would have to recommend a West Coast Ship/Boat.  The weather's nicer and besides, what Master Chief/Captain/Admiral really goes to Groton or Norfolk to finish out his retirement while working on his golf game?  If you can pull Pearl Harbor (which you can, for some reason people don't want to go there) you can avoid most of the Big Navy garbage and live in a more human environment.East Coast boats seem to be in either rotten (Groton) areas or big AND rotten (Norfolk) areas.

Fortunately for you, you are older and have worked a full time job before.  You will see a lot of kids fresh out of mom's basement complaining the whole time that they got screwed and wish they could turn back time (insert '80s pop ballad here).  You should have the experience to know that maybe this job sucks, but jobs suck and that's why we get paid.

Either way have fun.

[Cycoticpenguin]

withroaj- I love your outlook on things... I feel like im going to need to pick your brain thank you for the clarification!  I think how you handle the navy is more based on your up bringing then your job after high school. Im married too, so im not just working for myself.