I'm up for shore duty...limited options.

[mclumber1]

Hello all,

This is my first post, but I've lurked these boards for a month or so now.

I'm coming up quick on my PRD, and I'm having a hell of a time trying to figure out what I should do.  My EAOS is July of 2011, so if I transfer to shore, I'm going to have to extend or reenlist. If I don't, my detailer has told me I will go to another ship.  I've done 3 deployments already, and I don't think I want to do another one!

So my options are very limited.  There are a lot of billets for prototype (both NY and Charleston), as well as a few for NFAS (although I don't think I'd screen for a-school, since I was lower half/lower half).  There is one shore duty showing up on the CMS for NRMD Norfolk...But it's in Norfolk.  Nearly everyone I've talked to who has worked in Norfolk said it wasn't a good place to be.  But most of those people were on ships.  I haven't gotten an accurate picture of what shore duty life would be like over in Norfolk.  From what I've been told, the work NRMD does is similar to what SWRMC does here in San Diego.  Can anyone confirm that?  Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[mlslstephens]

Hello all,

This is my first post, but I've lurked these boards for a month or so now.

I'm coming up quick on my PRD, and I'm having a hell of a time trying to figure out what I should do.  My EAOS is July of 2011, so if I transfer to shore, I'm going to have to extend or reenlist. If I don't, my detailer has told me I will go to another ship.  I've done 3 deployments already, and I don't think I want to do another one!

So my options are very limited.  There are a lot of billets for prototype (both NY and Charleston), as well as a few for NFAS (although I don't think I'd screen for a-school, since I was lower half/lower half).  There is one shore duty showing up on the CMS for NRMD Norfolk...But it's in Norfolk.  Nearly everyone I've talked to who has worked in Norfolk said it wasn't a good place to be.  But most of those people were on ships.  I haven't gotten an accurate picture of what shore duty life would be like over in Norfolk.  From what I've been told, the work NRMD does is similar to what SWRMC does here in San Diego.  Can anyone confirm that?  Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm somewhat biased, but NPTU Charleston is a great place to work...at least the 626 was a few years ago.    I heard the XO was awesome.

But seriously, it really depends on what your long term goals are for you and your family.  Feel free to PM me and I can give you some specifics.

Either way, best of luck in your decisions.

[93-383]

If you are bottom half bottom half I don't know if you will screen for NPTU. My advice is take what you can get. Norfolk isn't great but a lot of shore billets are disapearing.

[NukeLDO]

Don't just take what you can get.  You should take what you can get that will be the most challenging assignment.  Things change, and alot can change between now and 2011.  So although you might be looking at EAOS now, and thinking that when it rolls around, you're done, if that doesn't happen and you took the easier, softer way, it might be harder to get what you want later on down the road.  Take the most challenging assignment you can get and do it to the best of your ability.
This coming from a guy who just wanted to do 6 and out and has been here for 20+.  (I'm partial to Charleston by the way...great place to live!)

[Preciousblue1965]

Well I can tell you that Prototype is one shore billet that you will work as hard if not harder than you did on the boat/ship.  Charleston is a great place to live, as I am sure you know since you were probably a student there for NFAS/NPS.  Things are definitely different on the "Staff" side of NPTU than they were as a student. 

Prototype is tough, it takes a lot out of you, it will make really hate you job at times.  There are countless posts on here about the good, the bad, and the ugly about prototype.  You will hear numerous stories from both people here and people at your current command about how it is.  Having SURVIVED 3 years on crew in NPTU I can tell you that it will most definitely give you a different perspective the nuclear navy.  It can, however, catapult your career in ways that other shore billets can't(depends on a lot of factors, both in and out of your control such as timing for shutdowns, quals, etc). 

If you plan on staying in, Go ahead and get that protohell tour over with, get qual'd through EOOW and hope they don't make you go back again.  IF you want to get out and want a cake walk till EAOS, better try SIMA or some other billet.

[mars88]

I used to work at NRMD in San Diego as a civilian RCT for Puget Sound shipyard.  The sailors who got shore duty there--about 5 of them--did the exact same job, but first they had to go through the civilian naval reactors 6-month RCT-qualifying school at Norfolk.  I believe the duty was for 36 months.  If you need any specifics, in-box me.

[fasttimesnews]

Unless you like going to sea at a shore command, STAY AWAY FROM NRMD.  I'm there, and just got back from a 3-month stint on the Emory S Land AS-39.  Right now, it's in Bremerton.  Soon, it'll be in Diego Garcia.  If you don't know where that is, look between Madagascar and India.  Right in the middle, there's Diego.  So, unless you really really want sea pay for 3 months, then go back to Norfolk, then 12 months later return to the AS-39, don't come here.  I beg you.  It sucks. 
Looking now, I see that this post is some months old.  Sorry if I'm too late and you're in RCTQS or god forbid, already here.  Sorry I didn't see this sooner.  To everybody else: no.  No no no no no.  No NRMD.

[goobs22xx]

If you are bottom half bottom half I don't know if you will screen for NPTU. My advice is take what you can get. Norfolk isn't great but a lot of shore billets are disapearing.

Things have changed wrt "screening" for NPTU, my friend.

As an example, we just had a sea returnee go into EWS quals who was the anchor of his powerschool class (268/268 with a 2.50). He will be moving over to Staff Training after he qualifies.

I'm not trying to speak of his abilities one way or the other (I think he's a good guy who is very knowledgeable about his trade), I'm just trying to show that things are different nowadays.

[joncashk]

I too am coming up on my PRD and my detailer marked me down for orders to TRIREFFAC Kings Bay.   I say marked me down because this new approving the budget before writing orders is a pain in the rear end.  I'm supposedly detaching late this month or early November and I've yet to receive my orders.  

It was a choice between Kings Bay and prototype (which I pre-screened for).  I decided that I really don't want to go on another deployment (2 is enough) but I'm not going to make a career out of the Navy and I really don't want 3 years of rotating shift-work as a shore duty.  I've talked to a couple of guys from the ship that were stationed in Kings Bay and they said it was nice, but they really didn't give a great description of what the job was like.  I hope that means they weren't working much at all   Anyone here have any experience there?  I know I sound like I'm taking the easy way out but after spending most of my 4 1/2 years on the Enterprise in 3 section duty or out to sea, I think I deserve a little break.  Heck, I just got out of a 4 day fast cruise so we could commence steam plant testing and it's back to duty again in the morning.

Oh and Goobs...you're right-things have changed about screening for prototype.  I was bottom half/bottom half and last to qualify on my crew, yet I pre-screened for NPTU.  Didn't have to get a waiver or anything. 

[Smooth Operator]

Kings Bay is a nice place.

Live nearby or in Jacksonville....it is the most non-Navy life you can experience while in the Navy, you can live almost like a civvy.

YMMV, IMHO,

Luck,

Jason

[joncashk]

Got my orders this morning.  Says I am to report NLT 18Nov.  That is really short notice considering the whole debriefing and moving process usually takes a while.  Not to mention I have to go on house-hunting leave.  Guess that's what I get for having a PRD at the beginning of the fiscal year.  This means I won't have to do port and starboard duty section until Christmas though!