Baby Nuke Feeling Jaded...

[Fermi2]

Come on, Mike.  You can't get anyone to believe that.

Hey it must be true. In the entire time you've known me have you ever heard me say anything just to stir things up?

Are you still playing Silent Hunter?

Mike

[M1Ark]

To sum up, I would say that it's your first sea tour that is going to give you the experience that you're going to need; in the Navy or out of it.  SPU just delays that experience, and therefore prolongs that NUB feeling.

I was a SPU and I was in for 5 years 10 months.  I only had to obligate for 24 months at sea.  My ship was going on a 6 month deployment 2 months before my 6 year EAOS was up and they let me out early.  I would not have taken the SPU tour if they made me re-enlist.

[navynukeprincess]

At the risk of starting this thread over again because it seems to have wandered all over the place... I haven't posted in quite a while as I was busy trying to graduate (and busy adjusting my attitude). 

Said attitude has since been thoroughly adjusted, due largely to the support and/or smacks-to-the-back-of-the-head from many of you, and I finally freaking made it through Power School!  Graduated this past Friday, and now I get to sit on hold before going to Prototype due to the fact that it's partially.... er, effed at the moment from what we've all been told.

I'm still debating the SPU issue.  All of the input and various experiences gave me quite a bit of food for thought.  I'm not even going to worry about it at this point, because I have no idea if I'll even like Prototype or not yet.  And if I don't like being at Prototype, there's really no point in considering it; I'd just as soon get out to the Fleet and get going, already.  From all the opinions voiced, I've pretty much gathered that it's a good gig if you don't mind grunt work and don't mind being NUBlier than everyone once you get to your ship.

I am confused by the response from the guy who didn't re-enlist and still did SPU anyways... I've always been given the impression that you HAD to STAR re-enlist if you got SPU?  No? Yes?

[navynukeprincess]

Thanks, and yes, I am definitely looking at the hold thing as good and not bad.  I'm taking a few college courses being offered through Columbia College, and compared to being in Power School it'll be cake.  I don't mind being on hold because college is something I want to finish someday anyways, so do it now or do it later down the road... makes no difference to me.  Plus, like I think someone else stated at some point in this thread, this is the easiest my life will ever get while in the Navy, so why not make the most of it.

[Wirebiter]

I am confused by the response from the guy who didn't re-enlist and still did SPU anyways... I've always been given the impression that you HAD to STAR re-enlist if you got SPU?  No? Yes?

That is the case now.  It was not always the case though.  I had someone similar to M1Ark on my first boat.  He did a total of 729 days of sea duty after 4 years as student/SPU.  I am not sure exactly when the 2 year extension was required of SPU's, but this was in the mid- 90's.

[Fermi2]

It used to be if you still had something like either 24 or 26 months obligated service after your SPU term then you didn't have to reenlist. I was in the same category as M1Ark. I didn't have to reenlist. From the day I entered the Navy until the day I was fully qualified as a nuke was something like 17 Months. Add 26 Months SPU time it was 43 Months total so I had 29 months left after my SPU tour. This was the mid 80s.

Mike

[Cycoticpenguin]

Tell you what, You spend 11 months on a steaming carrier with no TLD.... Then you can cry about your "nub feelings". Im qual'd more then others, yet I still get crapped on more then any one else...

Welcome to the nuclear navy.


Worry about SPU when you get offered SPU. Not going to tell you to not post and ask questions, but I am going to tell you to prioritize more appropriately. Wanting to better yourself and to better then others is great. BZ. However, you are needed where the navy puts you, so dont get bitter if you dont get spu. Study hard, qualify fast, and show up on time... and you will do well.

-MM2

[Harley Rider]

NNP,
My advice (and my advice only) is do not be a staff pickup. Go to sea and be a real Sailor as soon as possible. If you choose SPU you are going to be way behind your peers when you finally arrive on board your new ship. They will be qualified senior in rate and you will be a nub. It sucks, believe me I know from first hand experience because I was a SPU. If I could turn back the hands of time I would have chose a different path than SPU because I hated working for my former classmates ( I was better than them and someday I will have my VENGEANCE). Additionally, you will have a much better chance at better evals at sea than in a prototype. If you show up and do your job, as told, then you are going to do well. Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open and know in your heart you can do it and you will succeed. That's the bottom line. Keep us up to date on your progress and when you decide where you want to be (east coast / west coast) shoot me a PM and I will see what I can do for you because I know some people who know some people who know a nephew who has a cousin that has a aunt who has a next door neighbor that was in the Navy in WW II so therefore I can pull some strings   

Stay Safe, Be Cool and for Gods sake if you can't be good at least be good at it !!!

[Bullnuke]

All I can say is if you need to talk to someone I can recommend several people at your command. I screened them to be instructors just like I probably screened your application to enter Nuclear Power.

I personally like having some older "Baby Nukes". I believe in brings some much needed maturity to the program. I also find the the more mature ones quickly advance up to their peers.

I would be more than happy to talk to you. My email is bullnuke@navy.mil or bullnuke@verizon.net.

[VatoLoco]

Im not sure how it is in the surface fleet. But my experiences have shown me that a SPU on a sub, usually makes chief there first time up. Just a thought that I'm not sure anyone has brought up yet. Usually when reviewing E-6's for advancement, they look for someone that has held a "training" billet.

[misterbensin]

Thanks, and yes, I am definitely looking at the hold thing as good and not bad.  I'm taking a few college courses being offered through Columbia College, and compared to being in Power School it'll be cake.  I don't mind being on hold because college is something I want to finish someday anyways, so do it now or do it later down the road... makes no difference to me.  Plus, like I think someone else stated at some point in this thread, this is the easiest my life will ever get while in the Navy, so why not make the most of it.

Not entirely on topic, how does taking CC courses during NNPS work? Are these open/close enrollment classes, do you have that long of a break? Are they internet courses? I've head that it is nearly impossible to take college courses while still in the pipeline. I am very interested in getting my B.S. (already have a B.A., should have thought more about that "A" part) as quickly as I can. I know I am putting the cart ahead of the mule, I have a few more months, but I'm a compulsive researcher. It may qualify as a real, serious and possibly life threatening addiction.

Thank you all for you service and your help,
BK

[jams723]

ELT's are known to be very debonair and display an abundance of dash and daring do.

ELT's???  Oh Pulease.  Those are the guys with rack burns 

Hummm.. out of spec reading?? Nooooo.. what do you want it to be?

[Fermi2]

OR well if you never took a sample you can't be out of spec.

[goobs22xx]

It used to be if you still had something like either 24 or 26 months obligated service after your SPU term then you didn't have to reenlist. I was in the same category as M1Ark. I didn't have to reenlist. From the day I entered the Navy until the day I was fully qualified as a nuke was something like 17 Months. Add 26 Months SPU time it was 43 Months total so I had 29 months left after my SPU tour. This was the mid 80s.

Mike

It's 36 months now, either through reenlistment or extension. Reenlisting is not a requirement, just usually the preferred path because of the amount of time you'd need to extend.

I think it would only be worth considering just extending for the Mechanics (shorter school time).

And I've expressed my feelings on being a SPU enough. Part of my biggest drawback was my feeling that I would not be in a good spot to get a solid eval, but working hard paid off for me for this cycle, so it definitely can be done. (this isn't a brag post, but the biggest drawback I could come up with as a current SPU was my thoughts that I would never get a good eval while here which is now proven to not be true).

I still stand by my guns that you need to have some other reason to do it such as a spouse in school or something along those lines.

[navynukeprincess]

Not entirely on topic, how does taking CC courses during NNPS work? Are these open/close enrollment classes, do you have that long of a break? Are they internet courses? I've head that it is nearly impossible to take college courses while still in the pipeline. I am very interested in getting my B.S. (already have a B.A., should have thought more about that "A" part) as quickly as I can. I know I am putting the cart ahead of the mule, I have a few more months, but I'm a compulsive researcher. It may qualify as a real, serious and possibly life threatening addiction.

Thank you all for you service and your help,
BK

Hate to burst your bubble, but it is impossible to do while you're a student here.  The only reason I was offered the opportunity to take college classes was because I was placed on Grad Hold for 2-1/2 months after Power School.  Prototype was all sorts of backed-up (long story) and some students had to wait and go to Protytype with the class behind them.  The command had to give us something "productive" to do so they could feel like they were keeping us out of trouble somehow, so everyone on grad hold was given the choice of taking a few college classes on base here, or volunteering around town.

[IPREGEN]

Jaded? That's what the Navy is all about after a while. You start with 2190 days. Is extending going to help you towards your long term goals? If you not then extending may not be the answer. If you just want to stay out of the fleet, well, it's going to be there waiting. School (college) can be a drag but hey, you keep the credits, hopefully going to something useful. Sit with your hubster and discuss these things. Make the decision together.