STA-21 Selectee Dilemma

[gr8guyak]

I am an ET2 SPU here at prototype and was selected nuke option this year (third try).  Anyway i have been waiting on my physical to get approved since NOV 21st now and it changed from bumed review to undersea medicine review on the package status on the website.  Is this normal?  Most of the other selects have orders and they couldn't tell me if they ever saw undersea review on their packets.  The only waiver i needed was for an out of spec diopter on my eye refraction i think i was 6.5 diopters out of round and the spec is 6.  My wife is freaking out and I'm trying to give her some reassurance.  If I have learned anything about the navy, its that I don't think they would waste these 2 months if they were going to reject me.  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[DDMurray]

I am an ET2 SPU here at prototype and was selected nuke option this year (third try).  Anyway i have been waiting on my physical to get approved since NOV 21st now and it changed from bumed review to undersea medicine review on the package status on the website.  Is this normal?  Most of the other selects have orders and they couldn't tell me if they ever saw undersea review on their packets.  The only waiver i needed was for an out of spec diopter on my eye refraction i think i was 6.5 diopters out of round and the spec is 6.  My wife is freaking out and I'm trying to give her some reassurance.  If I have learned anything about the navy, its that I don't think they would waste these 2 months if they were going to reject me.  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Your CCC should be able to provide a POC to find out your status.  On the STS-21 MSG is a POC as well.  That's where I'd start.  Good Luck.

DM

[Wirebiter]

Congrats on your selection.  I would definitely call the STA-21 contact number and find out the status of your orders.  Although not having your orders at the moment isn't an indication of you not going.  People have been sent to NSI on orders that were cut 1 or 2 days after they left.  It was all done by word of mouth and phone calls.  Mine did not get cut until 16 days before I had to report to Newport.  Just like any paper work in the Navy, it usually gets done in the last minute.

[gr8guyak]

Thank you both for your imput. My waiver just went through.  Now i just have to wait on orders to be cut.  I had one other question.  At NSI in RI are the barracks like power school motel like, or are they open bootcamp style?
thanks

[mlslstephens]

Thank you both for your imput. My waiver just went through.  Now i just have to wait on orders to be cut.  I had one other question.  At NSI in RI are the barracks like power school motel like, or are they open bootcamp style?
thanks

It has been a few years, but I'll tell you what I remember from when I was at NSI (1993).  We lived in King Hall where long corridors were lined with doors that led to small rooms that contained two desks, two beds, and two lockers.

Two guys or two girls shared a room.  The rooms that were closest to the ends of the hall near the heads were designated for the females.  I guess this was so their walk wasn't as long as ours...or maybe so they wouldn't have to walk by our rooms to get to their head.  Who knows, but once I got there, I understood why the list of items needed at NSI said an "opaque bath robe".   

I hope this helps.  I had the time of my life in Newport in the summer of '93.  I hate to get all nostalgic on you guys, but those were some of the best days. 

I'm sure this will almost make Justin puke on his computer  , but I will never forget the feeling of putting those khakis on for the first time.  Ahhh the memories.

Hope this helps and good luck at NSI. 

[Gamecock]

I'm sure this will almost make Justin puke on his computer  , but I will never forget the feeling of putting those khakis on for the first time.  Ahhh the memories.

Hope this helps and good luck at NSI. 

Alas, those feelings will be replaced by this............

[HydroDave63]

GC... after reading that, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry 

perhaps the new recruiting videos will look like this...

[Wirebiter]

NaVLI4's description is pretty accurate, assuming they put you in King Hall (which is where NSI has been for the last 3 years at least).  King Hall is a three story building that resembles two capital "E's" back to back.  There are 6 total hallways on each level and a central corridor running down the center.  Each of the NSI wings has about 24-26 rooms.  Last year the females were not given any special placement or preferance to one particular end of the hall.
In the center is where the common heads are, one female and one male, the laundry rooms, and various janitorial closets.  Each room also has a window and a old radiator that will probably keep you too warm and up all night due to the constant clanging of the pipes.  You are not supposed to close your doors if you have anyone else besides you roommate in there, for obvious reasons.  Your roommate will already be chosen when you show up.  Also, make sure you bring your own bathrobe and not wait until the last minute.  The NEX in Newport usually runs out very quickly once people start showing up.  Try to get one that is easily spotted.  We had many cases of mistaken bathrobes in the head due to the large number of NEX purchased standard white robes that were left hanging on the hooks as people showered.  Another piece of advice: get up early to avoid the morning rush.  With only about 20 sinks and 8 showers for 100+ guys to shave and clean up in, you could find yourself waiting a long time only to have to rush back to your room to clean up and march to chow.

If you have any more questions about NSI, let me know.   

[gr8guyak]

just a few more questions are laptops/TV's allowed, and is there internet/cable access in the barracks?

[Wirebiter]

Laptops were not "officially" allowed, but as long as you stored it properly and locked it up in your room while you were in class, then no problem.  I would say about 2/3 of the people in my company brought a laptop.  It saved them money on the weekends and provided something to do on the weeknights, which can be very boring if you don't need to study.  I read about 12 books while I was at NSI.  That was double the amount of books I had read over the last 5 years. 

You really don't have enough room in your standing locker to put a TV.  Once you get all of your new uniforms it will be very hard to find a place to put it.  Also, you will have to carry it over 1/2 mile to your barracks from where you are allowed to park your car. I would recommend not bringing one.  Laptops are easy to ignore, but TVs are a little different.  On the other hand, people brought their guitars and played in their rooms every now and then.  Its your call.  Maybe bring one and keep it in your car if you really, really need one.

There is no cable/Internet connection in the King Hall rooms.  There are several computer labs in King Hall that grant you limited Internet access (think NMCI).  These labs are for you to use in order to complete about 20 NKO courses that are required within the first 3 weeks of reporting. The "E" club or whatever it was called, has about 6 computers you can use for free.  There is also an Internet cafe down the road from the club.  It has about 20 computers and offers free Wi-Fi.  You won't be able to use either of these until about week 3 though, and then, only on the weekend. One guy did get Internet access for his laptop via an AT&T broadband card.  King Hall is old, big, and makes for crappy cellphone/Internet reception.  He had to take his laptop to certain corners of the building to get a strong enough signal.  I could talk reasonably well with my cellphone (AT&T) as long as I stayed next to my room window.