Family thinking of reenlisting for Ballston Spa instructor position

[boomertea311]

Any advice? I think we should do it and my husband (he's the nuke) is going back and forth. Whats it like up there? Ive heard different things about whether there is a commissary or nex or not. What its like to get leave off for holidays or family stuff or just to take a vacation? Is there family stuff? Does anybody know anything about Malta Montessori school? Or the Malta area. Theres really not much information out there. Anything would be great... links, advice, warnings, haha, anything really.

Thank you!

[Wareal]

My son is a SPU in Ballston Spa.  The work environment is very "challenging".  I believe there is a small commissary.  My son gets leave with regularity, without much trouble.  I wouldn't hesitate to raise kids in the area as long as you don't mind cold winters.  Recreational activities are abundant.  Adirondack State Park is very close.   Cooperstown (baseball Hall of Fame),  Montreal, Boston, and NYC are within 1/2 days drive.  My son lives in Malta, it's semi rural.  Don't know about the school.  Except for the cost of living and taxes (it's New York after all) being higher than many places, it's a very nice area.  I'll ask my son to jump on here, perhaps he can give you more specific information.  Good luck with your decision.     

[TonyR23]

BT311,
     There will be a Commissary and full-size Navy Exchange opening near Navy housing this year.  I believe the Commissary will be open in April, and the NEX will be open in the Summer-Fall time frame.  Since you asked for advice, a little more info would be nice before you get advice on something you don't really care for advice on, because to me this sems like a huge decision.  For example, is your husband entertaining any other shore duties, or is he deciding between this and separating from the service?  Where is he career wise?  What type of ship/boat is he on?  What would he like to accomplish up here career/personal wise?  Will he have to extend his contract or re-enlist for these orders?  Etc...  Either way, good luck with your decision, I hope this helped you out.

Dirty Blue

[Preciousblue1965]

Now that you have been provided a wealth's worth of useful knowledge on the area itself, now comes questions about the job itself.  Why is your husband wanting to go to Prototype.  His preconceived notions WILL affect his overall outlook on that 3+ year "shore" duty.  If he has the idea that he will be able to help weed out those nukes who he grew tired of babysitting on this ship/boat, he might as well just jump ship now and get out of the Navy because it ain't gonna happen and it will make his life miserable for 3 years(this is from personal experience).  If he wants to be able to come home after 9-10 hours every day, well he will be able to do that.  If he wants to qualify some advanced watch stations, timing can and will mean everything(another personal experience.  Generally EWS quals are a wait-in-line part of prototype.  This is mostly due to the facts that 1.) There are a limited number of Watch U/Is available due to students getting priority 2.)The number of staff for a division may not be able to support one of its members being in EWS quals(we had 6 MMs for 6 watchstations at one point) Also those who come back to P-type from the fleet that already have EWS quals from their boat 90% get put immediately into EWS quals when they get to P-type.  This further bumps those in initial quals back further due to reasons above(in my case we had 4 guys/gals who were prior EWS come through one right after the other.  There were no new EWS qual people for almost a year on my crew.)

If your husband has anymore questions about the work life at NPTU, feel free to PM me.  I was actually at the Charleston NPTU but the overal life is still the same at both.  I am sure others that went to NY NPTU would be more than willing to chime in also if you asked. 

[JustinHEMI05]

I was a staff instructor at NPTU about 1.5 years ago. Then, as I am sure it is now, it was horrible. "Not a shore duty" was a popular catch phrase. NPTU NY can be just as taxing on a family as being on a ship.

Why not just allow him to get out?

I hope he isn't panic reenlisting or, forgive me if I am out of line, letting you put undo pressure on him to stay navy. There are jobs out there for nukes.

Justin

[Harley Rider]

I was a staff instructor at NPTU about 1.5 years ago. Then, as I am sure it is now, it was horrible. "Not a shore duty" was a popular catch phrase. NPTU NY can be just as taxing on a family as being on a ship.

Justin is correct prototype has its own unique challenges and they can be quite stressful. Shift work is taxing on both the Sailor and family and the stress of being an instructor can sometimes be overwhelming. There are some that really like it but most I know don't. I did it and I hated it and refused to go back. Now for those out there that want to know how not to get orders to prototype all you have to do is mention Enterprise,,,

Detailer: Your going to prototype and that's it. I have nothing else.
Me: What's open on the Enterprise?
Detailer: You would go to the Enterprise? 
Me: Absolutely if it will get me out of going to instructor duty
Detailer: But you have already served a tour on Enterprise didn't you learn your lesson then?
Me: Yes and I would still take it over instructor duty.
Detailer: "The clouds have parted, the sun is shining and God himself has smiled upon me someone has volunteered for CVN-65"         true statement
Me: So that means I don't have to go to prototype?
Detailer: I will fax your orders right now,,,click

And I went back again after that tour,,,God I loved that ship. So my advice is stay at sea if you can because wiping the noses of students and dealing with the political BS just ain't worth it. Stay safe and good luck

[135i]

I was a staff instructor at NPTU about 1.5 years ago. Then, as I am sure it is now, it was horrible. "Not a shore duty" was a popular catch phrase. NPTU NY can be just as taxing on a family as being on a ship.

Why not just allow him to get out?

I hope he isn't panic reenlisting or, forgive me if I am out of line, letting you put undo pressure on him to stay navy. There are jobs out there for nukes.

Justin

Justin, if you thought it was horrible 1.5 years ago you cannot imagine what it's like now.

My dad (Wareal) mentioned the thread to me so I'll go ahead and weigh in. There's already been some great advice given and as stated it all depends on what your husband's goals are. The only reason I can see for coming up here is if you're desperately trying to advance your career. Even then, nothing is guaranteed. If he's a hot runner and qualified EWS shortly after he got onboard, was LPO, etc. then he may very well eventually get EOOW quals and make Chief here (rate depending). He has an advantage coming from a boomer as he already knows the engineroom. If he just want's to get off the boat and isn't sure where to go I wouldn't recommend it.

What's it like up here? At work, it's pretty miserable. Generally with the Sea Returnees some of the newer ones say "It's still not as bad as being on the boat." As their time here goes by more and more say they'd rather be at sea. Many are contemplating/already have put in transfer requests. Outside of work can be very enjoyable as long as you don't mind the cold and snow.

We just went to 4 section duty so there is no more T-week and no more 4 day weekends. We may or may not be out of 4 section duty by the time you get up here. We haven't qualified anyone anything in over 3 months and have over 70 Staff in initial quals at S8G.

I have been very, very fortunate to get leave to see my family for the holidays and other occasions. Many people had their leave chits canceled over the holidays due to the problems we've had. You should not count on getting leave whenever you want.

[deltarho]

I did my time at NFAS, so I don't know the total picture at NNPT...

I'd say, if he used the time to go back to college and that was his main focus or reason for whoring himself in the pipeline--so be it.  Otherwise, FMA, IMA or whatever the repair world is called now would probably be a superior pick.  Getting Stationed at the H.S. Nautilus (sub navy's best kept secret) is absolutely the best shore duty requiring nukes (if you can tolerate Groton).

[Harley Rider]

Otherwise, FMA, IMA or whatever the repair world is called now would probably be a superior pick

True statement, most of the time it's cake duty, however don't count on advancing while your there. Your evals will suffer and the assignment is a nail in your coffin for advancing to Chief. Just my two cents

[Creeker]

It's been awhile, but last time I was on the Enterprise, we had a string of prototype returnees who almost kissed the flight deck from happiness to be away from either New York of Charleston NPTUs.  Several said they tried hard to get away early so they could return to sea.  That should say it all.

[goobs22xx]

It's been awhile, but last time I was on the Enterprise, we had a string of prototype returnees who almost kissed the flight deck from happiness to be away from either New York of Charleston NPTUs.  Several said they tried hard to get away early so they could return to sea.  That should say it all.

I'm a SPU at NPTU CHarleston, so I cannot relate the experience here vice being at a sea going command, but I see the same thing that you do, just from the other end.

I can tell you that just about every Boomer and Surface guy I know wishes he was back at sea and every fast boat guy says that the duty's not that bad (but the boat is really dirty....).

I can attest to the fact that shift work is tough on a family. I, again, don't have any experience relating it to sea time, but I have a 4 year old and a 1.5 year old who don't understand why daddy's leaving in the middle of the night to go to work. Our stretch of Swings through Mids (The shifts where we work 4pm-12:30am and 12am-8:30am) has us working a minimum of 119 hours in a 15 day span if you do the minimum, with none of them being during "normal working hours". I know tons of Boomer guys who are putting in more time now than they're used to ever having to put in.

The hours don't bother me, personally. My job as an operator is something I enjoy. But I hate the instructor part of what I do, and not for the reasons you're thinking. I was an education major before I joined, but this was not what I had in mind. Others have eluded to it in this thread and your hubby will understand when he gets there.

Also, B. Spa is not the happening place to be right now in the nuclear Navy, from what I understand.

[AFT21]

I can tell you that just about every Boomer and Surface guy I know wishes he was back at sea and every fast boat guy says that the duty's not that bad (but the boat is really dirty....).

I was a SPU at S8G in NY from 02-04 and it was about the same then.

Fast boat guys said it was the good deal
Boomer guys were mostly break even
Targets were begging to go back to sea

[mclumber1]

I can't comment on what life is like as an instructor at Ballston Spa, nor can I comment on what it was like as a student, because I went to Charleston, and am finishing up my sea tour.  That being said, I put my screening package in for prototype, most likely NY.  I still have another 2 years before my EAOS, so I really have no choice.  My detailer wont give me normal shore duty orders unless my package is not approved.  (I hope and pray!)  I should be finding out soon when and where I'll be going, but it's most likely Ballston Spa sometime this Spring.

Anyone have any good advice on how to convince my detailer I should get normal shore duty orders?  I really don't care about advancing anymore - I'm an MM1 (SW), and I plan to get out after my EAOS, and if need be, after extending/reenlisting for shore duty orders.

[JustinHEMI05]

I would just suck it up and stay at sea and not give them any more time. 

[Preciousblue1965]

I can't comment on what life is like as an instructor at Ballston Spa, nor can I comment on what it was like as a student, because I went to Charleston, and am finishing up my sea tour.  That being said, I put my screening package in for prototype, most likely NY.  I still have another 2 years before my EAOS, so I really have no choice.  My detailer wont give me normal shore duty orders unless my package is not approved.  (I hope and pray!)  I should be finding out soon when and where I'll be going, but it's most likely Ballston Spa sometime this Spring.

Anyone have any good advice on how to convince my detailer I should get normal shore duty orders?  I really don't care about advancing anymore - I'm an MM1 (SW), and I plan to get out after my EAOS, and if need be, after extending/reenlisting for shore duty orders.

If you really don't want to go to Protohell, you don't have to sign the voluntary extension that comes with that tour.  You will still be on the ship, but it won't be protohell.  I was in the same boat, and my detailer refused to listen to anything other than "I will go to prototype" even though I was 100% sure I was getting out, even if I did make chief.  They are so hurting for people that if you even remotely screen, as long as you accept the voluntary extension, you are going to be pushing students.