Question before I ship out

[Longhorn87]

Hi, I've been a depper since January and will ship out for basic June 4th. I have 58 college credits which by my understanding guarantees me E-3 regardless of going nuc or not, however when I signed my contract only 30 of my credits were entered (due to delay in my recruiter receiving an official transcript) enlisting me at E-2. So I have a couple of questions:

1. When exactly does a nuc become E-3? As soon as I leave for basic, or after its completion?
2. Although I do not plan on it, if at anytime during the nuc pipeline I fail out, will I lose rank and therefor be demoted back to my original enlistment rank?
3. With the above two questions in mind, should I (and is it even possible) have my recruiter enter my other 28 credits and redo my contract so that I will be E-3 throughout basic, and guaranteed to maintain that rank if I happen to fail during nuc schooling?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks. -Roger

[NukeLDO]

Failing out of the pipeline does not remove your rank...you can only have rank removed by Captain's Mast.  So, study hard, keep your nose clean, and you have nothing to worry about.
You recruiter can enter your recently completed college credits.  However, at this point, I'm assuming you've signed a contract.  Therefore, it is what it is.  If it does not guarantee you E-3, then you weren't guaranteed anything, plain and simple.  Your remaining credits can really be entered in your service record at any time.
Used to be (late 80s), you put on E-3 at the completion of boot camp and E-4 after completion of "A" school.  I'm assuming its still that way, but perhaps someone who recently went through can confirm that.  If you wash out of boot camp, none of this matters, because you won't be in the Navy any more.  Wash out of the nuke pipeline and you'll still be whatever rank you were, as long as you haven't had any disciplinary action taken against you.
Good Luck.

[93-383]

You will be paid as an E1 until you finish basic.
At pass and review (graduation) you will wear an E3 rating badge fireman (EM MM) or seaman (ET) as appropriate .
Once basic is complete DFAS will backpay the difference in E1-E3 pay for the months of basic.

[voidwhereprohibited]

1. When exactly does a nuc become E-3? As soon as I leave for basic, or after its completion?

From what I was told at MEPS and researched online NUCs are paid an E-3 rate as soon as they leave for basic; however, they wear nothing that signifies that until they graduate.

[Gamecock]

From what I was told at MEPS and researched online NUCs are paid an E-3 rate as soon as they leave for basic; however, they wear nothing that signifies that until they graduate.

That is correct.

Cheers,
GC

[IPREGEN]

When you sign your paperwork to go active the rate should be included. Nukes go in as E-3, day one. Unless things changed you will get E-4 when you finish A-School, that was when we committed to the 6 years. Make sure the recruiter gets it right.

[Maziwrath]

Failing out of the pipeline does not remove your rank...you can only have rank removed by Captain's Mast.  So, study hard, keep your nose clean, and you have nothing to worry about.
You recruiter can enter your recently completed college credits.  However, at this point, I'm assuming you've signed a contract.  Therefore, it is what it is.  If it does not guarantee you E-3, then you weren't guaranteed anything, plain and simple.  Your remaining credits can really be entered in your service record at any time.
Used to be (late 80s), you put on E-3 at the completion of boot camp and E-4 after completion of "A" school.  I'm assuming its still that way, but perhaps someone who recently went through can confirm that.  If you wash out of boot camp, none of this matters, because you won't be in the Navy any more.  Wash out of the nuke pipeline and you'll still be whatever rank you were, as long as you haven't had any disciplinary action taken against you.
Good Luck.

Actually that's not exactly true anymore. It has recently come about that anyone who fails out of the pipeline gets an administrative discharge since all the A schools are full and have large waiting lists. My SLPO briefed us on it about two weeks ago.

[Preciousblue1965]

Yes you will be an E-3 on your LES during basic but that is about it.  You will still refer to yourself as "Seaman Recruit XXXXXXXX(insert your name here)"  During basic, there will be a sheet filled out to have your E3 stripes sewn onto your Pass and Review uniform.  You will wear those during Pass and Review and from then you will be allowed to refer to yourself as your appropriate title of "Seaman XXXXXXXX" or "Fireman XXXXXXXXXX".  The fun part is when you get your first LES and start comparing it to all those non-nukes who aren't E3s.

[Gamecock]

The fun part is when you get your first LES and start comparing it to all those non-nukes who aren't E3s.

That is when most of those guys start hating nukes. 
You should keep your pay to yourself.

[Already Gone]

I was never permitted to wear my FN stripes until the day I was transferred from RTC - about a week after graduation.  It was the first time that most of the guys in my company got any clue that I was a nuke.  That was a good thing.