Pros and Cons of enlisting as a Nuke!

[SCCooper]

I'm signing tomorrow morning as a Nuke.. I jumped through all the hoops and what not to qualify and just want to know from some people with honest answers rather then just the glorifed stories my recruiters have told me.

[Fermi2]

Item 1. Try the search function here. Your question has been answered many times over.

[cleonard19]

Item 2: If Item 1 bothers you, grow a thicker skin.

[S3GLMS]

     You will get really great opportunities to learn Nuclear Propulsion equipment.  But, it will be the navy way and in the U.S. military organization.  You will clean toilets, wash dishes, scrub barracks floors and will generally be made into a work slave for several years before you have qualified as a nuclear trained operator.  Then, you will still clean decks, do laundry and work on equipment as the navy sees fit.  This is the simple basic explanation.  You will probably have days wondering why did I volunteer for this? 

     If you take advantage of the important access to the Nuclear training and ignore the mundane cleaning tasks as just necessary housekeeping, then your attitude will be correct.  If you decide you are much more valuable than someone who does laundry, then you already have the wrong attitude and you will be very unhappy for your whole six year tour.  Nukes work longer hours everyday and they are expected to perform at a higher standard in their jobs, this is the heritage of the program.  So, when you see the coners or topsiders leave early each day and you are still in quals and mess cranking, you will need to understand, this is what you have volunteered to do. You will get a little more money than other Navy rates but not a lot, unless you re-enlist.  That option will not be available to you for at least two years into the program.  Military life is hard, boring sometimes and in the end usually rewarding if you take advantage of the training to the fullest degree.  But, everyone here who has been through it, probably had a very similar experience and in the end it was what the individual person made out of the job.  For some, it is a great career, others a great experience, and for some who never wanted to adapt to the navy and the nuclear program, they were bitter and unhappy and still to this day many years later despise the job for their own reasons.  It will all be up to you, to meet the challenges in front of you. 

Good Luck and thanks for choosing to serve our country.

[SCCooper]

Thanks for your honest insight on the program and what people take from it! I'm really excited to get started on my career in the Navy.

[JustinHEMI05]

Good luck and keep us posted! Thanks for your service!

[IPREGEN]

It's not all bad all the time. It can be frustrating at times but keep it all in perspective. Stay focused on what you want out of the position, you know, why you joined in the first place. Boot camp is there to weed out the slackers and non-hackers, don't get wrapped up any of the "poor me" attitudes that you'll come across. School will teach you what you need, remember the Navy wants you qualified. Thousands of people have been through it, it's not that tough.

[ziphaa]

It's not that bad. I can only speak for submarine life in saying that it is hard. The only way that it isn't hard is if you are fully qualified and they don't trust you to do work based on a lack of abilities/common sense. I reocommend you choose ET(Reactor Operator; my opinion, because we are better) At a minimum, try and walk away qualified Engineering Watch Supervisor and with a degree (you would only be helping yourself). It will be better this way if you choose to stay in for retirement or if you want to get out. Personally I didn't walk in to the recruiting station and say give me the easiest job you have. If you want to challenge yourself and work hard, you will see the benifits for your labors. I am 24 years old and make more than my parents and have twice as big of a house. Benifits? Significant. Negatives? Also significant, but then again I am also still active duty. I would never trade the time that I have had in for anything, but it is time for me to hang up my white hat and transfer to comcivlant.
ET1(SS)

[SCCooper]

Thanks alot for the advice man.. what kind of degree would you reccomend working on while your in?

[Neutron Whisperer]

Thanks alot for the advice man.. what kind of degree would you reccomend working on while your in?

See item 1.