Just wanted to thank all the Nukes on here...

[robrapalus]

Hey folks!

So I decided that I wanted to see what was available to me in the Navy and decided to take the ASVAB. I'm 24, high school education, and been in the workforce for 7 years. Needless to say, I didn't think I would do too well. I took the ASVAB last Wednesday and got a 96. 259 for the Nuclear Line Score, so my recruiter said "You are a great candidate for the nuke stuff." I spent that night in the hotel provided for MEPS and spent most of that night reading up about the nuclear program, much of which was on this forum. I did the physical and medical exams and those all came back fine (minus some tattoo waivers) and then I had to talk to the rating placement people.

After about 10 minutes of talking, he said "Well, you are 24, which means we are going to put in a waiver. I'm going to have you take the NAPT, because if you do well, it will basically prove to the Navy that you are what they want of a Nuke." I had read the various threads on here about the contents of the NAPT and was pretty intimidated by it; I hadn't done that stuff since high school in 2003! I took the test, brain slowly turning to mush, and scored a 65.

I am still waiting for the various waivers I needed to come thru, along with background check stuff, for the Nuke rating. I signed my contract today for a SECF (Nuke-lite as the Petty Officer put it) and should know in the next couple of weeks if I am accepted into the Nuke program. I just wanted to say thanks for all the information and advice on this board, because it really helped in choosing a worthwhile and hard-working career that I will hopefully be able to be a part of.

[co60slr]

I signed my contract today for a SECF (Nuke-lite as the Petty Officer put it) and should know in the next couple of weeks if I am accepted into the Nuke program. I just wanted to say thanks for all the information and advice on this board, because it really helped in choosing a worthwhile and hard-working career that I will hopefully be able to be a part of.

How does "Submarine Electronics Computer Field" (SECF) relate to anything nuclear?

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/enlistedjob1/a/secf.htm
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/usw/issue_4/fleet_news.html
Etc, etc.

Co60
   

[sovbob]

How does "Submarine Electronics Computer Field" (SECF) relate to anything nuclear?

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/enlistedjob1/a/secf.htm
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/usw/issue_4/fleet_news.html
Etc, etc.

Co60

It doesn't.  Not really, anyway.

The reason the recruiter referred to SECF as "nuke lite" was because submarines require more highly qualified individuals than most other navy assignments, similar to the nuclear program.

http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/publications/Directives/1130_8H/1130_8H_VOL%20IV_Programs%20&%20Classification-with%20CH4.pdf
(Section 4 refers to submarine programs)

The SECF trainee will eventually be given a rating of either ST (Sonar Technician), FT (Fire Control Technician), Nav ET (Navigation Electronics Technician) or Radio ET (Radio Electronics Technician).  They are sometimes referred to as "tech rates".

[robrapalus]

When I spoke with the job placement guy, I asked him about CTN if I can't get into the nuke. He said basically the only ratings open right now are IT and SECF. Mostly everything else is closed, so I am fine with my choice. I'm looking to get into a career that provides me with a challenge and a way to advance, neither of which I get in my current job.

[Maziwrath]

I was in a similar situation when I first signed up. There weren't any Nuke spots available when I was joining so they had me sign up for AECF because it was a 6-year contact as well. That way I could swear in and all that fun stuff and not have to go back to MEPS before I shipped. As soon as they got a spot available they just had me sign a new contract in the office.

If you really want to be a Nuke, you could always keep on them about it and as soon as someone drops(they always do) you could get their spot. That's entirely up to you though.

[goobs22xx]

When I spoke with the job placement guy, I asked him about CTN if I can't get into the nuke. He said basically the only ratings open right now are IT and SECF. Mostly everything else is closed, so I am fine with my choice. I'm looking to get into a career that provides me with a challenge and a way to advance, neither of which I get in my current job.

As long as you're wanting to do what you signed the contract to do, then congratulations and best of luck in your endeavors.

(If you're only wanting to be a nuke though, be wary of shipping as anything else.)

[Fermi2]

Why the hell did you sign a contract for something you weren't interested in?
You say you're 24??

[JsonD13]

I was in a similar situation when I first signed up. There weren't any Nuke spots available when I was joining so they had me sign up for AECF because it was a 6-year contact as well. That way I could swear in and all that fun stuff and not have to go back to MEPS before I shipped. As soon as they got a spot available they just had me sign a new contract in the office.

If you really want to be a Nuke, you could always keep on them about it and as soon as someone drops(they always do) you could get their spot. That's entirely up to you though.

With the Navy being so shorthanded nuke wise, why would there NOT be an opening for a nuke?

[HydroDave63]

WITH AN ASVAB OF 73, THAT"S WHY WE HAVE WAIVERS!!!!!!

Duuuude, ASVAB of 73 is soooo last year. In 2011 they will offer a WorldOfWarcraft waiver if you have over 100000 e-gold and an ASVAB of 50 

I weep for the future...

[goobs22xx]

Slow reaction time,.....

The USN throws money at the problem until it corrects,...

Acceleration on the upward slide is fueled by the high enlistment bonuses and a dead economy which yields better than anticipated enlistment numbers,....

The ensuing momentum yields an overabundance of contracted nukes because of the slow reaction time of Navy (government) bureaucracy,....

The Navy likes to micromanage the pipeline to the point it resembles the most unmanaged mess imaginable,...

Ergo, for the next three months we need no nukes,...

6 months later;

WE NEED EVERY BREATHING BODY WE CAN GET OUR HANDS ON!!!!!!!

WE"RE TALKING WAIVERS HERE PEOPLE!!!! WE DON"T CARE IF THEY'RE ILLITERATE FATHER RAPING DOPE SMOKERS WITH AN ASVAB OF 73, THAT"S WHY WE HAVE WAIVERS!!!!!!

of course, I could be wrong,....

It's probably the inability to get students through the pipeline right now.

There is a logjam of students awaiting going to prototype. Based on the recent (material) occurence in NY, it's about to get worse.

[HydroDave63]

you guys need to stop telling me that the NY unit keeps having problem after problem after problem, year after year after year,.........

I live here (NY unit in my backyard)!!!!!!!!

sheeeeeesh!!

Maybe that ain't 'flouride' in your water