I've lurked on Nukeworker for about a year or so, read up on every "this is why you're wrong" thread I could find, and have seen the wide variety of people posting here, and their experience. I suppose some of this could go into Staying In, but I plan on getting out after this enlistment (will end up around 9.5 years).
I'm an ET2 on a Virginia-class newcon, currently in EWS quals. I've been attached to the boat prior to it existing, and have seen the entire build process through. Currently in the middle of a 50+ day 3 section shift work period.
I would like to go into Ops, preferably in the SE. I've gathered that experience here means little to nothing outside. I would like to maximize my options outside while in. Unfortunately, during Newcon, there is pretty much no free time for any college, plus my schedule rotates about as often as I can blink. I have looked into several online courses, but most of them seem either not worth it, or they require more time than I have to give. I'm not stupid - I know good things do not come without hard work. However, 80-100 hour workweeks do not lend themselves to desiring anything other than sleep.
Prior to transferring/being evicted (he was at odds with our CO), there was an excellent prior ETC LDO who told me that FIDE (simulator) billets were one of the better things to have if I wanted to open up my options. (Obviously this would lean more towards instruction than Ops) This means Prototype or a FIDE, and the latter is extremely difficult to get. Can anyone in the commercial world yay/nay this thought?
Once I leave the boat, I will realistically be going to Prototype, which with the current PRD plan, means I'll be extending. I don't necessarily have that as my first choice, but it would (provided I went back to Charleston) put me closer to my and my wife's family, and allow me to go look at the area I want to be settling in. I enjoyed my time at MTS-635, but I qualified quickly and got along with staff. I think I'd do alright if I went back, and honestly, it probably wouldn't be any worse than here (A MM1 transferred up here from prototype about 9 months ago and agrees).
Are there any KAPL employees here? I've seen a few members reference it, so I assume so. There's an extremely friendly and knowledgeable RPCO rep on our boat who keeps encouraging me to go to KAPL. It does require a degree, he says, but it would definitely be something I'm interested in. I've spent about 45 days at KAPL for various training (Design School is tremendous - getting to talk to the engineers who designed a system and have them present lectures on their own stuff is great), and the people there in general seem very happy and enthused. One department that would interest me is Advanced Reactor Design, but I'm sure that would require quite a lot of schooling, and very little of my current knowledge would transfer over.
Finally, a money question: I've done a lot of searching on the subject of temporary employment upon leaving the military. I understand that you interview and hopefully get offers prior to your EAOS, but I imagine that's not always feasible. What do most people do in the transition period? Best Buy, Wal-Mart, etc? I'm not above that, although if there was something remotely related to my hopeful field of work that'd be great. I've looked at
http://www.y12.doe.gov/ and they're fairly vague on the subject, mostly saying that area employers are available.
Thank you in advance to anyone who has read this far.
-Stephan