Ok, here is my take on it. I knew I would never make it through college. Mainly because I am very technical minded and the thought of the "other" classes I would be forced to take........ and pay for...........just turned me off.
So, 9 days out of high school, I went to bootcamp, then through the pipeline. I became an MM, and ELT. I spent my 6 in, then went civilian. 2 weeks after discharge, I was back in class at Palisades NPP. Been here ever since. First as a plant operator, and then a reactor operator, which is what I am now. All told, I have 16 yrs nuclear operator experience.
I can tell you right now, the experience and training you get in the nuke navy is VERY helpful in the outside world. Sure, the plants have little automation, and solid state circuitry is a novelty.
But the fundamentals are no different. Physics, heat transfer/fluid flow, electrical/ electronic theory, reactor theory............. none of that changes.
Once the Nuke Navy teaches you how to learn, you can train yourself almost anything, and the civilian recruiters know that.
I loved Navy reactors. They are the most robust, flexible, fixable, piece of machinery I have ever worked on. If you ever run a civilian plant, you will realize how finicky they can be. They are the same vintage machinery, but not the same quality.
If it was not for the whole "navy" thing, I would have stayed in. The conventional navy drove me nuts. I hated coming out of the plant and having to deal with the mouthbreathers. What kind of idiot tries to flush his own pants down the toilet?
I have NEVER regretted my decision to get the navy nuke training. It has served me well, and my life is good. I am hoping to stay at palisades until retirement. I am 36, so I have some time yet. Life is good, and I love my job. I owe it all to the nuke navy.