Questions about going back in

[Yaeger]

Hi guys,

I'm a 6-and-out EM2(SS) and I have a couple of questions about going back in that I hope you guys can answer for me.

I recently completed my bachelors degree with a 3.89 GPA, submitted a package for OCS (SWO,NFO), and I'm currently awaiting approval/denial on my OCS package. I've heard that even after my package has been approved and moved up through final select, that the class-up date to OCS can be up to a year away. I don't want to wait a year and I was wondering about some options that would make it so I wouldn't waste time twiddling my thumbs.

My questions are as follows:

1) If I re-enlist, will that nullify my already submitted OCS package?

2) The enlisted recruiters weren't familiar/enthusiastic with the process for NAVETs coming back into the service. It would seem like the processing would be quick since Nukes are perpetually undermanned, I've already done the required schooling, and have the NEC. Is it relatively fast?

3) What would you guys recommend? I'm going to wait until I see how fast I can get a class-up date, but should I get the enlisted paperwork rolling just in case I have to sit on my hands for another year?

Thanks for your time,
Chris

[Duchess]

Hi guys,

I'm am a 6-and-out EM2(SS) and I have a couple of questions about going back in that I hope you guys can answer for me.

I recently completed my bachelors degree with a 3.89 GPA, submitted a package for OCS (SWO,NFO), and I'm currently awaiting approval/denial on my OCS package. I've heard that even after my package has been approved and moved up through final select, that the class-up date to OCS can be up to a year away. I don't want to wait a year and I was wondering about some options that would make it so I wouldn't waste time twiddling my thumbs.

My questions are as follows:

1) If I re-enlist, will that nullify my already submitted OCS package?

2) The enlisted recruiters weren't familiar/enthusiastic with the process for NAVETs coming back into the service. It would seem like the processing would be quick since Nukes are perpetually undermanned, I've already done the required schooling, and have the NEC. Is it relatively fast?

3) What would you guys recommend? I'm going to wait until I see how fast I can get a class-up date, but should I get the enlisted paperwork rolling just in case I have to sit on my hands for another year?

Thanks for your time,
Chris

You could probably sign up for the reserves and do a year or so in the Iraq/Afghanistan while you wait.

[Samabby]

Great job with that GPA ! You served 6 years as a blue shirt- wanna do some more?  I would wait for the Ensign bars.

[JsonD13]

Question:  Why did you get out in the first place?  If it was any reason other than "I wanted to be an officer and this was the only way I saw to be effective for me" then you might want to reconsider re-joining the service.

Plenty of jobs out there for nuclear degree holders ;-).

Jason

[JustinHEMI05]

Why would you want to go back into the service? Your choice, but there are better opportunities. If you simply want to serve as an officer, than I applaud you. But if you are looking for money, you need to be applying to operations a nuke plant.

Whatever you do, don't reenlist.

Justin

[MMM]

Chris,
Have you already gotten out? If you are out, I don't know how coming back in as an officer works. If you're still in, then I know that reenlisting doesn't affect your OCS package, however you won't be eligible for an SRB.
Aside from that, depending on what your degree is, you may want to follow everyone's advice and look at something other than the navy.

[spekkio]

1) If I re-enlist, will that nullify my already submitted OCS package?

No. If you get into OCS, you will be released from active duty to go to OCS.

3) What would you guys recommend? I'm going to wait until I see how fast I can get a class-up date, but should I get the enlisted paperwork rolling just in case I have to sit on my hands for another year?

Thanks for your time,
Chris

I would recommend thinking about why you decided to leave the service in the first place. Your degree and job experience make you very competitive in the corporate world for fairly high paying jobs. If you're passing that up because you have a strong desire to serve in the military, then why did you leave in the first place? You could have stayed in, advanced, had more time toward retirement, and worked on a degree if you wanted to. If you left because you wanted to become an officer, and the only way to do that was to use the GI bill to go to college, why would you reenlist?

Reenlisting just doesn't make sense at this point...not because it's a bad job (depending on who you ask), but because you obviously left the military for a reason.

[Yaeger]

Well, the primary reason I enlisted in the first place was the fact that I couldn't afford to put myself through college and wanted to do something 'cool'. Also, I didn't want huge debt and the a decent chance of flunking out because I didn't really care at the time.

While I was in I saved up, put in money for the college fund kicker, and got a full-ride scholarship before I left active duty. I really wanted to experience college life without having the Navy control it somehow. I finished college and started thinking about things to do, Commercial nuke was one of those. I applied for every NLO, EO operations job I could for about 6 months, made sure my resumes looked good, and kept my fingers crossed. Kept my eyes on this site, a lot of good posts about trying to break into the field.

No luck after 6 months of searching for commercial nuke jobs so I decided to go in as an Officer since I didn't really mind the Navy. As a single guy it's definitely easier to make that choice and move around constantly. I have this naive thought that I could serve 14 years and retire, then start commercial operations or whatever when I'm 41-42. But to be honest it's too far away to plan that.

The Navy has it's ups and downs, leaves a lot of people bitter, but I guess it just depends on your experience and your needs. Right now money isn't one of my bigger concerns.

To be honest, I almost wished I would have stayed in and completed my degree, saved myself 4 years in the long run. Then again, college was awesome and I don't regret a thing.