Question about ETs

[drummerguy1989]

I enlisted back in April. I have been reading and studying everything I can possibly can about the Navy since then. I would love to be a Nuclear trained ET, but I'm not quite sure what it is I'll be dealing with. From the information I have gathered, ETs work on computers within reactor control, but nothing I have found really goes beyond that. What do ETs do during their watchstanding rotation? Do they observe and log readings on the same instruments they repair? Any information on what you do during watch would be appreciated. Also, what I have feared true, may actually be just that. Some people have said that the equipment used in the engineering department, and, specifically, in the reactor room is pretty ancient. Does this mean that, as a Nuclear ET, I would be working on less computer oriented equipment than, say, a non nuclear ET?

[Neutron_Herder]

Congrats on your enlistment!

I'll try to give you some info on the ET side of the world...

Once you finish school and get to your first sea command you won't be doing much besides qualifying.  On a surface ship you'll start out with a fairly junior watch where you handle the communications for the control room.  You'll also take a lot of logs on some equipment that is installed in there, but your main function will be relaying communications from the officer in charge of the plant to the people out in the plant doing stuff. 

Once you finish that qualification you'll move on to another watch that has a little more responsibility, and so on until you qualify Reactor Operator (RO) and Shutdown Reactor Operator (SRO)

There isn't a lot of maintenance that a junior person can do.  You have to be qualified Reactor Operator in order to test or fix any reactor safety related equipment.  You'll be able to watch some of the tasks get performed, and as you progress in your qualifications you will learn more about each system.  That way when you qualify RO and can work on stuff you know how what you're doing affects the plant as a whole.  That's a really important part of the whole thing, and why it can take a couple of years on a ship before you're qualified RO.

As far as the equipment goes, I really can't go into too much detail.  You have instrumentation out there that was designed in the 1950's all the way up to some of the newer stuff that it actually mid to late 90's technology.  It takes so long for a new piece of equipment to get certified because we have to make sure that it works no matter what.  It's not like you computer at home...  If it breaks you take it the shop and they fix it.  You ARE the shop when you go out to sea, and the equipment is placed in conditions (high heat and humidity) that it was never designed for.

It just depends on what ship you go to as to what level of technology they have.  As you go through the training pipeline you'll hear about which ships and boats have what kind of technology, so you'll have a pretty good idea of where you want to go as you finish school.  That doesn't mean that you'll get exactly what you want though, look at some of the other Navy Nuke threads to see that.  I can say that in 21 years of service I got every assignment that I asked for...  So it is possible to get what you want.

You might end up getting a little more computer time as a non-nuke ET, I really don't know.  If real computer stuff is what you want I'd look at the IT rate.  There are some other ones too, but their names escape me right now, sorry.

No matter what though I'd highly recommend the Nuke field.  It's challenging on a lot of levels, and as an ET you not only get to play with some electronics stuff, you get to learn a lot about the applied engineering field.  I enjoyed the job enough that I'm still doing the applied engineering part even after I retired from the Navy!  Of course the money helps a lot too.

Good luck, and if you have any other questions feel free to ask...  after making sure that they aren't answered elsewhere in the forums first!

Jay

[crusemm]

I would also like to add that, at least on subs, even though the nuclear ET's may not "own" a piece of equipment, your chief and senior firsts will most likely be consulted any time a piece of electronic equipment needs troubleshooting, mainly because the nukes get so much more practice than anyone else.
-Matt

[Jechtm]

Just some dude waiting for power school here.

I wanted ET before I joined, not cause it sounded fun but because my brother is training to be one and my Uncle was a nuke ET.

After bootcamp I was designated as an MM, ( 2nd choice ), and I couldn't be any happier.
The training so far was pretty fun, and I always keep wondering if Millington has psychic powers, 75% of the 3rd deckers are the nerdiest people Ive met...

No offense =)

[co60slr]

Just some dude waiting for power school here.

I wanted ET before I joined, not cause it sounded fun but because my brother is training to be one and my Uncle was a nuke ET.

After bootcamp I was designated as an MM, ( 2nd choice ), and I couldn't be any happier.
The training so far was pretty fun, and I always keep wondering if Millington has psychic powers, 75% of the 3rd deckers are the nerdiest people Ive met...

No offense =)

Congrats!  (Laughing)....again, the Navy usually seems to do a good job placing people.   I'm still waiting for the magic 8-ball "rating selection" secret though.

Co60

[Jechtm]

You are on the path to nuclear nirvana shipwreck,.....

let me spell it out for you,....E.....L.....T,....

a word of caution, never neglect your MM training or skills, a top mechanic in the engineering spaces is an operator of unparalleled ability who is truly one with the propulsion plant, for him there is no sound, rumble or vibration which does not tell a story of what, where and why, as you master the titrator also master the evaporator, the journey of the true ELT master runs through MM, not around it,....

I perceive the fates may have great plans for you,  Lachesis drew MM for you when all mortal signs pointed to ET,....

remember baby steps, one step at a time, focus on the day in front of you and the future will take care of itself, if you do not qualify for lofty goals, you cannot gain them,....

thank you for your service, good luck and study hard padawan,....

heheheheheh,.....

Oh I guess I left that out, yeh ELT is what I am striving for, finished A school with 3.68.
Powerschool starts in 2 weeks. I was told by my BM chief that they really look at qualifications in prototype more than the grades attained in the 2 previous schools to select ELT candidates. Chief is an ELT and so was my MM1 math instructor, he was kinda weird though.. surface guy...
But yeah I will focus on doing well in the pipeline and worry about ELT candidacy when the time comes.

[DLGN25]

The primary mission of a Nuke ET is reactor operations, everything else is secondary to the operation of the plant.  You will spend ten times or more time qualifying and standing watches then repairing equipment.   In the end, you will be an operating engineer, not an electronics technician in the traditional sense.

If computers or other mainstream electronics is your career goal, then going Nuke is not the way.   ET, IT, CT, or even weapon's systems ratings will expose you to more computer and electronic theory application then training in nuclear instrumentation will. 

That said, the Nuke program turns out the best trained and motivated people in the services.  The attitude you develop as a Nuke is something that will stay with you forever, no matter where life takes you.

Good luck,

Oh, as a Nuke, three section duty is the best you will ever see.  Non-nuke ET's seldom see three section duty underway, and usually enjoy five section duty in port. 

[Pirate Bob]

Regarding duty sections, on my ship, we have somehow managed to eek out four sections while in port.  The other departments have a measly eight (?!?) section rotation.

With respect to working on computers, there is a very small division that we have on our ship that takes care of the propulsion plant local area network (PPLAN), and those individuals not only get to play as their rate, but they work on the network.  There is a command (that perhaps after your first sea tour you might be lucky enough to get) that teaches ETMS, and that also deals specifically with troubleshooting down to the components.  It's also located in Hawaii, which isn't too darn bad.  These are shots in the dark, at best, but they are out there.

[IRLFAN]

  There is a command (that perhaps after your first sea tour you might be lucky enough to get) that teaches ETMS, and that also deals specifically with troubleshooting down to the components.  It's also located in Hawaii, which isn't too darn bad. 

Must be nice.  When I went to ETMS it was in Idaho.

[Neutron_Herder]

Yeah, the one in Idaho went away...  there are other ones besides Hawaii though.  They moved the one from NPTU Ballston Spa over to Groton.

There's also plans to establish an ETMS school right in Norfolk that'll be co-located with the FIDEs and all of that crap.  As they move these schools to the actual fleet concentration areas the chances of being able to attend go up quite a bit.  Unfortunately, the more people that go the more it reduces the importance of having the training.

I can't remember what they were going to do on the left coast, but I'm sure they'll end up with at least one ETMS out there if they don't have one already.

[Gamecock]

Yeah, the one in Idaho went away... 

What's wrong with Idaho?  (aside from the one hour drive to work)

I just got back today after spending one week in Idaho.

It was beautiful....

If I could convince the wife to move west....

[NHSparky]

What's wrong with Idaho?  Nothing a pair of hip waders and velcro gloves wouldn't fix...

(I keed!  I keed!)

And yeah, as an RO, you keep the rock hot.  Do your job, nobody remembers.  Screw up, nobody forgets.