@DDMurray, Yes, that was indeed one of the first things I learned when I got to the boat. A lot changes from prototype to a real boat.
@Starkist, I would love to go to a surface boat and see how that was for a tour or something. I wouldn't mind qualifying load dispatcher either.
As for qualifying EWS, yes, that kind of shot me in the foot. When I was looking for orders, electricians going to prototype are very slim and I would have had to be EWS to go at this point. I kind of didn't know what I was doing really when I got to my 3 year PRD, and just ended up extending for another year. I kept putting off qualifying EWS, that it wasn't until now that I seriously started considering it. By this point, there's a bunch of other people they want to qualify in front of me, people who will be on the boat for more than a couple of months. (Hell, there's been one guy who's been in quals for about a year now, along with about a half dozen other people, who are going to be on through next west pac, etc.)
So, that's the big reason why I'm not going to shore duty at this point. I do still plan on qualifying EWS before I do get out of the navy.
The split-tour at this point, well, I just need off this boat really. At least from a quality of life stand point. I'll be on the next boat until I qualify EWS, maybe a little bit afterwards, and then end up going to shore duty from there. At that point, I don't know what I'll be doing in my navy career. I am looking at getting out though. A lot depends on what happens.
(Oh, and thanks for your responses so far.)