To go Nuke or not to go Nuke

[Gibsn]

That is the question!

First off I would like to thank everyone on this forum, browsing through your threads was an informative extremely eye opening experience. Which brings me to the topic, reading through the "Collection of useful posts to potential/ new recruits" thread I found the sections on nuke/navy life to be well.. bewildering, a majority of posts seemed to seeded with negativity about being nuke making me question my current rating preference, so I would like to know:

1) Is nuke really that much worse than other ratings? If so which would you recommend? My concern here is that a good portion of this sites users seem to not find their time satisfying but in hindsight found it rewarding. Most, and I could be wrong here, would have done things differently if they could have.

2) How severe is the segregation between Ratings, are nukes really looked down upon? Several posts about the ill sentiment of conners towards the nuke crew were opposed to what I thought was the general reason for going sub, getting along with the entire crew.

I somewhat expect the majority of answers to be either A) It's what you make it or  B) It's just a dice roll, so I understand if this is the case! I also apologize for making a thread you've seen a dozen times over.

If it's important I'm a college grad who's enlisting rather than waiting around for the OCS boards, I would like to switch over to officer ranks at some point but I'm honored just to be able to serve.

I understand that this is opinion based and has no "right" answer, but as former/current sailors I would really appreciate your opinion. Thanks for taking some time for a worried prospect!

[DSO]

1) Is nuke really that much worse than other ratings? Thats subjective.....standards are higher for Nukes than the other ratings on the sub due to what we do...generally you will work more hours overall, but when you get out you generally have better job opportunities, so I believe its worth it.

2) How severe is the segregation between Ratings, are nukes really looked down upon? Looked down upon? No...a little bit of attitude exists between coners and nukes but nothing major...they will raz you when you complain about being the first on the sub for startup and last off after the sub pulls in port with "thats why you friggin nukes get pro pay" but some coners even hung out with nukes in port...some didnt...overall nothing major.

I would like to switch over to officer ranks at some point Dont plan on this happening once youre enlisted.....The wait for the OCS boards might be worth it

[93-383]

1) Most of us have never been another rating and cannot say for certain that nuke is worse than all others. However, except for port visits I hated being in the navy every day for 10 years. Having been out a few years I look back on the whole experience as a mistake.

if you describe yourself as creative, thinks outside the box, likes to find new solutions to problems, innovative, etc. RUN don't walk to another rating.

as for other ratings. Pick something you would be interested in If you are unsure what intrests would translate to what ratings do some further research or ask people.

[Higgs]

Go nuke for the women and the glory.

[Starkist]

Being a nuke sucks. The job conditions, the stress, and the only real reward you get is the ability to make rank fast if you work hard. Don't expect much sleep, you're going to be stuck on the boat before and after the rest of the crew, and you're not going to have much fun qualifying.

...that said, being a nuke opens many many doors you can't even see yet. I've been pleasantly surprised by the amount of people that know about it out of the nuke world. Working hard and qualifying fast gets you a lot of perks whil you are in. Its what you make of it.

[GLW]

Do not go nuke unless you want to be a nuke, and every day after that when you think it's too much tell yourself, "This is what I wanted."

Nukes get among the best enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses, pro pays and tend to advance quickly and earn more money sooner,...

That is because they earn it,...

Make more, work more,...

The money is never worth it if you do not want to be a nuke,...

There are lots of other vocations in the Navy that will allow you to serve, demand less, and give you a twenty or thirty year retirement just as well,...

Generally, as a nuke, you work harder, make more money, have better options at EAOS or retirement, and advance quicker,...

Because you are a "specialty", trying to work outside that specialty while in the Navy may not be encouraged, which does not make that aspiration impossible, you just need to line up your aspirations with the needs of the Navy and get your timing right,...

Like all things these are generalities, some slugs or self serving jackasses are in every program and every walk of life, including Navy nuke,...

It's your decision, you have to live with it,...

[iiiisx349]

once you're in don't leave.that's what happened to me and now i can't get back in to save my life

[drayer54]

1) Is nuke really that much worse than other ratings? If so which would you recommend? My concern here is that a good portion of this sites users seem to not find their time satisfying but in hindsight found it rewarding.
2) How severe is the segregation between Ratings, are nukes really looked down upon?
I somewhat expect the majority of answers to be either A) It's what you make it or  B) It's just a dice roll, so I understand if this is the case! I also apologize for making a thread you've seen a dozen times over.

I would say that it is what you make of it and it is a dice roll.... 

People throughout life may dislike you for doing something that they can't. That is true in the Navy. This is why we usually stick to our own.

If you already have a degree and want OCS, then enlisting may not be the best path for you. You don't want to feel like you are underachieving when you arrive to the fleet and haven't had the best of luck with OCS. 6 years is a long time to wonder if you could be doing something better and more rewarding. Justin may have found the women and the glory, but it is kind of a thankless job. The reactor department is like the offensive line of a football team: You are expected to do your job perfectly and nobody notices when you do, but screw up and the spotlight is yours. The culture is not exactly friendly or designed for the individual sailor. Somebody put a comment on here about bonuses being high because the job sucks and someone asking about making the job suck less, which received a blank response.... The quality of life aspect is pretty much absent and not too many people care. It can make family life tough.

I would never recommend nuke for someone who wanted to go career navy, because the normal navy actually has some awesome opportunities that are a much more pleasant experience. The travel aspect (which was a big factor for me) is a big disappointment too. The quality of the port call experience is spiraling downward by the deployment in the name of global security and a sober navy with greater appreciation for Operational Risk Management method of port call killing.

You will also find yourself being treated like an 18 year old who knows absolutely nothing because many people who walk into the pipeline are 18 year olds who know nothing. Some people don't mind never being a person in their first few years in the Navy, but as someone who is likely a little older with more options.... it might bother you.

I would only pick nuke if the 'down the road' picture is why you want it. It will suck and it isn't worth it unless you are in it for a reason. We always had a whole lot of guys who knew they were never going to look at commercial energy and hated every minute of it. If the Navy picture is what is appealing to you, look at like a combat systems job or something that doesn't limit you to nuke ships and nuke shore duties. You can go for OCS in another rate if that is your ultimate goal.

Good luck to you!!!!

P.S.
Yes, your post was a major repeat, but you pulled it off in a way that doesn't look lazy and pathetic like most of the "just tell me what to do" posts.

[Higgs]

Why are you so wordy?

[drayer54]

Why are you so wordy?

I always have a lot to say. I usually reduce my posts in size anyways.

I did start using paragraphs just for you.

[93-383]

Nukes get among the best enlistment and reenlistment bonuses, pro pays and tend to advance quickly and earn more money sooner,...

That is because they earn it,...

Make more, work more,...

Overall I really have to disagree with that statement.

The bonuses, pro pays and rapid advancement are retention tools.

Nukes do work hard but there are plenty of engineering rates that work just as hard and don't get any of the above mentioned perks. Hell the Navy is full of hard working men and women many of whom are poorly paid and under appreciated.

I will retract one thing I said in my previous post. I did not hate every day working in the Navy. I hated every day working in the nuclear Navy. The three years I spent working with conventional surface ships in the shipyard where good years and valuable experience. The only thing I hated about it was the one day a month I had to spend in nuke training surrounded by other nukes.

[Higgs]

I always have a lot to say. I usually reduce my posts in size anyways.

I did start using paragraphs just for you.

HHAHAa thanks! There is something to be said about being succinct, if you want to be an SRO someday. If not, blather on.

[GLW]

Overall I really have to disagree with that statement.

The bonuses, pro pays and rapid advancement are retention tools.

Nukes do work hard but there are plenty of engineering rates that work just as hard and don't get any of the above mentioned perks. Hell the Navy is full of hard working men and women many of whom are poorly paid and under appreciated.

93-383 had a much more recent Navy nuclear experience than I had.

As his assessment is that nukes get all the best bonuses and do not have to work any harder for them than anybody else your decision is a slam dunk,...go nuke.

cheers,....

[HydroDave63]

2) How severe is the segregation between Ratings, are nukes really looked down upon? Several posts about the ill sentiment of conners towards the nuke crew were opposed to what I thought was the general reason for going sub, getting along with the entire crew.

Whiskey...Tango...Foxtrot, over!   

If your general idea for joining the Navy is to "get along with the entire crew", then you need to select Chaplain Corps.

If your general idea for going subs  is to "get along with the entire crew" then it is a regular eHarmony at sea!  [/joking] Thanks to Mullen anyhow [/notjoking]

Seriously, you need to focus on what job duties you can perform competently AND would reward you with job satisfaction.

If you want a air-conditioned job with 6 section duty and 100 shipmates you can drink with at the Legion Hall years after you get out, go for air traffic controller on a CVN. Great sea/shore rotation. Plus hot carrier chicks!

On a sub, it's either too hot or too cold much of the time. There is no 24-hr speedline for a cheeseburger at 0300 getting off of watch. The only Victoria's Secret you'll smell on a sub is what some coner sonar guy is wearing. As a new nuke, you'd probably have to clean out bilges and spend a lot of time in hot rumbling engineering spaces.

[DDMurray]

Everybody pays.  You pay with your time, effort, sacrifice, physical labor, and mental faculties.
-Some struggle to make it through boot camp, for others it's a piece of cake
-Some struggle through NFAS for any number of reasons (academic, military, inability or desire to take crap from an a-hole)
-More struggle through NPS for the same reasons as NFAS except NPS is more challenging
-More struggle at NPTU, some of the "book smart" people can't apply that knowledge, others try to learn too much, others try to learn too little
-On the boat or ship everybody takes a bite out of a shyte sandwich.  Depending on the crew and optempo it can be an overwhelming oppressive environment, especially if you make a bad first impression.

Six years will go by whether you join the nuclear navy or not.  Being a nuke is harder, plain and simple.  At the end of the six years will you be satisfied with yourself for taking the easier way?   

[IPREGEN]

I would not say nuke is worse than other rates. You will learn more than most rates and you will apply what you learn. I would not want to do what the topside folks do. Your job choices include laundry, mess cooking and such, but some people like that kind of work, some people don't care what they do.

Nukes are not looked down on, it is more of a rivalry based on pride. While others are bitter about the whole navy experience and are willing to share their (dis)pleasure.

[weaselton]

1) I would not say the Nuke rates are any worse or better than other rates while you are in. You do get paid a bit more, but you do get into the first one last off deal. Big downside for me as a nuke were the limited short billets. Non nuke rates seem to have a much better selection.

2) As mentioned above, it generally falls into a semi friendly contest between departments. You will of course always find that guy who acts like a bear with a sore tooth, but they are not the majority. Big thing is when it all comes together, you are one crew, who needs every man on board to be ready to do their part, especially when casualties strike. (Fire flooding and famine etc.)


Go OCS.
You GREATLY increase your odds of getting the package doing that rather than trying to get commissioned once in. Plus you won't need to go through powerschool/ prototype twice. (Once enlisted and once officer.)

[fiveeleven]

Pros and Cons abound. My perspective related to personal experience which was many moons ago.Nuc School was difficult- at least for a section 2 rock -it needs to be. Prototype wasnt bad as long as all things are placed in proper perspective.Sailed for 3 weeks in a conventional engine room (Constellation) working with 6YO BTs in the oil lab on the way to the Nimitz. Nuclear option much better.Time spent on ship- at times being a Nuc wasnt worth a chiefs coffee cup of sea water. Other times it was good to be a Nuc.Its what you make of it on a personal level. Had a shipmate that involuntarily parted with his NEC board a conventional carrier on his way off the Nimitz (after 7 stellar months in the Med) and spent 8 additional stellar mo. in the Med. as a 3PO in main machinery-Nuclear option much much better. Personal perspective - at least for a rate that lands you in the power plant - Nuclear rules.  MM2/ELT USS Nimitz CVN-68 80-84.

[Gibsn]

Again I would like to thank everyone for their responses which were, as usual, very informative. Having my questions answered and receiving advice from people actually in the nuke field was extremely valuable and I appreicate it a great deal.

I processed at MEPS yesterday and elected to go with a nuke contract. I look forward to shipping 5/2/12.

To those who recommended I go OCS, I would have taken this option but the recruiter I talked to said I wasn't qualified to become a nuclear officer since I didn't have the physics with calculus background required. As for the other designators I was both concerned I wouldn't get selected and dreaded the long wait... I don't want to whine anymore than you want to hear it so I'll just stop there.

Ultimately I'm happy with my decision and greatful for your support and comments. I know that in the future I might wonder what I got myself into, but thanks to this forum I'm sure I have a better idea than some sailors!

Thank you!

[Gamecock]

To those who recommended I go OCS, I would have taken this option but the recruiter I talked to said I wasn't qualified to become a nuclear officer since I didn't have the physics with calculus background required. As for the other designators I was both concerned I wouldn't get selected and dreaded the long wait... I don't want to whine anymore than you want to hear it so I'll just stop there.

OCS is closed out for this FY, and has VERY  few openings for next FY.

Cheers,
GC

[martinz]

Thank you so much to all who responded. I think I'm going to look to see if I can switch to a corpsman position because I feel that would better me in any aspect of the medical field. And, like you guys said, that would make me happier than being on edge for 6 years on whether or not I should be doing a questionable job. Once again, thank you for the input into my situation and sorry it took a while to respond!