Is a non Prototype Billet a career ender for an EM1

[Velcro]

I accepted a great position at Ballston Spa NY as a person at MTG(Maintenance Training Group) in NY NPTU, the only thing is I here that its a career killer for me because I don't deal with students all the time.  Basically its a good deal that gets a bad rep.  I am learning to become a mechanic which is a good thing for when I get out, all the maintenance I will have under my belt will be outstanding but as I said none of this helps me as an Electrician, because as they say here I am just an E.M. Extra Mechanic.  Is there anything I can do to boost my standing to help me improve my evals?? I do say though, even if this a dead end for me making rank, I am glad I did it, MTG rocks!

[Fermi2]

I'll admit, I haven't been in the Navy in over 15 years, but it would seem to me any assignment that involved being cross trained would be a big help to your career.

Plus it's great seeing the Navy is making an honest man out of a wire biter

Mike

[taterhead]

The short answer to your question is "no", but there are caveats.

I tell my guys here at the Shipyard that, as a nuke, you need to do the things at SEA to make Chief.  The board has consistently said that "sustained superior performance at sea" is the number 1 factor when selecting Chiefs.  What does that mean? 

1) EWS/PPWS quals.  There is no substitute.  Without it, you are at an immediate disadvantage.  I rarely see nukes put on anchors without EWS/PPWS as a First Class.

2) LPO.  You need some sort of leadership billet.  Even ALPO or WCS can do it if you excelled at it and your evals reflect a high level of production.

3)  Warfare Quals.  A no brainer on a sub, but for carrier nukes, DUAL warfare is the way to go...automatic standout.

4)  No PRT Failures (at least in the last 4 years).

5)  No recent/serious NJP (at least in the last 4 years).

If nuke sailors show up to non-school shore duty with the above listed quals, then they do not need to go to prototype to advance.  Here, I concentrate on getting my sailors to college.  4 out of my 5 guys are in college classes, and 3 of them are full time at night at local univeristies.  3 of them will leave here with Bachelor's Degrees, and one of them will have his TESC ASAST.  This is the final piece of the puzzle. 

To summarize, there is nothing you can do to replace the WS quals.  However, you can get into leadership positions, volunteer your butt off, especially at the command sponsored community events, and GO TO SCHOOL.  If you already have a Bachelors, go for the Masters.  Get fit.  Lead PT.  Run the CFC program.  Become a Command Fininacial Specialist.  Really, just do everything you can to offset the perceived "good deal" you have.

Someone has to take the billet.  It happened to be you.  Now the question is how you perform in that position.