Navy ELT

[Fla Jackal]

can some one give me the low down on what they work on i have read some of the other topics and the information varies and i was wondering if a former navy ELT could give me soom insight? And im pretty sure im going surface because im 6 foot 3 and i dont think i would fit very well in a submarine.

[Fermi2]

My boat had a 6 foot 7 inch tall ELT. I was a LELT on a boat. You'll do radiation surveys, chemistry samples on the reactor side and on the secondary (non radioactive side), you'll trasfer radiactive material from place to place, you'll perform decontamination of areas that get radioactively contaminated, you'll process radiation dosimetry, you'll do maintenance on chem lab equipment, you'll stand regular watches assuming you go to a submarine, you'll be the first guy into the reactor compartment and the last one out.

If you go subs you'll do all the cool machinist mate stuff too.

Mike

[hamsamich]

we had a huge guy in M-Div named Slavik on our boat.  6'6" I think?  you can do it!

[Wirebiter]

6'5" myself.  You would be surprised at how many places onboard a submarine (well SSBN at least) that you can walk around no problems. 

It should only take one pipe-hanger to remind you to duck.  It did for me and I haven't had a need for stitches since.................

[Roll Tide]

I remember hearing a buddy exclaim, "You're too big for this class sub!" When I asked him which class I should be assigned, he replied "TYPHOON!" without hesitation.

I miss the love and respect from those guys. 

[Fla Jackal]

thats good because now i know subs arn't out of the question for me. and i like sound of the ELT class.

[Fla Jackal]

what about EM whats that one like? if i have to i have no problem being a MM i like working with my hands and dont mind the work environment that i have heard about.

[Fla Jackal]

Hey thanks man i really appreciate what you have told me it gives me even more to think about but thats a good. i guess all can do till october is stay in shape and brush up on physics again.

[Roll Tide]

If you like the sound of the ELT stuff, but don't get selected, don't despair. You can get some of that "fun" by qualifying "Secondary Chemist" while on a sub. You can re-enlist for "C" school and choose "Radiological Controls Monitor Course" and then take a tour as RadCon. You can then run circles around shipboard ELTs in contamination control / surveys / job coverage / dosimetry / radiation detection instruments.

(I chose that route, and it led to qualification as Radcon when I got out of the Navy)

[shovelheadred]

...RL division USS Nimitz.."GONZO STATION"....1981....Keith Doran
~6'5" 270 lbs..he had problems with doors, and berthing, but he made his 4 years, and lives on today...in a place that caters to 6'+ individuals

[huckawayne]

If you want to be an ELT, when you get to prototype let the ELTs in your section know you are interested.  Now days, ELT students are selected from top percentage, middle percentage, and lower percentage of the current mechanical operator class  (ie dont have to be in the top percentage of the class anymore).

Get in good with your section ELTs.  If they do not like you, they will not recommend you for being picked up as an ELT.

One word of caution, I always told my prospective ELT students you have to be thick skinned to be an ELT.  People on your boat will give you S@#$ all the time.  Also depending on the boat you go to you may do double duty, more a part of M-Div than you desire to be.

[M1Ark]

Go surface ELT. 

You won't work as an MM and they'll be afraid to put you on the MM watchbill.  You'll stand 4 and 24's and you'll complain when the same movie is repeated on the ships TV station while underway.  You'll also get bed sores from all of the sleeping you'll be doing.  You'll complain that nucleonics is too cold during your 4 hour watch counting TLD's.  You'll also have the cleanest coveralls while doing field day.  And best of all... when a mechanic wants to turn in his TLD a week prior to EAOS... you'll refuse to accept it since you might have to stand MM watches.

Now you know why they have a nickname.  The names and faces may change but the above has elements of truth in the surface fleet.

Disgruntled MM

[Fermi2]

I knew a Surface ELT MM1 who couldn't identify a Centrifugal pump or a gate valve if he walked by one.

Mike

[taterhead]

Go surface ELT. 

You won't work as an MM and they'll be afraid to put you on the MM watchbill.  You'll stand 4 and 24's and you'll complain when the same movie is repeated on the ships TV station while underway.  You'll also get bed sores from all of the sleeping you'll be doing.  You'll complain that nucleonics is too cold during your 4 hour watch counting TLD's.  You'll also have the cleanest coveralls while doing field day.  And best of all... when a mechanic wants to turn in his TLD a week prior to EAOS... you'll refuse to accept it since you might have to stand MM watches.

Now you know why they have a nickname.  The names and faces may change but the above has elements of truth in the surface fleet.

Disgruntled MM

What he said

[huckawayne]

Man, I never should have volunteered subs.