One more first post

[ifonlythiswereclever]

This post will most likly end up being long, but I'm trying to throw in everything I can at once.

I'm looking to go into the Navy nuke program (as if my forum choice wern't already a dead giveaway) and as such I've started the process of enlisting.  So far I have 1) taken the ASVAB, 2) gone through MEPS once (I'll explain more in a bit) 3) decided to commit to the Navy, regardless if I end up doing nuke or not.

Here's my backround: I attented college for two years and actually have most of the credits I attempted.  I ended high school with a 3.2 GPA.  I did pretty good on the ASVAB; I havn't seen the full breakdown yet, but I know my general score was a 97. I mostly cleared the physical at MEPS - the doctor put me in for an optomitrist visit, but seeing as my eyes are horrible I expect it's to check that I don't have any degenerative eye diseases or anything.  BUT my eyes have stabilized in the last 5 years or so (read: maybe longer than that) and is correctable to 20:20.  My criminal record consists of one misdimeaner count of shoplifting from two years ago, which I have been up front about since the beginning with my recruiter and is fully documented (let me say right now that of all the mistakes I've made, that has been the most consequencial and frankly, the worst decision I've ever made).

Ok...with that input (hopefully thats enough, I'll be happy to add more if it proves insufficient) let me plow ahead.  I've been told so far that I'd be fine for getting into nuke, but I'll know for sure when I meet with the recruiter at MEPS after the appointment (assuming I DON'T have some aforementioned disqualifying eye disease).  But as I said, I want to be in the Navy regardless, so while nuke is my first choice, its not my only one.

What I would like to know (three paragraphs and countless attempts at wit into this post) is a bit more about the career paths within nuke.  I've read a lot of the topics about them but I still don't know exacly what each job; EM, ET, MM, entails(I'm very sorry for what must seem like basic questions).
If it helps, I'm fairly sure I'd like to stay on a surface ship, but I could go sub...jury's still out on that one (plus thats not really a decision I think I have enough experience to make now).  I've been interested in nuclear phyics for the last 5 or 6 years, though it shifted more to Quantum and plasma later on.  That being said I still find it all facinating regardless and would love to work on it and see it applied.  My mechanical skills are decent, but so are my computer and electrical skills. I enjoy all of them actually, but no one more than the others.

Despite its content being full of tangents and needless extra word usage (not to mention my own unique brand of spelling and grammer) what I'm looking for, other than my one question above, is how some of my apptitues might fit into the different positions based on you guy's experience in them.

Just want to say thank you guys already for the information I've gleaned from reading responces to other people's questions, it's all been really useful to me.

[JustinHEMI05]

Well when I went through the beginning process, I remember having a choice of nuke rate, which later I found out wasn't true. I don't know how it works now. I am pretty sure its still a number thing and they just fill them as bodies become available. That said here is a basic break down:
MM = Machinists Mate = Valve turners, bilge cleaners, machinery operators. You will never operate a reactor in this rate, regardless of what recruiters may tell you.
EM = Electricians Mate = wire biters. If its electrical, they own it and work on it. Operate the electric plant on the ship. You will not operate the reactor in this rate either.
ET = Electronics Technician = smooth crotches. They are the rate that actually operates the reactor. And besides that, they work on their own reactor controls gear and thats about it.

Which rate to choose?I don't know because like I said I don't think you really have a say so anyway. You can make your "choice" based on your attributes/aptitudes and how long you want to spend in school. MM A school is like 12 weeks. EM... well I forget how long it is but its greater than MM but way less than ET. ET A school is 6 monthsish.

Now, NONE of them at all in any way whatsoever give you a nuclear engineering degree, regardless of what a recruiter may tell you. In all honesty, navy nuclear power is extremely watered (AKA dumbed) down. You will not learn "real" nuclear or reactor physics... forget about quantum physics. However, it will give you a good basic understanding of the stuff. Thats not so say that the training pipeline isn't difficult. It will still be difficult for those with no background at all, but mostly from a time crunch standpoint. You have to learn a lot in a short amount of time... I think that is what makes it at all difficult.

As far as subs or surface that really is up to you. I was a sub guy and wouldn't have traded it for surface ever. There are pros and cons to both. What I can tell you is if you volunteer subs in boot camp you start accruing sub pay immediately and when you graduate the pipeline and get to your boat, you get back paid to your first day in the navy. So now a days thats like a 2000 extra bonus. What else did I like about subs? The small crew, the one single easy to operate plant, the smaller base (depending on where you go), the fact that your CO could be your drinking buddy and no one gives a crap, etc. What I didn't like about it (fast attack life) was the unpredictability of the schedule, the long sea periods, shit breaking left and right. Of my 4.5 years on the boat, I spend 3 years of it at sea... not all at once of course. And you never knew exactly when you were going out or coming back. But hey, I am glad I did it... but at the same time I am glad I have less than 200 days left. I can't speak to the surface fleet since I have never done it. What I can speak to is they advance WAY faster than sub guys.

Well this is long but I hope it helps.

Justin

[Roll Tide]

MM = Machinists Mate = Valve turners, bilge cleaners, machinery operators. You will never operate a reactor in this rate, regardless of what recruiters may tell you.
EM = Electricians Mate = wire biters. If its electrical, they own it and work on it. Operate the electric plant on the ship. You will not operate the reactor in this rate either.
ET = Electronics Technician = smooth crotches. They are the rate that actually operates the reactor. And besides that, they work on their own reactor controls gear and thats about it.

Let me offer a slight disagreement / clarification. Each rate includes nuclear plant operators and nuclear plant supervisors. The nuclear plant operators that are MM operate mechanical equipment: spinning the turbines is operating the secondary plant, which is operating the reactor (although EM usually stands "Throttleman"). The MM operates the Feedwater system, which feeds the Steam Generators, which control the reactor. The EM operators operate the generators, which controls the steam flow through the turbine, which operates the reactor. The ET operator controls pump speeds and rod heights of the primary loop of the reactor, which is operating the reactor directly.

Why do I make this clarification? Because if you go into the Navy Nuke program (like I did) and then get out and go into commercial nuclear power (like I am) you will find that the equivalent on a commercial plant for every position I described is performed by an operator with an NRC license.

And thank you for your decision to serve our country.

[ifonlythiswereclever]

Thanks for the replys and the clairifications.

I guess I should have realized it was based more on a 'needs' basis.  But honestly, I think I can be happy doing any of those jobs.

[Roll Tide]

But honestly, I think I can be happy doing any of those jobs.

I had a similar attitude when I went in, and found out I could volunteer for MM. I did, and have no regrets. The job of the ET and EM looked like something I could have enjoyed, but I preferred knowing what I would be getting.

[JustinHEMI05]

Let me offer a slight disagreement / clarification. Each rate includes nuclear plant operators and nuclear plant supervisors. The nuclear plant operators that are MM operate mechanical equipment: spinning the turbines is operating the secondary plant, which is operating the reactor (although EM usually stands "Throttleman"). The MM operates the Feedwater system, which feeds the Steam Generators, which control the reactor. The EM operators operate the generators, which controls the steam flow through the turbine, which operates the reactor. The ET operator controls pump speeds and rod heights of the primary loop of the reactor, which is operating the reactor directly.

Why do I make this clarification? Because if you go into the Navy Nuke program (like I did) and then get out and go into commercial nuclear power (like I am) you will find that the equivalent on a commercial plant for every position I described is performed by an operator with an NRC license.

And thank you for your decision to serve our country.

Semantics Yes I agree with you 100% but I am finding students coming through here as MM that say they were told that they would be moving rods... that was my point. I agree that the MM at feed station can really F you over if he isn't paying attention to what he is doing.

Justin

[Roll Tide]

Semantics

True, it is just semantics. But the Navy focuses so much on the Rods that the proper perspective for other activities is sometimes missed.

Once had an engineer with a bright idea: Let's add a Standing Order to take manual control of FRVs and feed up the S/G upon receipt of the collision alarm, and recommend it being added to the SOP by SubLant & NAVSEA (08). He convinced the XO, CO, and Commodore of the validity of the approach, so it was made a Standing Order pending addition to the SOP.

Would the same guy have argued for pulling rods in a crisis? NO. Needless to say, NAVSEA (08) delivered a response in person. You haven't seen that in the SOP, have you?

[JustinHEMI05]

True, it is just semantics. But the Navy focuses so much on the Rods that the proper perspective for other activities is sometimes missed.

Once had an engineer with a bright idea: Let's add a Standing Order to take manual control of FRVs and feed up the S/G upon receipt of the collision alarm, and recommend it being added to the SOP by SubLant & NAVSEA (08). He convinced the XO, CO, and Commodore of the validity of the approach, so it was made a Standing Order pending addition to the SOP.

Would the same guy have argued for pulling rods in a crisis? NO. Needless to say, NAVSEA (08) delivered a response in person. You haven't seen that in the SOP, have you?

NO thank god! Some of these "engineers" kill me. You should see half the stuff management comes up with up here.

Justin

[Charles U Farley]

Once had an engineer with a bright idea: Let's add a Standing Order to take manual control of FRVs and feed up the S/G upon receipt of the collision alarm, and recommend it being added to the SOP by SubLant & NAVSEA (08). He convinced the XO, CO, and Commodore of the validity of the approach, so it was made a Standing Order pending addition to the SOP.

There are those in the Navy that try, unknowingly, to make the Scorpion and Thresher three section.  With all due respect to their loss, I'd rather they stay port and starboard for a little while longer. 

But, back to the topic, how much college do you have, 2 years?  Have you considered finshing college before you join the navy.  I've earned my BS while in the Navy, and am working on my MS.  I'm not saying it isn't doable, however, I wonder if it would have behooved me to walk a different path 9 years ago.  My opinion, I think you would set yourself up better for success if you get the formal education first, then get the practical application next.  I'm not wanting to argue the benefits of O'gang versus Enlisted while in the Navy, just trying to get you to think of when you get out.  Because everyone leaves the Navy at some point in their career.  Just food for thought.

[ifonlythiswereclever]

I've thought about it quite a bit, but I'm not sure I can do college now.  Finances is part of the issue, but I want to have the military lifestyle as well (I'm not sure, but that might sound crazy).

Another thing, since I've gotten out of school I've moved out on my own and support myself.  It's not a bad life by any stretch...but it's also not going anywhere.  Add to that the fact that I'm not really sure what direction I want to go.  All in all I felt (along with my friends and family) that the military was my best choice.