Discharged and wonder what I can do.

[ldyinger]

Hey everybody.  I was recently discharged from the navy for depression (catagorized as Personality Disorder) with 22 Months of "service".  I say "service" because all I really did was complete the training pipeline, report to my ship, and get discharged 2 months later.  Anyway I was discharged because anti-depressants disqualify you as a nuke and I didn't want to get stuck cranking for the next 4 years.  I was just wondering what I can do as far as work goes right now.  I have returned home to Ohio and hope to find a job in the Columbus area.  Does my training mean anything to my prospective employers?  I'm not really looking for a commercial nuke job (i don't think they'd take me), but I can't deliver pizzas for the rest of my life.  Any and all help is appreciated

thanks,

Larry

[Roll Tide]

You are probably correct, I don't think anti-depressants are received well by commercial folks, but perhaps someone else can answer that.

I work with a guy that used his Navy Nuke background to get on with the railroad. He was medically discharged from Prototype (classroom phase). What you have done so far is worth quite a bit to some prospective employers.

And thank you for your (abbreviated) service!

[ldyinger]

Thanks for the reply
Just wanted to clarify that I am not on anti-depressants as of yet. The ship psych recommended seeing how I felt a couple of months after leaving the Navy.  As of right now I feel great mentally although that may just be instant gratification of getting to see my family and friends.

Larry

[Fermi2]

Two guys I used to work with became Elevator Repairmen. They said the money was great. They both eventually became commercial nukes because they got tired of the area they were working in.

Mike

[cincinnatinuke]

Roll Tide is probably right in that being on medication to "stabilize" one's self is probably not looked at favorably.  The commercial side of things seem to be just as stringent if not more when it comes to backgrounds and psych evaluations as the Navy.  But if you are not on medications then you are certainly in a stabilized condition.  I cant imagine that any history of mental illness is an automatic disqualifier, though probably will be scrutinized.  Seek the help you need and get well, at that point I dont see why you couldnt work in commercial power.  Everyone hits some bumps in the road at times, it is merely how you respond to them that counts.  I am sure that people with bad credit or a DUI can bounce back to get into Nuclear Power.

Though I should say that I dont know for certain and I would like to see someone in the know tell it like it is.  Just get yourself better in the meantime and chat away.  You will find this site pretty darn informative.

Edit-If you want I can take a look at your resume.  If you read the handle you can probably decipher that I work in Cincinnati.  It is not commericial power, but nuclear none the less.  PM me if you are interested.

[ldyinger]

Thankyou.
The stuff like the elevator repair is just what I am looking for.  I would have never thought about a job like that.  Anyone have any other ideas?

Larry

[BuddyThePug]

One guy from my ship couldn't get nuclear work for a while, but a paper envelope & packaging place always preferred people from the Navy Nuke pipeline.

There are also a gazillion coal and gas fired plants, and utilities looking for people with more experience than McD's and The Gap on their resume. I personally know of guys that went from apprentice operator/coal handler to Control Operator in those places within 18 months. Show some initiative and wits, and there is plenty of opportunity in the non-nuclear power gen side (the other 70% of the US power supply) out there.

One word of caution: If you want to try employment agencies, NEVER pay up front. The legit ones with good job placements are paid by the client, and the ones wanting your money are nearly 100% scams. Beware!

[hamsamich]

Quality assurance for non-nuclear

non-nuc powerplant (hydro elec, coal, naty gas etc)

plant operations of ANY kind

chemical plants

run evaporators at hospitals other large places

plenty more, all I can think of right now.  my resume is on monster, and people keep calling me for different jobs, half the time they say out-right that they want ex-navy-nuke, which you are no matter how much experience you have.  work it.

[ldyinger]

Thank you all for your feedback, now it doesn't seem as doom and gloom as it did when I was driving to Ohio from San Diego worried that I wouldn't be able to do anything for the rest of my life.

Larry

[cincinnatinuke]

BTW What rating?

[Rad Sponge]

If you are not on meds then you are not on meds.

Chill out for a few months if you can, see how you are doing and get re-evaluated by a pysch.

If you don't need them then its a non-issue.

If you have the means and  whatever you have of your GI BILL go get some education to beef up your credentials.

You completed the pipeline, that says alot.

[ldyinger]

Thanks again, my rating was MM3.

Larry