NukeWorker Forum

Career Path => Navy Nuke => Navy:Getting In => Topic started by: brave_wallace on Oct 25, 2011, 08:50

Title: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: brave_wallace on Oct 25, 2011, 08:50
I've looked through a fair amount of other posts and haven't really found anything related to my question, so my question IS do you get any leave directly after RTC because of how long the schooling is or do you just get leave after "A" School? And also how long are the leaves usually?
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: MMM on Oct 25, 2011, 09:22
You'll get some transfer time between RTC and A School, since you're going from IL to SC, I don't know how much as went through both in Orlando, but since you'll only have about 5 days earned, you may want to hold off on taking leave. You'll also get a couple weeks between A School and Power School then again before NPTU.
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: stefanc2011 on Oct 25, 2011, 11:08
You cannot take leave in between leaving RTC and starting A school, unless you are married and move your family down. In some cases, leave after A school doesn't happen either.
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: DDMurray on Oct 26, 2011, 08:12
My son is married and just graduated from NFAS last week.  He flew directly from Chicago to Charleston following Boot Camp and then was given about three days to move his wife to Charleston from East Tennessee after a week in Charleston.  He has 10 days of leave following NFAS before reporting to temp duty waiting to class-up for NPS.  He is supposed to class-up for NPS December 8th.  A lot of the leave approval depends on your class-up dates.
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: Starkist on Oct 27, 2011, 01:31
stefanc JUST finished boot camp, so pm him some questions about the "Right here, right nows".

Here's how it typically works after boot camp.

Class up during A school. This can take up to 2 weeks.

Start A school. Dont expect anything unless someone dies.
Then you have your leave period. Its 10 days, unless they still do RAP duty, then it goes to 15 days, but 5 are "free" days.

You get back, you may class up, you may be stuck on "T-Track" for up to 2 months waiting for a class up.

Do power school. If you happen to fall around christmas, you get leave for that. Otherwise, nothing until you finish.

After power school, you get another 10-15 days for leave/transfer time.

At prototype, they get a bit more lenient for leave if you are ahead of the curve. I qualified 2 months before graduation date, so I was able to take a couple weeks after. After prototype, you get about 30 days of leave /transfer.


Unless you ABSOLUTELY need leave, I highly recommend you hold off. Take the ten between  A school/power school, and 10 between power and prototype, but I REALLY recommend you dont take the 30 days of leave after prototype. I was in the hole for over a year when I got to my ship, but I also took a crap  ton of leave that I shouldnt have.  It sucked not being able to go home for christmas...
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: DDMurray on Oct 27, 2011, 06:41
I disagree with Starkist on leave.  I reported to my first boat with a negative leave balance.  By the end of my four year tour I had to take leave to prevent losing it.  Whenver given the chance, take leave.  Once you get to a command try to maintain a decent balance so you don't go negative in case of an emergency.
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: Higgs on Oct 27, 2011, 06:46
I disagree with Starkist on leave.  I reported to my first boat with a negative leave balance.  By the end of my four year tour I had to take leave to prevent losing it.  Whenver given the chance, take leave.  Once you get to a command try to maintain a decent balance so you don't go negative in case of an emergency.

Agreed, same here. I was in the hole and the command still sent me on leave 2 weeks after getting to the boat. I didn't understand why until I spent nearly the entire 9 months after out at sea. Take leave when given the chance.
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: GLW on Oct 27, 2011, 07:08
Before my first submarine I took leave often, as much as I could, and enjoyed every minute of it,...

After reporting aboard the 648 leave was little and infrequent for the next five years,...

YMMV,.....
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: Starkist on Oct 28, 2011, 12:47
I noticed a trend. You three are sub guys. :p
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: drayer54 on Oct 28, 2011, 01:05
I noticed a trend. You three are sub guys. :p

On my floating target with internet and 2 gift shops, I always struggled to find the leave for all the stuff that I wanted to do.

I managed to get my Cabo, Alaska, Europe, and at least 15  college football trips in while serving on Ike. As long as the ship is in port, you should be good. I had to fight for it a few times, but it was entirely possible to use all of your leave.

Your experience may vary.....
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: tingkka on Oct 28, 2011, 06:59
I am a Nuke ET on a fast attack.  Here's my leave experiences.  Others may vary depending on your Section LPO, school convene dates, and the amount of people on "T-Track". 

Coming out of boot camp, I was held on medical at RTC Great Lakes for 1 week at Temp Holding Unit.  I really didn't do much while I was there.  When I transferred to A-School, I was put into an indoc class.  I arrived on Saturday.  Indoc started on Monday.  There were two married guys that took a week off moving their family across the country.  Indoc was 1 week.  After Indoc came A-school.  A-school was 6 months.  You have every Friday afternoon to Sunday off given that you've fulfilled your plus hours and your grades didn't slip.  After A-school, the entire class took 30 days of leave.   After power school, i spent 2 months on T-track (doing random work, cleaning, and standing watch/duty).  If you have security clearance issue, you might spend more time on T-track.  Power school came after T-track.  After Powerschool, I got 30 days of leave again, to include my move to New York for Prototype.  I'm not sure how long leave was for those staying in Charleston.  After Prototype, I got 20 days of leave (i checked in early to squadron). 

This pretty much sums up my leave during the pipeline.

Any questions, feel free to ask.
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: Jechtm on Nov 11, 2011, 09:37
stefanc JUST finished boot camp, so pm him some questions about the "Right here, right nows".

Here's how it typically works after boot camp.

Class up during A school. This can take up to 2 weeks.

Start A school. Dont expect anything unless someone dies.
Then you have your leave period. Its 10 days, unless they still do RAP duty, then it goes to 15 days, but 5 are "free" days.

You get back, you may class up, you may be stuck on "T-Track" for up to 2 months waiting for a class up.

Do power school. If you happen to fall around christmas, you get leave for that. Otherwise, nothing until you finish.

After power school, you get another 10-15 days for leave/transfer time.

At prototype, they get a bit more lenient for leave if you are ahead of the curve. I qualified 2 months before graduation date, so I was able to take a couple weeks after. After prototype, you get about 30 days of leave /transfer.


Unless you ABSOLUTELY need leave, I highly recommend you hold off. Take the ten between  A school/power school, and 10 between power and prototype, but I REALLY recommend you dont take the 30 days of leave after prototype. I was in the hole for over a year when I got to my ship, but I also took a crap  ton of leave that I shouldnt have.  It sucked not being able to go home for christmas...


RAP is no more, and with prototype getting backed up since 09, expect a chunk of grad hold after powerschool, especially if u get MM. And since prototype, atleast here in ballston spa is kinda backed up due to maintenance and other "stuff" (I have a month left and just started watch...) graduating ptype early is going to be tough, as an MM. Wire rates have a simulator so they can complete a few watches and checkouts there.
Title: Re: Leave during the Nuclear Pipeline?
Post by: Fadge on Dec 23, 2011, 05:10
You won't get leave after RTC. You may get leave after finishing A-school. Not everyone does get the 10 days after graduating A-school. Like me for example because I graduated a couple weeks before the holiday stand down. Meaning I had to stand watches over the break and only get 7 days of Christmas leave.