Go or stay? EM2 quickly approaching EAOS.

[AP]

I am an EM2 on a sub.  I currently have 4 months until my EAOS and have not yet re-enlisted.  I am trying to decide if I should stay in at this point or just get out and go to college or get a job.  If I stay in I will be about 2-3 years behind people in my power school class whom STAR'd when they arrived on the boat.  I have made some bad decisions before that have prevented me from re-enlisting in the past (mainly for being dink for my first year on the boat and getting on my chief's bad side), but right now the chain of command strongly supports my re-enlistment and transfer to NPTU Ballston Spa and not in the "we want you off the boat because you suck" kind of way.  The problem I am having is that the way bonuses are calculated is that nubs are showing up staring and getting more money for less amount of actual time added to their initial contract, and that I am so far behind as far as advancement goes.  If I stay in, I would not be getting paid for 1st class until a little after my 7-year point in the navy.  I currently run my sub's calibration program, divisional calibration program, RPPO, and command electrical safety program.  I have also been to just about every tech school that navy has to offer submarine electricians. At this point is it really worth staying in?  Would it be more beneficial financially to stay in for 4 more years of experience then go to college, or get out now and go to college (with both outcomes leading to the nuclear power industry). I have done some research, and to make what I will make here at my six year point, I would need to make about 80K.  I know this is possible, but how likely is it with only 4 years of operational experience (not EWS qual'd either)?  i already know that i do not want to make the navy a career (being so far behind in advancement a a big factor in this choice.)
Thanks for any inputs you guys might have.

[drayer54]

I am an EM2 on a sub.  I currently have 4 months until my EAOS and have not yet re-enlisted.  I am trying to decide if I should stay in at this point or just get out and go to college or get a job.  If I stay in I will be about 2-3 years behind people in my power school class whom STAR'd when they arrived on the boat.  I have made some bad decisions before that have prevented me from re-enlisting in the past (mainly for being dink for my first year on the boat and getting on my chief's bad side), but right now the chain of command strongly supports my re-enlistment and transfer to NPTU Ballston Spa and not in the "we want you off the boat because you suck" kind of way.  The problem I am having is that the way bonuses are calculated is that nubs are showing up staring and getting more money for less amount of actual time added to their initial contract, and that I am so far behind as far as advancement goes.  If I stay in, I would not be getting paid for 1st class until a little after my 7-year point in the navy.  I currently run my sub's calibration program, divisional calibration program, RPPO, and command electrical safety program.  I have also been to just about every tech school that navy has to offer submarine electricians. At this point is it really worth staying in?  Would it be more beneficial financially to stay in for 4 more years of experience then go to college, or get out now and go to college (with both outcomes leading to the nuclear power industry). I have done some research, and to make what I will make here at my six year point, I would need to make about 80K.  I know this is possible, but how likely is it with only 4 years of operational experience (not EWS qual'd either)?  i already know that i do not want to make the navy a career (being so far behind in advancement a a big factor in this choice.)
Thanks for any inputs you guys might have.

It's a tough economy. It's also your life. My gut reading this was that you should go to shore duty. Get a degree, re-learn what land is like, and make this decision again when you seem to have a better idea of what you want in life.
Good Luck

[Higgs]

Drayer gives good advice.

The only thing you are qualified to do at a commercial nuke is NLO or maintenance, for the most part. What kind of discharge would you have? Is there anything you're not telling us? If not, you could try for NLO at a nuke plant, that is about the only way you will get any where near 80K and it won't be starting out, in general.

Maybe someone else will have a better idea for some other opportunities to get you close to that mark, but if 80K is your min, then I would take Drayer's advice and make yourself worth that.

[HydroDave63]

I'll second Drayer's advice. I know guys that got great NLO jobs straight off the boat, got their GFES done, bought nice houses a short drive from the beach....and then got RIF'd over to Decon within 2 years. The economy now is worse than when that story happened, and you have options. Building your resume while at NPTU and networking with the experience professionals here isn't a bad option.

[MMM]

I'll give you my thoughts. I reenlisted around my 2 year point, and then had some issues, so I ended up not making 1st until about my 8 year point. A few bad (not career enhancing...specifically a tour at MTG instead of instructor, qualifying PPWS aroung my 14 year point) decisions later, and I didn't make chief until my 17 year point. I did however make the most of some of my bad choices, qualified QAI/QAS, earned my degree, and had some time with my family. All that being said, look into staying in, and then check out cool.navy.mil, it's got a lot of certifications the navy will pay for you to get. As the QAI in the navy doesn't seem to mean much to civilians, you can get the AQS certification (for example), so staying in a few more years to take advantage of it might not be a bad idea.

[jams723]

Well I will toss out the option from the other side. i also only recommend you consider getting out if you have job offer in hand or extremely likely.

I was a 6 year HC, electrician subs... Went commercial nuc as NLO, Then RO then SRO. From day 1 I made more commercial than the navy. I have worked at 4 facilities in 3 companies. Of the 3 only 1 had ever done a RIF and none had affected Ops.  I did not worry about a minimum salary, just that I could support my family. Do a good job and the promotion potential will follow.

If you like the Navy then stay in and work towards that future.  If Navy life is not for you then you have the experience base to go commercial. But the job market is competitive so be prepared if you choose that option.

[Starkist]

 Reenlisting is both a sucker bet and a good deal rolled into one. I reenlisted because of the money and because I enjoyed my job. I was discharged before fulfilling my contract. (spare me people....) Being on the outside looking in,  I can tell you, you should REALLY try to stay in right now. Prototype is a crap deal... while you are still in the military. Go to a prototype, get watch supervisor quals as SOON as possible. when you get out, you can walk into an SRO position and make a ton of money that way. Rank doesnt matter when you get on the outside. E6's with watch supervisor experience get paid the same as 0-4's with watch officer experience. 

You NEED two years experience of standing watch sup. You can also get ancilliary quals to help you be more hireable. One thing I learned from the navy.... NEVER pass up the opportunity to better yourself. While you are at prototype you can get a degree as well. It really boils down to your motivation level.

So bottom line, you have several options. 1) stay in, qualify PPWS, make chief, stay in. 2) qual PPWS, get out, work at a civ plant as an SRO for 100+k a year. 3) get out now, hire in as an NLO, make 70k a year that will only go up. 4) get out now, get your degree, hire in as an NLO, make 70k a year  blah blah 5) do something different....

[Smooth Operator]

Is your 4 months left on shore? I would just start applying now and only get out if...

1. You have a signed job offer
2. Or you have enough cash on reserves to float you a couple of months, because
3. Nukes hire in waves and NLO classes are usually every 2 years (YMMV)

I haven't been at proto in awhile, but everyone says it sucks, but you can really make your resume attractive with what you do in off time there.

Best of Luck!

[SA82]

Would it be more beneficial financially to stay in for 4 more years of experience then go to college, or get out now and go to college (with both outcomes leading to the nuclear power industry). i already know that i do not want to make the navy a career (being so far behind in advancement a a big factor in this choice.)
Thanks for any inputs you guys might have.

What type of degree do you want to get? If its an engineering technology degree, then you might want to go to shore duty and finish a degree while still earning navy pay. If your goal is to get an engineering degree, and then get a job at a plant, get out and go to school with the GI Bill. (Obtaining an engineering degree requires going to school full time).

One big piece of advice: If you re-enlist, just for shore duty, do not sign a maximum deal that requires you to go back to sea. If you do not want to make a career out the navy, the extra money, up front or with continuous sub pay, is not worth it. Make a decision to go back to sea for only one reason: you want to go back. I am an EM1(SS) on my last year of shore duty and I still plan on getting out. While others are planning to go back to boats, I am researching jobs and companies that I would like to work for. The results have been encouraging and I do not regret my intentions to separate for an instant.

[AP]

well, i reenlisted for 4 years, which only added 43 months onto my contract.  i talked to some former boat mates and they really seem to like nptu.  Gives me 3.5 years to help build my resume a little bit more.  i do have one question though.  what paperwork/evals should i save from the boat that i might need for an application.  Should i get supervisors recommendations before i transfer for when i get out, or is this not expected in the civilian side of nuclear power?  thanks again.

[Starkist]

well, i reenlisted for 4 years, which only added 43 months onto my contract.  i talked to some former boat mates and they really seem to like nptu.  Gives me 3.5 years to help build my resume a little bit more.  i do have one question though.  what paperwork/evals should i save from the boat that i might need for an application.  Should i get supervisors recommendations before i transfer for when i get out, or is this not expected in the civilian side of nuclear power?  thanks again.

I've done MANY interviews in the past year. Not one person has asked to see my evals. Id suggest keeping all of them safe and recommendations are always a good thing though. Its not going to hurt anything at all to keep your paper work.

If you can get to NPTU, try hard to get watch supervisor asap, and if possible get a degree...

AND... get copies of EVERYTHING you can. Nothing hurts like needing a peice of paper you no longer have!

[MMM]

If you go NPTU, try to get Charleston. I don't know what it's like getting into EWS there, but in NY (at least MARF) it's getting tough, especially as a 2nd class (sorry).

[EM1Badger]

This is too late for you but Ill post it anyway.

If you show up to prototype as a 2nd class, you will not be allowed to qualify PPWS/EWS.
If you show up as a 1st class and are not previously qualified PPWS/EWS, you will not initially qualify EWS.
If you show up as a 1st class and are previously qualified PPWS/EWS, there is a chance you may be allowed to go into initial EWS quals.

If you do not initially qualify EWS, the waiting list is currently up to a year long to go into quals. There are billeting reasons (that come from the Prototype Training Manual) that prevent more than x number of people per crew to qualify EWS.

Another concern: The site CO does not like people that are not planning on reenlisting to qualify EWS as "it is poor return on investment for you to get out and take that training and experience with you."

[Samabby]

" i already know that i do not want to make the navy a career"

Get out asap, but thanks for the years that you did serve.

[GLW]

.....Another concern: The site CO does not like people that are not planning on reenlisting to qualify EWS as "it is poor return on investment for you to get out and take that training and experience with you."

That's a sine wave I witnessed a few times during my eight+ years; some commands are all about qualifying people as far as those people strive to qualify, others act like the USN is a dam corporation,...

To the OP,....thanks for your service and good luck, if you end up at West Milton be ready for winter time in Saratoga when it comes around,...

GLW
former MM1/SS,...