Interesting Situation (STAR reenlistment topic)

[Jester]

A little background on myself and what I want: (and yes, I need to update my profile a bit)

-Surface MM at my 2-year Navy anniversary today (trying to sub vol, but it's probably far too late)
-Excellent grades in A-school/power school
-Received an EP just before transferring to NPTU
-Qualified MO at S8G a couple weeks ago, graduating next week
-Now MM(N)2 Select off this last advancement exam, frocking ceremony next week (hopefully before graduation, since my patches are getting sewn on as we speak)
-Selected for SPU/JSI

With regards to schools, training, college benefits and the like, I want to take the Navy for all it's worth; financial incentives are nice, but I'm more interested in NEC's.

Since I've accepted the SPU position and must reenlist, I want to learn more about the STAR program... I'm not going to worry about the financial/promotion side of it just yet, since E-5 pay is kinda in limbo already, but I'm very curious about the "guaranteed" A or C school part of the STAR program.

I found the list of schools available to me here: http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/messages/documents/navadmins/nav2007/nav07307.txt

It's looking like my options as a mechanic are
-Radcon maintenance (not sure what all this entails)
-Nuclear planner (not sure what all this entails either)
-Welder
-ELT
-Various sub-specific items

My SLELT seems to think that the demand for ELT's is such that I could probably convince my chain of command to let me get ELT school without the need for STAR (no solid evidence, but he said there was a decent chance). Supporting this theory, I hear they're advertising a $400 monthly bonus to staff MM's who choose to go ELT and none have taken the bait.

Question 1: Would someone please confirm, deny, or offer any enlightenment on being able to get ELT school after/during a SPU tour with OR without STAR?

Question 2: Which of the STAR offered schools would be more beneficial to my Naval/post-Naval career?

[Fermi2]

None Post Naval. Whether you are hitting a Wiffle Ball or a baseball off the T you are still a T Baller.

[HydroDave63]

Question 1: Would someone please confirm, deny, or offer any enlightenment on being able to get ELT school after/during a SPU tour with OR without STAR?

Question 2: Which of the STAR offered schools would be more beneficial to my Naval/post-Naval career?

Q1: Despite budget cuts, the Navy still has enlisted Detailers for your rate. Call one.

Q2: ELT might give you a leg up on becoming a deconner or meter swinger at a civilian NPP.

[motorhead584]

None Post Naval. Whether you are hitting a Wiffle Ball or a baseball off the T you are still a T Baller.

This question is for Broadzilla and I apologize if its off topic. As far as ex navy nukes are concerned do you see any difference in operational capability or talent between guys/gals who have completed a prototype tour as a sea returnee qualified EWS/EOOW with 9+ years experience and someone who gets out at around 8-10 years qualified EWS but never completed a tour at at one of the prototypes?

[hamsamich]

My ex-LELT was a SPU mechanic at MARF in the 80s.  He got ELT school right before he came to our boat.  So in the 80s it did happen.

There are plenty of people who get hired because of Navy experience.  Diablo Canyon just hired guys straight out of the Navy as Chem-Radcon (ex-ELTs).  They prefer them.

[Already Gone]

My SLELT seems to think that the demand for ELT's is such that I could probably convince my chain of command to let me get ELT school without the need for STAR (no solid evidence, but he said there was a decent chance). Supporting this theory, I hear they're advertising a $400 monthly bonus to staff MM's who choose to go ELT and none have taken the bait.

It sounds like a lot of scuttlebutt at this stage, but It isn't "bait" unless there is a hook in it. If anybody EVER offers you a school that you don't have to do anything to get (like STAR) AND pay you extra for it, you take it!!!  So, considering that you can't possibly get through NPS and still be so stupid that you can't see this as a good deal, I doubt that it is true.  If this offer were for real, somebody would have had the smarts to take it.  Here is some good advice, "I hear" means nothing unless it was said directly to you.

The way I read your situation, you are asking:
-should you re-enlist for ELT school (which may or may not be necessary)?
-should you re-enlist for some other school that may or may not be worth a nickel to you later?
-should you re-enlist for SPU (which may or may not help your post-Navy career)?

The answer to all of them is NO!  You should never re-enlist until you have been at sea for a year.  I didn't wait.  It was a wrong move.  All these little carrots they dangle at you now are to get you to sign the paper before you have been around the real Navy long enough to know better.
So far, your exposure to the Navy is kindergarten, clean uniforms, dinner at home with the wife every night, fast promotions, and the excitement of new things.  In other words, you haven't seen the Navy at all.  Re-enlisting will get you more of something that you know nothing about and nothing of what you think the Navy is.
But, you have already "taken the bait" (to use your own terminology) and accepted SPU, which means you are going to re-enlist anyway.  So, why not STAR?  If you are going to do it anyway, why not get some cash to go with it?  I don't see your dilemma.

[GLW]

This question is for Broadzilla and I apologize if its off topic. As far as ex navy nukes are concerned do you see any difference in operational capability or talent between guys/gals who have completed a prototype tour as a sea returnee qualified EWS/EOOW with 9+ years experience and someone who gets out at around 8-10 years qualified EWS but never completed a tour at at one of the prototypes?

follow this link and start reading, there are currently 3001 posts but if you go to the very first one on page 101 of 'zilla's posts 85% of your question is answered with his very first post to nukeworker.com,...

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=4575;sa=showPosts

the other 15% is answered elsewhere throughout 3000 other posts,...

there's your lake,....go cast your net,...

and we thank you for your service,....

sincerely,....

GLW,...former MM1/SS (and ELT, and yadda, yadda, yadda)


plus bluenose,.....loved the bluenose!!!! everything was downhill after that bit of fun,....

[drayer54]

follow this link and start reading, there are currently 3001 posts but if you go to the very first one on page 101 of 'zilla's posts 85% of your question is answered with his very first post to nukeworker.com,...

the other 15% is answered elsewhere throughout 3000 other posts,...

?

[HydroDave63]

?

It was "teaching how to fish" vs. handing out the link-fish

Just trying to avoid the cycle of feed-me post, banter, and the inevitable Tasering 

[GLW]

It was "teaching how to fish" vs. handing out the link-fish

Nope, Drayer was right, I should have previewed before I posted and clicked away,...

I thought I copied the link in there,...

ah well,....

maybe it's that  Heuristic.BehavesLike.JS.Infe cted.A thingamabob,...

[HydroDave63]

Nope, Drayer was right, I should have previewed before I posted and clicked away,...

I thought I copied the link in there,...

ah well,....

maybe it's that  Heuristic.BehavesLike.JS.Infe cted.A thingamabob,...

And here I thought it was some wayyyy subtle minimalist Yoda rock-paper-scissors Feng-Shui approach to mentoring 

[HeavyD]

As of mid 2000's, ELT was not offered as a "C" School for STAR.  The reasoning was quite simple.  The fleet saw a rush of newly frocked MM1s showing up to the boat and ship, fresh out of ELT school.  These new ELTs knew virtually nothing about operations as an ELT, kinda like every other nub when they show up to the boat/ship.  There were also a few instances where a new ELT would show up, and be made the Leading ELT (LELT) by default since there were only 2 others and both of them were MM3s.  Inevitably there was also some cool hook along with it like "Oh, by the way, we have ORSE in 3 months and our discharge logs and RAM system are hosed.  But you're a First Class MM so you can handle this.".

Checking the NEC manual for Planner, one will find that in order to attend Planner School, one usually must be previously qualified as EWS/PPWS or serving in or being assigned to a planning job aboard a ship/tender.  In my 20 years, I never saw anyone get planner outside of those parameters.  Doesn't mean it can't happen.

As for reenlisting, since you have made MM2 off the exam, you are not locked into a 6 year reenlistment.  I know of several guys who made Second off the test, waited until they were getting paid, then reenlisted for 4 or 5 years.  Ended up getting almost the same amount of money, within like a grand.  Again, several years back, so YMMV.

Having said all of that, still keep in mind that you have experienced virtually nothing of what being in the Navy is actually about.  You have yet to go to sea, much less deploy for 6 - 9 months.  You haven't been in 3 section duty, experienced 12 hour work days, missed birthdays, holidays, etc.  Give it a lot of thought, but ultimately the decision is yours to make.

Best of luck and thank you for volunteering to serve!

[motorhead584]

This question is for Broadzilla and I apologize if its off topic. As far as ex navy nukes are concerned do you see any difference in operational capability or talent between guys/gals who have completed a prototype tour as a sea returnee qualified EWS/EOOW with 9+ years experience and someone who gets out at around 8-10 years qualified EWS but never completed a tour at at one of the prototypes?

Thanks GLW for the info, need to learn how to better use the searh function. I clicked on Boradzilla's profile link but only got to page 99. Am I missing something as far as getting to those more recent posts? I guess that computer class I completed was worthless  . I also did bluenose, I recall it being a bit cold. Thanks again.

[GLW]

Thanks GLW for the info, need to learn how to better use the searh function. I clicked on Boradzilla's profile link but only got to page 99. Am I missing something as far as getting to those more recent posts? I guess that computer class I completed was worthless   . I also did bluenose, I recall it being a bit cold. Thanks again.

It should display as Pages: [1] 2 3 4 ... 101 right under the Show Posts image at the top of the posts.

You should be able to access all 101 pages.

I do not know why your display would be different,...

This will take you to 'zilla's first post anyhow:

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=4575;sa=showPosts;start=3000

[hamsamich]

I've had much better success putting in the word "nukeworker" and the pertinent word on google or yahoo search engine. I haven't used nukeworkers search function recently though.