Get out or stay in advice for a nuke's wife

[HEILETR]

Hello, my husband and I are trying to decide what to do and we are still at a loss on a decison. He has not re-enlisted. He has just started his 5th year in the navy (his 6-year contract is up in January 2014), he is an ET1 on a submarine. He has just taken over as LPO, and is very close to being done with his EWS qualification. We are trying to decide if we should re-enlist for shore duty or get out all together and go to a power plant, or whatever else he can do. He ONLY wants to re-enlist IF HE CAN GET A-SCHOOL OR POWER SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR, since he will be LPO for a year by the time his 6-year contract is up and he will be qualified EWS soon. Once he qualifies EWS and his NEC changes, we are to understand that it sets him up for the possiblity of being an instructor for the schools, he DOES NOT WANT PROTOTYPE. His NEC right now is 3373.

My questions are:

What options does my husband have in the civilian world?

How does re-enlisting for orders work?

Is there anything important enough from your thoughts/experiences that can help us decide?

Any helpful info is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks

[HeavyD]

As for the options, they are myriad. 

With a technical background, your husband can persue employment in virtually any power plant (Coal, gas, hydro, nuclear).  Other options include maintenance supervision or planning, potentially some entrance into project planning or management.

Employers like that veterans can adapt to new environments, are trainable (for the most part), take direction well and are ususally reliable (for things like showing up to work on time).

Going back to college may be an option the two of you should talk about.  A college degree will open other doors as well.

If he is looking to work at a nuclear plant, then he is looking at being an AO (Auxiliary Operator, kinda like what we MMs did on ships/subs) or NLO (Non-Licensed Operator, the same as AO usually, just different name).  Direct SRO (Senior Reactor Operator) is not available to him since he will not have a minimum of 2 years of qualified experience as an EWS.

As for reenlisting for orders, does not happen.  Detailers are not permitted to make deals like this, it is greatly frowned upon.  Plus, the only perks associated with reenlisting are included in the program instrcutions for reenlisting.

I personally joined the Navy with the intent of reenlisting once, going to prototype and getting out.  20 years later, I retired in December of 2011.  Now having said that, each individual, or your case couple, needs to constantly reassess if their needs and aspirations are being met by being on active duty.  If not, it's time to move on.

I realize this may not help any at all, but really none of us can tell the two of you one way or the other what you should do.  At least the two of you are having the discussion together, as a couple.  Best of luck to you both and thank you for your sacrifice and his service!

[SpaceJustice]

As for the options, they are myriad. 

With a technical background, your husband can persue employment in virtually any power plant (Coal, gas, hydro, nuclear).  Other options include maintenance supervision or planning, potentially some entrance into project planning or management.

Employers like that veterans can adapt to new environments, are trainable (for the most part), take direction well and are ususally reliable (for things like showing up to work on time).

Going back to college may be an option the two of you should talk about.  A college degree will open other doors as well.

If he is looking to work at a nuclear plant, then he is looking at being an AO (Auxiliary Operator, kinda like what we MMs did on ships/subs) or NLO (Non-Licensed Operator, the same as AO usually, just different name).  Direct SRO (Senior Reactor Operator) is not available to him since he will not have a minimum of 2 years of qualified experience as an EWS.

As for reenlisting for orders, does not happen.  Detailers are not permitted to make deals like this, it is greatly frowned upon.  Plus, the only perks associated with reenlisting are included in the program instrcutions for reenlisting.

I personally joined the Navy with the intent of reenlisting once, going to prototype and getting out.  20 years later, I retired in December of 2011.  Now having said that, each individual, or your case couple, needs to constantly reassess if their needs and aspirations are being met by being on active duty.  If not, it's time to move on.

I realize this may not help any at all, but really none of us can tell the two of you one way or the other what you should do.  At least the two of you are having the discussion together, as a couple.  Best of luck to you both and thank you for your sacrifice and his service!

Not entirely accurate.  There is the possibility of GUARD orders for his first re-enlistment, in which he can work with the detailer to specify a specific coast or UIC (it also allows platform, but that isn't really applicable for shore duty).  So he could re-enlist and have a guarantee to A-School or Power School's UIC in his contract if the detailer plays ball.  He will probably have to extend for a year on board since GUARD orders are a minimum of 4 years.  I'm in a similar situation to him except I have a degree and EWS done, so this information is current.  Also, I don't know for a fact but I have heard people say that you are required to be qualified EWS for a year prior to going to A-School or Power School.

[SpaceJustice]

Thank you for your reply.

So if he reenlisted, you do not think they wouldnt take into consideration that he is EWS (will be within the month) qualified and will be still at the time of his reporting for shore duty? We are not aware of what they take into consideration when re-enlisting.

Thanks

I can't tell you for sure as I've had very few interactions with a detailer myself.  My guess would be that the detailer would tell him to call him back when he meets the requirements.  Right now all your husband qualifies for is Prototype because the Navy doesn't care what he is qualifying, just what he's qualified.  While he sounds like he's on top of everything and doing a great job, he's still a 3353 (non-supervisor RC div) by NEC and that will bite him.  What I would recommend is having him call the detailer once he qualifies EWS and his NEC is changed to 3363, after which I'm sure more doors will open. 

[retired nuke]

As for the options, they are myriad. 

If he is looking to work at a nuclear plant, then he is looking at being an AO (Auxiliary Operator, kinda like what we MMs did on ships/subs) or NLO (Non-Licensed Operator, the same as AO usually, just different name).  Direct SRO (Senior Reactor Operator) is not available to him since he will not have a minimum of 2 years of qualified experience as an EWS.

I&C tech is also an option - again, in more than nuclear. Instrument & Controls - working on the electronics that runs things. Quite often it does not have the long term rotating shift schedule that Operations work usually incurs. It generally pays better than mechanic, and currently the field (at least in Nuclear) is short handed at many plants.

Good luck and thanks for your service

[HEILETR]

Ok, wow thank you everyone for responding I will ask him more about his NEC and talking to a detailer when he completes his EWS qual. That is a great suggestion. Is it common knowledge of how to talk to a detailer? Im pulling my cluess navy wife card here on that topic.

I/C is something we had not even thought about, thank you for that information as well. This is a great site for helpful info. When my husband gets back from being out to sea, I will have tons of info for him and I to discuss and further investigate!

Thanks

[SpaceJustice]

Ok, wow thank you everyone for responding I will ask him more about his NEC and talking to a detailer when he completes his EWS qual. That is a great suggestion. Is it common knowledge of how to talk to a detailer? Im pulling my cluess navy wife card here on that topic.

I/C is something we had not even thought about, thank you for that information as well. This is a great site for helpful info. When my husband gets back from being out to sea, I will have tons of info for him and I to discuss and further investigate!

Thanks

Yeah, he can get the number from the Command Career Counselor and once he finishes EWS needs to route a special request chit to change his NEC.

[Higgs]

If he's been qualified RO for >2 years, he can qualify for direct SRO also. There's only one utility that I know of that might hire him for that, so I wouldn't bank on that alone.

Lots of other options have already been posted.

Justin

[rlbinc]

Personally, I took an entry level Operations job at a utility ~30 years ago.
In todays world, that pays about $27 an hour.
It took me five years to get NRC Licensed and I was making excellent money and working incredibly long hours (now that's regulated).

I know other ETs who went to work for the CIA, Pharmaceutical industry, Beer breweries, just about anything imaginable. His education and training are highlty adaptive and has incredible respect in the industrial community.

I personally dig nuclear power. Its been a very good career.

You can visit my profile here:
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?unsupportedBrowser=1&trk=hb_tab_pro_top&id=189546780