Married as a Nuke

[AverageJoe2099]

So i see a lot of these floating around and did a long search but cant really find my answer. I'm getting married soon and qualify for the Nuke program, also my Fiance is currently in school in NROTC and is also planning to go into the Nuke program about a year after i would go in.  Question is she would be going in as an officer and i would be enlisted, is this a problem? Also are there anyway living arrangements could be made for both of us once she gets to "A" school? And lastly when i'm out on deployment I would be leaving without her? Is that correct?

Basically we're both going into the same field, and i'm just trying to understand how, if at all, we can stay close?

[HydroDave63]

check your PMs

[spekkio]

Question is she would be going in as an officer and i would be enlisted, is this a problem?

As long as you are married before you enlist, it is allowed - assuming that's the 'problem' to which you are referring.

Also are there anyway living arrangements could be made for both of us once she gets to "A" school?

Officers don't go to A-school. Her first stop, if she gets selected as a nuke, is either her first ship (SWO) or power school (subs). It's a permanent change of station (PCS) move, so if you are married then the Navy will also move your belongings with her. The housing on Charleston when I was there was reserved for people with children, and as a couple with no kids you will almost always find a better deal renting an apartment in town anyway.

If you are not married yet, she will definitely have to find housing in town. You can move in with her if you wish, no one will stop you. But no one in the Navy will help move your stuff, either.

And lastly when i'm out on deployment I would be leaving without her? Is that correct?

You cannot be stationed on the same ship as your spouse, so you would always deploy without her.

Basically we're both going into the same field, and i'm just trying to understand how, if at all, we can stay close?

Google 'milpersman' and 'dual military couple.' It will outline what the military will do. The cliffnotes are that they will attempt to assign you two to the same duty station within reason. This will be easier if you are both subs or both surface, but much more difficult if one of you is subs and the other is surface. Also, junior officers PCS more frequently than junior enlisted Sailors. She will head to her shore duty while you are still assigned to a ship, and as an enlisted nuke your shore duties are almost assuredly going to be prototype or prototype, while she will be assigned to various staff jobs to get experience with Big Navy. Since it's more likely than not that your shore duty timings will not align, you will have to be prepared to be stationed in a different location than her for a significant period of time.

Keep in mind that you could get the bonus of being assigned the same duty station, but on opposite deployment rotations (e.g. she is on deployment from March Through December, but you are on deployment Jan through June, at which point she leaves for a training underway, etc. etc.).

Your life gets much more complicated with children, there are also provisions in the milpersman for how the Navy handles that.

My advice would be that if you are not "100%, gung-ho, this is the only thing I can possibly imagine doing" about enlisting when you have a military spouse, then don't.  

[MMM]

If she ends up as a surface nuke, her first stop would be a small boat for a Div-O tour for two years, then she'd go to Power School. Like spekkio said, she'll be moving around a lot more than you as there are more options for sea duty and shore duty stations for officers. I have had several Div-O's get stationed overseas (i.e. Italy, Greece, etc.) for their shore duty, so there is a very real chance you would almost never see her, so be very careful with how you want to proceed.

[spekkio]

Ah yes, that's right - SWOs go straight to their first DIVO tour on a ship for 18mo. That means at least 3, possibly 4 moves while you will go from Charleston to your boat or ship and that's it.

[NuclearNicholas]

Obviously the wife is going to be surface... They don't allow females on subs  .

[Druid]

Obviously the wife is going to be surface... They don't allow females on subs  .

Need to read more on the program, especially the officer side.

[MMM]

They've been putting female officers on subs for a couple years now.

[HeavyD]

They've been putting female officers on subs for a couple years now.

My understanding is that the Navy has been running a pilot program with the four SSGNs.  I have not read anything that states that the poilot program has been a success/failure and if the pilot program will be expanded to other classes of boats.

Currently, the vast majority of female nuclear officers are serving in the SWO community, unless I've completely missed some updates (which is entirely feasible).

[MMM]

I just left NPTU a few months ago and I believe about half of our female officers were heading to subs. GC can probably correct me on this, but I think the navy is looking to expand the trial to senior enlisted.

[spekkio]

My understanding is that the Navy has been running a pilot program with the four SSGNs.  I have not read anything that states that the poilot program has been a success/failure and if the pilot program will be expanded to other classes of boats.

Currently, the vast majority of female nuclear officers are serving in the SWO community, unless I've completely missed some updates (which is entirely feasible).

Update: The program is considered by the Navy to be a huge success. They want roughly 20-30% of sub officers to be female in the near/mid term and are putting women on VA class subs starting 2015-2016.

[NuclearNicholas]

Wow! Well I stand corrected.  Think I'll go ahead and volunteer for subs then. 

[spekkio]

That is a silly thing to do just because of your wife, especially if she hasn't been selected for a designator.

[Gamecock]

I have not read anything that states that the poilot program has been a success/failure

This program was going to be "successful" before it ever started. 

To the OP.... I would not enlist if you know your wife is going to get commissioned someday.  The demands on both of you will make a successful marriage extremely difficult.