What's the Nuclear Navy Like?

[mishin]

thanks

[JustinHEMI05]

thanks

No problem. Please keep us posted on how things go.

Justin

[deltarho]

On being a nuke...

The best job you'll ever love to hate.

[Harley Rider]

Exactly when did you become an expert on who has what to offer? Let me break my plant down for you.

My VP = Navy EM
My PM = Navy MM
My OM = Navy EM
My SM = Navy MM/ELT
Three SROs on my crew = Navy MM/ELT, EM, ET
5 ROs on my crew = 2 non-navy, 2 Navy EM, 1 Navy MM
7 NLOs on my crew 1 AF elecronics tech, 2 non Navy, 1 Navy MM/ELT, 1 Navy ET, 2 Navy EMs.
 
Oh, then there is me... 1 Navy MM/ELT.


So lets see that is;

7 EMs
6 MMs (some ELTS)
5 NON Navy
2 ETs

So what were you saying again?

Fact is, a Navy nuke is a Navy nuke... PERIOD. And, truth be told, MMs and EMs possess an overall set of skills more useful to the operation of a commercial plant. Sitting in an RO chair on a Navy plant is in no way the same as being an RO on a commercial nuke. And that is all ETs have to offer, not much of anything compared to the others, IMO. Sure, they might be more useful in I&C, but that is about it. MMs and EMs are useful in far more skill areas right out of the Navy. However, I say again, a Navy nuke is a Navy nuke and they are all equally useful to the outside. Each rate is equally trainable in all disciplines, and no one really cares what rate you were in the Navy. The differences ONLY come from the individual, NOT the rate they were in the Navy. That is not opinion.

Where do you get your information from?

Justin

Justin is 100% correct. A Navy Nuke is a Navy Nuke and you will stand by your own merits period. That ET smart stuff might have worked for you back in the 80's when we actually really worked on our gear and troubleshot down to the component and replaced it and put the board back in. An Alignment and TP&CC later and we were back in business. Today it is all blackbox. No knowledge, no intelligence just plug the DEDT into the panel and it will tell you which part is hurting. Pull out that $50,000 part and replace it with a spare and let the computer do the alignment & TP&CC and we are good to go. Navy Nuke EM's and MM's still work in the real world and understand that if the LC goes off line or this pump fails to start we have real problems. ET's who have not qualified PPWS/EWS live in a bubble called EOS / Maneuvering. EM's and MM's are in the plant from day one and a MM/EM 6 and out has a better understanding as a whole then your standard ET.

Just my opinion
Humble words from a soon to retired nuke ETCM

[bubba29]

What are the differences btwn being an enlisted nuke and an officer nuke?

[Preciousblue1965]

What are the differences btwn being an enlisted nuke and an officer nuke?

If you look under the "Navy Nuke: Getting in" section of this forum there are several threads that cover that exact topic.  If you need more specific information feel free to continue posting.

[CaseEEStud]

I just read through this resurrected thread, and thought that I should share a little piece of advice from my own personal experience. When I went to MEPs to do all of the physical stuff, I was fortunate enough to be able to drive myself there (was applying NUPOC). Normally I run a pretty normal to low blood pressure. Most mornings I start my day off with a couple of cups of coffee. One of the first things that they do when they get you there is take your blood pressure and pulse. The combination of the coffee and stress made my blood pressure higher than the limit. Moral of the story being don't drink a bunch of coffee the day of your MEPs. 

[rlbinc]

I was a Navy ET / Watch Supervisor, and qualified RCSS during my "shore duty" on a Tender. I own my own company and I am a consultant.

The rate means nothing. The motivation and drive of the individual means everything.

A Case Western EE Student doesn't need any advantage from the Nuclear Navy, no more than an MIT ME needs to be a Seabee.

Go forth, conquer, and have fun.

[CaseEEStud]

They retook my blood pressure at the end of the day, and I was under the limit. A month later, I interviewed, and swore in. I'm very excited about the opportunity, and can't wait to start (it's a strange feeling knowing that after I start, I will wish that I was still waiting...)

[arduousartifice]

What are the differences btwn being an enlisted nuke and an officer nuke?

Officer: What major characteristics distinguish a nuclear trained enlisted person's life from a nuclear trained officer's life?

Enlisted:  What are the differences btwn being an enlisted nuke and an officer nuke?

But seriously, on a submarine, the difference is being an officer with a miserable (read stressful and demanding) job, verses being an enlisted person with a miserable (again, read stressful and demanding) job, i.e. enlisted people hot-rack, get bitched at continually, get blamed for all the problems/not providing adequate backup for know-nothing officers, do all the real (physical) work, and generate most of the paperwork officers take credit for.

[withroaj]

Officer: What major characteristics distinguish a nuclear trained enlisted person's life from a nuclear trained officer's life?

Enlisted:  What are the differences btwn being an enlisted nuke and an officer nuke?

But seriously, on a submarine, the difference is being an officer with a miserable (read stressful and demanding) job, verses being an enlisted person with a miserable (again, read stressful and demanding) job, i.e. enlisted people hot-rack, get bitched at continually, get blamed for all the problems/not providing adequate backup for know-nothing officers, do all the real (physical) work, and generate most of the paperwork officers take credit for.

Don't forget that, behind closed doors, officers can take permanent career damage for the shortcomings of enlisted folk who just don't care enough to do the job right the first time (and no amount of kick-buns leadership can MAKE a poo-bag do his job).  I take comfort in the fact that, as enlisted scum, I take responsibility for my actions (and, to a degree, the actions of my peers) and not for the actions of my subordinates (since I have no subordinates).

[HydroDave63]

Don't forget that, behind closed doors, officers can take permanent career damage for the shortcomings of enlisted folk who just don't care enough to do the job right the first time (and no amount of kick-buns leadership can MAKE a poo-bag do his job_.  I take comfort in the fact that, as enlisted scum, I take responsibility for my actions (and, to a degree, the actions of my peers) and not for the actions of my subordinates.

Exactly. Back in the day of wooden electrons, after a string of bad, bad EOOW drillsets one of our Jg's (heart of gold, but not quick on da feet) ended up permanently shuffled off to Supply Corps, denuked.

[arduousartifice]

Don't forget that, behind closed doors, officers can take permanent career damage for the shortcomings of enlisted folk who just don't care enough to do the job right the first time (and no amount of kick-buns leadership can MAKE a poo-bag do his job_.  I take comfort in the fact that, as enlisted scum, I take responsibility for my actions (and, to a degree, the actions of my peers) and not for the actions of my subordinates.

True, but if I acknowledge the other side of the issue, then my gripes are less valid.  We can't have that now, can we? 

[Keln]

This guy goes to barber school.  A Nuke barber, go figure.

Hey, I was a nuke barber too. I almost got to go to jump school in the national guard during my stint there. I would have been an airborne sub nuke barber. That would have been sweet. Ranks up there with SEAL and Walmart Greeter I'd say.

Pertaining to the original question, since I am very opinionated about such things, being a Navy Nuke blows. Anyone who tells you different is either a liar or a diggit (and a diggit is a type of liar who lies to himself). But, it's one of those horrible things that is worth doing, and when it comes down to it, you have to consider if going through all that crap is worth the rewards you might reap in the future. The question of "staying in" also requires that same risk vs. rewards analysis. I can honestly say that, given the choice, I would not do it again. But that's because I have already done it once, so doing it again would be silly.

But, seriously, I don't regret it at all. I almost went to college instead of joining the Navy and going nuke, and there is no guarantee that going to college will make you attractive to the work force. Going nuke is the closest thing to such a guarantee. Take the present economic situation for example. People are losing jobs left and right, and getting a new one is near to impossible...unless you are an ex-nuke that is. My co-workers at my last job whined and cried about our hour/pay cuts and how they were stuck with it because finding another job was not an option. And here I just waltz into not only another, better job, but with a pay raise. Why? Because I am an ex-nuke, that's why. One of the EE engineers I worked with couldn't find another job. Want to know why? He was nuke waste! That's right, he failed out of prototype, went to college, and now I am making more than he does.

Ok, I know some of you are disagreeing about the being a nuke blows thing. I am sure there were good things about it, but trying to remember those good things whilst sorting through all the memories of orse workups, field days, and endless deployments is tough. But it all gets better after boot camp right? Or after NPS right? 

Rates...EMs are best. PERIOD. Why? Because I was an EM. Actually, it seems to me that EMs have alot of workforce flexibility. I worked in the steel industry the last 6 yrs. I also hated it and finally came back to the nuke world. I also was able to get a Master Electrician's license without taking a test...just for my military experience. Most industries can take a former EM nuke, slap a meter in his hand, and say go to work. Most industrial mechanics are expected to be able to weld, and do alot of it. Can you weld MM's? Well, it's easy enough to learn I guess.
 
For the twidgets...there's always Walmart I guess. Maybe you guys can operate those Tritium exit signs in their stores that I read about in another post. 

[Preciousblue1965]

Most industrial mechanics are expected to be able to weld, and do alot of it. Can you weld MM's? Well, it's easy enough to learn I guess.
 

Actually I was an MM and yes I can weld..................but only after I became a weld inspector and the guys showed me how.........but dangit I can weld.