ET vs. EM vs. MM

[xrex1x]

I will start by saying that this is my first post, and though I have spent roughly 15 hours as a guest reading other posts on this site, I'm not 100% proficient with the lingo...with that said, I'll do my best.

A little background: I'm 24, married with two children.  I'm a DEPer right now, and will be leaving for Great Lakes on 10 July, 2009, enlisted in the nuclear program (sub volunteer).  I am fully aware of the amount of dedication and work it takes to make it through the pipeline, and frankly am up to the challenge.  My wife won't mind the hours, seeing as at my last job I consistently worked 80+ hrs/wk.  I'm a sixth semester college dropout, at which point I pursued a VERY lucrative career in sales management.  But, as the economy came crashing down around me (I live in Michigan...which is one of the worst hit), sales dropped to a point where I was spending more than I was making.  I have now been unemployed since July 2008, and sought out the military as a possibility to dig my family out of this hole, so I called the Navy, specifically asking to speak to someone about the nuclear program.  (Before anyone comments on it, I'm not JUST joining the service for a paycheck...it's something I've wanted to do since I was quite young, but my mother talked me out of it and more or less forced me to go to college.)  I've had an opportunity to see the "real world", and quite frankly, without a real education or any truly marketable skills (...at least, not many skills outside of sales and just general intellect) it sucks.  I'm ready and willing to do whatever it takes to live a successful life.  And also, before anyone chimes in on this, finishing college is also not an option at this point.  Since I've been unemployed my student loans have defaulted, and though I am rehabilitating them now, it will be another 10 months before I am eligible to receive new financial aid...not that I could afford to move my family to an area near a university anyway.  Now, to the topic at hand.

After getting as much information from my recruiter as I could, I have scoured the internet in the forms of both forums and official military sites, but I have been unable to really find the answers to a few last questions I have.

1.  Though I am familiar with the job descriptions, etc. for the different rates (ET, EM, and MM), I'm curious as to promotion trends, any difference in pay among them, transferability to the civilian world, along with difference in working hours.

2.  In my time without a job, I have racked up a significant amount of debt (roughly $15,000).  Though payments are being made, and to my knowledge everything is current, I'm wondering if/how this would affect my ability to get the necessary security clearance(s).

3.  If (and I know it's a big IF) I am picked up for staff at NNPTU, keeping in mind the wife and kids part, would it be wise to take those orders?...or should I just go to sea duty?  I'm concerned that the time spent teaching will put me a little behind in actually applying the knowledge, and therefore would have an impact on keeping up with quals once aboard a boat.

I would like to thank all of you in advance for any advice or comments you can provide.  The thing I like most about this forum is the candid demeanor of most of those who post.

-Rex

[HydroDave63]

1.  Though I am familiar with the job descriptions, etc. for the different rates (ET, EM, and MM), I'm curious as to promotion trends, any difference in pay among them, transferability to the civilian world, along with difference in working hours.

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,7416.msg39840.html#msg39840

[Already Gone]

Your debt won't be an obstacle to a security clearance unless you owe the money to a loan shark for gambling or drugs.

Any nuke rating will translate into a job after you get out.  Machinist's Mates tend to populate the Operations Departments to a greater degree than ET or EM, but that is probably because there are twice as many of them.

Promotion within the Navy is faster for MM's.

If they offer you SPU, take it.  It's two years of knowing that you don't have to go to sea at an hour's notice for God knows how long.  You will learn just as much about operating the nuke plant at a prototype as you will at sea.  You will not learn a damned thing about operating a ship, but that will happen when you need to learn it.

Come to think of it, take any shore duty you are ever offered.  It doesn't happen often, and you take it when you can get it.


The best thing about NukeWorker and the worst thing about NukeWorker is the fact that you can get so much information here about the nuke program that was not available to us in my time.  There is a lot of stuff here to ease your mind, and a lot of information overload that is useless to you and only tends to cloud the topic.  What I'm sayin' is that you can read here all you want, but you just have to take it as it comes.  Don't over think this and don't sweat the small stuff.

There is only a very little about the whole process that is under your control.  Everything else is someone else's problem.  It will be hard enough just doing what they tell you to do.  Stick with that and give it your best.

It's nobody's business if you choose the Navy because of the paycheck.  We all had our own reasons, and making a living at it was NOT at the bottom of the list for anybody.  You'll make a decent living, eventually.  The only thing you need to concern yourself with is: can I support my family better for the next six years as an enlisted nuke, or would I be better off out here?  I think you already have that figured out.  So, good luck.

[HydroDave63]

Why are we smiting this guy?!?!?!?,...I'm not seeing it,....

bad aim, I fixed it!

Good luck in whatever rate you decide!

Dave

[Marlin]

The MM rate is the most flexable. I have not spent much time in the commercial side of things for the last 13 years but on the DOE side of the street I have run into more ex-MM managers than the other two ratings. On my boats other than the Chiefs only MM PO1s qualified as EWS the Senior enlisted quals. Several VPs and Presidents of small service companies here in Oak Ridge are ex MM/ELT/SS (the best of the best, though we are a dime a dozen out here  ).

Of immeadiate interest to you would be that MMs tend to advance in rate quicker than the other rates.

[still_in]

I have now been unemployed since July 2008, and sought out the military as a possibility to dig my family out of this hole, so I called the Navy, specifically asking to speak to someone about the nuclear program.  (Before anyone comments on it, I'm not JUST joining the service for a paycheck...it's something I've wanted to do since I was quite young, but my mother talked me out of it and more or less forced me to go to college.) 
-Rex

I don't know if it will make you feel any better but I joined the Navy 7+ years ago for the money, mainly for the money and education.  Now I have my college degree payed for by the Navy, plus 5 more years of service of course, but I stay in because I love serving the Navy.  Most people join for the money, but the majority stay in for reasons other than the money. 

There are only two entities you have to answer to for joining the Navy and the Navy won't ask why as along as you do your job.  Be sure you can justify it to yourself.

Best of Luck!

[deltarho]

One thing to remember is that your family also joined the Navy by proxy.  It is a very tough life for someone not used to being a single mother.  I would suggest developing strong networks of support that will keep your family on an even keel so that you will not regret your difficult decision.  I thank you for your sacrifice.

deltarho
ETCS(SW) Retired

PS

Whatever rating you become, purpose to be the best at it and get as many extra schools as you can.  This outlook will make you more marketable to stay in or get out--whichever you choose. The win-win is that the division will benefit from your training while you are there.  Don't turn down any opportunity for more learning.

[JustinHEMI05]

When in doubt, six and out.

Justin

PS There is nothing wrong with joining the Navy simply for a paycheck or free education. There is no requirement for glory seeking or feelings of duty to God and Country.

[Madcat647]

I must interject here on the advancement rates..

As a current ETC(SS), I can say with absolute certainty that nuclear sub ETs advance faster than any other sub rate period.  For E4 to E5, the other nuclear ratings use most of their available billets for STAR reenlistments, so advancement is slower.  For sub nuc ETs, there are not enough in the pipeline or at sea to fill the available billets.  Advancement rates for E5 to E6 are even better, they have been 85-95% for as long as I can remember (at least 6 years).

So, if you can handle the pressure of being a sub nuc ET you will advance.  What pressure?  My last CO put it best:  There are only two rates in the Submarine US Navy where zero defects are allowed:  Submarine Navigation and Reactor Controls.  If either one makes even an honest mistake, the entire submarine force could suffer.

[Khak-Hater]

Rex, man,

Joining the navy for the pay check; are you kidding me?  Here's an idea, how about looking for work outside of the state of Michigan.  I live in Knoxville, and other than all of the daily hype on the national news, I wouldn't even know that the country's having financial problems.

If you want to serve your country, then serve, but don't go into this thinking that it's the deal for you.  A guy who couldn't stick out college for a four year degree [instead bailing early for "a VERY lucrative career in sales management"] is going to feel like a six year enlistment in the Navy is an eternity.  It's going to be worse as you get to your ship [or boat] and start hearing about all of the great jobs that are being scored by the guys getting out, which will be at least four years away for you [if you don't reenlist for the immediate payout]. 

You don't strike me as the kind of guy who believes in investing time into something for delayed gratification [maybe you are, but nothing that you've written would indicate it].  You're not going to see that enlistment bonus until you finish prototype.  In the mean time you'll be making less than you could earn working about anywhere, given the hours that you'll be working. 

You've been unemployed since July of last year?  Do yourself a favor.  Go find the worse, lowest paying job that you can find and work it until your ship date.  Depending on how bad it is, the Navy might not seem so bad. 

As to your rate selection, unless things have changed, some nameless, faceless person will randomly decide whether you are an EM, MM, or ET.  Someone will inform you some time late in boot camp, and no one is going to give you a second choice.  Your input or desires will mean very little.  Get used to the term "needs of the Navy."  Forget about promotion potential.  Anything other than standard, "everybody gets them" tack ons are years down the road.  You will be a faceless grunt for a long, long time. 

I'm not trying to discourage you or slam on you.  It's more of a warning.  The Navy is NOT a good deal.  It's service.  Accept it as such, and it won't be too bad.  You might actually enjoy parts of it.  Go into it for the wrong reasons and you will be miserable. 

Good luck,

mgm

[JustinHEMI05]

I must interject here on the advancement rates..

As a current ETC(SS), I can say with absolute certainty that nuclear sub ETs advance faster than any other sub rate period.  For E4 to E5, the other nuclear ratings use most of their available billets for STAR reenlistments, so advancement is slower.  For sub nuc ETs, there are not enough in the pipeline or at sea to fill the available billets.  Advancement rates for E5 to E6 are even better, they have been 85-95% for as long as I can remember (at least 6 years).

So, if you can handle the pressure of being a sub nuc ET you will advance.  What pressure?  My last CO put it best:  There are only two rates in the Submarine US Navy where zero defects are allowed:  Submarine Navigation and Reactor Controls.  If either one makes even an honest mistake, the entire submarine force could suffer.

And you believed him? 

Sorry, off topic.

Justin

[JustinHEMI05]

Rex, man,

Joining the navy for the pay check; are you kidding me?  Here's an idea, how about looking for work outside of the state of Michigan.  I live in Knoxville, and other than all of the daily hype on the national news, I wouldn't even know that the country's having financial problems.

If you want to serve your country, then serve, but don't go into this thinking that it's the deal for you.  A guy who couldn't stick out college for a four year degree [instead bailing early for "a VERY lucrative career in sales management"] is going to feel like a six year enlistment in the Navy is an eternity.  It's going to be worse as you get to your ship [or boat] and start hearing about all of the great jobs that are being scored by the guys getting out, which will be at least four years away for you [if you don't reenlist for the immediate payout]. 

You don't strike me as the kind of guy who believes in investing time into something for delayed gratification [maybe you are, but nothing that you've written would indicate it].  You're not going to see that enlistment bonus until you finish prototype.  In the mean time you'll be making less than you could earn working about anywhere, given the hours that you'll be working. 

You've been unemployed since July of last year?  Do yourself a favor.  Go find the worse, lowest paying job that you can find and work it until your ship date.  Depending on how bad it is, the Navy might not seem so bad. 

As to your rate selection, unless things have changed, some nameless, faceless person will randomly decide whether you are an EM, MM, or ET.  Someone will inform you some time late in boot camp, and no one is going to give you a second choice.  Your input or desires will mean very little.  Get used to the term "needs of the Navy."  Forget about promotion potential.  Anything other than standard, "everybody gets them" tack ons are years down the road.  You will be a faceless grunt for a long, long time. 

I'm not trying to discourage you or slam on you.  It's more of a warning.  The Navy is NOT a good deal.  It's service.  Accept it as such, and it won't be too bad.  You might actually enjoy parts of it.  Go into it for the wrong reasons and you will be miserable. 

Good luck,

mgm

Very good points, well said.

Justin

[psmarz]

You've been unemployed since July of last year?  Do yourself a favor.  Go find the worse, lowest paying job that you can find and work it until your ship date.  Depending on how bad it is, the Navy might not seem so bad.

My favorite tidbit.  This is exactly what I am doing now.  Some good manual labor at a plant nursery.  Wearing a pedometer I can easily rack up 10 miles of walking a day and combine that with other physical training I have been doing it will help me get in shape for basic.  Very physical work, not the best pay, couldn't be more content.

[Grimosian]

1.  Though I am familiar with the job descriptions, etc. for the different rates (ET, EM, and MM), I'm curious as to promotion trends, any difference in pay among them, transferability to the civilian world, along with difference in working hours.

2.  In my time without a job, I have racked up a significant amount of debt (roughly $15,000).  Though payments are being made, and to my knowledge everything is current, I'm wondering if/how this would affect my ability to get the necessary security clearance(s).

3.  If (and I know it's a big IF) I am picked up for staff at NNPTU, keeping in mind the wife and kids part, would it be wise to take those orders?...or should I just go to sea duty?  I'm concerned that the time spent teaching will put me a little behind in actually applying the knowledge, and therefore would have an impact on keeping up with quals once aboard a boat.

1) All three have equal working hours. All three have equal pay. All three have nearly equal promotion opporitunity in the Navy. It may fluctuate slightly +10% here -10% there. You WILL advance fast as a NAVY NUKE. ET's and EM's seem to trasfer very well into the civilian sector due there electrical backround. Nearly all civilian industrial jobs are moving to a more MULTI-Tech level requiring electrical backround along with mechanical. (EM's probably have the best overall knowledge in both mechanical and electrical). MM's seem to transfer very well into the power generating sides of civilian life, both Nuke and Conventional. All three ratings will net you a job EASILY...and you will make very good money.

You will by no means have any say on what you become though. You will get a "dream sheet" to fill out in bootcamp with your preference. They run your preferences through a magic dream sheet compiler. This compiler takes all your pertinant information, runs it through a series of CPU processor intesive calculations, and then spits out a rating for you. Or maybe they just draw from a hat??

2) You will be getting a confidential security clearence. Unless you have the Repo man knocking down your doors, threating to blundeon your knees, and breaking into you car, I wouldn't even think twice about it.

3) Taking SPU (staff pick up) orders is totally up to you. You HAVE to re-enlist to take those orders so you will still spend the same amount time at a Submarine Command wether you take them or not. Look at a timeline and see which one will net you more cold hard cash. Compare the bonus you would get from a 2 year SPU bonus with a 3 or 4 year normal reenlistment bouns. For SPU your taking your 2 year shore duty before you get to a boat. The other you go to a boat first then take your shore duty after. You also have to weigh in timeline on where your bonuses will fall. Then you have to take into account the A B or C multiplication factor or whatever they call it now. Then you have to look at how many times you can re-enlist and how can you get the most money for each one. What if you don't like Sub life and want to get out of the service?? What if you do like it and want to stay in?? Blah-da-bla-da. This can be "NUKED OUT" till kingdom come.

Will it put you behind a power curve to take a SPU position....ABSOLUTELY NOT. If you make it past nuke school the rest is a joke. Quals are a joke. You will be able to qual everything up to EWS. Its about making the time for it.

[Already Gone]

A HA!  I KNEW IT!

All this talk about SPU being automatic E-5 now makes sense.

Back in the days of wooden atome, SPU's were not required to re-enlist.  They also didn't get auto E-5 for it.

Now, it appears that they are dangling that duty at the end of the STAR reenlistment stick.

So, I change my answer.

DO NOT accept SPU.

As a married man, you are duty bound to your wife to wait until you have been on a sea-going command for at least one year before you obligate her for a re-enlistment.

You could be very sorry, and very divorced, if you ship over and find that your wife simply cannot deal with the devastation that is being the wife of a sailor at sea.  That is no reflection on her.  It is a harsh reality that women of even the stoutest constitution cannot bear up under the strain of raising a family and keepin the household together with an absent husband who can't even call home at night.

Don't Do IT!

[xrex1x]

To everyone that has replied to my post, thank you very much for all of the information given and opinions presented.  You've certainly given my wife and myself some things to think about as we round the corner to our new life.  By all means, keep the comments coming.  Anyone that has anything to share will be much appreciated.  With that said, there are a couple of replies that I would like to address...and in doing so I do not intend to be disrespectful in any way, I will just lay out the facts.

Because I don't believe for one minute he read for 15 hours on the boards before spending 20 minutes to register and then post this topic.  That is why.

This thread has been started and continued for the ages of Navy Nuke'dum.  What makes this individual think he is different or special?  We didn't even have this forum (btw thank you Mike) when we were going down this road.  And, we did just fine learning the terminology ... and what the rates did ... and etc.

So, if I've got to show this young sailor the STICKY area for the first time (something a good nuke would have already done) then he gets a smite.

I'm not immune from helping.  But, they do have to show they can help themselves first.

Jason

Not to step on any toes here, but I spent that 15 hours or so as a guest on this forum.  I never created an account because everyone made it very clear on nearly every thread that questions have been asked over and over again.  So, until I had reviewed the information already available, I didn't see a need to "join" the forum...unless I still had some unanswered questions.  I will admit, I didn't use the search function because I had already read every thread started over the past two years.  Also, I had already read the thread on navy nuke terms, but as you all know, reading through it and actually applying the dialogue takes some practice.  Reading a dictionary doesn't make you a master of the English language in a day.  And though I understand this forum hasn't existed since the beginning of time, I'm glad it does now.  Every enlistee in every service should make use of any tool they can to improve their understanding of what their life will be for the next two to six years.

Rex, man,

Joining the navy for the pay check; are you kidding me?  Here's an idea, how about looking for work outside of the state of Michigan.  I live in Knoxville, and other than all of the daily hype on the national news, I wouldn't even know that the country's having financial problems.

If you want to serve your country, then serve, but don't go into this thinking that it's the deal for you.  A guy who couldn't stick out college for a four year degree [instead bailing early for "a VERY lucrative career in sales management"] is going to feel like a six year enlistment in the Navy is an eternity.  It's going to be worse as you get to your ship [or boat] and start hearing about all of the great jobs that are being scored by the guys getting out, which will be at least four years away for you [if you don't reenlist for the immediate payout]. 

You don't strike me as the kind of guy who believes in investing time into something for delayed gratification [maybe you are, but nothing that you've written would indicate it].  You're not going to see that enlistment bonus until you finish prototype.  In the mean time you'll be making less than you could earn working about anywhere, given the hours that you'll be working. 

You've been unemployed since July of last year?  Do yourself a favor.  Go find the worse, lowest paying job that you can find and work it until your ship date.  Depending on how bad it is, the Navy might not seem so bad. 

................

I'm not trying to discourage you or slam on you.  It's more of a warning.  The Navy is NOT a good deal.  It's service.  Accept it as such, and it won't be too bad.  You might actually enjoy parts of it.  Go into it for the wrong reasons and you will be miserable. 

Good luck,

mgm

The problem I had with college was for one, not wanting to do it.  As mentioned, it was certainly my mother that was the "deciding factor" (to put it nicely) in that decision.  Even after six semesters, I was still at least three years away from a degree, due to changing my major five times.  Mainly I think I went to the wrong school.  I went to a big ten school (MSU), where I most likely would have done better at a place like University of Chicago (which I was accepted to...but at $37,000/yr, I absolutely could not afford).

I also whole heartedly agree that I need to get out of Michigan, but I missed the window of opportunity on that.  My family and I are about as broke as you can possibly be right now...and can barely afford to drive into town, much less make a cross-country move.

At this point, any gratification, delayed or otherwise, is preferrable to the situation I'm in now.  I'm not coming on here all gung-ho thinking I'm going to make a career out of the Navy.  Maybe I will, maybe I won't...time will tell on that one.  However, I have made what I think will be the best choice I can for my family for the time being.  I'm aware I've signed six years (eight total) of my life away, but in that time there will always be a roof over our head and food on the table.  And once I have finished, whether that is six or twenty years from now, I will have the necessary training and skills to live a good life.

As for finding the worst, low paying job out there, here's a fun fact.  The local Dairy Queen is seasonal.  Each year they hire around 30 employees to work for seven months.  This year they had 873 applicants...  In this area, there are NO jobs...not even bad ones.  And yes, I was one of those applicants, and even though I worked there for two years when I as a kid, they didn't re-hire me.


-Rex

[Wirebiter]

I must interject here on the advancement rates..

As a current ETC(SS), I can say with absolute certainty that nuclear sub ETs advance faster than any other sub rate period.  For E4 to E5, the other nuclear ratings use most of their available billets for STAR reenlistments, so advancement is slower.  For sub nuc ETs, there are not enough in the pipeline or at sea to fill the available billets.  Advancement rates for E5 to E6 are even better, they have been 85-95% for as long as I can remember (at least 6 years).

So, if you can handle the pressure of being a sub nuc ET you will advance.  What pressure?  My last CO put it best:  There are only two rates in the Submarine US Navy where zero defects are allowed:  Submarine Navigation and Reactor Controls.  If either one makes even an honest mistake, the entire submarine force could suffer.

I have to second Madcat on this.  Currently it is ET's, but we all know that it shifts with the times.  It won't matter one bit once you get to the fleet.  If you work hard and strive to be the best in your division, you will promote just as fast as any other nuke rate.

/rant on

Just a recommendation:  If we could go ahead and post thread sticky's on every possible nuke related question so that people could just visit here and read the info, I think that would be great.  We could all just cancel our accounts and save the time and emotional energy used in inflammatory responses to people looking for information.  I mean, if the info is already laid out in a thread, no need for people like us to visit the boards, right?  I am sure the stuff that was put out in two+ year old threads is exactly true today.  MM's are still the fastest to promote according to a few of our more seasoned veterans of the boards.  The nuclear Navy is just one big static institution it would seem from some of these responses.  If you hate reading the same questions over and over again, who do you have to blame?

Really ladies and gentlemen, these forums are becoming more and more filled with the excreted bitterness of navy nuke lives past and present.  I think it would do this community good to try and maintain perspective and maybe a bit more humility.

/rant off

Have a fine civilian/Navy day!   

[dirtyspu]

I am not sure how many people in here are SPUs but from my experience if you are going to do 20 years in the navy you should not take the SPU orders.  Just go to the fleet for your 2 and 1/2 years (maybe 10 months) and go back to proto type.  If I wanted to do anymore time in the navy I would have to send 5 years at this command then get a shore duty.  They just changes the sea shore rotation for all the rates.  Also understand that you will be the NUB for along time.  This is not bad but some don't take to well to it.  like Justin said there is nothing wrong with doing 6 and out, that should be your plan until you see if you like it, this job is not for every one.

EMs have the worst advancement then MMs then ETs.  But no Nuke rate has bad advancement.  I am a <4 year first and I'm a MM.  However there are a lot of nukes that are 9 year 2nds. 

Surface EM is the best nuke job followed very closely by ELT the worst is sub EM. 

Good luck hope this helps

Tom

[Xenon_Free]

Just a recommendation:  If we could go ahead and post thread sticky's on every possible nuke related question so that people could just visit here and read the info, I think that would be great.  We could all just cancel our accounts and save the time and emotional energy used in inflammatory responses to people looking for information.  I mean, if the info is already laid out in a thread, no need for people like us to visit the boards, right?  I am sure the stuff that was put out in two+ year old threads is exactly true today.  MM's are still the fastest to promote according to a few of our more seasoned veterans of the boards.  The nuclear Navy is just one big static institution it would seem from some of these responses.  If you hate reading the same questions over and over again, who do you have to blame?

Really ladies and gentlemen, these forums are becoming more and more filled with the excreted bitterness of navy nuke lives past and present.  I think it would do this community good to try and maintain perspective and maybe a bit more humility.


I absolutely agree with the throttleman, it seems the purpose of ANY forum is to educate and help people out - we are too quick to point out the inability of "nukes" to find information.  The search function only works if you are a member, unfortunately they are not joining for 15 minutes BEFORE searching for 15 hours on this website so that they could actually find the information they should've found on their own.  My point is this:
   This website has a lot of purposes, one surely needs to be to help the ridiculously incapable of finding their way in a much more humble manner - my thoughts not yours.

XF

[NukeLDO]

I am not sure how many people in here are SPUs but from my experience if you are going to do 20 years in the navy you should not take the SPU orders.    

Well, as one who did the SPU tour at S1C years ago, and with 22+ years of service, I can honestly say that my SPU duty was a good deal.  I started out as that E-1 being discussed in the other thread, came through the pipeline and got picked up for SPU.  (At the time, there was no requirement to obligate for additional service following SPU duty).  Went to the boat and spent 273 of my first 365 days on board at sea, back to prototype in Charleston, qualified EOOW/EDO, made EMC, and then applied for and was commissioned as an LDO.  I can honestly say the Navy has given me a good life.  And, like most, I was committed to getting out after the first enlistment.  Just never happened that way.  Its what you make of it.  Its a self-fulfilling prophecy, you just have to decide what you want the outcome to be....positive, or negative.  There's only one guarantee here...if you go through your Navy time believing it is going to suck, it will.  And don't get me wrong, some things do suck at the time, but in the aggregate, they just add to your experience base.
While there's something to be said for getting to the fleet and experiencing the "real" Navy before reenlisting, the fact of the matter is, NPTU is part of the "real" nuclear Navy....(there just aren't that many enlisted parts to it)....surface, subs, NPTU, NFAS, NPS, and some nuclear billets at PMT and NRMD.  If you tackle SPU duty, and give it your all, you'll learn a lot.  When you get to the boat, you'll do fine.

[Khak-Hater]

As for finding the worst, low paying job out there, here's a fun fact.  The local Dairy Queen is seasonal.  Each year they hire around 30 employees to work for seven months.  This year they had 873 applicants...  In this area, there are NO jobs...not even bad ones.  And yes, I was one of those applicants, and even though I worked there for two years when I as a kid, they didn't re-hire me.


-Rex

Man,

Given how booming it is here right now, it's hard to imagine that this is going on in parts of our country.  Of course, Michigan has always seemed to be on decline.  When I was in the Navy, there were always a disproportionate amount of dudes from Michigan.  I know many families from Michigan who moved here.  It seems to be like a good place to be from. 

I wasn't saying that you've made a poor decision to serve your country; just that your stated motivation for doing so made you a solid candidate for being miserable during your service.  I knew a lot of dudes who joined for the same reasons, and most dreaded being alive each day they were there. 

Anyway, try to remember your motivation [as you feel it today] four years from now, when you've been underway for three months and won't see your wife and kids for another three months, and you still have two [or more] years left to serve.  Remember, and you'll do just fine.  Regardless, in the end, you'll be a stronger man for your choice.

Best of luck man,

mgm

[dirtyspu]

I was not saing to get out into the real navy, as a spu I don't care about that.  If a person was only going to do eight years it would be far better for them to skip the spu tour and go out to sea and come back to proto type.  If you are going to do 20 it is the same.  I have done very well for myself in the navy and have no bad feelings I am just ready to get out.  But is is up to you, like he said just make the best of what you choose to do. 

[withroaj]

Surface EM is the best nuke job followed very closely by ELT the worst is sub EM. 

You got to do all of those jobs???  All I got was ELT, so for some reason I have no frame of reference to judge the other rates.

I know some surface EM's (let's say... right now...) that would debate you on the assumption that it's the best nuke job.  Just as you've no doubt experienced as a SPU, the "best" nuke job in the navy is, well, a dynamic ideal... A moving target if you will.

[NukeLDO]

Or staying in for 20.

[Wirebiter]

I was not saing to get out into the real navy, as a spu I don't care about that.  If a person was only going to do eight years it would be far better for them to skip the spu tour and go out to sea and come back to proto type.  If you are going to do 20 it is the same.  I have done very well for myself in the navy and have no bad feelings I am just ready to get out.  But is is up to you, like he said just make the best of what you choose to do. 

This, like everything else mentioned so far, is not always the case.  Going back to p-type when it is time for you to rotate to shore duty (lets assume you have an average sea duty requirement of 4 years and that there are no waivers to allow you to leave sea duty early for p-type) may require you to stay in the Navy longer than you had intended.  With a 6 year enlistment and about 20-24 months of that spent in the pipeline (depending on your rate), you would have to either re-enlist or extend to meet the 36-40 month obligated service requirement for p-type duty.  SPU-duty would give you the two "shore duty" years up front, with 4 left at sea.  Either way you are on sea duty for 4 years, but having gone spu, you A.) know what p-type shore duty is like and B.) you can get out at 8 years without having to extend/re-enlist to get p-type shore duty.
The quality of your stay as a spu would be the question mark in the whole decision.  Having not been a spu myself, I will defer the merits of that duty to those who have served in that capacity.