3. After bootcamp, if I'm in the nuclear feild, what happens? I go to Charleston for how long? Then what? My recruiter hasn't filled me in with any of these concerns.
4. I know being in the nuclear feild you automatically go in as an E3, or so I've heard. Which from my research they make about $2000 a month. Signing bonuses, salaries, the whole nine yards, can you guys help?
Nuke in training here. I'm sure you might have gotten a good gist of it from your recruiter by now...but after boot camp you'll be flown here to the NNPTC in Goose Creek.
This is how it works:
There are 3 rates of nuke: MM, EM, and ET.
There are 3 schools of nuke: A-School, Power School and Prototype
Power and Prototype are 6 mon each, regardless of rate. A-school is a little different. If you are an MM, you have a 3 mon A school, if you are EM/ET you have a 6 mon.
In between each school you have a break, only god knows how long that is, sometimes it can be as short as a week, but I know people who have been on prototype hold for 8 mon now... Depending on the kind of person you are, you might not mind a short break; trust me it gets boring not doing anything after a while.
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You come in E3, I would have to look up the pay charts for exact details, but me with the MGIB and no TSP pockets about $700 every 15 days (sorry for the engrissh) so $1400 a month that actually makes it into your wallet. After A-school you automatically become E4; that translates to like $150 more in your pocket a month.
Concerning signing bonuses...you have to ask your recruiter. 2 years ago it was $25000, when I came in last year it was $12000, but due to recent events (the pipeline is a little clogged up right now) you might not get a signing bonus at all. Dont let that stop you from becoming a nuke however, the opportunities inside and outside the Big Blue are incredible, and its not like $12000 actually means TWELVE-THOUSAND DOLLARS (I might get half that amount after they steal what they need to steal)
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In summary: this is awesome. Go tell your friends what you're doing, your family too. See where they are in 2 years vs what you are doing. Sure you bitch, squirm and squeal some days but it's just work.
Work. Dont ever be afraid of work. If theres something incredible out there, dont be afraid to grab it because its too much work. I have too many 'friends' who cry rivers every time I pull them from playing WoW or StarCrap on their computers to do duty or study hours. Too many a-holes who bitch themselves out of the pipeline because they would rather be leveling up on Diablo than leveling up their careers and livelihood. Good for them. We dont want them here.
This is the United States Navy, most of us have forgotten about this already...but we're here to save the world. We make sure all the bogies stay where they are and pound them straight if they ever get the balls to test that.
Hooya...yeah I'm stowing the soapbox now, anyways good luck bro and thank you for your service!