What is an ELT?

[taterhead]

1.  How do you become an ELT? (After prototype, yes, but... how?  raise your hand and say "uh.. sir?  I was kinda... well, ya know.... god ****it make me an ELT!"?)

It will be very obvious to you when to make the request ie. they will put out the info to the group.

You will assigned a "Sea Dad" staff guy who will be your single point of contact for that kind of stuff.

[Roll Tide]

Awesome, I really appreciate all the posts here.

Just some minor questions I failed to incorporate into my orginal post:

1.  How do you become an ELT? (After prototype, yes, but... how?  raise your hand and say "uh.. sir?  I was kinda... well, ya know.... god ****it make me an ELT!"?)

2. I guess thats really all I had, so for two, see one.

Thanks in advance!

I would recommend having high (top 1/4 or so) class standing in NPS and NPTU, and qualifying early at NPTU. Go the extra mile and show you are willing to learn more than the minimum for your Chem/Radcon checkouts especially!

Don't be a kissup, but definitely get a reputation as a hard-charger!

[Xhelix]

Thanks for the advice.  Now I need to sort through all the information and see if I'd rather be an ELT or a weilder (Since its basically (is?) impossible to be both.

If anyone comes up with something else not mentioned here, feel free to add it.  I'm always looking for more information.

[dav8]

Speaking from experience, and I'm sure most on this site who are or were ELT's will agree, be an ELT.  You will see why when you get to prototype, and it isn't until about half way through prototype do you have to make your final decision.

[brockman_148]

i was pretty excited about getting picked up for ELT. "extra lazy technician" they'd say... i still love what i do. i just wished i didn't get orders to the enterprise. 43 years old, 8 rx, 32 s/g about a spill per day. exciting but busy...

[Beta_effect]

Don't let anyone kid you-ELT qual is the fastest ticket to a job as soon as you hit the street as far as working in a nuke plant. Even if life does bite a bit as far as short outages, the travel is no big deal when you are fresh out and the experience and money piles up-you don't have to do it forever. If you are smart you will work on getting a degree.

You can always just go work as an operator at a plant after you get out too. The initial starting salary is lower, but you will surpass any road tech salary once you get the RO quals and if you have a degree any caps to advancing further upward at the utility are removed. There appears to be some peeps on this board that have gone this route.

Don't let the doomsday talk about nuclear power slow you down either-we have no other options and you will certainly be in the window during your working career to see the revival.

Even if a revival never occurs, remediation work alone will keep you busy for years. The beauty of it is that you can go both ways when you get out after being an ELT-either into radcon as an HP or ops as an operator. The further beauty is that you can work radcon awhile and then switch to ops. Flexibility is the key, and ELT qual gives you the most flexibility. The second best way to get the RO experience is to qualify EWS. As far as M-div and ribbing goes, there are ELTs out there that know thier way around an engineroom just as well as any straight MM-the trick is in getting the L-div and M-div to cooperate so you don't have the unbalance in experience. Operationally, this can be difficult and makes for some very long days for the ELT.

Research reactors are also an option if you defer college till later as any ex-Navy nuke has a leg up as far as getting on staff (there you will most likely qualify RO/SRO). And if that doesn't work, out try to get on at the safety office. Most large universities will have RSO's and rad-techs as life does not necessarily revolve around nuclear power generation-lots of research involving ram is going on.

A little plug for medical physicists-there is a great shortage of these peeps. The job is very interesting and the salaries are high. It is not uncommon to find peeps with undergraduate derees in engineering or physics that have gone this route.

[Xhelix]

...EWS...

...SRO...
...RSO...

Could someone define those acronyms for me please?  Thanks

[ex-SSN585]

EWS - Engineering Watch Supervisor

The EWS is the senior enlisted watchstation on watch.  On a submarine, the nuclear watch section usually consists of the EOOW (Engineering Officer of the Watch), EWS, RO (reactor operator), EO (electrical operator), TO (throttle operator), ERS (engineroom supervisor), ERUL (engineroom upper level), ERLL (engineroom lower level), and AEA (auxiliary electrical operator).  Additionally, depending on the configuration of the ship, there is either an ERML (engineroom middle level) or AMS/AMR UL (auxiliary machinery space/room upper level), and an AMS/AMR LL (auxiliary machinery space/room lower level).  Finally there is the underway ELT.

The EWS is trained to know the job of every other watchstander.  Normally, the EWS makes periodic tours of the engineering spaces and reviews the operating logs (written records of equipment operating conditions/parameters).  The EWS and EOOW can exchange places as supervisor of the maneuvering room.  The EWS can substitute for any watchstander on a short term basis, except for the reactor operator.

The maneuvering room watchstanders are the RO, EO, TO, and EOOW.  The RO is the senior ET and the EO is the senior EM.  If I recall correctly, the RO must be stood by an ET.  Both ETs and EMs qualify as EO, but the EO is normally the senior EM.  The TO is almost always an EM.  These watchstations monitor and control a single panel and are not allowed to leave their position.  The RO has direct control of the nuclear reactor.  The EO controls the electrical generation and distribution.  The TO controls the speed of the ship.

The MO (mechanical operator or MM) watchstations are ERS, ERUL, ERLL and, where this space exists, the AMS/AMR LL.  I'm probably forgetting someone because I have blocked out the experience of serving on a 688i class submarine as much as possible.  The ERS is the senior MM and makes roving tours of the engineering spaces.  The ERUL, ERLL, and AMS/AMR LL are restricted to their level, but are allowed to wander the length of the space.

The ERML or AMS/AMR UL watch is another ET/EM watchstation normally stood by an ET.  This watch is restricted to the level, but is allowed to wander the length of the space.  (This might not be completely accurate for the ERML watch, I forget.

The AEA is another ET/EM watchstation normally stood by an EM.  The AEA is generally confined to the engineering spaces, but can possibly go anywhere on the boat.

The ELT can either be a dedicated individual who is on call at any time.  The ELT can also be an off-watch duty for an ELT trained mechanical operator.

Further descriptions of the operating spaces and equipment border on being classified information.  Plans and descriptions are available in books.  Actually, the equipment configuration is probably not classified except for certain equipment, but I don't have the governing instructions, so it is best to say nothing about the subject.

When the nuclear reactor is not operating, the manning is reduced.  There are as few as one shutdown reactor operator (SRO), one  shutdown electrical operator (SEO), and one  shutdown mechanical operator (engineroom roving watch).  The EWS stands duty as EDPO (engineering duty petty officer) and the EOOW becomes the EDO (engineering duty officer).  I'll stop at descriptions here because the SRO in most posts refers to a civilian position, senior reactor operator, which is completely different.

[dbandcjs]

Just a note, on a surface ship underway ELT doesn't exist.  There are so many ELT's.  that there is an ELT watchstation that follows the same rotation as the rest of the engineroom.  Most ELT's stand enough "ELT watch" to maintain ELT proficiency, the rest of the time they support mechanical watchbill.  This is the was it was on my CGN and the way I have heard it is on CVN's.

[dbandcjs]

Another note, in port on the surface, ELT is a 24 hour watchstation.  The duty ELT watch is just that, ELT. He/she can't stand any other watch.  So duty section ELT's rotate being either duty section ELT watch or supporting SRW or SMO on their duty days. 

[ex-SSN585]

Another note, in port on the surface, ELT is a 24 hour watchstation.  The duty ELT watch is just that, ELT. He/she can't stand any other watch.  So duty section ELT's rotate being either duty section ELT watch or supporting SRW or SMO on their duty days. 

Clarification:  This must mean for a surface ship in port, not a submarine "in port on the surface".  On every submarine I served on, the duty section ELT also stood watch.  That can make for a busy day if the mechanical watches are port and starboard.

[matthewmiller01]

Another note, in port on the surface, ELT is a 24 hour watchstation.  The duty ELT watch is just that, ELT. He/she can't stand any other watch.  So duty section ELT's rotate being either duty section ELT watch or supporting SRW or SMO on their duty days. 

On my boat (Trident-Kings Bay), the duty ELT could-and did-stand SRW (Shutdown Roving Watch) on his duty days.

[dbandcjs]

Sorry, I should have been more specific.  My post referred to surface ships (targets).  My brother was an ELT out of Bangor (USS Florida) and I was in Bremerton, at the same time, on the USS California.  As a surface ELT I had much easier duty days. 

[Roll Tide]

Clarification:  This must mean for a surface ship in port, not a submarine "in port on the surface".  On every submarine I served on, the duty section ELT also stood watch.  That can make for a busy day if the mechanical watches are port and starboard.

Not to be confused with a submarine in port submerged. 
(Sand Lance sailors were all smart alecks)

[ex-SSN585]

Actually, there is a place to be in port, submerged (200 feet), on shore power.  People were even allowed to call home and tell people where they were.  (Since I didn't make a phone call, I don't remember if we were cautioned about saying why we were there.  There is mention on-line by CHINFO about why some subs have been there, but I'll leave details for someone else.)  It is in Bangor and is used by submarines completing overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

[Roll Tide]

Actually I was thinking of sinking at the pier, not nearly as well-planned!

[ex-SSN585]

Not to be confused with a submarine in port submerged. 
(Sand Lance sailors were all smart alecks)

Actually I was thinking of sinking at the pier, not nearly as well-planned!

OK! I finally understand your reference.

[ELTsmag]

As soon as you start your watchstanding portion of prototype, and only IF YOUR ARE A MECHANIC, inform the M-DIV Chief and M-DIV LPO as well as your advisor that you would like to be an ELT.  The ELT staff will probably rib on you a bit to size you up, and the MDIV staff will know to size you up while you stand watch.  Things they look for are professionalism, integrity, a pro-active attitude (see something not quite right immediately investigate and correct it) and personal initiative.

As an ELT you will not have a Watch Supervisor or Engineroom Supervisor riding your but to get your logs up to date or corrected, or fix problems on your watchstation; and you will be the sole expert of your job on the watch-team.  Even the Watch Officers are freakin clueless when it comes to Chemistry and Radcon so you will have nobody to turn to for advice when you walk by and see a RADCON tool laying around on a workbench without a watchstander in sight.  Because of this, those traits I mentioned above are a MUST and the staff will be evaluating you on these traits.  Perfection is key, strive for perfection, be a perfectionist, and you should have no problem becoming an ELT.

If MDIV thinks you'd make a good smoothie, then around week 16 or so you're advisor will fill out an ELT package (ELT packages are filled out at the same time as Staff Pickup packages are), they'll interview you, if they like you they'll make you seem godly, and you'll probably be in ELT school in a few months.

Word to the wise, if you don't want to be the front-man for all kinds of nubly mistakes (the first person to catch a stupid mistake you made will be a NRRO rep when auditing your logs, who then tells the Cap what a dolt of a watchteam he has, and it all comes rolling down onto you) and take the fall if something bad happens(radcon wise) -and it will happen I guarantee you-then don't even apply, because we don't want you.  When ORSE is performed, everybody wants to see the weakest ELT perform a Primary Analysis, or a Chloride Titration, and one small mistake will nail your butt (and no pressure, since there will likely be 5 high ranking officers one of which probably WROTE the procedure watching every move you make), there is alot more pressure than if you were just a nubly Lower Level mechanic with two supervisors to protect you from all the stupid things you do.  No love for the ELTs.

[Already Gone]

Another note, in port on the surface, ELT is a 24 hour watchstation.  The duty ELT watch is just that, ELT. He/she can't stand any other watch.  So duty section ELT's rotate being either duty section ELT watch or supporting SRW or SMO on their duty days. 

Yeah right.  And God didn't make little green apples.....
The duty ELT stands just as many SRW as any other MM in the section.  Sometimes you have to stand more because SRW's cannot do maintenance on watch.  If something big is broken, or a repair takes too long, you're going to take the watch for the guy who's doing it.

[taterhead]

Things they look for are professionalism, integrity, a pro-active attitude (see something not quite right immediately investigate and correct it) and personal initiative.

I am just trying to figure out what any of these traits have to do with being an ELT

[dbandcjs]

Beer Court,

By 'on the surface', I mean surface ships.  Surface EDORMS don't allow the duty ELT to stand any other watch, example SRW.  Besides, there are alot more mechanics on a surface ship and lot of chemistry and radcon on a duty day.

Chuck

[Rad Sponge]

, in port on the surface, ELT is a 24 hour watchstation. 

As opposed to in port submerged?

[Xhelix]

Awesome.  I recently finished NFAS and are now an MM3, and I'm starting NPS next week.

Before bootcamp I didn't really understand / was a little turned away from being an ELT by this thread.  But now that I've gotten a smidgen of experiance under my belt, it sounds great.

I finished third (out of 21) in my NFAS class with a 3.60 and I have high hopes for NPS.

Chemistry and physics are what I love, and I still have my sights set on becoming an ELT.

I know I didn't thank you all properly for all you're help before I left for bootcamp; so if you would, please accept this in it's stead:

I appreciate all the insight you've given me, and anything else you might want to add would be well recieved.

Thanks.

[visserjr]

By far some of the best descriptions out there...Ex-ssn585...whew man you guys are awesome.

[shovelheadred]

...back in the day...we had some EM/ELT's, do they still allow this?..CVN-68...ELT's had an easy life...5 hours on 35 hours off...duty day(3 section) only in the yard for 18 months in Newport News.....using the Nuke Shack for every illegal activity that needed to be done...no MM watch stations unless you wanted to qualify EWS, but they were on 5 on and 20 off, so we had better duty..........on the outside..ELT's have an advantage, because of the training, most start out as RP's, but I know ex-ELT's that are in OPS, Refuelers, electricians, Managers...none in chemistry.a couple bar owners, and one doing time in South Carolina...these posts cover about all an ELT is...But from the subject line"what is an ELT?".........."COOL...thats right,,,COOL...even the ELT nerd, was cool in the fleet...cause the chemistry was magic..the hours short..and they still issued 180 proof liquor to decon equipment...any of you remember those days?...I know you do Rumrunner, cause we wuz there together.............Red