• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

Nuke Drafted

thatonemid

New Member
Hello,

I'm currently a 1/C MIDN in NROTC set to commission in May. I've had a life long passion about aviation and did all I could to reach my goal of being a Naval Aviator. However, Service Assignment just came out and I got drafted for submarine duty. I am prepared to go to the interview and try my best (I don't believe in "flunking" the interview on purpose). However, considering the Nuclear Navy only wants people who truly want to be there, would I be wrong/rude/out of place to be honest to the Admiral conveying my feelings about being a nuke? If I tell him "Sir, I am willing to serve on a submarine if the Navy needs me to, however I have no desire to be a Nuclear officer." How will this be taken? What will happen? Would I be thrown into SWO? Re-designated with the potential to go aviation? Lose my commission altogether? Any insight would be appreciated.

Details about me:
Aerospace Engineering Major: 3.10 GPA
ASTB - 8/7/8 63
PRT - "Outstanding"
Have been in good standing with my unit since I joined

Thank you
 

CommodoreMid

Whateva! I do what I want!
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
You won't lose your commission because of expressing your service selection preferences. As of whether you'd get a shot at aviation if you tell him you don't want to go subs or you'd get sent SWO, can't say.
 

wlawr005

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Honestly, do you think he gives a shit? How many people do you think he hears that from? Maybe you're the first person to say it that day, maybe you're the last. Maybe he plays a game and dick punches every fifth guy to say it.

Rule of thumb around Admirals...never miss a good opportunity to shut up.

Do well on your interview, good luck.
 

Beans

*1. Loins... GIRD
pilot
The likelihood of re designating to aviation is slim, but the way to be ready is to have your physical all done and wrapped up. That way if your unit gets a call looking for a redes possibility, they can say 'yep, we've got this one qual'd and ready.' Note that this is a total unicorn-level possibility. As for the interview, I'd recommend you be honest. If he asks you why you want to be a submariner, don't lie: tell him you don't, but you will be honored to do so if the Navy needs you.
 

insanebikerboy

Internet killed the television star
pilot
None
Contributor
Honestly, do you think he gives a shit? How many people do you think he hears that from? Maybe you're the first person to say it that day, maybe you're the last. Maybe he plays a game and dick punches every fifth guy to say it.

Rule of thumb around Admirals...never miss a good opportunity to shut up.

Do well on your interview, good luck.

Spoken like a guy who doesn't have a clue.


Nuke power wants people who actually wants to be there. Yes, there are drafts, and yes, the Admiral can override your wishes. That said, the whole reason for the interview in the first place is to see if the individual will be a good fit in the nuke power program (and that means much more than just having good grades).

Be honest, be respectful, and the chips will fall where they may.


And wlawr, if you are actually sitting down with an Admiral in a one-on-one interview, you would be wise to actually talk truthfully and respectfully, when else are you ever going to have a private audience with a Flag?
 

wlawr005

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Truthfully and respectfully....I don't think he gives a shit.

My clue would be the seven MIDN I mentored through aviation hopes and dreams to have the exact same thing happen to them. They're all nukes now, and making a damn sight more money than I am.

Who pissed in your wheaties bro? I was mostly being funny. Truth is, nobody here knows for sure.
 

insanebikerboy

Internet killed the television star
pilot
None
Contributor
Truthfully and respectfully....I don't think he gives a shit.

My clue would be the seven MIDN I mentored through aviation hopes and dreams to have the exact same thing happen to them. They're all nukes now, and making a damn sight more money than I am.

Who pissed in your wheaties bro? I was mostly being funny. Truth is, nobody here knows for sure.

My Wheaties are piss free. I was a nuke and was in the nuke power program and I saw it happen firsthand.

Also, having been in aviation for a while now, I know guys who are pilots that were drafted into the interview who respectfully told the Admiral that they had no desire to be a nuke (but would rock it if they had to).

Like I said, a draft is a draft but at the same time, not being honest with the Admiral in the interview defeats the entire purpose of them having an interview.
 

thatonemid

New Member
Thanks for all your replies. I know aviation is slim, I just didn't know how me saying "I don't want to be a nuke" would come off. However, It seems as though it's best to be honest, but respectful.
The likelihood of re designating to aviation is slim, but the way to be ready is to have your physical all done and wrapped up. That way if your unit gets a call looking for a redes possibility, they can say 'yep, we've got this one qual'd and ready.'
Thanks, I'm already qualified in NAMI for SNA. My CO however, is a stickler for "Needs of the Navy" and won't be happy if I come back with a redes
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Remember that you're being "drafted" to go interview with DNR. That's it. Power School is tough and there's no point in wasting a billet on someone who doesn't want to be there. That'd be like drafting someone for aviation. But they see in your record someone with the potential to do well in the nuke pipeline, so the interview is a chance to evaluate you in person and maybe talk you into it if they still want you. Nothing is fucked, Dude.

Best answer I could recommend is respectful honesty. Sir, if I'm selected I'll do my best, but my interest and passion is in aviation. You're not the first guy to say that.
 

azguy

Well-Known Member
None
Tell him the truth! That should go without saying. It seems like you have the right attitude. You only have so much say in the matter and you'll be a generally happier and more successful person if you try your best wherever the Navy sends you.

I know you want to fly, but for what it's worth, when I was a Mid, submarines weren't on my radar at all. A little ways down the road now, I think I would have loved subs. The nuke stuff blows but they are doing much cooler missions than pilots or SWOs on most any given day.

Good luck at the interview.
 

azguy

Well-Known Member
None
Reason #362 to have fun in college and go to OCS.

Having your entire degree (and housing at many schools) financed by the Navy- with a monthly beer stipend on top of that is a good deal.

The demand signal ebbs and flows across all designators. USNA and ROTC have both drafted wannabe SWOs into Pilot slots in the past. Sounds like they need nukes this time around...

Bottom line- if ROTC is getting in the way of enjoying college, you're fucking up horribly.
 

MIDNJAC

is clara ship
pilot
Four people from my university wanted to go SWO and got Pilot drafted. I believe only one of them made it through, but the aviation draft does occur sometimes ;)

I was gonna say.......in my timeframe, there were a handful of guys in my NROTC commissioning class that got "drafted" for aviation. Two drafted for NFO and one for pilot (and he wasn't even physically qualified and had not taken the ASTB). One DOR'd from IFS, went SWO and got out after 4. The other two went E-2 NFO and are doing great. I don't know why they were selected with aviation as their last choices, but I do respect that they took it and ran with it, and they are good guys who would have benefitted any community they had gone to.
 
Top