\ And as every good sub JO knows, even if he was prior enlisted, you are still not in charge as EOOW so you keep your mouth shut.
This is a ridiculous statement. If you are a newly qualified JO, then sure listen to your watchteam and take notes. But once you have some experience under your wings you are expected to lead and control that engine room. If you don't, then you are not doing your job. That is the most difficult portion of the job, earning the respect of the enlisted who have been there longer and thus have more experience. As an EOOW, you need to hit the books hard and have confidence in your decisions in order to be successful.
The best part of being a Submarine Officer is that EOOW is only the first step of the job. After qualifying as an EOOW, you must step up to the plate and start qualifying as Officer Of the Deck (OOD). As OOD, you will be in command of a multi-billion dollar submarine. You are in charge of the Ship's control party, Fire control team, Sonar, Communications, and the navigation party. This is an immense responsibility especially while conducting missions vital to national security. The experience gathered while standing OOD is not only fun but also very rewarding in regards to leadership and teamwork skills.
I haven't read completely through this thread, but I don't think anyone can knock the experience gathered nor the marketability of a nuclear submarine officer. The biggest question that I here always concerns the quality of life. I'm here to tell you, it is not that bad. With the amount of JO's on board submarines these days, it is almost certain that you will stand 4 section rotation. What I mean by that is you will stand watch for 6 hours and be off for 18 hours. During that off-time, you will spend an average 3-4 hours on paperwork, 2 hours on training, and the rest on either qualifying, sleeping, working out, or having fun.
So what do I mean by fun? That is where is depends on the person. Space is obviously limited but there is a lot of movie watching, video/card games, and shenanigans galore.
Working out is also tough but doable. We prided ourselves on our creativity in the gym in MSW/ASW bay. There will be a treadmill, rowing machinge, eliptical, weights, and a bench on board to continue fitness. Pushups, situps, dips, and pullups can be accomplished almost anywhere.
Another great aspect of submarines is the level of intelligence of the crew. You will impressed by the brains on the nuclear enlisted. They will be smarter than you. Not only that, but the other officers on board are also the brightest of the bunch. You will have many intelligent discussions ranging from the presidential race to the microdetail process of brewing beer.
To me, the best part of the submarine is the comraderie on board. You feel that team spirit and everyone on board looks out for one another. I made 6 lifelong friends from my JO tour and the times we spent in foreign/home port will live with me always.
I don't regret my decision at all at going Subs. With a 5 year commitment, my total sea tour lasted 30 months and 3 months were spent on shore at PNEO. I'm now on a shore tour making bank and going to a top 5 MBA school while I decide the next steps in my life. The experiences I gained made me a better person and a leader. The job offers are plentiful and I served my country honorably. What more could you ask for as a 27-year old?
Just finished my 4th glass of wine so hopefully the above rant is coherent!