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Current Demand for Enlisted Nukes?

e6bflyer

Used to Care
pilot
I am just exploring all options. Trying know everything I can before I make a choice. My degree is non-technical, and I am told that calculus and advanced physics is required to be a nuke officer. Also, I know I will need a couple waivers. Maybe because of this I am under-selling myself.

Also, because I'm 26, I feel like i'm getting into the game a little late and want to jump now. From the sound of things, officer processing takes quite some time and often multiple applications. Plus I have little time to work on all of this, as i'm trying to do it on the sly.

I am interested in Nuke also because of the fact, that I would enjoy being a 'helluva learned dude', and such. The enlist bonus could pay my school, and I could start applying for officer while accruing service time.

I still want to becaome an officer, but I'm exploring any imediate options that will get me on my way. I even talked to the enlisted marine recruiter just to see whats up with that side of things.

There is a reason that they throw all that money at nukes. $18K enlistment bonuses plus reenlistment bonuses of how much these days (I think >$50K)? It is a great field to work in with some of the best, brightest, and most well screened applicants. That being said, you will work your ass off non-stop for your entire time in the Navy. It is long, arduous work on top of constant studying, qualifying, drilling, and being evaluated. You will be expected to perform all this with little sleep and little time for family. It is blood money, plain and simple.
I am not down on nukedom at all. I wasn't one, but once lived among them and still have many close friends and family who are sticking around and taking the bonuses. I am just trying to allow you to get full disclosure prior to taking the plunge. It isn't all the recruiters might be selling you.
 

Layzee101

Final Select SWO
I was set for nuke in the DEP program until I was picked up for SWO BDCP. I was signed for 16k bonus. To make your decision easy the cut-off age is 24 for enlisted nuke, I noticed you said you were 26.
 

scoober78

(HCDAW)
pilot
Contributor
There are things the Navy can do to make QoL "better" (there is rumor of 4 section watch rotation for officers on submarines floating around), but I can't in good conscience ever say I have it "bad" when I think about what conditions men before me have thrived.

Ok....here's a point...

Why is it that when QoL comes up in the Navy, or anywhere for that matter, we always here the argument, "Yeah, but its not bad when you consider how bad "X" has/had it."

Guess what? We aren't soldiers in WWII, Roman Centurions in Gaul (although I bet those guys had it crappy too) or anyother lousy time you care to bring up. I'm a Naval Aviator and my duty rotation/deployment cycle/liberty policy had not a damn thing to do with what some trooper in the 82nd Airborne went through and not a damn thing to do with what some NUC JO goes through either.

This thinking gets used as an excuse constantly to not better the surroundings, practices and policies in many Navy commands and it needs to stop. If you aren't doing everything that is reasonable to make the work envirionment, living conditions and off duty time of your people as pleasant as you can, then YOU are F^&*ing up. Period.
 

EM1toNFO

Killing insurgents with my 'messages'!!
None
I think what et1nuke was referring to was how a lot of individuals whom have had their tld taken away (meaning they can't stand watch or even go down to the plant) can still manange to be able to re-enlist for $45k+. Can you explain how that can happen? These people (I forgot to mention) got their tld taken away for "psychological issues!" I know more that one person who got this deal. They (big Navy) are giving money to keep the numbers up, NOT the best or even a person who can contribute to the mission. In the end, it pisses off the real workers and makes them pick up the slack and therefore become disgruntled and they get out.
 

bubblehead

Registered Member
Contributor
tlsarles, my advice to you would be to ignore people who consistently moan, bitch, and complain about the NUC program, especially those who intentionally abuse the NUC-pipeline as a means to another end; that speaks to poor character and to poor judgment.

It's a voluntary program and is one that you should go into with your eyes wide-open. Actually, you should go into any voluntary program with your eyes wide-open. By that, I mean research it and understand what you are getting yourself into from the best case scenario to the worst case scenario.

If you do desire to volunteer for the NUC program, my advice - which I am sure others here will disagree with - would be to strive to become a NUC officer, specifically a submarine officer. There are pros and cons for each pipline (i.e., surface vs. submarine), but I personally feel that submarine officer is the way to go.

I knew plenty of NUC's on my submarine who liked their jobs and who all made the best of it; they were positive and took things in stride. Heck, one of them was a fellow diver and got to do some pretty cool stuff when we were performing SDV (SEAL Delivery Vehicle) ops.

I also knew NUC's on my submarine who were miserable and did nothing but moan, bitch, and complain about how the Navy "screwed" them. They were always negative and rarely, if ever, did anything to improve their situation. I found that they were the ones who did not fully understand their decision to volunteer for the NUC program (read: eyes wide-open) and often regretted it.

The NUC-program is like all other programs in the Navy: they can be highly rewarding and are what you make of them.

Ultimately, it's your choice. And remember, do not let anyone try to convince you that you chose poorly, that's for you to decide, but only after giving 110%.
 

tlsarles

New Member
I realize the nuke program is tough. I am interested in working my ass off. Altho I will note that one thing that interests me about the navy is going overseas and visiting places. Does a nuke ever get some time to check things out when in port?

Also, I had never really considered sub as an option for myself, altho lately I'v given it more thought. Do subs still go on East/West Pack and such, and do all the regular stuff you would do on a surface ship? I'd be interested in some more info on sub life.
 

et1nuke

Active Member
pilot
Contributor
I realize the nuke program is tough. I am interested in working my ass off. Altho I will note that one thing that interests me about the navy is going overseas and visiting places. Does a nuke ever get some time to check things out when in port?

Also, I had never really considered sub as an option for myself, altho lately I'v given it more thought. Do subs still go on East/West Pack and such, and do all the regular stuff you would do on a surface ship? I'd be interested in some more info on sub life.
Carriers yes, subs it depends. SSNs you will get overseas but if you end up on an SSBN you will most likely see Guam and Hawaii and your homeport. Of course just because your ship pulls in to a port you as a nuke are always the first on the ship and the last off and if there is no shorepower than there is probably little liberty for you. Not nonexistant but for example I've been to Korea twice and both times my liberty was counted in hours not days.
 

Stick

Member
pilot
Of course just because your ship pulls in to a port you as a nuke are always the first on the ship and the last off and if there is no shorepower than there is probably little liberty for you.

This is not completely true. Out of all the foreign ports I have been to the nukes were the first ones off the ship. When we were pulling in just as a liberty port the coners were always first off. When we were going to pull in because something was broken (always a coner issue) the nukes were first off. Those were the good ones because those ports were turned into liberty ports. The command decided to ask for about four days in each port just to give people time off after fixing things.

But the general rule was first on last off, I was just lucky.
 

Stick

Member
pilot
It is a great field to work in with some of the best, brightest, and most well screened applicants.

As a former nuke school instructor I can tell you that the "screening process" is very lacking and almost non existent. When I enlisted about 10 years ago there was no extra screening we went thru to become a nuke. The only difference we had was taking the nuke qualifier test. I am not going to go into much detail, but when a Sailor is found to be deficient and everyone up the CoC says they wouldn't want to work with the individual in the fleet something needs to be done. Don't just send them on and say "Well the next command will take care of them".

But for the most part the nukes I worked with on the sub were the best and brightest. But that one bad apple does ruin things. Just remember there is at least one douche bag in every division.
 
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