2010 Service Assignments

[Lucky3]

Wlawr005,

I second your last paragraph. In fact I say almost the same things in an earlier post. That being said there are reasons to be nervous. Sometimes the needs of the Navy takes precedence. I have a 4.0 GPA, technical major, outstanding PRT, ASTB: 8/8/7/67, and received the perfect 100 from the CO. So what should seem like a shoe in because of the effort and results I have put out could get trumped by having to meet the Nuke quota. Can I do anything about it, NO. Is being a little nervous about getting selected for the worst quality of life in the military normal, absolutely.

 

[d3west86]

Wlawr005,

I have a 4.0 GPA, technical major, outstanding PRT, ASTB: 8/8/7/67, and received the perfect 100 from the CO.

Haha...what a way to plug one's stats. Good luck not getting nuke. I listed Seal and EOD so nuke wasn't anywhere near my selection sheet. You do what you can and hope the MAN doesn't screw you.

 

[wlawr005]

Wlawr005,

I second your last paragraph. In fact I say almost the same things in an earlier post. That being said there are reasons to be nervous. Sometimes the needs of the Navy takes precedence. I have a 4.0 GPA, technical major, outstanding PRT, ASTB: 8/8/7/67, and received the perfect 100 from the CO. So what should seem like a shoe in because of the effort and results I have put out could get trumped by having to meet the Nuke quota. Can I do anything about it, NO. Is being a little nervous about getting selected for the worst quality of life in the military normal, absolutely.

Quality of life for Nukes isn't the worst in the military. I would take Sub Nuke over anything in the Army and most jobs in the Marine Corps anyday. As far as Navy QOL goes, it is a tough lifestyle but then again so is any job that requires you to plan your life around a ship's movement schedule, live on a ship, or work on one including SWO and diassociated tours for pilots. For the extra work they put in, Nuke officers are WELL compensated monetarily and academically.

I'm not going to be a Nuke, and I am excited that I will have the opportunity to fly for the Navy. That being said, there are benefits to every community in the Navy. I believe that whatever job you get selected for eventually grows on you and becomes enjoyable. If not, you're going to be a miserable S.O.B and a terrible boss one day.

I hope the best for all of you awaiting service selection. I have a vested interest because a few of my friend's fates will be determined in October as well. I hate to see a group of people hope for one thing, not get it, and then blame the organization like they're somehow getting the shaft. Remember, no matter what, you're going to be an officer in a pretty bad ass Navy.

 

[sweetnuts]

I am not sure. My adviser showed me the schedule when I went to the unit to sign my package. When I asked when he thought we would get the results he pulled out the schedule I told you guys about. It included the milestone dates like when to have the electronic copies done and when to have the hard copies done. I have to think this was the right schedule.

Our admin guy showed me that timeline you were talking about. Like you said, "29 OCT - target date to release results to the NROTC units". Doesn't leave too much time for those graduating in December.

 

[sweetnuts]

Wlawr005,

I second your last paragraph. In fact I say almost the same things in an earlier post. That being said there are reasons to be nervous. Sometimes the needs of the Navy takes precedence. I have a 4.0 GPA, technical major, outstanding PRT, ASTB: 8/8/7/67, and received the perfect 100 from the CO. So what should seem like a shoe in because of the effort and results I have put out could get trumped by having to meet the Nuke quota. Can I do anything about it, NO. Is being a little nervous about getting selected for the worst quality of life in the military normal, absolutely.

Pretty impressive GPA. Engineering major? I understand how you feel about not wanting to go back to the Nuke community, I really don't want to go back through power school and prototype. The fact that they only selected two pilots last year, out of all the core option guys/gals, makes me a little nervous.

 

[Lucky3]

Wlawr005- I agree there are parts of the army that are worse than the Navy QOL. That being said you have no idea about the nuclear community. Even on a shore duty guys have 7 day & 10 hours/day work weeks of rotating shift work. There is a reason the nuke officer attrition rate is well over 90% during one of the worst recessions in modern history. This is a blog where we talk about what we want. We don't need you to keep telling us why we should just accept what we get. This is a board where we discuss, not wait for Wlawr005 to tell us how we should think.

 

[wlawr005]

See? I was trying to be nice and help you keep your hopes up by letting you know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel no matter what the selection process gives you, but you had to go and be a dick.

Seeing as my brother is a Nuke on the Newport News, and I watch his kid for him when he is on duty/deployed, I have a great idea about the lifestyle.

By the way, this is a forum, not a blog...and in this forum it is customary to pass along information that builds the morale and character of those aspiring to be naval officers as well as naval aviators, not complain about what you think you're entitled to. You only make yourself sound like a whiny asshole when you cry about being a Nuke O and you should remember that you're lucky to have the chance to even wear a uniform at all.

My best friend hopes for the same things you do, except he's not an asshole. He wants to fly for more reasons than most of us here, but he is man enough to accept that he might be going back to the nuke community soon. His motto is that he's going to be the best officer he can be no matter where he ends up, maybe you should take notes.

Or you could just continue posting your stats and telling us all how bad ass you think you are. Either way, I'm still going to laugh at you.

 

[Wudgles]

Wlawr005- I agree there are parts of the army that are worse than the Navy QOL. That being said you have no idea about the nuclear community.

Featured in this thread: 1/C MIDN tells a prior enlisted STA-21er all about life in the Fleet.

To open my newly minted butterbar trap for a minute, I'd have to say I'm inclined to agree with wlawr005. I went through the song and dance of waiting to hear back for service selection, and one of my friends in the unit almost got taken by the Nukes instead of being designated SNA (but that's another story). Sub Nuke would've been my second choice if I didn't get SNA myself for a variety of reasons.

1) Well compensated monetarily.
2) Damn close to a masters degree in Nuclear Engineering (I believe you can take a few courses along the way to pick this up, but I'm not entirely sure)
3) Top Secret clearance.
4) Only 1 extra year of commitment, largely in power school/prototype, than a SWO with MUCH better job opportunities if you decide to leave (see #1-3) and a huge ass bonus if you decide to stay in.

So, it's not all bad if you get picked up for Subs/SWO Nuke. You'll get a chance to be a Naval Officer in the finest Navy in the world, operate a moving nuclear reactor, and do some seriously awesome cloak-and-dagger shit.

P.S. It's probably not best to tell people on this site that they have no idea about X community. For every "in the know" contact you have, they probably have 20 and have actually been to the Fleet. It also pays to check profiles before you call people out.

 

[Lucky3]

Wudgles--> I am a prior enlisted nuke who qualified as far up as an enlisted guy can qualify. As far as the money, they could add a 0 to the end of the bonus and I still would never consider it. Wlawr005 has no clue what life as a nuke is like. It is like saying I know what it is like to be a pilot because I watched planes land and take off from the crows nest while underway. Every officer will get a Top Secret clearance before their career is over. I understand why nuke looks enticing from the outside. Most of these reasons are why I enlisted in it. Enlisted guys get out and get the same jobs the officers do and they start in the 6 figures. That being said those things are quickly trumped by the other aspects.

For the record I wasn't some disgruntled nuke who got lucky to get STA-21. I was selected sailor of the year at my command and received all EPs as an E-6. I finished #1 in my class through all nuke schools.

 

[wlawr005]

Wudgles--> I am a prior enlisted nuke who qualified as far up as an enlisted guy can qualify. As far as the money, they could add a 0 to the end of the bonus and I still would never consider it. Wlawr005 has no clue what life as a nuke is like. It is like saying I know what it is like to be a pilot because I watched planes land and take off from the crows nest while underway. Every officer will get a Top Secret clearance before their career is over. I understand why nuke looks enticing from the outside. Most of these reasons are why I enlisted in it. Enlisted guys get out and get the same jobs the officers do and they start in the 6 figures. That being said those things are quickly trumped by the other aspects.

For the record I wasn't some disgruntled nuke who got lucky to get STA-21. I was selected sailor of the year at my command and received all EPs as an E-6. I finished #1 in my class through all nuke schools.

Yep...still an asshole, and I'm still laughing. Add talking to a commissioned officer like a jackass to your list of achievements.

-1

By the way...don't you kinda feel like your avatar right now?

 

[Lucky3]

How in any way did I disrespect an officer with that post? I simply explained that I do know what I am talking about in regards to the nuke community.

 

[d3west86]

How in any way did I disrespect an officer with that post? I simply explained that I do know what I am talking about in regards to the nuke community.

 

[helolumpy]

Every officer will get a Top Secret clearance before their career is over.

Not sure if you're talking about Nukes or ALL Naval Officers. My squadron we only had 4 guys with TS clearances out of 20 pilots.

So I would say that all Officers get a TS during their careers.

 

[Lucky3]

At the end of the day I started doing what I hate, which is telling people how to feel about a community. This post is about service selection and at the end of the day I hope everyone gets what they want. Good Luck All.

 

[EM1]

Wudgles--> I am a prior enlisted nuke who qualified as far up as an enlisted guy can qualify.

So you qualified EOOW/EDO like I did? Or did you stop at EWS?

There's a reason I decided to leave my NFO selection behind and go back subs (actually many).

For the record, have you talked to any of these plants and seen the requirements for jobs? I've had many discussions with Wolf Creek while I've been here (career fairs on campus). The enlisted nuke getting out CAN NOT get the same positions the officers can, plain and simple.