Navy Recruiter very interested in my kiddo for "boomers"

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Navy Recruiter very interested in my kiddo for "boomers"

Posted: 9/29/2005 4:50:49 PM EDT

Kiddo is VERY good in math and the like. He is at college level, the Navy Recruiter has given him some info and is trying to see if he is a candidate for nuke sub duty. Kiddo is interested in engineering and such and all that jazz. Is that a decent field and can it be parlayed over to the civi side later in life. He is very analitical and PT wise could pass the PT test in any field of the military. He is just a junior so he has another year of school to go. Right now he is taking discreet math, mathmatics of engineering and precalculus. Along with AP psychology and chem 2[his teacher has voted him most likely to blow something up]. Would it be likely that he would be approached while still in school for possible nuke sub duty or is the recruiter blowing smoke? He is an honors student in these classes. He did get a bunch of Sub info from the recruiter.

Posted: 9/29/2005 5:00:09 PM EDT

[#1]

I have no personal experience with this other than:

a) there is a freshman in the calculus class I teach who is in NROTC and is going into sub duty when he graduates

b) Nuclear engineers get good civilian jobs on the outside. Especially if they start building new nuke plants.

Posted: 9/29/2005 5:04:33 PM EDT

[#2]

The recruiter is not blowing smoke. He seems to have a good shot. The questions to ask are:
Is your son going to need money for college?
Will the Navy in some way further his goals in life?
Does he want to serve on a submarine? Ask some posters here with sub experience for some background info.
Does he want the lifestyle of a "nuke?" Trust me they work hard.

One more point, he doesn't have to go subs to be in the Navy's nuke power program. However, all nukes work hard.

Posted: 9/29/2005 5:11:14 PM EDT

[#3]

I know a guy who did the Navy Nuke program.

The school is supposed to be pretty tough academically, (like University level +++), and the duty on a nuke boat or ship is supposed to be tough, fatiguing and very stressful. Also, the Navy keeps a close eye on it's nuke techs, so expect the 'clearance Nazi's' to be watching every aspect of his life.

Posted: 9/29/2005 5:22:47 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
The recruiter is not blowing smoke. He seems to have a good shot. The questions to ask are:
Is your son going to need money for college?
Will the Navy in some way further his goals in life?
Does he want to serve on a submarine? Ask some posters here with sub experience for some background info.
Does he want the lifestyle of a "nuke?" Trust me they work hard.

One more point, he doesn't have to go subs to be in the Navy's nuke power program. However, all nukes work hard.

He's not afraid of hard work. and I believe he will pull in a decent amount of scholarship money. Even without it, enough money is put aside for about 3 years of college.

I DO want to hear from any ex-subbers, both the good and bad.

He knows it will be up to HIM to decide, at that point he is a man and his decision to make. I would personally like him to be more the a 11BBgun if he serves, as I want it to be able to help advance him later on. However, he likes to shoot and all that jazz and a subbie has no chance to do that 99.99 percent of the time.

Posted: 9/29/2005 5:35:36 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Quoted:
The recruiter is not blowing smoke. He seems to have a good shot. The questions to ask are:
Is your son going to need money for college?
Will the Navy in some way further his goals in life?
Does he want to serve on a submarine? Ask some posters here with sub experience for some background info.
Does he want the lifestyle of a "nuke?" Trust me they work hard.

One more point, he doesn't have to go subs to be in the Navy's nuke power program. However, all nukes work hard.

He's not afraid of hard work. and I believe he will pull in a decent amount of scholarship money. Even without it, enough money is put aside for about 3 years of college.

I DO want to hear from any ex-subbers, both the good and bad.

He knows it will be up to HIM to decide, at that point he is a man and his decision to make. I would personally like him to be more the a 11BBgun if he serves, as I want it to be able to help advance him later on. However, he likes to shoot and all that jazz and a subbie has no chance to do that 99.99 percent of the time.

Good way to glow in the dark. If you give me an email address I'll pass it along to a friend of mine that works on them.

Posted: 9/29/2005 5:36:50 PM EDT

[#6]

IMHO, the recruter is not blowing smoke. So few kids actually have the brains for nuke school that the recruters look everywhere. My son was approached in his Sr year of HS after scoring a 99% on his ASVAB. He got the whole sales pitch on how well the nukes are treated in salary, housing, bonuses, etc. However, my son just wasn't interested in nuke science, and went into the USAF to pursue his interests. I do know the nukes work LONG hours though, and the rewards (by military standards) are good. Civilian nuke boys make BIG $$$$. It's the way of the future.

Posted: 9/29/2005 5:38:21 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
He's not afraid of hard work. and I believe he will pull in a decent amount of scholarship money. Even without it, enough money is put aside for about 3 years of college.

I DO want to hear from any ex-subbers, both the good and bad.

He knows it will be up to HIM to decide, at that point he is a man and his decision to make. I would personally like him to be more the a 11BBgun if he serves, as I want it to be able to help advance him later on. However, he likes to shoot and all that jazz and a subbie has no chance to do that 99.99 percent of the time.

It would be thing most boring job in the world.. just sitting there, doing nothing, waiting for the order to blowup the Earth (which will never come)

*Never was in Subs.

Posted: 9/29/2005 5:40:48 PM EDT

[#8]

He's in college?
He needs to be an officer.

Posted: 9/29/2005 5:41:07 PM EDT

[#9]

If he goes in as an enlisted man he won't need much of those math skills. Enlisted Nuke school is geared to the conceptual and not the computational. The workload is tough - you have to consume vast amounts of information at a good clip, but there's not much math to it. If I had to do it all over again I would have looked into an officer's program instead of enlisting straight up (majoring in engineering under an OCS program would have been the best bet). Officers make better money, live in better conditions, and have better career prospects in the civilian world.

Posted: 9/29/2005 5:41:35 PM EDT

[#10]

Wished I would have done it when given the chance out of HS. Dumbass me went Army Airborne. My uncle had been 101st when they were still on jump status, so it seemed like the thing to do.

My scores were plenty high enough for Nuclear power and Advanced Electronics.

Posted: 9/29/2005 6:07:29 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
He's in college?
He needs to be an officer.

No, he's in 11th grade right now.

Posted: 9/29/2005 6:15:19 PM EDT

[#12]

It's time for him to start doing the work to get accepted to Annapolis, if he wants to go Navy. There is also West Point, and the Air Force, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine academies

My youngest is a freshman at the Air Force Academy, shoot me an email if you would like to put the boys in touch so your son can see what it will take.

Posted: 9/29/2005 6:32:15 PM EDT

[#13]

My brother was great at math, though no real direction in my life. So my dad was like - get him in the Navy!

He ended up going to the Navy Nuke school and then spent his time on the USS Carl Vinson - an aircraft carrier.

So - could your boy go to some Navy school and end up on a sub? I would think so! Sounds like your boy had a bit more math than my brother.

Though - uh - i would recommend him NOT going on a sub. Every sub movie I have ever seen has each compartment slowly filling up with water. creeps me out.

My brother doesnt seem to love his work. I think mainly because a lot of the rules/regulations are bs, and the men just want to do the work that needs to be done with out crossing every T. Then again, my bro is rather lazy, and just likes to play video games all day.

Sooo - anyway - good luck - I hope this helps.

Posted: 9/29/2005 6:37:54 PM EDT

[#14]

Ahhh, "Nuke". The punchline to many a Navy joke.

Seriously though, my brother is at nuke school right now and seems to enjoy the process. He has a heavy math and physics background but found the initial classes a bit tough because he didn't have much experience with basic electronics (circuits, etc.).

All in all, I'd say it is a good program, with great re-enlistment bonuses and rates that gain rank very fast.

Posted: 9/29/2005 6:43:21 PM EDT

[#15]

It sounds like a great opportunity.

Posted: 9/29/2005 6:43:34 PM EDT

[#16]

okay i was on subs, so i will give both sides, one is smaller

cons
lousy hours, you work 6 on 12 off normally, so your sleep cycle only lines up every 3 days
lousy living on the boat
you are owned
nuke school ( i was approached for it ) if you fail 3 ( over 2 years )tests your out
most teased job in the navy
decent promotion rates ( better than most )
schooling is tough, like a 75 % drop out rate, see above
very depressing in the long run
nukes have to sign up for 6 years off the bat

pros
college money
good money when they get out
if he is smart and just sits around and saves or invests money he can live off of the navy and put a bunch of money away
as a nuke the work in very boring, and not very labor intensive

the best thing he could do is to goto 2 years off college on his own dime or fed student loans, majoring in egn stuff, then go do the navy thing to pay for the rest plus ocs. the feds will pay his fed loans off if he serves 8 years active as an officer. or try the naval acedemy. if he wants to do the gun stuff, become an officer than go to seal training, that way if he does not make the seal training he can still make some money while he is in.

Posted: 9/29/2005 6:46:02 PM EDT

[#17]

If his eyes are good, would he like to fly? Have him look into the WOFT with the Army, or "High School to Flight School" as we call it.

He could be a WO1 flying an Apache before his 20th birthday. Beats the hell out of enlisted pay for the Navy even for nukes.

Posted: 9/29/2005 6:47:27 PM EDT

[#18]

1. Your son hs the grades and the motivation to go to college and get scholarships (including NROTC if he wants it). He should definitely WAIT to speak to a recruiter until he is in college. Apply to a bunch of schools, find out what scholarships he gets. If he gets a full ride somewhere that is not a ROTC scholarship, he should take that. The program will accept officer candidates coming from civilian status as early as their sophomore year in college. If he passes the interviews (which are VERY demanding) and gets into the program, they will pay him as an E-6 (about 30-35K per year) to finish college. I had a scholarship from Vanderbilt, so I went to school on the university's dime and got paid a salary by the Navy for my last year of college. I ended up making a profit off of going to college. Not to put down the enlisted side of things--they too are highly motivated and very smart. They work very hard, and have very little free time. Quality of life as an officer will be higher, no question about it.

2. As an officer, there are more ways to be in the nuclear program than just going out on a sub. Most recruiters have no clue about these other avenues. He needs to do a LOT of research, take the free tours of submarines and surface ships that they offer, and think long and hard about whether he wants to do it. The training is extremely demanding and he will definitely fail out of it if he isn't really excited to be there.

Posted: 9/29/2005 6:57:47 PM EDT

[#19]

The SRB for nukes is pretty good, up to $60,000.
Carrier nuke people seem to have it pretty good.

Posted: 9/29/2005 7:01:31 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
......the feds will pay his fed loans off if he serves 8 years active as an officer.

I'm about 99% sure you only get the "student loan repayment program" if you go enlisted and select the program prior to basic. Serve one year, and over the next 3 the Navy pays off 33% of the loan per year. Part of the 33% covers the tax each year, leaving you with the sum of 3 years worth of taxes as your loan balance. Additionally, you much choose either the SLRP or the GI Bill.

In my case, I am enlisted and have SLRP. I am currently working on my OCS package and if I get selected, I would no longer be eligible for the repayment program.

Posted: 9/29/2005 7:01:52 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
If his eyes are good, would he like to fly? Have him look into the WOFT with the Army, or "High School to Flight School" as we call it.

He could be a WO1 flying an Apache before his 20th birthday. Beats the hell out of enlisted pay for the Navy even for nukes.

No, unfortunately he wears glasses some of the time. He was very disappointed in that as it basically washes him out as far as flying. He has phenominal hand/eye cordination and, yes he likes video games when he's not playing football, working on a farm, lifting weights, and doing schoolwork/homework. He can wipe out a new game in a very short time because he has a heck of a memory, wish I could say the same for me.

Posted: 9/29/2005 7:04:45 PM EDT

[#22]

I was very interested in this my senior year of college completing my engineering degree. The recruiter was very interested also. But there was this girl. Yes, I married her...

If he ever wants to be the skipper of his own boat, this is a very good way to do it.

Posted: 9/29/2005 7:08:03 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Quoted:
......the feds will pay his fed loans off if he serves 8 years active as an officer.

I'm about 99% sure you only get the "student loan repayment program" if you go enlisted and select the program prior to basic. Serve one year, and over the next 3 the Navy pays off 33% of the loan per year. Part of the 33% covers the tax each year, leaving you with the sum of 3 years worth of taxes as your loan balance. Additionally, you much choose either the SLRP or the GI Bill.

In my case, I am enlisted and have SLRP. I am currently working on my OCS package and if I get selected, I would no longer be eligible for the repayment program.

i was in 12 years agao so it might have changed, but when i was in, an officer got a % per year paid off, after 8 years it was all paid, but that was 12 years ago. BTW i was enlisted

Posted: 9/29/2005 7:09:39 PM EDT

[#24]

I did six years as a nuke mechanic and landed a job in the commercial power industry, nuke specifically. In a way, I got lucky, but it's out there. In general, nukes are in high demand because we are relatively smart, relatively motivated and trainable - we can do just about anything.

It's not a bad route to go, but sub life does pretty much suck.

Given the choice again, if money allowed, I'd have gone to college. Money wasn't an option at that time, though.

Posted: 9/29/2005 7:44:56 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Carrier nuke people seem to have it pretty good.

Better than sub nukes? I'd say yes.

Pretty good? Not unless things have changed A LOT since I got out in '01.

Posted: 9/29/2005 7:48:20 PM EDT

[#26]

My buddy is a nuke engineer on a hunter/killer sub. He loves it, except for the time away from his wife. (Up to six months at a go)

Posted: 9/29/2005 7:57:14 PM EDT

[#27]

Thanks guys, If you have any further words of wisdom or experience, let fly, it'll probably be Sunday before he'll be able to read it but he will certainly want to. I appreciate all the input and I am sure he will also.

Posted: 9/29/2005 8:04:28 PM EDT

[#28]

some of the perks of enlisting as a nuke. you get a 12 grand bonus after A-school. a 50 grand navy college fund. Current Re-Enlistment bonus's are upwards of 100k. And some of the highest paid people in the USA without college degrees are former nukes.

Posted: 9/29/2005 8:08:49 PM EDT

[#29]

After 5 years in engineering in the civilian world I got out. Simple truth is that engineering as a profession is not that much of a money maker in the US. The gov't has flooded the market with H1B and other alphabet soup programs that bring in foreign engineers. Electricals (my field) about a year ago had twice the normal unemployment rate and congress upped the H1B limit. Go figure. I got tired of 60-70 hour weeks and went to law school.

If he really wants to go into the military he might try the med school programs. My brother in law did it and now has a cush job as an Air Force general surgeon in Texas and very little in student loans. The nuke program is a good thing like someone else said if nuke plants come back but there are a lot of aerospace guys from the late 80' early 90's doing other things because that field crumbled when the cold war ended and military spending tanked.

If he really wants to fly he might look into laser surgery, West point has been allowing cadets to get it done so they can fly (See the Time Magazine article on westpoint 3 or 4 months ago). Good luck.

Posted: 9/29/2005 9:08:36 PM EDT

[#30]

Nukes are the first ones on the boat and the last to leave. They are truely owned! If he is that smart have become an Officer or a CT(Spook!) Other good rates ar ET(not nuke), FT, ST. And what ever the Navy offers him He can go to the CG and get the same thing, and have a better life.

Was an ET3/SS

If you really want the best for your son have him go to college and deside from there.

Posted: 9/29/2005 9:15:09 PM EDT

[#31]

If he's not interested in college right away, not only will Navy Nuke set him up for life, but it's also a great jumping stone for NROTC or STA-21 if he decides later on he wants to be a Naval Officer.

Navy Nukes are very sought after in the civilian market.

Don't believe any moron about radiation either... you'll receive much less radiation on a submarine than you will walking around in the sun. I received ZERO millirems after a week on a missile boat.

Posted: 9/29/2005 9:29:12 PM EDT

[#32]

I agree w/ Fly-Navy.... The Navy has some really good programs for education.

My suggestion tho is to finish college if possible, then if he wants come into the navy as officer... its a whole better deal.

Woody

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Navy Recruiter very interested in my kiddo for "boomers"

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