Nuclear field - MM
 

Is this a more shore side duty than sea? Whats the security clearance on this? Is the nuclear field overmanned?

How do you find out how the rates are manned I have found several post about a CREO list but that leads to a hosting error page.

The Navy is always looking for Nukes. The amount that leave after their first enlistment demands that.

Since the Navy also chooses your rating I wouldn't get too hung up on wanting MM. Even though it is the easiest rating of the three to get.

In regards to shore duty for nukes...once you finish all three schools you'll basically be on a sea command for the duration of your first enlistment. At least that's what I'm being told is the "norm" for nukes.

why do they get to choose your rating? I want to be deployed as much as possible so thats good news. Thanks

When you sign your nuke contract you don't get to sign for one of the three specific rates. There is a few forums on here that explains the situation in detail but you make a wish list of the order in which you would want each one. Say you put MM, EM, then ET. However, they say it is strictly based on the needs of the navy and they will assign you your rate while in boot.

Is it in boot? I thought i was after the first school so they can see how you're performing.. I hope it is in boot, that would ease some anticipation.

Yes it is in bootcamp that you fill out your dream sheet for which rating you want. Towards the end of bootcamp you'll get a brief on the different ratings and be able to ask all the questions you want about them before you submit your list. You'll know which rating you got about a week or so later.

Very good to know. Thank you.

Understand that all nukes are sea based in essence. If and when you get a "shore rotation" you have VERY few choices...RDC at boot, recruiter, or teach at nuke school..period. Most nukes I know and since my son was a nuke spend on average 2 enlistments on board ship. Going on deployments depends on the rotation of each ship/sub on when they go and when they are ready to go. They also go out on many "work-ups" and short training cruises...they also spend a lot of time in docks for maintainence...but since you cant just turn a nuclear reactor off, the nuke crew works while in docks.

So if your wanting to make the navy a career but not wanting to do one of those three, should you look at a different rate?

No I wouldn't count out the rating just because of that. There are other shore duties you can get assigned to depending on which rating you end up getting. Getting to teach at one of the nuke schools is the shore duty everyone wants. if you're really interested in nuke then I wouldn't let the shore duty options persuade you to not pick it.

why is that so sought after?

Because of all the free time you have as an instructor or LPO there. When your an instructor it's for all intensive purposes a 9-5 job. There are days when that's an exception but you get the idea. If you're an LPO, your job is to make sure each of your classes is moving along smoothly. After a certain amount of time the class leadership runs the class. Easy day.

Getting the instructor position allows nukes to focus on getting degrees and furthering their education. Bottom line is of all the shore duty options for nukes it gives the most "free time". Edit.... In my opinion of course.

ahh ok, that makes sense.

I don't know first hand but I would assume that it's really rewarding to be an instructor because you get to see bright young sailors flourish under crazy stress and help the ones that are struggling, plus you'd have a more predictable slightly more laid back job than an RDC(where you are a professional hardass) or a recruiter.

Also about the rate thing I did a bunch of research on other forums plus this one when I was really considering NUKE. I've seen that the breakdown by rates is 25% to ET/EM respectively and 50% MM I think I saw that on this site. I've also seen that in the past your asvab and NAPT score would effect your rate. I heard from an ET whose whole a school class had auto qualled on the asvab while a class of MMs all barely made the napt cut. I've also heard similar things about the strand selection for the AT rate but recently that just seems to be the bean counters throwing bodies where they need them without regard for apptiude, so I imagine the NUKE pipeline has gone the same way.

I just dont have interest in the electrical side of things. So an ET or EM wouldn't make me happy I think. Kinda off topic, but lets say you sign a contract with a less than desirable rate, can you change that after youve been in for so long?

Outside of the NUKE program you can attempt to rerate into an undermanned rate after two years for sure. As a NUKE things are more complicated so in theory you could do it but I haven't seen a precedent for it. Attempting to rerate between NUKE rates might be easier but the NUKE rates could be closed to converting out. Ill do a some Googling and get back to you.

thanks

Well I've discovered that you can't voluntarily leave the NUKE program, you fail out in school or get DQ'd later on. The only way out is a discharge or the commissioning programs. That leads me to believe that you can't switch between NUKE rates, even though you wouldn't be leaving the program. That's just a conclusion I drew from what I've seen, some one with better resources might turn up something different.

Yes this is the truth. We can't switch between the nuke ratings and can't switch to a new rate without failing out of A school. But even then you'll be given a job that you'll be forced to take.

Well thats definitely a turn off for that rate.

Have you DEP'd in yet?

No i havent.

If you really are interested in the program, I would suggest talking with a recruiter/navy representative at your local station to give you the details. We will certainly help you here but the NF program is a TON of information to digest. I can run through the process but for me to be detailed it's going to be like sitting down and writing a novel.

I had an NF contract for the longest time but I was forced to reclass because of things way higher than me. The program is shrinking and standards are getting higher, I qualified but I got the axe. Ask about the NF program and if no one can talk about it maybe they might put you on the phone with someone. But if not you'll still have us here.

Well I dont have the greatest relationship with my local recruiter but I am heading somewhere for a red cross volunteer thing, Ill be sure to hit up that recruiter and see what they have to say. Thanks

I can sit down later today and make a pretty good detailed post on my experience, it may even bring more closure to why I lost my NF contract because there are people on here that may know more than me.

I was supposed to hit book camp a week from today, now I have to wait until October.

Wow, that does suck. Sorry to hear that.

It's all good, the sudden change in jobs wasn't as bad as the fact that I signed my contract in October of last year and they waited until about a month before I was supposed to ship out to let me know I couldn't ship for NF.

They're working as hard as they can to move me up sooner if possible, I know it's only another 4 months but I feel like I've been stir crazy and getting stale for how long I have had to wait. I keep a countdown to how many days until I ship and it's crushing to see it go from 30 days until shipping back up to 130 days. But might as well get used to it, I bet it's the same feeling while on deployment and you're told you're cruise will last another 4-5 months.

No doubt about being stir crazy. Its only been fourth months since I started losing weight but I'm so ready to just begin this part of my life.