[sweetmtn]

First let me say WELCOME ABOARD...as far as drinking lots of water at boot, yes, they make you stay hydrated very well, but not over doing it. I asked my son and going to the head 3 times a day was not a problem, as many went to empty their bladder!
Nice going in as a nuke, my son was an MMnuke, but when he went to boot he was just a nuke, you get your actual rate(ET, EM or MM) as a nuke while in boot...most times you get what you want, but many times it is the needs of the navy and what they feel you are better at. My son is out now and working the private sector doing basically what he did in the navy, but now he makes WAY more $$$.