A Few Questions About The Pipeline

[prop827]

1. MM/EM/ET. What was your preference given and what did you end up with? Are you happy with the rate?
I requested ET then EM then MM and got EM. In hind sight, Navy made the right choice for me there, I love my rate (God's Rate, don't you know?). The question really is what is it you want to do, and what are you good at.

2. What is the housing situation like in A school / NPS? - Also for Prototype in NY? (though who knows if that will still be an option by the time I hit that point)
A school you live in barracks on site in double rooms with a shared bathroom to the room next door. small with bunkbeds (Trident is mostly wire rates, Seawolf is mostly mechanics; those are the 2 a-school barracks). Power school you switch to a new barracks and the rooms are twice the size (but still 2 to a room/4 to a bathroom) still living on site. Prototype in NY I can't say since I went through Charleston, but in Charleston you get to go find housing out in town and live off base. I lived in a nice little apartment by myself, but most guys rent apartments or houses and share them (2, 3, or 4 living together)

3. For those that went MM, what was the selection process for ELT?
ELT You put a package in for during prototype. In general to get picked up ELT you have to have good grades in CMR (Chemistry, Materials, and Radcon) in power school and good grades in CRC (Chemistry and Radiological Controls) in prototype. Also, those that are set to qualify early in prototype are more likely to get it, but it all comes down to getting recommendations from Staff at prototype. ELT's are usually also Staff Pickups or Sub ELT's, surface ELT is harder to get.

4. Surface / Sub (again, I know this is a preference one, but I would like to know your opinions)
I'm surface, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but that is entirely personal, and there are a few threds on here dedicated to just that question. Look at the pros and cons for you individually to decide. Keep in mind that just because you sub vol doesn't mean they'll send you to a sub, I know plenty of nuke sub vols that ended up going to a carrier.

5. Is it best to keep your head down while at RTC? (I've read/heard the stories/pre(mis?)conceptions about nukes and how they may be looked upon while at Great Lakes)
Its ALWAYS good to keep your head down at Great Lakes, nuke or not. Boot camp is not fun (it's not meant to be anyways, sometimes it actually is) for anyone. Sticking out means more work for you, more yelling from RDC's and more time doing silly stuff.

6. Any regrets? (Kind of broad, I know)
No regrets, but a little personal advice: Study hard, and work your hardest while you're in the pipeline and qualify early at prototype!!! It is a lot less painful if you can manage those 2 things.