Any Navy Nuclear Propulsion folks on here?

[You don't know me 1161]

My son, just wrapped up his Junior year of HS, has qualified for the Navy's Nuclear Propulsion program.  Anyone on here a former or current Navy Nuc?  The only person in the field that he has spoke to so far is the nuc coordinator for the area.  I want the straight scoop from someone not in recruiting.  They are throwing out some wild numbers for enlistment and re-enlistment bonus money.  They are saying that after the 2 years of training, prior to even serving one day in the actual fleet, that they are afforded the opportunity of re-enlisting, which (again, according to recruiting people) comes with a huge re-enlistment bonus and meritorious promotion to E5.  Hopefully someone on here can give us to real answers.

[TwiceHorn 31647]

Dear leader @blacklab and @FartingMonk I am quite certain were submariners/NN guys.

[TXLNGHRN10 341]

I wasn't a Nuc, but I'm friends with one. There's virtually no shore duty, so he'll be assigned to a ship. Ships go out to sea, a lot. So don't have a steady girl friend or a family.

He'll be in engineering with the other snipes, Machinist mates, firemen, what have you. Stand watch, a lot. Like 6 on 6 off. You're down in the engine room. It's hot all the time.
Yes he'll be an E5 after 2 years of school. It's a 6 year enlistment if I remember correctly. The bonuses are nice, but taxed heavily. If he does go in, do not re enlist  until he's close to the end of his first 6, Sea life ain't for everyone.

 

[TwiceHorn 31647]

One thing perhaps to consider is that NN people get (or got back in the day) preferential admission to engineering programs.  At UT, that means nuclear option within Mechanical Engineering, which is a solid, broad field.  At some schools that's going to be "nuclear engineering," which is probably not as broad or desirable for civilian employment as ME.

And, being a technical field in the military, probably opens a few doors even without pursuing an engineering degree.

But I am sure there are ins, outs, and what-have-yous to all that that can be commented upon.

Edited May 30, 2019 by TwiceHorn

[You don't know me 1161]

That's a great point regarding waiting until the end of the first hitch.  Probably why they dangle so much money at them before even getting to the fleet.

[Hagbard Celine 10967]

Fearless Leader most definitely was.  Sending PM.

[blacklab 11957]

oh god where to begin.

would you like 1 sentence,  a paragraph, 1000 words, 10,000 words, a 500 page book, or a complete 100 volume set for an answer?

[skeeter 454]

I was a nuke EM long ago ... Nuke school at Mare Island in 1972 and prototype at S5G in Idaho.  I got lucky and qualified for a commissioning program after finishing prototype, so my nuke experience ended there.  I do recall the attrition rate was rather high ... at least 40% didn't make it through the academics of Nuke School (learning math and physics there was like taking a drink from a fully charged fire hose).  Other reasons for attrition included getting busted for drug use or failing physical standards.

Speaking to present day nukes, the program does have mighty fine monetary incentives for retention.  Back in my day, the Navy offered at least $10k for reenlisting, and I'm sure the bonuses have gone up appreciably.  We only received one automatic promotion, E-3 to PO3 upon completion of A school.

[Leeroy Jenkins 2416]

I just hunted you nerds...

[blacklab 11957]

quick answer, I'll write up more later

It will be the worst 6+ years of his life, but afterwards life is all downhill.

They treat you like absolute dogshit at all stages of your career.  At any point you fuck up and you're de-nuked and just become a regular sailor.

The reason they dangle that bonus is because once you get to the fleet you'll see how bad it sucks and start counting down the days till you get out. All the morons on my boat did it, the smart ones did not. I made $15k the last year I was in, and was making $100k two years after I got out.

The bonus is not worth it at all

While in the shipyard I worked 14 hours a day, 7 days a week for 8 weeks strait 4 different times. I was reaching the point that I was ready to kill people. I mean, I  literally laid awake in bed at night formulating plans to kill people. We had 2 guys that completely lost it. One called in and said I'm not coming in I got a gun and you can't make me. The swat team raided his house and they sent him to the funny farm. Another guy called his wife and said he pulled over to help some dudes change a tire and they kidnapped me. He was arrested in Illinois about 5 days later for having a gun on the passenger seat after getting pulled over for speeding.

Overall am I glad i did it? Yeah, it made me a much better person, but holy fuck was that a miserable 6 years.

[LonghornJones 837]

Blacklab, how was Illinois?

Edited May 30, 2019 by LonghornJones

[FartingMonk 3608]

I rather suck dick at a truck stop than do that again

[blacklab 11957]

I'd rather blow goat heards at a nickle a head. At least that way I'd have my self respect and make a better hourly wage.

[blacklab 11957]

if you're in the Austin area buy me a beer and I'd gladly sit down with him and tell him all the stories I have.

[FartingMonk 3608]

I just came back from a retirement ceremony in March in Charleston.  These guys are Nuke instructors.  The best of the best.  Sailor of the year type guys.  They all fucking hate it.   I have friends that are Engineering Department master chiefs.  They all fucking hate it.  At NNPTC in March there were already 4 suicides.  And a bunch more unsuccessful ones.  Life as a nuke is fucking miserable.  When you get out though there are 100k+ jobs waiting for you.  Hard work in the civilian world is a cake walk.  So take it for what it's worth.  All the stuff about E5 and money are true. 

[Cheeseweasel 26438]

12 minutes ago, FartingMonk said:

When you get out though there are 100k+ jobs waiting for you.

When I worked at the Nuclear plant, just about everyone who wasn't in accounting was an Ex- Navy Nuke

[Guest]

"don't have a family"  upstream in the thread.

 

LOlz.  It's the military.  That dynamic is hardly unique to Nukes in the Navy.

 

My youngest joined in January.  Considered Nuke program because he wanted to leverage the bonus to pay off student loans.  That lasted about 10 seconds.  LOL.

He talked to some folks who had exactly the same sentiment at BL and Farting Monk and quickly chose another field. He is a Mass Comm Specialist.  I call him Private Joker even though he's Navy. 

Edited May 30, 2019 by slorch

[TXLNGHRN10 341]

Just saying, you assume you go out to sea when you are in the Navy, You just don't assume you gout to sea for weeks at a time almost every month and then you deploy for 6-8 months, come back and repeat. The shipyards were the only few months we weren't underway. 

[You don't know me 1161]

Shit... I knew you all wouldn’t let me down. I will talk with him about all you have said, especially bl. Ultimately it will be his decision, but I want it to be an informed one.

[RPM 26381]

You know how long a nuke stays submerged? Until they run out of food (and they take a lot of food).

[luke duke 6420]

When I worked at the Nuclear plant, just about everyone who wasn't in accounting was an Ex- Navy Nuke

 

Which plant? I think I was badged at 10 plants in 2017.

[EE2B 1565]

I shared an office with an ex-navy nuke until the police caught up to him. He had been molesting his daughter for quite a long time it turns out.

[tx 3 putt 77657]

no navy or nuke experience, but 20 years in rotating equipment - learn that turbine inside. you can easily make $150/year - working half the year (with the right experience / background / situation)

Edited May 31, 2019 by tx 3 putt

[luke duke 6420]

no navy or nuke experience, but 20 years in rotating equipment - learn that turbine inside. you can easily make $150/year - working half the year (with the right experience / background / situation)

If you go this route, either don’t get married or plan on a couple of divorces.

[FartingMonk 3608]

Hell if I were you I talk to your kid and tell him to get his p tech cert.  Get a cushy operator job and start out making 6 figures

[El Diablo 4232]

Most likely he will not technically "see" combat. Long, black and full of seamen is no way to go thru life, son. 

@Slorch all military service ain't the same. We hauled grunts around. They got off the boat, saw the sunlight occasionally. Makes a difference.

Edited May 31, 2019 by El Diablo

[Guest]

25 minutes ago, El Diablo said:

Most likely he will not technically "see" combat. Long, black and full of seamen is no way to go thru life, son. 

@Slorch all military service ain't the same. We hauled grunts around. They got off the boat, saw the sunlight occasionally. Makes a difference.

I didn’t say it was identical, dude.  I said the strain in a family due to military obligations is hardly unique to nukes.  

Just because you’re on land doesn’t mean you’re at home and damned sure doesn’t prevent absences due to deployment or other operations. 

Just trying to offer feedback to the young man... not trying to one-up the glorious Navy.  

Edited May 31, 2019 by slorch

[Cheeseweasel 26438]

10 hours ago, luke duke said:

 

Which plant? I think I was badged at 10 plants in 2017.

Millstone in CT.

[Cheeseweasel 26438]

1 hour ago, luke duke said:

If you go this route, either don’t get married or plan on a couple of divorces.

 

What do you mean there is another outage?!?!?! What do you mean you have to work for 4 weeks straight?!?!?

[Grippe 313]

Not a Navy puke but...

As a hiring manager I can tell you this - two MOS' from the Navy I hire on the spot; logistics for log personnel and nukes for engineering - and I pay them both as much as my comp and ben will allow.

Navy logistics is the basis for all commercial logistics networks across the globe - the familiarity Navy loggies have right out of the gate, as well as understanding the shenanigans at all ports of entry, gives them a sizable leg up.

Navy Nukes (who completed their 6 years) come in with a solid understanding of math/physics fundamentals, work their ass off, and are THANKFUL for their new life.

If he does it, his life will suck as BL can testify - but once he's done his time the living is large.

[Native Horn 3516]

2 hours ago, luke duke said:

 

If you go this route, either don’t get married or plan on a couple of divorces.

 

Username is close, but doesn't check out

[LonghornJones 837]

Hey, luke duke finger banged a girl in an aol chatroom. User name definitely checks out.

[FartingMonk 3608]

1 hour ago, Grippe said:

Not a Navy puke but...

As a hiring manager I can tell you this - two MOS' from the Navy I hire on the spot; logistics for log personnel and nukes for engineering - and I pay them both as much as my comp and ben will allow.

Navy logistics is the basis for all commercial logistics networks across the globe - the familiarity Navy loggies have right out of the gate, as well as understanding the shenanigans at all ports of entry, gives them a sizable leg up.

Navy Nukes (who completed their 6 years) come in with a solid understanding of math/physics fundamentals, work their ass off, and are THANKFUL for their new life.

If he does it, his life will suck as BL can testify - but once he's done his time the living is large.

A lot of companies have an auto interview when they see navy nuke on the resume.  They have had a lot of success with nukes.  My overlords do the same. 

[TwiceHorn 31647]

1 hour ago, Grippe said:

Not a Navy puke but...

As a hiring manager I can tell you this - two MOS' from the Navy I hire on the spot; logistics for log personnel and nukes for engineering - and I pay them both as much as my comp and ben will allow.

Navy logistics is the basis for all commercial logistics networks across the globe - the familiarity Navy loggies have right out of the gate, as well as understanding the shenanigans at all ports of entry, gives them a sizable leg up.

Navy Nukes (who completed their 6 years) come in with a solid understanding of math/physics fundamentals, work their ass off, and are THANKFUL for their new life.

If he does it, his life will suck as BL can testify - but once he's done his time the living is large.

Slightly OT, but my Dad, who was a reserve j.g. gunnery officer during WWII and later in bidness, but not related to logistics, said naval logistics were the most amazing goddamn thing he'd ever seen, even as a 22 year old ringmeat kid.  He wasn't responsible for hiring or for logistics, but his company like every other company in existence, had global supply chain management issues, for which they tended to hire navy guys (also a defense contractor).  Of course his generation of managers and c-suite types were all WWII and Korea veterans, so they all had some intimate knowledge of military strengths and weaknesses.

Good to see that military logistics people are still appreciated.

[luke duke 6420]

Millstone in CT.

The closest that I got to there was Indian Point.

[FartingMonk 3608]

Bad time to be in nuclear power right now.  

[tx 3 putt 77657]

8 hours ago, luke duke said:

 

If you go this route, either don’t get married or plan on a couple of divorces.

 

lulz it's not nearly as bad as you think 

[jimmyjazz 46352]

Yikes.  I had preliminary talks with Navy NuPOC after getting my bachelor's (ME).  Decided I'd just go to grad school at UT.  Did I dodge a bullet?

[TwiceHorn 31647]

4 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Yikes.  I had preliminary talks with Navy NuPOC after getting my bachelor's (ME).  Decided I'd just go to grad school at UT.  Did I dodge a bullet?

Pretty sure all of these guys are referring to enlisted, which is a shit deal in any branch in any MOS.  It's especially shitty in the nuclear navy because you have real responsibilities and real work, and a lot of it.

Officer is a different deal, but may be shitty relative to other branches/MOS.

[jimmyjazz 46352]

6 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Pretty sure all of these guys are referring to enlisted,

Oh, I got that.  Just wondering if NuPOC is (relatively) as bad.

One of the kickers for me was that I wouldn't exit with an actual MS in anything, even though the rigor was there.  I'd have to go on to get a PhD if I wanted an academic degree beyond BS.

[Mole 4333]

 

 

 

On 5/30/2019 at 3:22 PM, blacklab said:

The bonus is not worth it at all

I got out of the Army at a time they were giving out pretty big reenlistment bonuses. Some people thought I was crazy for not signing away another big chunk of my life to a job that made me miserable for a big check. It made more sense to me to think of the bonus as just a pay raise over the term of the enlistment. A $30,000 bonus for a six-year reenlistment is nice if you're happy with the job, but a heavily taxed $5000/year raise isn't enough to tie yourself down in misery. 

[luke duke 6420]

Bad time to be in nuclear power right now.  

This. I got out last year when I had the chance.

[Gil Bang 26069]

12 hours ago, Cheeseweasel said:

Millstone in CT.

that's the faggiest goddamm plant in America.. 

[TwiceHorn 31647]

Twice people on this thread have mentioned that bonuses are "heavily taxed"?  Is there something special about military bonuses that makes them extra heavily taxed?

Or does it just seem that way to poorly paid enlisted who've never gotten a five figure bonus?  Maybe liable for FICA?

Edited June 1, 2019 by TwiceHorn

[Gil Bang 26069]

1 minute ago, TwiceHorn said:

Twice people on this thread have mentioned that bonuses are "heavily taxed"?  Is there something special about military bonuses that makes them extra heavily taxed?

Or does it just seem that way to poorly paid enlisted who've never gotten a five figure bonus?

It's the latter.  

A lot of guys re-up when they are deployed.  It's tax-free if you're deployed. 

[FartingMonk 3608]

So here is the thing about the bonus.  I got 25k just to sign up.  They gave me 1/3 when I finished A school which is month 8 of the navy along with a promotion to E4.  Got another 1/3 when I finished Power School which is another 6 months.  Got the last 3rd when I finished Prototype which is another 6 months.  So that is a total of about 22 months in the Navy.  Got to the boat.  Reenlisted for 90K with a promotion to E5 at my 24 month point.  They give you half up front but tax you at the 38.5 percent rate and then every October you get the rest of the installments. At 4 years in made e6 off the test. So it came out to about 8k the rest of the time I was in.  So with BAH BAS Sub pay, senior supervisory pay, nuke pay and regular base pay plus your bonus.  Youd make around 80k at your 4 year mark in the military. 

It sounds like a lot but my first year out I was making 120k plus a 20k bonus and I only work half the year.  Now at 3 years out I make quite a bit more and work quite a bit less.  The great thing is 60 hour weeks don't phase me and it was because of the 100 hour weeks I had to deal with for 8 years

 

[FartingMonk 3608]

The high tax rate thing isn't a misnomer or false.  Yes you can get it taxed free if deployed to a combat zone but for a sub and a carrier.  Those don't really exist.  We were in some places where we shouldn't be but because it's not designated combat zones we aren't eligible.  So yeah.  That 90k take 38.5 percent right off the bat. 

[Guest]

Bonuses are not necessarily 'taxed' at a higher rate, but when they are paid out, the withholding skyrockets because payroll systems assume you make that much every pay period.

At the end of the year,  that money is  still taxed at regular rates, respective to your income bracket.

[FartingMonk 3608]

Yeah, but what you see initially is that high hit and that's where the complaints come in.  It's just like now.  We got guys bitch about the same thing.  At the end of the year it gets adjusted but what they see initially is that hit that goes to uncle Sam for the rest of the year as a interest free loan

[You don't know me 1161]

Since the money is real, it definitely raises some questions for me.  They don't just give that money away for the hell of it.  There's a reason for it.  I imagine part of if is to retain folks, but another reason is it's a tough life.

I spent just shy of 11 years in the Marine Corps, so I do have some idea of how shitty times can be.  I also know that what the Marine Corps put me through has definitely made me a better person and more willing to put up with some shit that a lot of people simply won't.  All I can do with my son is make sure that he has all the facts before making a decision.

To be completely honest, he doesn't have a whole lot of options right now.  He's very intelligent, but has slacked off some in high school.  His GPA is over 3.5 and he scored a 30 on the ACT, but he has a tendency to not do his homework and relies solely on tests to get his grades up.  This is troublesome for me.  He does have a couple of small colleges talking to him about football, but that wouldn't be a full ride.  We can wait a bit to see what happens with that after football season starts, but I'm not holding my breath.  And the Navy recruiter is going to be pushing for him to make a decision fast while hanging the bonus over his head saying that it's will dry up if he waits too long.  I can tell him that he shouuldn't worry about the bonus, but you all know how teenage boys are with listening to their old man.