Nuclear Physicist!

[Admiral Squish]

So, as none of you know, I joined the navy today! I took the aptitude test yesterday (I scored higher than 95% of all applicants, ever), I spent the night in the Hilton hotel, very facy-shmancy, and today we did my physical and discussed placement. With my score, I was immediately recommended to be a 'nuke'. Upon asking about it, I discovered I had made the cutoff for the nuclear physics program. NUCLEAR PHYSICS. In four years commitment, I get 77 college credit-hours, instant employability, and 5k just for signing up, not counting my salary. If I re-enlist, there's a SIX-FIGURE bonus. To top it all off, I get to learn the in the most advanced physics course in the nation, something I'm sure to take to like a duck to water.

Please, discuss how awesome I am.:smallbiggrin:
Also, the first person to make a 'seaman' joke gets a buckshot gut-punch.:smallannoyed:

[heretic]

Careful of the 5k.

If it's anything like the infantry bonus, then they can withdraw it if you don't complete your tour. Not that you'd have a tour, but just be aware that they can pull that out from under you.

It's hitting some vets pretty hard. They spend their signing bonus, head off to the sandbox, get an appendage blown off, and then get their bonus revoked. Which usually means they're in for massive debt on top of their injury.

So make sure you can recover if someone yanked out your 5k spontaneously. Anything can happen.

[purple gelatinous cube o' Doom]

From someone who's been through college, and has changed majors, I'd make sure %100 that nuclear physics is what you want to go into. Because if you get into it and decide it's not for you. With what you'll be doing, you likely won't be able to change, and will be very miserable.

I also have a friend who's a nuclear physicist. He has a BS in chemistry, and PhD in Chemical Physics, and works at Los Alamos National Labs. At least until they lay him off due to budget cuts. His security clearance is so high that if he ever leaves the country while still employed by the government, someone must be in the same room as him at all times...including the bathroom. I guess that's what happens when you have access to the schematics of any nuclear device the US has ever constructed.

[Gem Flower]

*whistles* As per your wishes, I will say how awesome you are. Ahem. THAT IS SO AMAZING!!!!!!! GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOO!!!!!!!!! AWESOME!!!!!!!!! WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!! Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap. YOU ARE INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!. *cough* I hope that was satisfying.:smallwink:

[GoC]

Congrats!
Does "nuke" mean you're an engineer on a carrier or missile sub?

[Admiral Squish]

*whistles* As per your wishes, I will say how awesome you are. Ahem. THAT IS SO AMAZING!!!!!!! GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOO!!!!!!!!! AWESOME!!!!!!!!! WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!! Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap. YOU ARE INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!. *cough* I hope that was satisfying.:smallwink:

Indeedily-doo.

@ GoC: Engineer on, preferably, an aircraft carrier. I'd be runnin' the reactor.

[Tengu]

@ GoC: Engineer on, preferably, an aircraft carrier. I'd be runnin' the reactor.

So you will be the guy with the garden hose who makes sure there's enough fresh water inside?

...

What? Nuclear reactors look like that in Poland!

[hobbes543]

Could be either, though he would have to volunteer for sub duty.

[Admiral Squish]

So you will be the guy with the garden hose who makes sure there's enough fresh water inside?

...

What? Nuclear reactors look like that in Poland!

The highly qualified guy with the garden hose who makes sure there's enough water inside.

[Thanatos 51-50]

So, as none of you know, I joined the navy today!

Welcome aboard, shipmate!


I took the aptitude test yesterday (I scored higher than 95% of all applicants, ever), I spent the night in the Hilton hotel, very facy-shmancy, and today we did my physical and discussed placement. With my score, I was immediately recommended to be a 'nuke'.

Yeah, they did that to me, and everyone else who scored above the 80'th percentile on the ASVAB. I must, however, say, "welcome to the 'over 90 club'. I got 93 overall.


Upon asking about it, I discovered I had made the cutoff for the nuclear physics program. NUCLEAR PHYSICS. In four years commitment, I get 77 college credit-hours, instant employability, and 5k just for signing up, not counting my salary.

You forgot push-button advancement to E-4. I had to work for a year and half to put on Petty Officer. Trust me, that salary ain't too great (especially if you drink), but if you take advantage of barracks housing and the galley (or live aboard a ship) will seem like much, much, much more than you need.
I live in the barracks.


If I re-enlist, there's a SIX-FIGURE bonus. To top it all off, I get to learn the in the most advanced physics course in the nation, something I'm sure to take to like a duck to water.

Yay for huge re-enlistment bonuses, something I'm sure not to get, since apparently, there isn't a big need for METOC experts. I'm probably going to re-enlist, anyway.


Please, discuss how awesome I am.:smallbiggrin:
Also, the first person to make a 'seaman' joke gets a buckshot gut-punch.:smallannoyed:

But a "seamen" joke would be counter-productive, due to "A" - You're in an engineering rate if you take nuke (which I'm assuming you did), and are, therefore, a "Fireman", ad "B"-Afrementioned push-button advancement to Petty Officerdom


Congrats!
Does "nuke" mean you're an engineer on a carrier or missile sub?

We have more nukes than just CVNs, though, to be fair, he'd have to volunteer to sub duty and go to an extra A-School. I hang with some submariners, and if you DO want to pull sub duty, get qualed ASAP, everyone hates nubs.

[Tengu]

The highly qualified guy with the garden hose who makes sure there's enough water inside.

Of course. It surely beats the work of these guys who break atoms with huge hammers.

[rubakhin]

Damn! *uncorks bottle of wine, passes around glasses, toasts* I am impressed, sir.

Maybe I should try joining the navy. *muse* What kind of background checks do they run? I've been involved with some ... colorful people, let's say. It would be great to get some education, though.

[NikkTheTrick]

Of course. It surely beats the work of these guys who break atoms with huge hammers.
Believe me, that beats trying to break atoms with sickles like some of people I know did :smallbiggrin:

In any case, in a nuclear reactor, you surely need an experienced guy with a hose.

[MandibleBones]

Congratulations!

And I won't make a seaman joke, but have fun on your boat. Ship. Sub. Whatever.

And congrats from one over-90'er to another.

[Shalist]

First off, check out Tubedaze (http://www.tubedaze.com/films4.htm), it's made by a nonnuclear ET (electrical technician, see below), and does an incredible job of spoofing the navy, boomers in particular. Pay particular attention to episode 4, of course :P ('tubedaze' = tube days. 24 missle tubes, so kinda a 'thing' where we count down the last 24 days of the patrol. On the boat I was on, every day brought more porn taped to another missle tube. Until the inspection teams showed up, but it all came back as soon as they left :smallsmile: )

What'd you get for the college fund? the $$ you get for signing up depends largely on the time of year, not when you're going for bootcamp--I got 4k cash 30k college, while others in my bootcamp division had like 13k cash, or 10k cash 40k college, even though the only difference was the time of year we signed up *grumble*

Oh, and reenlist at your 2 year point to get E-5 automatically. I'm sure you know that, it's one of the recruiters selling points and what not. If you reenlist at your 2 year point for a total of 6 years, it'll overwrite your remaining enlistment, carrying you out to 8 years. Reenlist again for 2 years, and it'll take you out to 10, with two reenlistment paychecks, and early E5, instead of the one you would get if you wait till your 4 year point to reenlist.


And for the nonnuclear, a real quick breakdown of the four navy nuclear jobs:

So, the EOOW (engineering officer of the watch) asks four different nukes a simple question, 'What is 2 + 2?'

First, he asks the Mechanic. The mechanic sits there dumbly for a moment, counting on his fingers...."duhh....3?"

Next he asks the Electrical Technician, who promptly pulls the calculator out of his pocket, types in a few things, and spits out, "The answer is 4 point zero zero zero zero zero, sir."

Then he asks the Electricians Mate, who snaps at him, "It's 4 you F'n moron, quit bugging me when I'm busy!"

Lastly he asks the ELT, who glances to his left...then glances to his right...then quietly says to the EOOW, "What do you want it to be, sir?"

-----

Now, I've been an ELT on a 'Boomer' (trident, nuke missle boat, you go to wherever you're supposed to be, then try to be real real quiet for months on end in case the president needs someone nuked) for 5 years, just hit shore duty a few months back. I don't know a whole lot about the surface fleet, and I only know some about the fast attack fleet (the smaller subs that go with the surface fleet)

Try to get ET, it's the easiest rate (least work, more 'political' though), and has the most schooling. Try for surface vice subs if you want to enjoy your time in the navy--on the boomers (nuke missle boats) you never go anywhere or see anything unless something's really really broken, in which case you might pull in to a US port for a few days. Fast attacks are just real cramped, and they call boomers 'floating hotels' in comparison, I guess, though all the fast attack guys that went to boomers wanted to go back after a single patrol...I've only toured those though. Surface boats are cake--easy hours, less work, see tons of places and what not, etc. Oh yeah, and the *'n sun, can't forget that. And internet. Boomer might be better if you're a family guy though, due to the set-in-stone schedule (fast attacks and surface tend have their 6 out/ 18 in thing, but during the 18 in, they're constantly going on mini-patrols for training or whatever). One nice thing about subs is that there's no women on them, which I'm told by everyone I've ever talked to in the surface fleet (even the women) is an unbelievably good thing...Anywho, onward to more PC waters...

Machinist Mate (MM) - well, you work with pumps/valves/mechanical stuff. To be honest, most of the hands-on part of your job is virtually identical to a nonnuclear 'engineman' or whatever they call them. Your watches will center around touring your portion of the engine room with a clipboard, writing down what various gages and meters say each hour, and operating the equipment in your space. Boat wants to go faster? Start a couple of pumps, turn a few valves. Coners taking too many showers? Start up the distilling unit and line up to fill potable.

Your off watch duties will include lotsa scheduled maintenance--changing grease or packing on valves, testing equipment, etc. When you're in port, there's a lot more of the maintenance, and it tends to be more involved, as half the engine room is fairly gutted for just that reason (oh, and so you can paint everything, or remove all the paint on everything, grind it down to bare metal, prime it, paint it, rinse, repeat).

On subs, you'll find that between standing watch, drills, evolutions, training, maintenance, collateral duties, and for your first year or two, qualifying (big biggy), you probably won't have too much time for...say, sleeping, but once you get qualified, you'll have...well, more collateral duties (meaning you'll be the guy in your division in charge of, say, training, or the maintenance schedules, or making sure all the gages are calibrated, or whatever).

--

Electrical Mate (EM) get a 6 month A-school vice MM's 2-month, and they 'own' (is responsible for) everything that has wires, that's not owned by some ET division (nuke ET's own reactor/primary stuff, navigation ET own their wierd gyroscopes and some other stuff, communication ETs own all the radio type stuff *shrug*). On the subs, the only EMs are the nuclear ones, so they have their hands into pretty much everything, not just nuclear stuff, so they tend to have a pretty hefty workload, especially when something breaks. EM's are the definitely the hardest working nukes on submarines, in port or at sea, but you'll get metric asstons of practical experience in that rate. On the surface, there's nonnuclear EM rates, so I've heard they're a lot lazier :P

ET (Electrical Technician) are EM's that got a few extra A-school classes, and they 'own' the reactor-specific eletrical stuff, like reactor cooling pumps, or anything related to rod control. They're probably the most 'political' rate, ie they have the highest paper_work to actual_work ratio, the highest amount of scrutiny on what they do, and the least amount of actual work, and the cheesiest hours underway or in port.

EM/ET have the same watches underway--mostly sitting in manuevering in front of control panels for 6 hours at a stretch, pretty much the same thing in port, though there's just 1 or 2 in there then, instead of 3 w/ an officer (EM and ETs both can both sit 'reactor operator,' and 'electrical operator,' RO is the senior watchstation for both rates), though both have a roving watch as well--the electrical one is responsible for getting coffee for manuevering and...stuff (well, he does log some stuff, I guess :P ) and the reactor one tends all the reactor stuff outside of manuevering (various instrument panels, etc). Their roving watches are their most junior watches, so they're pretty cheesy.

Lastly there's my 'rate,' engineering labratory technician (spoken 'Elt', aka 'extra lazy technician,' aka 'SMAGs,' which I choose to believe stands for 'super mechanic, almost god,'). I'm a MM that stayed on at prototype for a couple months of extra schooling in chemistry and radcon, so while I still stand the same watches as other mechanics, my offwatch duties tend to revolve around sleeping doing radiological surveys (walking around with one of those click-click-click-cliclicliclicliclibeeeeeeeep things and writing down the numbers), doing chemistry (get water from glorified facet, insert probe in water, write down number. If sampling primary, repeat above w/ gloves on), and dosimetry (All nukes have to wear TLDs on their belts to keep track of their exposure from navy nuclear power, we just read 'em once a month, and swap them out while people are sleeping or whatever).

ELT's are kinda like ET's, in that we do less real work, but what we do is a lot more political--more paperwork, a lot more attention from above, etc. Being an ELT leads to less work than being a regular MM in port, partly because you're doing ELT stuff instead of MM stuff in your offwatch, and largely because you're not pulling the late hours when stuff breaks (well, unless it's your stuff, but ELT's don't really own much equipment). Underway, we usually had one guy who didn't even stand watch, and just did most the ELT stuff for his job, so generally all I had to worry about was standing watch and my collateral duties (which, being admin oriented, I was generally able to do while on watch). Well, that, and the usual drills/evolutions/etc/etc bit.

---

bleh...way too long...watch those tubedaze strips, they're hillarious and oh so true...I'll poke my head back in some time to see if you have any questions. There's a few things I wish I'd done differently, things I'd wish I'd known sooner, etc.

[Admiral Squish]

Welcome aboard, shipmate!

Thanks!


Yeah, they did that to me, and everyone else who scored above the 80'th percentile on the ASVAB. I must, however, say, "welcome to the 'over 90 club'. I got 93 overall.

95, myself.


You forgot push-button advancement to E-4. I had to work for a year and half to put on Petty Officer. Trust me, that salary ain't too great (especially if you drink), but if you take advantage of barracks housing and the galley (or live aboard a ship) will seem like much, much, much more than you need.
I live in the barracks.

Basically, I plan to save all my money, or at least most of it, only buying a thing or two here and there to keep myself entertained. I'm definitely going to take advantage of the housing and food. I will single-handedly eat the navy out of house and home!


Yay for huge re-enlistment bonuses, something I'm sure not to get, since apparently, there isn't a big need for METOC experts. I'm probably going to re-enlist, anyway.

I don't think I'll end up re-enlisting. Or, at least, not right away. I have a girlfriend who'd eat me alive if I just casuallly tacked another four years on my time away from home.


But a "seamen" joke would be counter-productive, due to "A" - You're in an engineering rate if you take nuke (which I'm assuming you did), and are, therefore, a "Fireman", ad "B"-Afrementioned push-button advancement to Petty Officerdom

Also, don't forget, I have nuclear engineering powers. I'll make a nuclear-powered-robot to go ruin you. Of course, that would be hard. And probably illegal. I'm probably luck nobody made the joke. Yay for lack of need to violate international laws!


We have more nukes than just CVNs, though, to be fair, he'd have to volunteer to sub duty and go to an extra A-School. I hang with some submariners, and if you DO want to pull sub duty, get qualed ASAP, everyone hates nubs.

No sub, I'd go stir-crazy. Aircraft carrier. A city on the sea. More than enough nooks and crannies to keep me interested.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Eh... I'm a shore sailor, sorry I can't help like THAT. Aditionally, I'm an AG and all the submariners I know are STSs.
Re: Tubedaze heh... Foxtail-wielding skillz. I gots me mad foxtail-wielding skillz.

[reorith]

congrats! also, obligatory seaman joke.

[Admiral Squish]

Hehehe. I've spent all day bringing it up again and again.
IE: "It's cold outside." "I don't care, I'm a NUCLEAR PHYSICIST!"
"I'm awesome." "But you're not a NUCLEAR PHYSICIST!"
"We need an elevator here..." "I'll build an elevator! With NUCLEAR POWER! The only elevator in the world with a 'frappe' setting."