Post: #1

A little bit of background on me. I am 22 and I live in a pretty futureless town: Stockton, California. So 'getting out' is a necessity even if a cliche among the young.

I have been in the process of enlisting for a little while now. Got my ASVAB scores, not to brag but I scored in the 99th percentile. So the Nuclear field is open, basically any of the cushy jobs are.
But on the precipice of making this momentous decision I was hoping to get some insight into this matter before I make it, from a community that will give the advice that needs to be given rather than tell people what they want to hear.

Are there any major red flags with this choice that I should be aware of?
And is going Nuclear a good idea? It pays well but it is hard and from what I gather Nucs are miserable.
Would CTI (cryptolinguistics) or CTN (Cryptologic Technician - Networks) be better since those are also 'higher tier' jobs?

Really any advice or warnings would be welcome. I simply want to be sure this is a wise choice.
If any other information is needed ask of course, and thank you for reading.

Post: #2

Why the focus on the Navy? If tech is your thing there are other options to include the Air Force. The ASVAB has four scores. Is your 99 in the Electrical, Mechanical, General or Admin?

Any military specialty can be written to sound impressive. Sometimes the description is pretty far removed from what it really entails. Understand that the Navy is probably the most rank conscious of the services. Just because the Nuclear Navy has meaning to some does not mean that includes the enlisted members involved with it. I have personally heard a retired Navy officer who sat in a position to judge applicants for a certifying exam state that no enlisted time would count in his mind as professional service even if that same function in the civilian world would have. Go slow until you know the real deal on it.

To the more general question of service, there are upsides to it. Run the military compensation calculator for an E-4 on the OSD website. The pay far and away exceeds the median American income. The benefits are not bad and your health insurance would be covered under the ACA requirement. People in the broader society still respect service members. To many who left it was the highlight of their lives.

Downsides are that it is a PC environment and becoming more so. Getting in trouble not only ends your career easier now but if bad enough can follow you in a way that doing the same in the civilian world would not. You know you. If you can keep focused on the upsides, basically possess self control, it can be a positive. If you cannot then you will be wasting your time.

Willing to expand on this if you have items you need clarified.

Post: #3

(02-11-2015 12:33 AM)jSinSaTx Wrote:  Downsides are that it is a PC environment and becoming more so. Getting in trouble not only ends your career easier now but if bad enough can follow you in a way that doing the same in the civilian world would not. You know you. If you can keep focused on the upsides, basically possess self control, it can be a positive. If you cannot then you will be wasting your time.

Willing to expand on this if you have items you need clarified.

I was aware of the political correctness. I think I can bite my tongue. I did it in school.

My focus on the Navy, to address your general concern is that I like the jobs available. The Nuclear Field was a big part of this. Hence why I am concerned about it, it having influenced so much of my decision.

The 99 was the AFQT percentile score. I am willing to bet I could transfer over the Air Force if necessary since I am not yet bound by anything so far.

Post: #4

What was your degree in?

Post: #5

1. If you have a college degree, you can start off as E-3 or E-4, I believe. Any interest in going the officer route, though?

2. It's going to be tough to get into any of the branches now. Standards were down during the surge, but with cost-cutting in the military and the drawing-down of conflicts abroad, entrance standards are going to be higher. The big killers to your application are felonies/misdemeanors on your record and how much debt you have.

3. Crossing over from one branch to another means completing your contract, getting out, and then re-applying to the branch of your choice. Just so you know, in case you were thinking about transferring mid-contract or something.

4. I would suggest you talk with recruiters from ALL branches. Here's my main reason why: the benefits and perks each branch can offer you can and probably will differ, in which case you'll want to go with the one that gives you the most. Study and find out which MOS/ratings are the most undermanned or critically in need, as those jobs will probably get you the greatest benefits. If you're dead-set on going Navy Nuke or a specific rating, which it doesn't sound like...

5. ...Get on over to military.com's forums and ask your questions there. remember to be respectful. they'll probably give you better intel than RVF, no offense to RVF.

6. Remember that once you sign your name on the dotted line and swear in, you are officially property of the US DoD. Your needs/wants now come second to the government's. Not to scare you off...just so you understand what you're getting into.

Post: #6

Not to be a curmudgeon, but if you think your ASVAB scores matter and you're looking for a cushy job, I don't know if I would go enlisted. I've seen a lot of intelligent people like you strike me as come this route, get shoved into a job they think (and they probably are) they're better than. A LOT. Go to college, get your bachelors, and go the officer route. If you're looking into those kind of jobs you will most likely be disappointed with what you actually end up doing. To me, the enlisted route is not a path for happiness or success for people like you. I think you'd make a great officer though.

Post: #7

Unless you're dead set on going nuke, don't overlook the other services.

I did 4 years in the Coast Guard and I'm glad I didn't join the Navy. If you HAVE to go nuke then the Navy is definitely for you. But don't enlist without talking to some other people about the other services.

The CG was nice because you can frequently get stationed right inside urban areas (Boston, Seattle, Bay Area all have bases in them) as opposed to the Army or Air Force where the base is so big it has to be out in the sticks, with nothing else going on around them. Frequently these CG bases don't have barracks either so you'll get BAH which allows you to live off base and have a somewhat normal life. Definitely helps with the girl situation for sure.

Do you have your degree? You should consider going to OCS too. I got a 99 overall on my ASVAB as well and I was smart enough to finish college but too jaded about it and dropped out. I'm doing well enough on the outside now for sure (actually all my college friends have told me they wish they dropped out and did what I did! Haha), but the officer track puts you in a position to really succeed in your specialty should you get out of the service. I still haven't had as much responsibility as I did when I was 22 and in charge of 8 people in the CG. It is kind of shocking how little that counts for on the outside sometimes because I wasn't an officer.

And always be skeptical with your recruiter!! If its not in writing when you go to sign on at the end, you aren't getting it!

Good luck!

Post: #8

Make sure you get a contract. Last I heard, active duty service obligation for nuclear tech was six years active duty. Are you ready to make that commitment?

CTI would be great, you go to Defense Language Institute, likely to learn Chinese, Arabic, Russian or more exotic languages in a one-year course. You have to have a very clean background for the security clearance, but some minor things like "experimental" pot use will not disqualify.

Bear in mind that if you flunk out of any of these courses, you will be chipping and painting on some ship.

As others have said, look at the other services. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Officer / enlisted relations in the Navy are less formal than Army or USMC, especially in the submarine force.

Post: #9

Rum, sodomy, and the lash, what's not to like?

Post: #10

All the branches have some great tech programs. The smartest vets I've worked with are former Navy ET/Nukers. I have two friends that are pushing past 20 years in the Coast Guard because they love it.

From experience though, I've had a different level of success from my time in the Marines. Employers just know we're going to have our shit together on the job, and have stepped above many other applicants because of it. That alone trumps a lot of technical training.

Post: #11

To add to the good advice above on various options to consider:

* Do some research and find out which career fields in the Navy (and in the other services) give the biggest and most consistent retainment/reenlistment bonuses and special pays.

* If you enlist, sign up for the GI Bill and immediately start work on finishing your Bachelor, then your Masters degree. If you can get those two knocked out before you leave the Navy, you will definitely have a leg up in the civilian world. Using the GI Bill and Top Up plus tuition assistance can help you get those two degrees done with very little out-of-pocket expense to yourself.

* With your high ASVAB score, you may be able to qualify for a Navy ROTC or other service college ROTC scholarship. Your recruiter may not know anything about that because he/she focuses on enlisted recruitment. A call or visit to your local university's ROTC department can help you out find more information.

* Other programs you might look into are the medical or counseling fields. Those career programs will help pay for your schooling in return for an extended service commitment as an officer. You would enter the service as an O2 or O3. You have to put together a special package for those programs which is submitted to a competitive board. Again, your local recruiter probably doesn't know much about these programs.

* Instead of going active duty, you might look at joining a local reserve or national guard unit. You can save money while on active duty for the initial and career training and also sign up for the reserve version of the GI Bill. Some of the career fields in the reserves also pay a good enlistment and retainment incentive bonus. Then, while working part time with the reserves, you can go to school full time and get your degree, then enter the service as an officer. Also, while in the reserves, especially the Navy, you can volunteer to go on active duty tours for several months at a time, with many of the tours being at overseas bases.

* As someone mentioned, there are some non-military uniformed government services which you might find more appealing. In addition to the Coast Guard there is the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps

Post: #12

A lot of good advice here. I am not in the Navy, but I have been in the Army for a while now and have worked with all branches. All I will say is try to find something you think you'll enjoy that has good prospects after the service. I have met people that do tech jobs (mostly communications/computer networking stuff) that are contacted by headhunters for jobs before they even get out of the military.

Other than that, embrace the suck.
Good luck

Post: #13

Go in, do your time, and get the fuck out (with your benefits). Never look back.

Post: #14

OP, years ago I had that 99th percentile ASVAB, enlisted in the Navy with a nuclear power contract, went to Machinist's Mate A School, Basic Nuclear Power School...then went to a Large Midwestern University on a Naval ROTC Scholarship. I had started my NROTC scholarship application before I went on active duty. I spent 13 months on active duty as an enlisted sailor, doing nothing but going to school. In college, I switched to Marine Option (USMC) because I did not like the lack of respect which I had observed sailors demonstrating when dealing with Navy officers. I flew helicopters in the USMC until the end of my initial obligation and then I punched out.

Here are a few opinions, YMMV:

1. The bad thing about the nuclear field is that you will see limited or zero foreign ports. Back in the day, most of the nuke jobs were on ballistic missile subs. They go under the water near home port and stay under until they return. If your idea is "Join the Navy, See the World" then avoid this.

2. That 99th percentile thing means that your intellectual peers are in the officer corps, and those are not your professional peers as an enlisted man. It will drive you crazy to know that you are brighter than your Chief Petty Officer and many of the officers. In the nuke field your peers are pretty bright, but if you are more than an egghead you still will be above most of them in the way you live and think.

3. The Navy is a huge and rather dirtbally service. It will eat you up without so much as a burp. I would look at the Coast Guard because they have so many small outposts. The farther you are "from the flag", the better.

4. I have no knowledge of the CTI or CTN fields, but those sound interesting. I would look into that over Nuclear Power.

Post: #15

This is all great advice. Thank you all.

I am pretty dead set on going Nuclear for the career opportunities, my only reservation is the commitment Sp5 talked about. It is a lot. And I am not a particularly studious person.

CTI is another option of great interest to me since my friend has gone that route and really enjoys it.


Getting everything in writing is of course important so I will definitely do that, in addition to looking at the other branches (Air Force in particular).

I do not have a degree, I grew jaded and lazy with college (fortunately it was only community college so I did not waste my parent's money since you pay for each semester). That experience was in fact how I found the Manosphere more or less.

Not to mention looking into being an officer seems to be prudent.
Thank you all for the advice. I am glad I made this thread.

Post: #16

If you have an associates/ college degree...get the civilian job (hired through the Navy) most nukes go for when they get out: Radiological Control Technician

Pretty tough gig to land, they split the hiring half veterans/ half civilians.

It's more or less similar to what nukes do...except you work in port, actually get paid for overtime (in addition to being salaried), and get TDY for travel.

Check the civilian side for jobs. Be thorough in your investigation. Recruiters won't tell you but you can get the same (or similar) gig in a shipyard and still keep your freedom. You'll get paid more, get travel bonuses, and get similar tuition repayment. Check the usajobs site for the announcements, most shipyards are hiring...I've seen announcements posted every couple months for new applicants. Even if you can't get in as a RCT, get in as a shop worker and you can work your way up to a RCT within a few years if you stay focused. Shop workers (aka trades) are constantly hired with zero experience, so there's always that route

Also, if you're over 6 ft tall you will HATE yourself on subs. Very low ceilings. You'll constantly knock your head and develop the sub hunchback look from walking around crouching 24/7...so if you go in and are tall...might want to work something out with your recruiter about that

Post: #17

(02-10-2015 11:58 PM)GeroMeroHero Wrote:  Stuff

I work an MOS equivalent to the Navy's CTRs--all services work closely together within the Signals Intelligence field. If you have any specific inquiries, feel free to PM me. Based on what I see right now, and if you ONLY want to use the Navy as a springboard to a career outside the military, I'd suggest attempting to become a linguist. You will be stationed in Monterrey, CA (far enough, but not TOO far from Stockton) to learn a language. And you will CRAM there. Our Korean and China lings usually spent most of their contracts (3 years out of a 5-year contract) there, because it takes A LOT of time to learn a new language. But if you get proficient with it, singular-minded and consistent, you can make some megabucks when you're out.

Oh yeah, and linguist girls are basically the biggest alcoholic sloots of all time.

Post: #18

(02-11-2015 05:56 PM)tawm Wrote:  

(02-10-2015 11:58 PM)GeroMeroHero Wrote:  Stuff

I work an MOS equivalent to the Navy's CTRs--all services work closely together within the Signals Intelligence field. If you have any specific inquiries, feel free to PM me. Based on what I see right now, and if you ONLY want to use the Navy as a springboard to a career outside the military, I'd suggest attempting to become a linguist. You will be stationed in Monterrey, CA (far enough, but not TOO far from Stockton) to learn a language. And you will CRAM there. Our Korean and China lings usually spent most of their contracts (3 years out of a 5-year contract) there, because it takes A LOT of time to learn a new language. But if you get proficient with it, singular-minded and consistent, you can make some megabucks when you're out.

Oh yeah, and linguist girls are basically the biggest alcoholic sloots of all time.

I was about to make a post about this. One of the advantages, from what I understand, of being a linguist is that many of the assignments are at overseas bases. I knew one guy who was a Russian linguist in the Navy. He told me that they actually sent him to Russia on an assignment and he was running the local girls big time. Even Arabic linguists get sent to some fun places.

Post: #19

US Air Force Data Sheet

I would be a linguist, or the lucrative "contracting" career field.

Post: #20

All my friends went into the Navy except me. I choose the AirForce. I'm happy with my decision as most of my Navy friends always said they wish they joined the ChairForce. The Airforce has more money then the other branches because of its connection to NASA. So when you stay in the barracks you get your own room and the bases are just generally nicer. Plus although my friends got to see the world when they went out on cruise or whatever they called it, they said it sucked. Being crammed on that ship for sometimes months at a time working 7 days a week and 12 hour days. (I'm not knocking the Navy at all, I am just speaking on what my Navy friends told me,... no offence to any current or veterans of the Navy)

With all that out of the way I think you sure as shit should join the military. Get some self discipline and out of your town. Some life experience. Plus it will look good on job resumes in the future.

Also lets not forget the GI Bill... I know guys who got out of the Navy and went to community colleges and lived and thrived off the money they were receiving every month from the GI Bill. Granted this was in a cheaper town and smaller college but they were making enough to pay rent, food, gas, everything they needed to pay every month with the extra money from the GI BIll.

Serve your country son

Post: #21

I was in the Navy for 4 years; another 4 years active reserves in a Seabee unit. PM me if you'd like.

I also get the sense that you're looking for a job. The Navy for me was not about getting a job. It was about having an adventure. With your ASVAB, your job (Nuclear, crypto etc) will likely be so "cushy" that you'll most likely be on shore duty. And that shore duty may not be in a desirable place. You're also in Ballston Spa (shithole) for a while for Nuclear training if that's what you choose.

My scores weren't THAT high so I got to do sea duty. I had a great time.

Practical advice: Try to see if you can get on a carrier or maybe a squadron (possibly) that needs your skills. I guarantee it will be more fun on a ship or "deployable" unit (like a squadron).

You want to live your youth travelling. If I knew about the forum and game back then, I would have conquered the world.

I have been thinking the longest time about writing an article about my experiences in the Navy. This thread revived that desire.

Post: #22

I'm living at an Australian naval base at the moment. If you have general questions about the lifestyle, etc feel free to PM me

Post: #23

(02-11-2015 09:14 PM)Cobra Wrote:  I have been thinking the longest time about writing an article about my experiences in the Navy. This thread revived that desire.

This would be HUGE, Cobra. I know that many here, myself included, would love to hear about it.

If you don't mind sharing...What was your rating? And what are you doing now that you're out?

Post: #24

Today marines evacuated the embassy in Yemen, where they were ordered by the state department to give up their rifles before leaving. Apparently it was a huge insult to our soldiers that our own government made them give up their rifles on the way out of town.
Basically a state department beauracrat has the ability to degrade your service for political purposes.

Just something to think about. Once you sign up your life and work are in the hands of a politically correct leftist government.

Post: #25

(02-12-2015 12:32 AM)Disco_Volante Wrote:  Today marines evacuated the embassy in Yemen, where they were ordered by the state department to give up their rifles before leaving. Apparently it was a huge insult to our soldiers that our own government made them give up their rifles on the way out of town.
Basically a state department beauracrat has the ability to degrade your service for political purposes.

Just something to think about. Once you sign up your life and work are in the hands of a politically correct leftist government.

Took longer than expected for the the "be careful bro, you're signing your life away and the government owns you!!!" advice. Try not paying you're taxes this year and see what happens. As long as you're a citizen of a country, the government always "owns" you.