Help me out- trying to decide on a Navy rating.?
I am 26, and plan on being in for 5-10 years, then going on to use the skills I learn to make a living when I get out, and possibly continue my education then too. I qualify for all of them in the ASVAB/education realm, but I’m not sure about the physical yet. I am hoping for people who have done these jobs or have personal experience. Thanks in advance.
They are-
Builder- I do like working outdoors and have done volunteer construction work. This is something I could see myself doing longterm in the civilian world also.
Construction electrician- Like builder, I know electronics and could see doing this for a career.
Nuclear- I qualify, and the challenge would keep me interested. How is this as a job though? Is it at all enjoyable? It seems to be a good career, and seems to lend itself to job opportunities afterward. Also, it seems I would end up with close to enough credits for a bachelor’s (I have 20 right now). Recruiters strongly recommend this field.
Nuclear pays well, you’ll most likely get put on a carrier or sub. Go with what you think you would enjoy most, you’ll probably be more successful that way. And a little advice, get everything your recruiter promises you in writing! I can’t stress this enough! Don’t sign till you understand everything completely. Don’t let anyone rush you! Thank you for your decision to defend our great country! Best wishes!
Well a builder will probably get you into the SeaBees, a pretty cool deal. They do everything from build shacks to paving roads. You also get to travel a lot, too.
As far a Nuclear…I was eligible for Nuke Power back in 92 before I enlisted in the Marines. Scored a 96 on the ASVAB and was told I can do anything I wanted by the Navy, but when I chose something, they kept trying to change my mind. I got tired of their pushing for NPS (Nuclear Power School) and said the hell with them, I joined the Marines.
I may have signed up for one thing in the Navy, but something told me that someone would be redirecting me to NPS. The attrution (failure) rate at NPS was 85% at the time and I wasn’t ready to set myself up for failure, or volunteer to stay in school for about 5 years, to then go spend my life 6 months at a time, in a nuclear sub.
At the time they had no nuke carriers in service, now I think they have at least one, maybe two. So your chioces for duty stations is rather slim, other than U-boats and carriers. The re-up bonuses are 60K if you make it, and once you get out you can plan on making at least that starting salary somewhere if you stay in the field, easily. But it’s not joke, nuclar physics, electricity, plumbing, engineering, etc.
There’s a lot to the program.
If you think it’s for you good luck.
My appreciation for your willingness to serve. We need more people like you, war or no war.
Sergeant, USMC 92-03
Semper Fi!
If you like working outside that is great, but…….do you like working outside when it is 1000 degrees out? Those two ratings are great jobs for getting jobs after you get out of the Navy, but right now most of your time in will be spent being forward deployed to Iraq and other hot spots because that is where all the SEABEE Battalions are right now. They are needed to build and rebuild foreign areas of need and to build structures within all the US Military Camps. If you are ok with being in Iraq or other hot spots most of the time until we settle our things over there than go for the two SEABEE ratings.
If you want a serious education that will give equally long working hours but a much more normal working environment go with nuke. You will go to school for about two years and then join the fleet either on a nuclear submarine if you volunteer for submarine duty or an nuclear aircraft carrier. Either way you will be working in a more climate controlled environment and get to work with some of the smartest people you will ever meet. My husband is a nuke and when I was on the carrier most of my friends were nukes. By the time you finish your first enlistment you should also be able to finish an AA and hopefully a BS degree program in Nuclear Engineering. Once you get out you have a world of job choices nationwide and all nuclear power plants. The cash for this job is pretty sweet also. Depending on the nuke rate you choose the normal enlistment bonus is about $12K but I know that was going to go up some and after two years you can elect to reenlist for an additional 2 years and earn an additional amount of money up to $60K. Not too bad if you save and spend the money wisely. Talk to the Navy Classifer at MEPS and ask exactly what the bonuses when you are thinking about going in. Good luck.