Question for Navy Nuke moms

[kls]

Hello all. My sailor will be assigned to his first duty station March 09. He will be assigned to a nuclear powered carrier, hopefully one home ported in the state of Washington. What is the daily life like for a Navy Nuke (E-4, fresh out of prototype?) Is it 6 months deployment and then how much time in port? Is an E-4 given BAH when in port?....thanks for any light you can shed. kls

[Patsy]

Hello kls My son was on the USS Abraham Lincoln which was a nuke carrier basedout of Everret, Washington. Yes my son was on two different cruises both lasting 6 months. His first cruise was in Singhapore when Sumani hit & the Lincoln went to help. My son is now a SWCC. He seemed to like ship life. Hope this helps. Patsy

[Donna]

My son is also on the USS Abraham LIncoln. They just returned from a 7 month cruise not even 2 weeks ago.. They don't always know how long they will be in port or when they are going out again for sure.. They have an idea but that is always subject to change.. they are always on stand by.. It is hard to say what their life will be like in port it depends on what is going on with the ship.. I can't tell you more than that b ecause this was my sons first cruise and he had a week leave after the deployment so just got back to work a few days ago..

[Anti M]

In general, ships are deployed for about six months out, six months in. In general. Very much in general; there are extensions and drills and many reasons why a ship's schedule will change.

As for the BAH, that depends on the command; there are Navy-wide regulations, and I know some ships have different regulations for junior sailors. E-5 is usually when they get more privileges ... such as living off base. My friend is on an LPD homeported in San Diego, when he was an E-4 he bunked on the ship (or barracks in case of dry dock) but as an E-5 he can get an apartment.

When in port, a sailor works pretty much a day job ... unless their division is on shifts, that can happen. Duty rotation varies also. Sailors often get to go to additional training while in port, depends on what skills the ship needs them to acquire.

So to answer your question ... there's a lot you won't know until he reports to his ship. Yeah, I am not the most helpful person, but I do know the golden rule of the Navy is "things change", followed by "hurry up and wait."

[Sherri Thompson]

Hello,

My son Matthew is stationed in Washington State and is on the USS Pennsylvania Submarine. When he goes out to sea he is out for 3 months at a time. He is an E-5 and is in his 4th year being in the Navy. He enjoys his job and has reenlisted to take his contract from 6 years to 9 years. If I remeber I believe that they spend their first year living on base.

[Candi]

the ships arent always 6 mon in/ 6 out.. they do go to the yards for periods of repair..
workups.. it all depends.. every ship is different..
we are active and know over the last 30 yrs of being in... we have been on ships in and out ever couple months with a 6 month at least every 1 1/2 yrs.. to being in the dry dock for 4 months.. it all depends.. BAH varies depending on dependants. and where stationed.. different parts of the country cost different.. good luck!

[palmetto]

I'm not a Navy nuke mom but I"m a Nuke wife so I can help. Sea time will vary depending on the ship. My DH's first carrier was new and was out to sea all the time. In a 3 yr period he was out over 2 yrs if you combine all the time. It is more than 6 months out and 6 months back. There are work ups, etc. Sometimes he was out for 3 weeks back for a week or weekend and so on plus the 6 months out periods. He was on the George Washington so it was a new carrier and had to do sea trials. During the 3 yrs he did 2 med cruises and many shorter cruises in between. Shipyard time was maybe 1 month after the 6 month cruises b/c the GW was new at that time. Daily work life is tough. Long hrs and shifts too. The ports are great and the experience will be good for him. Eventually he can get a shore billot that will be an easy billot. My DH's 2nd ship was an old ship that went into the shipyard for 3 yrs so it really depends on the ship. Alot of times Nuke's in the shipyard work shift work and usually more than a 40 hr. week. Nuke's have one of the toughest jobs in the Navy and that's why alot don't stay in. My husband has been in 17 yrs and is a master chief and really only the first tour was bad from a wife/love one stand point. Ask me any questions....I've been a nuke wife for 17 yrs....jenn

[Jeanny Garrett]

Okay you said ask any question so hear goes...my son is on a carrier that is nuclear powered...i am pretty sure that is what you mean when you say Navy nuke wife....I am still learning so let me know if I am wrong. My son will go out on sea trials soon, what are Sea Trials? How long do they last?

Thank you for offering to help this curious Mom...who is a little behind on the curve of this Navy thing. :)

[Anti M]

Sea trials is a testing of the systems, making sure everything works properly before going out on a longer deployment. Usually for new ships or ships which have been in dry dock.

[palmetto]

Yes, exactly right. These are the tests they need to do to make sure the ship is ready for a long deployment. Sometimes it's just a week or two and some are 1 month or so.

["charlie" wawiernia]

I was so glad to read the information you provided. My son just finished his 4th week of OCS in Rhode Island. He went in being told that he was cleared for nuke subs (what he wanted). Now he has been told that he is MDQed for subs and will have to go surface. I learned as much as possible about the sub side of it but know next to nothing about nuke surface. Any info or advice will be greatly appreciated! He plans on staying in for 25 so I try to read what I can get my hands on. It makes me feel closer to him. He is under the impression that he could be out to sea for 12 to 18 months at a time. Please tell me this isn't so. Thank you Jenn. I have a feeling that I will be talking to you often as time passes. "Charlie"

[palmetto]

Send lots of care packages while he is deployed and emails(they didn'nt have this when my DH was on his first ship..just snail mail!). They feel so isolated when away and love anything from home. My husband always had trouble finding good razors onboard so ask what he needs and send him pkgs with practical things and pictures and some sweets.They always share the sweet stuff so it will make him popular...lol Also, I would send him DVD's. They get to see new movies even before they are out at the theather and they actually have great food on the carrier. It's a big buffet type setup with many choices and I've eaten on there before. It's not bad! Still my husband always had a list of DVD's he wanted me to send. I guess now you could even send ps2 type games, etc. The carriers are like a city and there is a small movie theather, gym, etc. My DH worked out alot to pass the time. There are alot of cool things about being on a carrier. Also, it's neat to visit. They have family cruises(tiger cruises) occassionally and that would be a neat thing to get to do with your son. You actually get to live aboard the ship for a day or two and see what it's like onboard.

[Paul's Mom...Terri]

Hi kls. My son is a nuke on the Eisenhower stationed out of Norfolk, VA. He just reported to his ship this year. They are doing work ups to go on 6 month deployment in the beginning of next year. So far this is what I know. When he reported to the ship there was a couple weeks worth of orienatation and then he started working on his "quals". Not sure exactly which ones specifically. I know that some had to do with certain watch standing that he had to do. Like everyone was saying, every ship is different. Paul is an E-4 and he just re elisted at the end of last month. (He loves his job so far.) When he got to VA he lived on the ship for a while and bought a car. This month he rented an apartment. I assume that he gets BHA. (Not sure why he rented an apartment when they are leaving in a few months but hey what the heck.) I hope that your sailor likes his new ship and has a great time in the Navy. It is hard work but it can be the most awesome time of your life I you make that way.