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Comment by William in Nashua on November 8, 2012 at 2:02pm

I met this  old guy at a spaghetti dinner on Monday night, he is 92 years old and he fought at Normandy on D-day and later was an antiaircraft gunner.  He was a spry old guy and was smiling and cracking jokes constantly.  He told me his job was to man this weapon which was 4, .50 caliber machine guns all tied together and how they shot 2,000 rounds per minute, and his job was to shoot down the German fighters and protect the American tanks, he was in Patton's army.

Now I am thinking to myself, this guy is sure one lucky guy, he must have been one heck of a soldier and, God bless this old guy.  Then I thought back to  my late father who was a naval aviator in the Pacific in WW2 and saw plenty of hardship as well as combat situations, well he was always joking around too.  He talked about some of the pranks they used to pull.

Then I fast forward to my son and his friends, they are constantly goofing around and joking when they are around my wife and I they have us in stitches -- well they are at the tail end of prototype and all but one headed to subs next year.  Maybe there really is  something to having a sense of humor, maybe not, but it can't hurt.  One will mention about how something or other at prototype sucks, but they are joking about it.  Not exactly sure where I am going with any of this, maybe just a random observation Lol.

Comment by ccczzzLA on November 8, 2012 at 12:50pm

I don't post often but thank everyone here for all the information that you share. My daughter always says I know more about the Navy than she does. :)

She asked me to get some feedback from anyone who might have experience with the different tracks in powerschool at GC.  She said there's 4 tracks and she's going to be in Alpha t track and heard it was the toughest.  She won't shy away but wants to be prepared for what to expect.  Any thoughts on the different power school tracks I can pass on?

Comment by kayinaz on November 8, 2012 at 12:45pm

Having spent 20 years in the Navy here is some advise for those sailors who are struggling - if you wake up every morning saying "this sucks" then guess what "it will suck".  Life is what you make it - in the civilian world and in the Navy.  Certainly the Navy is not an easy life - that's why you get a retirement at 20 years - the pay will not be worth the sacrifice and struggles along the way.  If you stay in it will have to be because you want to serve your country in this way.  Otherwise, my advice is to get out as Navy life is not for everyone, however, the only part of my life I am more proud of than my Naval service is my children.

Comment by Pat on November 8, 2012 at 10:05am

By the way, unless you happen to get lucky and get a Nuke recruiter, the sailor in that position is just that...a sailor that is a recruiter with possibly a little experience outside their own rate and maybe no idea about the Nuke experience. Knowledge is power...my son did all his research on his own...went to the recruiter by himself...I met the recruiter the day he went to MEPs. I also researched everything I could and read and re-read everything he brought home so that I would know what was happening...There was no 'Navy for Mom' when we started this journey and he was bound and determined to do this 'On His Own'.

Comment by Pat on November 8, 2012 at 9:49am

By the way, I was told once that recruiters are just that, Recruiters. Helpful through that beginning process, but once the recruit has gone to Boot Camp, the recruiter is done. Your sailor in now in the Navy...and as much as we want to plan for whatever event...your sailor is on Navy time. The Navy does not 'plan' around your time...learn now to plan around the Navy...it will be easier on all involved. Birthdays, as well as all other holidays and family celebrations happen when we can be together. If it doesn't work out, ie needs of the Navy change, then my sailor misses out and life goes on.

Comment by suebal MM3 USS California SSN781 on November 8, 2012 at 9:49am

I honestly don't know where the "rainbows and unicorns" came from, but I can tell you my son has wanted to be in the Navy since he was 4. Neither of us went into this with any kind of false pretenses, however, that being said, if I had the opportunity, I would slap the crap out of his recruiter. The man lied through is teeth. My son has said "it's okay...I didn't expect it to be easy," and neither did I, but a little honesty goes a long way. I really think it's harder on us Moms than our sailors (sometimes) because all their lives--up to this point--our main goal was to keep them from harm and to make sure they are happy.  Well, sometimes they aren't happy with this path they've chosen, but it is their path,

Pat, well said. The best (and most) I can do is support my son in WHATEVER he chooses to do with his life--be it in the Navy or working at Walmart. All I want is for him to be happy in his life. He has busted his butt over the past year (he graduates PS tomorrow) and he knows that more busting is on the horizon. However, he really likes the challenge, which is also why he's a sub vol. I CAN tell you that the past year has made him more of a man than ANY of his friends here at home. He joined straight out of high school too because he is a "man with a plan." I support him no matter what he does. I've also told him that if he wants to leave the Navy--at whatever point--I will completely support him there too.  That's how we MOMS roll!

Yes, cynicism is a part of life, however, we can choose to live in a life of cynicism or realize it for what it is, acknowledge it and move on. I choose moving on--and there are absolutely no rainbows or unicorns in the neighborhood.

Comment by Pat on November 8, 2012 at 9:29am

As adults, most of us will agree that not every job that we have chosen in our life has been ideal. As parents we want to see our sailors happy with what they have chosen, but this, as in life outside the Navy, will not always be the case. For some sailors, like one of my son's friends through 'A', Power, and Prototype...his first boat assignment and MM duty have made him want to make a career out of being a Nuke (straight out of HS). For my son (also straight out of HS), who always talked career Navy, his first boat assignment and MM duty have changed his mind about what he wants for the rest of his life.
As a mom, Encouragement, Positive Attitude, Support for their decisions, and a set of strong shoulders and willingness to listen are the important factors. Remember they are adults and although we want to 'FIX IT' for them, it is their life to live and we can't be directing their life for them.

Comment by frogkisses on November 8, 2012 at 7:43am

My son does not fit this mold that you are speaking of. He is 18. Graduated high school and went directly into the Navy as an ET nuke. He never went to college though he would like to at some point. 

I don't know Emily if you and Aaron have children but if and when you do you will understand that our number one goal for our kids is that they are happy with what they have chosen to do. That is the perspective that I, as a mom of 4 children come at this with.

Comment by Mark on November 8, 2012 at 1:49am

Congrats to Aaron on his award Emily - that's awesome, lol :).  Sincerely, he will do well in whatever he elects to do.  A lot of us ex-nucs end up still in the community because we end up really loving living in the pacific NW, and it's so easy to find security working in the shipyard.  One of the other bennies is that in engineering codes or radcon (either of which he would qualify for), they can get their college loans covered if they work a minimum of [something like] four years for the shipyard.  Anyway, I don't want to sound like a recruiter for the SY, just wanted to let you know that.  This is a damn nice place to live though; I would even compare it favorably to the four years I spent in San Diego.  Clearly the winter rains aren't for everyone though - hope your first winter up year treats you well.  At least you got to enjoy the most pleasant summer in a generation.  I agree - time to brighten things up and return a little to the rainbows and unicorns...

Comment by Emily-aaronsgirl11 on November 8, 2012 at 12:51am

Yeah. I can definitely see where you're coming from with the carrier community. My brother is an MT on a boomer and he's always gotten so much credit for doing so well in his job. Just got awarded Junior Sailor of his sub squadron for the year... If he goes out of his way to do something, it's noticed and taken note of. Aaron on the other hand, if he picks up an extra watch or two it's just a waste of his time because no one cares. There's no benefit, so he just does bare minimum to get through. 

Moral on the Stennis isn't that great right now either. Along with the back to back deployments, they're pushing every nuke to get senior in qualed by the end of the deployment. So a lot of them end up with 8 months to qualify instead of the 18. 

He could still change his mind, but I definitely don't want him to stay in the field because he feels like he has to. It's so hard for me to see him so unhappy and when he has his bad days now, I don't even know what to say to him. I want him to do whatever makes him happy, and I know that that's just not the Nuke field. 

And you're right. The majority of the community is the college didn't work out so the recruiter made the Nuke program seem just like going to college except you got paid (that's literally what Aaron told me when he came home from the recruiter's the first time). For Aaron, he was terrified by the amount of student loans. So even though he got all A's, he still joined the Nuke community. 

Oh well. Enough of my pessimism for the night. :) 

Aaron did get credited with the "best hair in reactor department" last week. hahaha. That one made me smile. :)

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