The 17 people that I need to help me design a new coin....

[Craig]

Dear Nuke Moms….
I need some help understanding the Nuke ratings…. 

A lot of you guys remember me from the boot camp era, I run a website called NavyDEP.com.  That website started in 2007.  To keep that website running and free for the future sailors I sell boot camp challenge coins on www.PIRGifts.com   I know some of you probably bought one for your sailors as a PIR gift. 
 
Many of the sailors I worked with on my website now have gone on and made their way to the fleet.  One item that many sailors in the Nuke rating ask is if I could make a coin for them since there is really not specific rating coin for the MM(n), ET(n), or EM(n) rating.

For some reason they lump all the MM(n), ET(n), and EM(n) nukes with the regular Navy MM, ET, and EM’s together.  Let’s face it, they are totally different.  They deserve their own rating challenge coin that is specific to them.  I know I would.  My old rating is the same way.  We have CTI, CTM, CTN, CTR, CTT all lumped in with the CT rating.  We are totally different.

So, this is where I need your help.
When I design coins I make them special.  I tell a story.  I want the sailors to be proud of having them and carrying them.  However, I don’t know the 1^st thing about the Nuke group. 

To have fun and to keep a flow of ideas going I will reward three (3) of you with a $100 each.  Contest will end in about 4 weeks ~ 13 Sept 2014.

Yes, being a sailor we have all sorts of contests to keep things fun, and let’s face it, I need help understating.  The front of the coin is geared to Goose Creek, or, Ballston Spa.  I know some of your training is at one, and some of your training is at the other.  The back will be for their specific rating.   

So what I need is:
I need 17 people that want to help me.  These people need to give really good info for me to understand the below.   I need honest effort.  Saying something like “Put an anchor” doesn’t really help.  I need specific things that mean something to Nukes.  This will be their coin.   

1.  What is something that is important in Goose Creek? (building? symbol? etc…)
(a picture or web link will help greatly)

2.  What is something that is important in Ballston Spa? (building? symbol? etc…)
(a picture or web link will help greatly)

Depending on your rating:
3.  What is three things that is important to a MM(n) that could be on a coin?
3.  What is three things that is important to a ET(n) that could be on a coin?
3.  What is three things that is important to a EM(n) that could be on a coin?

4.  I need to randomize the number to fairly let three people win the $100 money.  I’ll tell you more how the Colorado Power Ball lottery will chose the random number once I know who the people are…  But in the mean time.  When you sign up, give me two numbers between 1 and 35. Do not use a number that is already taken by the person above up....

Big thing:  You are working together as a team, so just throw ideas out there.  Give me anything you can think of.  Later on, the team will chose what's important and what's not.  The reward will be given to three random people, not to the one who can draw, or came up with the best idea.  All ideas are the best to me.  

So just to get things started.  I need 16 more people (with a total of 17) that want to do this. Once I find out who the 16 people are, then I’ll give you more info….  I will make a post in the discussion are, just reply to it, and the first 16 people (by date/time) order will be the ones I use. 
btw:  Since I pre-discussed this with B'sNukeMom to gather her thought, she is already on the list.

Since everyone has to pick two numbers, please let me know so we can get this part hammered out.  I love having fun, and this is the part we need to get finished 1st.

• B'sNukeMom  Picked 19 & 22
• Wendy & Family Craig picked 14 & 17
• Lynn Picked 12 & 21, 8isenuff had that number so Craig picked one. 
• UBU'sMom Picked 9 & 26
• Cybermom Picked 5 & 16
• CO-TwinSailorMom Picked 6 & 20
• TheBoyWonderMom Picked 15 & 23
• Nuke_ELT Picked 24 & 28
• A's_momma_Erin Picked 4 & 8
• 8isenuff Picked 7 & 21
• MN Mom of MM Picked 3 & 33
• 1proudmama/EM/S8G/1403 Picked 11 & 30
• britefuture Picked 31, but needs to pick another one, 11 is already used. Now 27
• MichianaMom Picked 2, but needs to pick another one, 11 is already used, 25
• MattsMom Picked 32, but needs to pick another one, 16 is already used. 29
• Christy Picked 10 & 29, 29 already used, Craig picked 13
• GRU_took_darsatm  Picked 18 & 34

1. - Lynn #1
2. - MichianaMom #1
3. - MN Mom of MM #1
4. - A's_momma_Erin #1
5. - Cybermom #1
6. - CO-TwinSailorMom #1
7. - 8isenuff #1
8. - A's_momma_Erin #2
9. - UBU'sMom #1
10. - Christy #1
11. - 1proudmama/EM/S8G/1403 #1
12. - Lynn #2
13. - Christy #2  - Edit WINNER of 2nd  (9/10/2014) Power Ball Draw!!!
14. - Wendy & family #1
15. - TheBoyWonderMom #1
16. - Cybermom #2
17. - Wendy & family #2
18. - GRU_took_darsatm  -  Edit - WINNER OF 1st (9/6/2014) Power Ball Draw!!!!
19. - B'sNukeMom #1
20. - CO-TwinSailorMom #2
21. - 8isenuff #2
22. - B'sNukeMom #2
23. - TheBoyWonderMom #2
24. - Nuke_ELT #1
25. - MichianaMom #2
26. - UBU'sMom #2
27. - britefuture #1  - Edit - WINNER of 3rd (9/13/2014) Power Ball Draw!!!
28. - Nuke_ELT #2
29. - MattsMom #1
30. - 1proudmama/EM/S8G/1403 #2
31. - britefuture #2
32. - MattsMom #2
33. - MN Mom of MM #2
34. - GRU_took_darsatm
35. -  DEAD NUMBER (Extra)

[B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)]

I'll take 19 & 22 please! Will start thinking of ideas!

[Craig]

Hi guys,

Not sure if you know, but I just started my own boot camp PIR group over at Facebook just last week.  So it's taking me a bunch of time getting it off the ground to help the newbie Navy families.  I will pop in here every so often (at least once a day) to see how you guys are progressing....

I love the jpeg pictures, I can immediately tell what is important.  I really need to be explained about Prototype and whatever you call the other stuff.  Again, I haven't a clue about the Nuke.  

Some of you need to let me know your random numbers for the game.  So far, the people I've got playing are listed in the original post.  We've got to keep this fun, and have a good time here.  Keep throwing out ideas.  I need to get everyone involved so I have a brainstorm of idea.  Again, to put something on a small metal surface I've got to figure out what works...

Keep thinking....  Love your help....

[Mark]

Don't add me to the list, but there really should be an ELT coin, since about 1/4 of nuc MMs are ELTs, and have different jobs.  I'd suggest something that would work on a coin could be an image of an erlenmayer flask superimposed over an image of the classic Bohr model of the atom.  Both terms will get good results in a google search.

[UBU'sMom]

I know one coin at the time. But there needs to be a coin for when the submariners get their dolphins.

[UBU'sMom]

Is there a place we can see what is being sent to you as you are receiving the ideas? Thanks.

[UBU'sMom]

Hi, was just reading about the Charleston site for nuke training. 3words stuck out, motivation, dedication and intense. I think that sums it up (I'm sure for both sites).

[Craig]

Mark - can you explain what an ELT is? I am a total rock as far as the Nuke stuff...

[Mark]

here's a link to a navy sponsored site that captures it briefly for submarine and surface ELTs (they both read the same)...

https://www.cool.navy.mil/enlisted/desc/mm_elt_nuc_ss_rl_op_desc.htm

I'll add that the nuclear divisions that make up the engineering department of a submarine are M-Div (Machinery, who are the non-ELT MMs), E-Div (Electrical, or the EMs), RC-Div (Reactor Controls, or the ETs), and RL-Div (Reactor Laboratories, the MM-ELTs).  That's my main argument there should be a coin for each of the four.  There is also one non-nuc division in engineering, the auxiliary MMs, or A-gang.  They don't do much, just maintain the stuff that supports human life, like making oxygen to breathe and removing the CO2 (though the nucs make water), keeping the food cold, running the hydraulics that control the ship and keep it from plunging down to crush depth (no big deal), maintaining the massive pumps that get seawater out of the boat if there's flooding, providing backup power if the reactor is broke with the diesel generator... in other words, it's not ALL about the nucs.  In fact, many of the highly qualified A-gangers started out as MMs in the nuc pipeline, but didn't get thru all of Power School.

[BoyWonderMom]

I choose 15 and 23

[A's_momma_Erin]

I would love to help. I pick #s 4 and 8

[8isenuff (ET & MM)]

Hi Craig,

I purchased 2 PIR challenge coins for my son and daughter when they graduated RTC last fall.  They were very pleased with their gifts.  I would also be pleased to participate in the design/development for a true "nuke" coin.  Could I please have numbers 7 and 23?

I have a question:  are you looking for suggestions for nukes AFTER they have graduated from prototype and are headed to the fleet?  Or something that encompasses each of the nuke rates, even if they have not graduated prototype yet?

 My kids have just started power school, so I don't know much about the prototype program, but one place on the NNPTC campus that instantly came to my son's mind was the Rickover.  That is the building where the nukes do ALL of their studying for A school and Power School.  My son says they jokingly refer to it as "The Soul Stealer."  lol  That is what is pictured on the home page of the Nuke Moms page.  I can attach another photo, but that is really what it looks like.  I just wasn't sure if that would fit the bill for Prototype, as that takes place in other areas.

On a more nuke "generic" note, is there some way to portray a reactor somehow for the ETs?  And I get the idea that the MMs turn a lot of valves...

Just for the "For What It's Worth" Department.

[CO-TwinSalorsMom]

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww...

This has some ideas.

These are symbols fro MM EM and ET.