r/NavyNukes • u/Mister_Dinq NUB • 5d ago
Forced surface (RIP)
I really don't want to go to a carrier. I joined the navy wanting to be a submariner. Is there a way to change this or am I cooked. 8 thought the navy was hurting so bad for subvols they weren't signing carrier nukes?
I'd pay a quarter of my bonus back if it meant not going to a carrier. Please someone tell me there is hope.
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u/Cultural-Pair-7017 NR CMC/EDMC 5d ago
DM me.
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u/Youza_if ET (SU) 5d ago
Were you given orders to a carrier or disqualified from subs. If it’s orders during prototype you can try to trade those orders
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u/Youza_if ET (SU) 5d ago
Call your detailer, and. Have them know your name. My buddy had the exact same situation and eventually found someone willing to trade, make sure to ask a friend at the other prototype if they know anyone wanting to trade as well.
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u/Mister_Dinq NUB 5d ago
I was given orders to a carrier. I doubt anyone would want to trade but I can try :(
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u/Youza_if ET (SU) 5d ago
You have to try, there’s probably someone wanting to trade. Even if not then call your detailer up and just talk to them. I’m not saying that they will be able to fix it but the worst they can say is no. You have something you want, make them say no because maybe you’ll get lucky
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u/Julius_Seizure77 5d ago
If you can't get sub vol'd before you get out of prototype, once you get to the fleet, you can immediately talk to the Reactor Career Counselors and submit paperwork to go to a submarine. There was a SPU girl that sub vol'd a year into her time on my ship. There was also an ETN3 who did it while on my last deployment. They flew his ass off DURING the deployment to put him on a submarine. But who knows, maybe you'll enjoy the WiFI, the onboard Starbucks, the Ship Store, the MASSIVE gyms, the sheer variety of people you'll meet. The Surface fleet is honestly not that bad. Especially once you qualify and make First.
But still try to talk to your detailer, go to My Navy Assignment, it should show you your detailer's contact information, call him up. If not, you can always try DMing the EDMC on this subreddit and ask for his help.
TL;DR: you can volunteer for subs even when you get to a Carrier, but still try to talk to your detailer.
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u/Redfish680 5d ago
And the sun, don’t forget the sun. In ‘80, I was probably one of the first to have my dolphins and the surface warfare badge while on a tender that serviced primarily destroyers, the platform I was boarded on in between boat tours. I mean, seeing the sun and sky and water every day…
Reenlistment time came along and I told my detailer if he transferred me to a surface ship I’d stay in. I was a 6, LPO, had everything done for Chief except time in service, etc. Guy laughed and said it wasn’t possible. I told him I already had civilian job offers offering me twice what Uncle was paying and he’s really willing to let a senior nuke walk (at which point they’d have to enlist a kid out of high school to backfill the numbers) than be bold and send me to a skimmer?! He told me what we all knew about the critical shortage of sub nukes. I asked him if there was a critical shortage of surface guys and he said yeah, but his job was filling sub slots, and he doubted I’d actually leave. Never call a cynical nuke’s bluff; I did and never looked back.
So work hard on getting subs. You’ll never have an experience like it in your life. But if it doesn’t happen, you’ll always have the sun.
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u/Baraseal ETN(SS) 5d ago
I was in the same situation when I went through the pipeline. I had a friend on crew, same rate, who got orders to a submarine who wanted nothing to do with submarines, while I, who never wanted to go on a carrier, had carrier orders. We called the detailer and got our orders swapped. Some prototype instructor yelled at us for "going behind admins back" (we tried going through them but they told us nothing could be done and were clearly not interested in helping. Didn't care tho, it's my career and life, not theirs). The conversation with the detailer was like 30 minutes max and our situations were solved. Find a friend to swap with and call your detailer. The worst they can say is no.
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u/RaantaCIaus ELT(SW) 5d ago
I was a sub vol from day one. When I walked into the recruiters office I said "The only way I'd join the navy is because you guys have submarines. Tell me what jobs you have on them, otherwise I'm going to the air force.
I was super excited to be on a submarine. Looking forward to it.
I was sent to a carrier. Not for any medical reasons, they just didn't need as many submarine ELTs. My grades were good, had no disciplinary issues. My dream sheet was basically just submarines on the west coast and even Guam. I went to a carrier in Norfolk.
Honestly, yeah the carrier sucked but it's not that bad. And submarines also have a ton of bullshit. Carriers actually have a lot of perks that submarines don't have.
I understand your disappointment but all you can do is try to see if you can get some staff/CoC support and see if you can get it done. It didn't work out of me, but you might have better luck.
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u/NukedOgre ELTCS (SS) - SCSNN 5d ago
Yeah this is very rate dependant. Some rates are in a lot of SS need, some rates need more SW. What rate are you?
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u/Mister_Dinq NUB 5d ago
ET
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u/NukedOgre ELTCS (SS) - SCSNN 5d ago
Your best bet is two things.
Bring it up to Student Control and your DSA.
but the more important piece is you will likely go surface. That is ok. It is perfectly fine to end up serving your country in the way they need you now, which appears to be as a Reactor Operator on a carrier doing great things!
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u/Bot_No_5 5d ago
Late 1986 a LOT of subvols involuntarily surfaced because the Big E was sucking up a lot of nucs. It happens, needs of the Navy and all that.
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u/Donutsbeatpieandcake MM (SW) 5d ago
All about the needs of the Navy. The same thing happened to me back in the day, I requested an east-coast submarine, and got a west coast carrier. 🤣 After they downsized the sub fleet after the cold war, fact is most nukes go to carriers. I was told I should have gone ET if I wanted to go subs back when I went though. 🤷♂️
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u/Smooth-Bad-5425 ET/CVN/LCDR(Ret) 5d ago
You never know, you might get assigned to a CVN thats under construction. That is good duty. Prototype shift work, BAH for living in an apartment, & seeing a CVN being built. I was in a PCU even though I didn't request it out of prototype. Turned out better than I could have thought. I was never a subvol so I can't imagine how you feel. Sorry about your situation.
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u/sun_blind 5d ago
Unless deployments become more like Nimitz. Carrier life is not bad. You will get a better chance at some kind of normal life.
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u/FormerCTRturnedFed 5d ago
What is the possibility to shift to subs after an enlistment or period of time on a carrier?
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u/cakeefel 4d ago
Interesting. I was a 9901 (they still have those?) on the Enterprise. Did NPS, A1W for prototype. Volunteered for subs and was sent to the Ray SSN653. But that was the 70's.
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u/Vyrtil_Anyrwen 4d ago
I also, once upon a time, wanted to be a submariner. Got medically DQ’d in school. I was crushed. I got over myself and checked in with my command, and I wouldn’t trade the experience I had on my carrier or the people I was with. It is what you make of it. If you don’t go subs, it isn’t the end of the world.
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u/Acce1erat0r 3d ago
Hey, so I'm in the same boat because of a fucking tree nut allergy, anaphylactoid response on the blood tests - it would never be a problem because my mouth alerts me to them so I can spit them out without issue. We just get fucked.
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u/Curious_Pride6793 1d ago
I was a sub vol, but got surfaced and it was the best thing that ever could have happened to me. Fuck being on a sub.
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u/7Zypher7 NUB 5d ago
Unfortunately if you get force surfaced there's not a lot you can do, not sure where you are at in the pipeline but if you don't have orders yet talk to your SLPO/DSA. Also if you already subvoled you can potentially go subs after your first sea tour, you will have to fight for it but we have a mechanic on my boat who came from a carrier.
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u/Grenadier_is_best EM (SW) 5d ago
You can volunteer for sub once you get to A school
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u/staticattacks 5d ago edited 5d ago
Once upon a time, a guy was in boot camp trying to follow along in his father's footsteps. His father was a recently retired submarine Captain, former squadron commander, Cold War service, well respected.
Homeboy goes through boot, A-school, Power School, Prototype, does well, sub vol from day one. Can't wait to join the submarine force. Orders day arrives just before prototype graduation.
He receives the grand prize. Or is it...Grand Prise? That's right, the USS Enterprise. Bro is crushed. He calls up the old man, tells him the news. Asks him if there's anyone he could talk to, pull some strings, any submarine any port, he doesn't care.
Pops just tells him one thing: Man TF up and check in with your new command.
Edit: this is actually a true story, btw