Posted on 07/30/2008 8:06:29 AM PDT by DungeonMaster
My 18 year old home schooled son has just joined the Navy! He is torn between being a Corpsman or a Nuke tech.
My wife and I have so many emotions going through our heads but the biggest one is pride. Of our eight children this particular one is the most shy and quiet and we have wondered for a long time what will be his calling. The Navy suddenly seems to be a perfect fit. He doesn't mind being alone and reading all day and isn't currently occupied with chasing girls.
Nuke tech would involve lots of training I would think.Corpman could land him in Iraq/Afghanistan supporting Marines.There's always X-ray tech or lab tech if he's interested in the medical field.
Be prepared, nothing happens quickly I tell you. When they go out on the boat, it can be a long time before you hear from them.
When my son would get back after a long time, he would be very quiet and read alot. I guess this is what they get used to doing. Quarters are very close.
I know several doctors and nurses that started out as corpsmen. They are the best. .................... The Army had a program where they offered Medical school to College Grads with the agreement they would stay in for a 10 yr enlistment. Their internship and residency would be at an Army Hospital, so when they got out they were ready to go into their own practice or stay in.
That's for sure, it's on the order of $120k.
Perhaps you were thinking of that liberal chap Jimmy Carter.
He has a nuclear engineering degree from Annapolis. He might have been good as a Nuke engineer, but he certainly sucked as a Commander-in-Chief.
One day my late brother-in-law and I were comparing recruit training stories (me=Army...him=Navy).He told me that I'd be surprised by how many guys join the Navy not knowing how to swim...and even how many join being *afraid* of the water.
God’s Blessings to all of you!
Thank you I will.
I would go for Nuke tech ‘cause I see a growing future in Nuke power.
Congragulations on raising such a fine son! I’m sure he will make our country proud.
Most AWESOME! (But tell him the Navy Sucks, he should have joined the Air Force. hahaha). Congrats (and that’s a service rivalry thing, not serious!)
My Son Patrick is a Machinist Mate Nuke on the Buffalo out of Guam. He’s planning to come home next spring. Will be 2 yrs since we’ve seen him. I better get a geiger counter an scan him before I let him in the house. I used to only worry about mud on his feet.
I posted several months ago that my 17 year old son Andrew has joined the Navy with a deferred deployment. The deferred date is now approaching, August 7, 2008. He too is going to the Nuke Tech school after boot camp. Maybe they will get to meet each other
I too am so proud of my son.
Thanks for the advice. One thing that has really impressed me is the recruiter saying that he will be my son’s mentor until said son ships. The whole idea is to make basic easier. We sure had no such thing in 1980 when I joined the Army under the delayed entry program. A whole year wasted.
That's quite a concern for my wife and I. I wonder how straight the recruiter will be about this.
Congratulations!! I was a Navy Avionics tech and still work in high tech to this day. Frankly, my advice - if your son has the wherewithal, I recommend that he go nuclear tech vs. corpsman. I have nothing against corpsmen, the Navy has the best but, in the long term, Nuke Tech will provide him with the best career alternatives if he elects not to stay in the Navy.
Tell him to keep his sense of humor because he will need it a lot during the first 2 years or so. After that, most of the BS wears off and he can really begin to enjoy his career. If he goes Nuke, he will probably have to extend his enlistment to 6 years because the schooling (which is quite rigorous) lasts about 2 years.
Best of luck to him and Anchors Away.
Welcome aboard, shipmate!!
I should have known when talking to a freeper that there was a good chance you had also been to boot camp. I bet I’m not telling you anything you didn’t know already. Anyway, much thanks to your son for his service, and to you and your family for supporting him.
Thank you, He has been wonderful to us.
From the proud daughter of a retired 28-year career Navy aviator and the sister of a Navy veteran, CONGRATULATIONS! :-D
Yes the Airforce is the best. I had just got done raising my voice a bit with him telling him it was time to get serious about what he was going to do with his life. I just casually mentioned that he might consider talking to an AF recruiter. So he comes home from job searching saying that a Navy recruiter just happened to pull along side him while was on his bicycle and started talking. The next thing you know he's taking a practice asfab test and happened to do very well. He said "God threw me a softball" regarding the whole experience.
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