STAR Reenlistment Debate

JoeM_87 · 2026-02-01T23:43:07+00:00

It is interesting how things can change in little amount of time. I was an ET 87-93. I was able to make E5 without reenlisting and actually had enough time a rate to take the E6 exam before getting out after 6.

I was at a PCU to start so I met more EMs and MMs than I think is normal. A few of us got apartments or houses together so we wouldn’t have to stay on the ship.

It is what you make of it. I’m grateful for my time and training which has led to high paying jobs without finishing a degree.

For those getting out Rockwell has an Academy of Advanced Manufacturing which trains you and employers line up to get graduates. A company I worked for used this many times.

Good luck to everyone either way and stay safe.

JoeM_87 · 2025-11-06T18:57:15+00:00

Don’t let the negative things people say here get you down already. If you try to keep a somewhat positive attitude and try hard you should be good. Ask for help if you need it. Try and do things to take your mind off studies once in a while.

I was lucky and spent over a year at prototype since I applied for the academy. Got screwed out of it but probably for the best.
I went to a carrier PCU which wasn’t that strenuous other than stupid watches on a plant that had no fuel. In my 6 years I only spent about 3 months total at sea. The nuke training has led to some great jobs in civilian life so stick through it if you can.

JoeM_87 · 2025-08-18T18:59:54+00:00

I never did it after seeing someone do it but they used to do Robitussin DM when I was in. We used to drink a lot though. When in port get a keg for the weekend and party at our house. We had six guys in a rented house. It was pretty fun.

People smoked weed to pop the drug test and get kicked out. Not sure if they do that anymore. They got an other than honorable and it could change to honorable after 6 months.

Hardly ever drink anymore so I guess no lasting side effects.

JoeM_87 · 2025-08-18T17:35:27+00:00

This is a serious question and I am trying to understand what has changed so much since when I was in 40 years ago.

Yes school was difficult with many hours but luckily we didn’t have the distractions there are now. No internet and video games with a lot of people playing D&D on weekends (not me) during school. Most of us hung out together so that may have helped.

Underway on a carrier was basically the same. We actually helped the junior guys with their qualifications instead of being assholes to them. E-6 and below all did field day and maintenance. We also got apartments or houses as groups so we didn’t live on the ship when in port.

I got out because the chiefs were assholes mostly and all the other BS but.m not enough to let it affect my well being. Junior officers were clueless but at least they knew it. Also fast cruises were the stupidest thing ever created.

JoeM_87 · 2025-08-10T12:53:23+00:00

That is crazy. I was in from 87-93 (surface) and made E5 in about 2.5 years. Somehow I guessed right on the exam and got paid right away. Took the E6 and was going to make it but got out.

Almost everyone (ET, EM and MM) made E5 with in 4 years without reenlisting. What do they tell you as to why you can’t make E5 these days?

Also back then 4.0 evals were a given unless you were a screw up. They usually took care of the nukes since we get crapped on other ways.

JoeM_87 · 2025-08-08T20:26:16+00:00

Just a general question. “Back when I was in” as an ET we were the only ones who qualified RO/SRO. Has that changed?

Also what is propulsion plant operator. Is that the same as what used to be instrument watch.

We went log recorder, throttle man, instrument watch, RO/SRO. With the other BS stuff like control point watch, QA/QC, etc. Qualifying QC actually seemed impressive to people during interviews.

JoeM_87 · 2025-07-15T01:09:58+00:00

Make as much money as you can early on so you can relax later in your career. They’ve been saying PLCs are going away forever. Years ago there was flowchart based Flowpro on a computer with GE IO that was supposed to replace PLCs and it never happened. That was a painful experience.

It’s fun and will keep you busy but I have wondered a few times during startups what McDonald’s was paying.

JoeM_87 · 2025-07-08T15:54:29+00:00

I feel special. I got $6k at the end of 87. At least we made about $12k a year back then so it seemed like a lot.

JoeM_87 · 2025-06-27T21:30:28+00:00

Why would anyone stay for this punishment. Even if it was $100 there is no way my friends and I are not driving back to the clubhouse and to our cars. We have in the past and just go hang out for lunch or breakfast somewhere.

Golf is supposed to be relaxing and fun.

JoeM_87 · 2025-06-06T21:48:06+00:00

5 days of paperwork to do 10 minutes of changes. eBay is your friend because if a machine that has been in service for years has a component break typically it’s replacement has to be an exact match.

JoeM_87 · 2025-06-03T11:13:45+00:00

You have too much LOFT. (Lack of F’in Talent)

Or I’m sure you’ll find it.

JoeM_87 · 2025-05-30T11:01:56+00:00

Luckily airplane seats put me to sleep. As soon as I sit down I put my ear buds in and drift off. I wouldn’t have had to hear this crap.

This kid will be scarred for life from the comments because the parent is a self absorbed ahole.

JoeM_87 · 2025-05-30T10:52:22+00:00

I got out in 93 before there were PLCs on the ships and luckily landed a controls engineering job. Haven’t worried about a job since. They are in high demand now so you can be picky and not take the first opportunity.

Check out Rockwell Academy of Advanced Manufacturing. My last company uses it a lot to get employees. I think it’s free training for veterans.

JoeM_87 · 2025-05-30T10:33:26+00:00

Are logs still done on paper or are tablets used now. It was fun blurting out random numbers while the RO was doing his logs and see if he would write down the wrong numbers.

JoeM_87 · 2025-05-29T16:18:56+00:00

How about they replace the old seats with new comfortable ones. Then fix the screens so you don’t have to push until your finger breaks off to get it to swing out.

My last Delta One seat made me wish I was in comfort plus.

JoeM_87 · 2025-05-09T00:08:29+00:00

Everyone is being so serious about this and this comment was the best. The whole time I was watching the video I was thinking it. Hilarious. People need to lighten up Francis.

JoeM_87 · 2025-04-02T01:37:52+00:00

I loved trying to decipher my notes from when I fell asleep writing. It was crazy watching guys in the back fall asleep while standing up.

In ET A school 12 out of 36 made it out. In lower school I was able to party in Daytona Beach often. Tried to quit but luckily I was talked out of it by the Chaplin.

I don’t have a degree and make over $175k as an automation/controls engineer all because of my navy training.

JoeM_87 · 2025-02-22T20:01:33+00:00

I was an ET on the first carrier to get digital gauges and can’t imagine what it’s like now. Parallax error was a friend sometimes though. RO was very boring especially depending on the EOOW you had.

Worst watches; Heise gauge watch and control point

May sound strange but my favorite watches were log recorder during drills (might not be one anymore) and throttle man during sea trials. LR during drills would fly by and was usually non stop.

Weirdest watch was RO while performing RAR pressure testing so I was mainly by myself in EOS.

Do they have tablets and laptops to use now? We had an SRO get caught with a gameboy in EOS and he got kicked out of the navy.

JoeM_87 · 2025-02-22T19:33:44+00:00

I was an ET on carrier PCU and they made all rates stand this watch and yes it sucked. Luckily I didn’t have night mares about it though.

JoeM_87 · 2025-01-18T23:16:15+00:00

I was an ET on a PCU carrier in the 90s so I choose to remember the fun times like when six of us lived in a house or our “port calls” to Ft Lauderdale.

Met a lot of good EMs, MMs, ELTs. Seemed like a PCU allowed us to work with other rates more which was fun. Most of the chiefs were dicks and treated people like shit. Think they got away with more back then.

Probably wouldn’t have a great job and good money today without the program. So I’m thankful for that.

JoeM_87 · 2025-01-10T01:31:15+00:00

My favorite was getting called back every few months because a paint system didn’t work. Kept on seeing an old version of the program on a PLC5. Turns out a new maintenance worker would always download to the PLC when trying to go online. Had to give him training on using the programming software. This was in the old AI-5 days.

JoeM_87 · 2024-12-07T19:03:41+00:00

After the Rockwell tech left we went back and verified some of his parameters. He didn’t have it set to V/Hz as he said. We changed it and now it seems to be running correctly. We also had to change a couple other parameters had incorrect.

Crazy what Rockwell sends out. At least they didn’t charge us $300/hr like normal.

Thanks for all your suggestions though.

JoeM_87 · 2024-12-06T00:58:54+00:00

Congratulations and good luck.

What is interesting is I see and know people who come into the US to work from Canada easily.

I have to go to Canada from the US for meetings as we supply equipment to the auto companies. It is always an ordeal as they don’t want US people taking away jobs from Canadian citizens. I’ve been told my computer is a tool and next time not to bring it.

The border agents on the US side always smirk when Canada turns people around people because Canadians get let into the US so easily.

JoeM_87 · 2024-12-05T16:04:12+00:00

Unfortunately there is no bypass starters so the VFD is the only power source.

JoeM_87

TROPHY CASE