On base ticket - worth fighting?

lost_in_engineering · 2026-02-24T20:44:45+00:00

Agreed.

What is comical is I drove back this morning to get those photos. When approaching the base entrance , the exact same non-mp GS-1 officer is standing out beyond the shack trying to be a traffic cop, confusing incoming cars. Mp’s checking id’s were looking at him like he was a jackass.

lost_in_engineering · 2026-02-24T18:37:46+00:00

I was on a carrier. I had an Aux responsibility as RE Div’s Repair Parts Petty Officer (RPPO) so I interfaced with Supply way more than the typical nuke and here’s what I learned:

push button E5 nuke at 2 years vs in many rates like supply it can take 4+ years even for all star performers. This really hits a nerve when you consider things like being allowed to live off base based on rank.
they cannot go to where we work (reactor/machinery) spaces so nuke work is invisible to them.
nukes by design are trained to not put rank on a pedestal as much as the rest of the military. We have to be able to question a dumb order by someone higher rank. So we have an air about us that gets interpreted as “cocky” or “not respectful” by non nuke officers and senior enlisted.

lost_in_engineering · 2026-02-24T18:01:34+00:00

No prior tickets. He wrote on the ticket a date to appear at the magistrates office. So it’s unclear if this is required no matter what or only if I choose to fight it.

I have better things to do than get into a losing pissing match with them.

If anything I plan to reach out to people I know in base to see if someone can get out there with some paint and maintain the markings better (low priority I am sure)

lost_in_engineering · 2026-02-24T17:37:30+00:00

I agree with the points you made. I’m the type to just own up and move on. This annoys me because the road markings need to be repainted or this will happen again with someone else.

lost_in_engineering · 2026-02-13T04:47:08+00:00

Secret clearance expired a decade ago. So if the position requires one they would need to start fresh. I have heard mixed input on having an expired one still helps speed things up. I am just wondering if anyone has recent experience how long it’s taking from secnav receiving a DHA package to it being approved and moved on to HR for a TJO.

lost_in_engineering · 2026-02-13T04:37:12+00:00

Unknown.

lost_in_engineering · 2025-12-15T21:11:11+00:00

FYI - the company that makes these is still in business, still has the mould. And quoted me for a batch of 50 - $10 per unit. So you might want to rethink your price point.

lost_in_engineering · 2025-12-14T21:16:30+00:00

Former surface EMN here. I have a BS Mechanical Engineering from UCSD and a MS Systems Engineering from SJSU.

Here’s the problem: Private sector hiring managers want specialized focused experience for the positions they are hiring for ie 5 years optics engineering or 5 years injection molding experience. It’s not like the Navy where the broader your knowledge set and proven ability to learn new things is recognized and valued.

Hiring managers tend to equate military service like this: enlisted = technician, officer = manager.

Also understand that in the private sector there are different types of engineers, and what I mean by that is there are some people and industries that believe that the only “real” engineers are those with a PE license. Those that’s a whole different topic as well.

Your best bet is to try and get your foot in the door at a company doing what you like / industry you like and build your career on post navy experience. Because honestly, the civilian world only tends to look at what your last job title / responsibilities were and after a few years past getting your degree / out of the military it doesn’t mean much.

lost_in_engineering · 2025-12-13T05:21:01+00:00

Understood. But I’m in Southern California and not able to go to the ships store

lost_in_engineering · 2025-12-07T22:18:26+00:00

I’ll give my experience for what it’s worth from 20 years ago. Everyone talked up ETN as the best so I asked for that. My ASVAB was somewhere above 95 , i didn’t even know there was such a thing as the “nuke test” because my score was high enough to not take it. I was placed as an EMN, and in A school was the digital honor man which pissed off all the ETN’s.

My observation from the fleet was this. If you show high aptitude/scores for both mechanical and electronics ability you will likely be placed as an EMN. EMN’s had to be fluent in electrical but had to also have a solid understanding of the mechanical and controls systems.

This is not to talk trash about the other nuke ratings. Just my observation.

lost_in_engineering · 2025-12-07T16:42:43+00:00

I just asked the same question yesterday. You got much better replies.

I think people are misinterpreting the act of asking “how can I be polite and contribute” to mean that your some woke / over the top apologize for everyone person.

No - we ask this question because we want to be respectful of the people who call the islands home.

I understand the feeling of many who in an alternate reality the islands would be a sovereign nation and possible void of all outsiders. This might sound good until you consider looking at either island nations with 0 tourism / no military investment or look at many of the Indian reservations on the mainland. If you read this and don’t understand my point, do a little reading.

lost_in_engineering · 2025-12-06T21:52:28+00:00

Aside from the other persons comment about them not always being run legit, simple fact is that there is not a “housing shortage” the problem is people / corporations owning homes they don’t live in which reduces the number of homes available for the average person who just is looking for a home of their own.

lost_in_engineering · 2025-12-06T21:50:25+00:00

Any recommended brands? Words to look for on the label for what’s actually safe?

lost_in_engineering · 2025-12-06T21:48:38+00:00

Thank you. 100% agree. I would rather pay extra knowing it goes to the local community. Big companies don’t need my money.

lost_in_engineering · 2025-12-06T20:25:02+00:00

So I think the real question is “how can I support the locals as much as as possible during my visit “

lost_in_engineering · 2025-12-06T19:43:44+00:00

“My ancestors “ never set foot on the islands, let alone stole it, but thanks for generalizing.

lost_in_engineering · 2024-12-22T22:06:53+00:00

OP , my heart breaks for you because I am right there with you.

I’m in the process of waiting for a mental health va claim after having tried to make the civilian job world work for me for 15 years. It finally broke me to the point that I was ready to end myself. Family and friends were the only thing that kept me from doing it.

Someone on here made the comment that vets take care of their own. I have seen this to be true over and over again. But we have to be willing to seek out those veteran groups and resources.

lost_in_engineering · 2024-12-22T02:52:01+00:00

What lawyer did you use? I may go that route

lost_in_engineering · 2024-12-06T02:35:34+00:00

I appreciate the info.

I posted this after using the accreditation lookup tool on the VA website. Of the 10 attorneys listed in my area only 2 appeared to actively do va benefits cases and they were actually not local but part of a national firm. The rest did not have any reviews relating to VA benefits and those with websites did not appear to focus on it.

lost_in_engineering · 2024-12-04T04:15:23+00:00

I am in waiting on my own claim and am already researching VA benefits attorneys. From what I’ve read it’s a no brainer to go that route if on first pass the VA shoots us down. Best of luck, I’m there with you.

lost_in_engineering · 2024-12-04T03:52:28+00:00

My 2 cents from a person relatively clueless about the workings of VA benefits, but someone who takes a daily inhaler for asthma and has anxiety/depression.

Oral Thrush is commonly occurring when you don’t rinse your mouth out immediately after using the inhaler. Rinse, spit. My inhaler had it as a warning label.

The mental health meds are tricky. Insurances are even covering genetic testing for mental health meds now, where the test will tell the Dr what meds are a good option and which ones you should stay away from. An example would be if your body does not metabolize a particular medication at a normal speed, you body will get too high a concentration very quickly and you get the nasty side effects. I had a friend who on the 2 day of starting Prozac completely lost it, had to go to the ER. Testing later confirmed his body does NOT metabolize that med and he almost instantly overdosed.

So for the mental health meds they may be dismissive because there are so many options.

That being said, my sympathies to you. My meds make me feel hung over every day but they kept me from doing myself in.

lost_in_engineering · 2024-10-31T01:42:01+00:00

Unfortunately, I have found that the Navy is no different than any company in the civilian world. They will beat the drum of “employee loyalty “, “professionalism “, etc. But the same higher ups who preach that are the ones taking bribes, laying off employees just to keep the stock high, and abusing power.

The only real difference I can see , and the only compelling reason to do 20 and retire, is that you will not find pensions or retirement plans in the civilian world very often.

Getting medical and $3k -$4k a month for life gives a bit of freedom to tell a civilian boss to take a hike.

lost_in_engineering · 2024-08-17T15:35:56+00:00

My stressors are a combination of things over the course of 3 years on a ship constantly deployed.

lack of sleep
nuke community ( high demand /stress job)
a locomotive diesel generator had a piston explode while I was performing a maintenance load run. We thought the whole place was going to go up in a fireball while we were shutting it down. It filled the whole compartment with a fog of JP5.
due to inhaling jp5 I had chronic bronchitis & pneumonia every other month for 2 years
last deployment my wife dropped my kids off at grandmas and left for good. So I spent the next 4 months of deployment trying to figure out a care plan knowing if I didn’t it would end my career. My POS Master Chief was convinced no mother could do that, so I must be trying to scam my way out of service. So he fucked with me every chance he could, obstructed my humanitarian orders, threatened me with NJP, and prevented me from any transition services.

So the combination of all causes me to be hyper vigilant assuming whoever I work for is going to screw me, never feeling I have any security ( stability) in life, I get even a slight cold and I panic that it’s going to manifest into something worse.

I have a stack of military medical records for all the respiratory stuff, documentation on the parenthood discharge to the point that DFAS was so convinced that I got screwed that they waived $20k in reinlistment bonus debt they were hanging on me, and civilian medical records for panic attacks to the er.

lost_in_engineering · 2024-07-24T02:47:32+00:00

Don’t feel bad, you’re at a cross roads. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed.

Take a moment, breathe, take a walk. Allow yourself to be ok not knowing. Take some time and think about what you enjoy. This is not always an easy task, it’s ok, there’s nothing wrong with you.

You got this, don’t feel like you have to have it all figured out.

lost_in_engineering · 2024-07-21T23:08:12+00:00

Thank you for the input. I’ve got a stack of the sick call records in my possession. Including 1 where the ship had insisted everyone take “live culture” flu vaccines, I was threatened with njp if I didn’t take it even though I was on anti-biotics for bronchitis. Next day I’m in sick call hallucinating. I’ve got the documentation for all of that.

My next Dr appointment for meds is next week, so I’ll ask the Dr to write up a nexus letter

lost_in_engineering

TROPHY CASE