July 10, 2009 - he will be a Petty Officer! He graduates A-School down in Charleston, then comes home for 15 days. I’m so excited! Second in his class - and he didn’t have to do all the mandatory study hours because his test scores each time were so good! I’m a PROUD MOM!!! It’s Nuclear Power School after that, then Nuclear Prototype Training - and for the first time, he’s not really WORRIED - his self confidence has soared! I’m so damn happy for him.
Not even a year in the Navy - and my boy’s a Petty Officer!!!
Which I think is really really good, right? I don’t quite understand what it means but it’s a promotion! And he told me, “Yes mom, I am filled with glee.” Smartass little shit.
Yep. Filled with glee. Good lord. I wonder where he gets that sarcastic shit from? Certainly not ME!
Sorry haven’t been around but new job (YES - I HAVE A REAL JOB!!! It’s a temp job but supposed to go perm. And I LOVE it!) blocks message boards so I might shoot you an email - and thanks for the good thoughts!!
Snort - me and him together again snarking about shit for 15 days on his leave - my poor husband isn’t going to know what hit him! I can’t WAIT!
A Petty Officer, 3rd Class (USN) is an E-4 (rate), more typically achieved not earlier than three years of service. It is exceptional (but not unheard of) for a seaman to rate PO-3 within the first year, most typically in some highly specialized discipline. In civilian life, this is roughly equivalent to graduating college in three years and being accepted to a first tier graduate school. Nuc is the creme de la creme of Naval service, but also comes with some rather demanding responsibilities, including the demanding ORSE, which is the bete noir of naval nuclear duty. Your son is now an NCO, which means he has some degree of managerial/oversight responsibility, and frankly is probably more competent and capable than the junior officers (j.o.s) that he will be reporting to.
If your son is at all academically inclined (and to have achieved 2nd in Nuc school he has to have a lot going for him, even if his prior record is mediocre) he should seriously look into having the Navy fund him for college and graduate school in nuclear or electrical engineering, and promotion to a commission. Although like all the armed services promotion to officer from the enlisted rates is woefully underrepresented, it’s actually something of a plus for an officer to say, “I started as a seaman/soldier/airman,” and achieved a commissioned rank, rather than rambled up through NROTC. The (few) officers that I’ve known who entered service through enlistment were to a man (and one woman) highly competent officers and excellent managers, which is as rare within the military as it is within commercial business.
PO3 after A-school used to be part of the enlistment package, so not a surprise there. Depending on how long his A-school was (I’m guessing MM) he should be right on schedule, rate-wise. Being second in his class however: that’s an accomplishment and he deserves a big Bravo Zulu for that.
Now the hard stuff starts: nuc school then prototype. Tell him not to lose focus, it gets harder before it gets easier.
Reminds me of a year or so on the golf course, a buddy asked how my kids were. I said fine, tho my youngest could be quite the snarky little bitch. He looked at me and said, “Gee, I wonder where she cmight have gotten that from?”
It was a fair cop.
Civilian here, but have 2 uncles who had fine careers (and now retirements) from the Navy. Happy for you and your son. And congrats on the job! I’ll tell you when to stash a couple of cold one’s in the backyard for thirsty passing hackers!
Thanks, guys - he’s going to be an EM and he’s a Fireman. Which I didn’t know does not involve putting out fires but involves propulsion of the uh - boat - or ship - or whatever - it’s its engine. Or something like that. And he’s going on a sub. Which he said he chose because the food is better. I don’t know - he’s 6’4 - the kid must have lost his mind.
Stranger, if you don’t mind, I’m going to send him a copy of what you wrote - it’ll be something for him to think about!
Oh - yeah - thirdwarning, absolutely NOT! If it doesn’t involve Tony Stewart I ain’t listening. He can talk to the hand. Although the husband is a huge Biff fan. I’m considering a divorce.
He graduates A-School down in Charleston, then comes home for 15 days. I’m so excited! Second in his class - and he didn’t have to do all the mandatory study hours because his test scores each time were so good! I’m a PROUD MOM!!! It’s Nuclear Power School after that, then Nuclear Prototype Training - and for the first time, he’s not really WORRIED - his self confidence has soared! I’m so damn happy for him.
