STAR Reenlistment as pertains to Nukes: What is it, Pros & Cons

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joe M on June 4, 2014 at 5:55pm

I've taken the liberty of pasting some pertinent comments from the 'comment wall' into this discussion thread:

Comment by B'sNukemom&dad⚓️Prototype1401S8G 2 hours ago

JoeM - I was talking to my son the other night about the STAR re-enlistment (he's not to that point yet) and was talking about how I have heard some say not to do it until they have at least been to the fleet. My son said that's not a big concern because the re-enlistment adds 2 years on to your contract and those 2 years are at the end - which is shore duty. Is this the case? As I said before I am very interested in this discussion so I will look forward to it!

Nice to know your son will get leave the same day....remind me - is your son in GC or BS?

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Comment by Bubblehead 2 hours ago

My son has been in the fleet (fast attack)for over 1.5 years, and has found that he's glad he did not extend prior to getting to the fleet. His job/environment is vastly different than what he expected. As it stands now, he'll probably leave after his 6 years are up.

Don't get me wrong -- his time in the navy has been very good for him (growing up, learning to work hard, Hard, HARD & saving money for school when he's out). It's just that he doesn't have a life.

I'm glad he went in (he needed it), but I don't expect him to stay. I did the same thing -- 6 years & out, then to college.

Encourage your son see what the job is like before adding time to it.

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Comment by Ward Baxter 2 hours ago

Encourage your sailors (or look yourselves) at a site called nukeworker.com. You'll find a lot of information on there about life as a first term nuke. It can be a pretty grim existence until around the end of a first enlistment. I'd echo what Bubblehead says and preach patience to your young nukes.

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Comment by Mike K 2 hours ago

I have to agree with Bubblehead about extending before the sailor gets to their command. My sailor's experience is very similar. He seriously considered extending early on, they make it very tempting. His attitude changed the longer he has been on his boat. He has less than a year left but decided against extending after a year or so on

his boat. He is lucky he is married with a very understanding wife(Army brat). His experience has been great and he wouldn't change it but as he grew in the Navy he realized this was not a career place for him which if you extend too early you do not realize and are stuck. Also, he was just promoted to EMN1 yet in their wisdom, the Navy will not start the new pay for 6 months. Just another disappointment

Permalink Reply by B'sNukemom&dad⚓️MM on June 4, 2014 at 6:23pm

Joe - thanks for putting this together. Yep this was what I was afraid of - son is only thinking about the bonus and not seeing the big picture.  I will definitely look at nukeworker.com Ward and also pass that on to my son. As I said he still has some time as he is only about 9 weeks into proto but I want him to do some research before he makes up his mind!

Looking forward to hearing of others experiences.

Permalink Reply by Brian E. Moore on June 5, 2014 at 6:54pm

Joe,

You did a great job on this. Thanks brother

Permalink Reply by jeremy mcelroy on June 5, 2014 at 8:30pm

Here is my perspective as a currently enlisted nuke who has been in almost 11 years.

To the person who said your son is ok with adding two years because that is just shore duty..... that is waayyyyy wrong in a lot of cases. A nuke usually gets to the fleet with 2 years in, especially right now with the long hold ups at prototype. A first year sea tour is 54 months which puts those individuals at 6.5 years, already eating into that extra two years which they thought was shore duty. Then, shore duty is 36 months, 40 if going to prototype. But wait, your sailor doesnt have that much time left in, does that mean they get to do a short shore duty then get out? NOPE!

They will be required to either then reenlist again or extend to give them they minimum required time to do it. Don't wanna add even more time? Well then you just locked yourself into at least a couple more years on a boat.


Also yes I highly agree that they should wait and experience life in the fleet before making the decision. A lot of people see the big dollar signs and go for it. Unfortunately it is hard to keep nukes. That is why big navy reels them in with the large bonus and letting them reenlist before experience real navy life out in the fleet (which is the time when most individuals see that they dont like the job they have chosen)

Permalink Reply by Grant Miller on June 12, 2014 at 4:40pm

This is good information. Thanks everyone! Jeremy McElroy, thanks for your input, too. Curious as to the reason(s) for your staying in as a Navy Nuke for 11 years, so far?

Permalink Reply by Grant Miller on June 17, 2014 at 9:16pm

I have it on good authority that the Sailors currently in A School are being advised by their POs to wait until after their first Sea Duty before re-enlisting. They are also being advised, again from the voice of experienced POs, to delay getting married until after a first sea tour. This gives them a chance to see how their potential spouse handles that situation/stress.

It's good to hear that they are getting some sound advice.

Permalink Reply by Jonathan Cooper on July 24, 2014 at 5:08pm

Good advice but.... Here's the story.  My son got engaged to another Navy Nuke.  They were planning on waiting until after the first deployment to get married.  Here's the deal the Navy does not recognize engagements as long term, so will not guarantee the happy couple will be stationed in the same place or even region. In order to be stationed in the same zip code they need to be married.  Did I mention I have a new daughter-in-law?

Permalink Reply by Grant Miller on July 24, 2014 at 10:25pm

Extenuating circumstances sometimes require adjustments. Congrats!

Permalink Reply by B'sNukemom&dad⚓️MM on August 5, 2014 at 1:49pm

Was speaking with sailor last night (he's halfway through proto in BS) and the question came up about re-enlisting in "international waters" so they don't get taxed......Does anyone know the specifics of this and what actually qualifies as "international waters"?

Permalink Reply by Joe M on August 5, 2014 at 3:28pm

My understanding is designated 'combat zone', not just 'international waters'. 

Combat Zone Exclusions

My former Nuke co-worker says he reenlisted and then found himself in a combat zone 3 weeks later.  

Permalink Reply by B'sNukemom&dad⚓️MM on August 5, 2014 at 4:05pm

Thanks Joe - I just forwarded this info to my son so he can do a little more research!

Permalink Reply by Scott Henry on March 29, 2017 at 12:27am

I missed getting my first Re-Enlistment bonus tax-free by 3 days!!
Joe M said:

My understanding is designated 'combat zone', not just 'international waters'. 

Combat Zone Exclusions

My former Nuke co-worker says he reenlisted and then found himself in a combat zone 3 weeks later.  

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