Navy Nuke Candidate

[Stargate_to_Earth]

Hello, my name is Michael and I am a senior in High School.

At the moment, I am top of my class with a 4.913 GPA (and like a 3.99 un-weighted) and I made a 98 on the ASVAB last year.    (I think if I took it, again I could make a 99)

On Thursday (9/13/07), I have a Navy Recruiter coming to talk to me about being a Navy Nuke and I want to get some advice/guidance from people who have "been there and done that" before I make any decisions.

I have taken and passed both AP Calculus AB and Physics with A+'s and if it weren't for the god forsaken school system I would be taking AP Calculus BC and AP Physics B as we speak. 

I do not want the Recruiter coming here and giving me all this sugar coated crap without the facts!!!

I apologize for not finding the information separately but I am very busy with my schoolwork and have busy weekends with church, school, and stuff relating to the two. 

[NaVLI4]

I sent you a PM.

I don't feel like cluttering the forum with my thoughts.

[Stargate_to_Earth]

i was looking at

http://www.navy.com/careers/officer/nuclear/

the

Special Pay/Bonuses

Because of its level of specialization, Officers in the nuclear field are not only rewarded with excellent salaries, they also receive generous bonuses and unique benefits not widely available anywhere else.

Candidates attending college may enter the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program (NUPOC) up to 30 months prior to graduation. This program awards students a $15,000 selection bonus and a salary (with all military benefits) of $2,850 to $5,000 a month, depending upon location while in college. Students aren’t required to wear a uniform or attend military training during school. You study hard in school to maintain the required grade point average — then, after graduation, enter Officer Candidate School to gain a commission as a Navy Officer, prior to starting the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Officer Training program.

If you’re a qualified Nuclear Propulsion Officer candidate, the Navy offers a two-day VIP trip to give you a chance to tour various Navy warships and submarines. The Navy will fly you and other prospective Officers to a Naval base so you can interact with Navy Officers, tour the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, walk through the torpedo room of a Los Angeles-class submarine, and ask questions about Navy life.

section looks nice

and i wanted to know what would be BS and what is something i could expect

[NaVLI4]

Stargate,
Look at the URL of the website.  This is normal for those going officer through the NUPOC program.  There are several other paths for a commission in the Navy.  Back to my point I made to you in the PM, if a recruiter is coming to your house, he ain't talking about any of these paths.  He is looking at signing you up, and sending you off to bootcamp.  Bootcamp aint that bad but some people might yell at you.  Try to not remember everyword they say to you for the rest of your life.     Sorry Justin, I couldn't help myself.

Back to the point.  There are officer recruiters and there are enlisted recruiters.  Just be sure you know what they are offering to you.  If the recruiter tells you something like, "Just go to bootcamp and then after your initial schools, you can put in a package for an officer program," he is telling you the truth but there is no guarantees of your selection at this point. 

Once again, I go back to your grades.  Why don't you consider a scholarship through an NROTC program?

As for what is BS and what can you expect...if the Navy puts numbers on their website, then they are real.  Unfortunately, what usually happens is the recruiter says one thing, and you are thinking another.  Next thing you know, your marching to chow and learning how to fold tee shirts.  ( I still fold my tee shirts this way.) 

Hope this helps.

[Rad Sponge]

Hello, my name is Michael and I am a senior in High School.

At the moment, I am top of my class with a 4.913 GPA (and like a 3.99 un-weighted) and I made a 98 on the ASVAB last year.    (I think if I took it, again I could make a 99)

On Thursday (9/13/07), I have a Navy Recruiter coming to talk to me about being a Navy Nuke and I want to get some advice/guidance from people who have "been there and done that" before I make any decisions.

I have taken and passed both AP Calculus AB and Physics with A+'s and if it weren't for the god forsaken school system I would be taking AP Calculus BC and AP Physics B as we speak. 

I do not want the Recruiter coming here and giving me all this sugar coated crap without the facts!!!

I apologize for not finding the information separately but I am very busy with my schoolwork and have busy weekends with church, school, and stuff relating to the two. 

Okay, as a former enlisted nuke I will not sugar coat it.

You can do well as an enlisted nuke, but you will not be happy based only on your current credentials.

You are too smart.

Go to college.

Put that big brain to work in some technology program.

Become an officer-nuke.

Have fun.

Jason

[landlubber]

Michael,

AMEN to what Jason-YP and NaVLI4 said. There as absolutely nothing wrong with being enlisted in any branch of the military, if that is what you really want to do.

BUT

You have more options available to you. Check them out.

PS - To be eligible for NUPOC, you already have to be an engineering student at a reputable university with a decent GPA (3.2 for seniors, 3.5 for juniors last I checked.)

Good luck

[JustinHEMI]

Stargate,
Look at the URL of the website.  This is normal for those going officer through the NUPOC program.  There are several other paths for a commission in the Navy.  Back to my point I made to you in the PM, if a recruiter is coming to your house, he ain't talking about any of these paths.  He is looking at signing you up, and sending you off to bootcamp.  Bootcamp aint that bad but some people might yell at you.  Try to not remember everyword they say to you for the rest of your life.     Sorry Justin, I couldn't help myself.

Back to the point.  There are officer recruiters and there are enlisted recruiters.  Just be sure you know what they are offering to you.  If the recruiter tells you something like, "Just go to bootcamp and then after your initial schools, you can put in a package for an officer program," he is telling you the truth but there is no guarantees of your selection at this point. 

Once again, I go back to your grades.  Why don't you consider a scholarship through an NROTC program?

As for what is BS and what can you expect...if the Navy puts numbers on their website, then they are real.  Unfortunately, what usually happens is the recruiter says one thing, and you are thinking another.  Next thing you know, your marching to chow and learning how to fold tee shirts.  ( I still fold my tee shirts this way.) 

Hope this helps.

Hey me too! The one thing the Navy does is give you great skills and opportunities. Like the others said here, you have many opportunities towards being a nuke in the Navy. Don't zero in on just one and consider all of your options. Choose what is best for you.

Justin

[Stargate_to_Earth]

Can someone give me some info specifically about the  Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program (NUPOC)...  Espically if youve been in it...

[NaVLI4]

Can someone give me some info specifically about the  Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program (NUPOC)...  Espically if youve been in it...

Broadzilla, hope you don't mind...

Stargate, there's this really cool thing called the search function.  Rennhack even made a song about it.  However, if you still need more answers, try Google.

I didn't get my commission through the NUPOC program...I earned mine.    Just kidding.  There are hundreds of websites with information like you are requesting.  I know you are busy with all the demands of high school ( my girls watch HSM and HSM2) but surely you can do a little research.  It is your career we are talking about.  The basics of the program are this:  Completed two semesters of calculus and physics with a minimum gpa of around 2.8 and meet the basic physical fitness requirements of the Navy.  The whole time you are in the program, you are earning leave (2.5 days a month) which carries over to active duty after commissioning.  You receive full salary pay and after completing your degree you go to OCS and upon completion...poof you are an Ensign.

[ddklbl]

A quick Google search yields this.

NUPOC is a college recruitement program.  It is one path to get you in the navy nuke program.  It's geared for guys who are already in college, juniors or seniors, with the requisite GPA in engineering fields.  You're in college, as a civilian, your experiences will be typical of college.  Depending on when you sign up, you will be payed E-6 pay as a "retainer" of sorts.  Once you graduate, you will go to OCS in Florida.  Once you've earned a commision in the Navy, you will be given orders to NPS.  Once you graduate, you will be given orders to the fleet.

If you are recieving money from the government, you are obligated to service.  If you fail to meet your obligations, you are under contract and will serve out the remainder of you obligation as an enlisted member.  This is a checklist for NUPOC applicants.  It can give you an idea of what to expect to provide for or answer for once you do apply.

This is a short article describing the NUPOC program from the Undersea Warfare magazine. 

If you have specific questions you will need to talk to a recruiter.  You can find one here.  Make sure you talk to an officer recruiter since NUPOC is a commissioning tool.  If you are interested now, as previously mentioned, you should look into NROTC from the beginning, since both ROTC and NUPOC programs collide at commissioning.  But either way, an officer recruiter gets paid to lay out the differences, pros and cons, of all commissioning programs for you.

I hope this posting helps.

[JustinHEMI]

A quick Google search yields this.

NUPOC is a college recruitement program.  It is one path to get you in the navy nuke program.  It's geared for guys who are already in college, juniors or seniors, with the requisite GPA in engineering fields.  You're in college, as a civilian, your experiences will be typical of college.  Depending on when you sign up, you will be payed E-6 pay as a "retainer" of sorts.  Once you graduate, you will go to OCS in Florida.  Once you've earned a commision in the Navy, you will be given orders to NPS.  Once you graduate, you will be given orders to the fleet.

If you are recieving money from the government, you are obligated to service.  If you fail to meet your obligations, you are under contract and will serve out the remainder of you obligation as an enlisted member.  This is a checklist for NUPOC applicants.  It can give you an idea of what to expect to provide for or answer for once you do apply.

This is a short article describing the NUPOC program from the Undersea Warfare magazine. 

If you have specific questions you will need to talk to a recruiter.  You can find one here.  Make sure you talk to an officer recruiter since NUPOC is a commissioning tool.  If you are interested now, as previously mentioned, you should look into NROTC from the beginning, since both ROTC and NUPOC programs collide at commissioning.  But either way, an officer recruiter gets paid to lay out the differences, pros and cons, of all commissioning programs for you.

I hope this posting helps.

The last link is probably the most helpful. After all, he is very busy. We already have jobs, how busy can we be? 

Justin

[ddklbl]

The last link is probably the most helpful. After all, he is very busy. We already have jobs, how busy can we be? 

Justin

Knowing NaVLI4, I am relatively certain that young Michael got some pretty good information in that PM.  What got me was how he ignored a new "contact" in the business and failed to follow up on the PM with specific questions or requests for clarification on something, to me that's the difference between catching that 14 yard pass in OT and not  .  But hey, not everyone can win.  War Eagle anyone ? 

[NaVLI4]

Knowing NaVLI4, I am relatively certain that young Michael got some pretty good information in that PM.  What got me was how he ignored a new "contact" in the business and failed to follow up on the PM with specific questions or requests for clarification on something, to me that's the difference between catching that 14 yard pass in OT and not  .  But hey, not everyone can win.  War Eagle anyone ? 

Very interesting.  I was just about to comment on the accuracy of Justin's last comment when this thread hit the post.  You are right on!     As for the OT comment     But War Eagle always whether we are 11-0 or 1-10 ( we gotta beat Bama!)

[Samabby]

Son,

There is a little school along the Severn River that might bear some attention.

USNA class of 2012 or 2013

[Rad Sponge]

Son,

There is a little school along the Severn River that might bear some attention.

USNA class of 2012 or 2013

Unless the original poster is a complete tool, then based on the stated academic credentials, you'd be a good candidate for the US Naval Academy, but I would shop that alleged big drain to MIT or RPI or Cal Poly or some other nerd farm with an NROTC program.

Nothing against the ring knockers, but if I were you, I'd be going for the top engineering/science programs in the country.

But what do I know, I got my degree in the mail

[landlubber]

Nothing against the ring knockers, but if I were you, I'd be going for the top engineering/science programs in the country.

Funny, I have a recurring conversation with a colleague who is a USNA graduate and ex-Navy nuke. He calls USNA an engineering school, and I call it the finest place to produce US Navy leaders. The question is, what is the career goal of Stargate? If he wants to be an Admiral, than Canoe U is the ONLY place to go. If he wants to be a nuclear engineer, then the schools Jason listed are definitely a good place to start.

Of course, asking a high school senior to generate a useful career goal is almost as useless as asking an almost 40-year old what he wants to be when he grows up. Don't ask.

[Rad Sponge]

Good point, that is why I suggest an NROTC program instead of the USNA. Once you go USNA, you are pretty much obligated to the US Navy as a fresh butter bar or a wash out barnacle scrubber on the USS Maybethatwasnotsobadafterall

I am imagining, the NROTC is a bit easier at getting out of if the young whipper snapper does not like marching in cadence.

 

[Stargate_to_Earth]

I originally thought about going to the USAF but being 6'4" 260 doesn’t help becoming a Jet Pilot...

And I am not in the physical condition for the USNA (the weight limit is a lot less and to make it I still need to lose ~ 60 lbs and gain about 20 lbs of Muscle

I just liked the NUPOC program because I could have somewhat a regular college experience and still go into the Navy Nuke Program...

By what I understand if you are in the nuclear field then you want to be a Navy Nuke

As far as MIT or something like that my brother got in Duke but he did not go there because we could not afford it (he is at Chapel Hill anyways )


i know its really alot different but i was in marching band BAND TEN HUT

[Rad Sponge]

Ahh you are a big boy like me, well, keep in mind from a strictly military angle that your weight will be an Achilles heel for the rest of your military time.

You live and die by the rope and choke.

You might as well start slimming down now to about 220.

Trust me, I don't care how much muscle you have, the military pretty much only cares about the final numbers.

This discussion could go on for pages on the PRT and Rope/Choke, but back to your brain.

Do whatever you want, but my opinion is that you stick to college, get an academic scholarship somewhere or NROTC/NUPOC contract.

Put down the protein shake.

Back away from the doughnut.

Warm Wishes,

Baby Huey

[JustinHEMI]

Thats true. And their system for measuring body fat is the most un-scientific method in the Universe. I have seen, as I am sure most here have, giant muscle dudes fail rope and choke but they really have like zero body fat. And most recently, I saw a fat tub o lard with a 54 inch waist PASS because he had a giant fat neck to go with it. It really is a screwed up system. And if you do fail the PRT or body fat... you become disqualified for many programs.

Justin

[LDO4CNO]

Thats true. And their system for measuring body fat is the most un-scientific method in the Universe. I have seen, as I am sure most here have, giant muscle dudes fail rope and choke but they really have like zero body fat. And most recently, I saw a fat tub o lard with a 54 inch waist PASS because he had a giant fat neck to go with it. It really is a screwed up system. And if you do fail the PRT or body fat... you become disqualified for many programs.

Justin

BLUF: Fat guys that pass most frequently get a freebie from the "good ole boy network" I challenge all of the guys who say the system isnt fair.  The vast majority are overweight.  I have seen a lot of people leave the navy due to BF and never have they been svelte bodybuilders.

Justin, you must admit a competent fighting force needs to be fit.  The fact that the Navy chooses to enforce the standard the way they do (rope and choke) is certianly up for debate.  I think the rope and choke is a "frebie" anyway.  The vast majority of sailors that dont meet height weight, and are forced to rope and choke are too fat to fight a fire effectively.  I have heard the same complaints about the system for over two decades.  All most of these shipmates need to do is back away from the beer and brat, and run 15 miles a week.

[NaVLI4]

Stargate, this URL gives you the entering argument for your BCA (body composition assessment) http://www.navy-prt.com/maleweight.html

If you don't fit in the weight for a given height, the next step is to assess your bodyfat percentage.  Yes, Justin is right, this process isn't the best, but it is a decent approximation.

I've done some bodybuilding and when I'm getting ready for a show, I'll fail the initial assessment everytime.  However, I have always passed the subsequent rope and choke.  At 5% bodyfat, I was over my weight for my height.

However, at 260, I'm guessing you might be a bit more than 20% body fat.

[JustinHEMI]

BLUF: Fat guys that pass most frequently get a freebie from the "good ole boy network" I challenge all of the guys who say the system isnt fair.  The vast majority are overweight.  I have seen a lot of people leave the navy due to BF and never have they been svelte bodybuilders.

Justin, you must admit a competent fighting force needs to be fit.  The fact that the Navy chooses to enforce the standard the way they do (rope and choke) is certianly up for debate.  I think the rope and choke is a "frebie" anyway.  The vast majority of sailors that dont meet height weight, and are forced to rope and choke are too fat to fight a fire effectively.  I have heard the same complaints about the system for over two decades.  All most of these shipmates need to do is back away from the beer and brat, and run 15 miles a week.

No I don't disagree with any of that. Of course the force needs to be fit. Of course MOST of the people that failed were fat. But some were not. That is all I was saying.

Justin

[Roll Tide]

you must admit a competent fighting force needs to be fit.  The fact that the Navy chooses to enforce the standard the way they do (rope and choke) is certianly up for debate.  I think the rope and choke is a "frebie" anyway.  The vast majority of sailors that dont meet height weight, and are forced to rope and choke are too fat to fight a fire effectively.  I have heard the same complaints about the system for over two decades.  All most of these shipmates need to do is back away from the beer and brat, and run 15 miles a week.

Fighting force? On a submarine or carrier? Who are they fighting with, the Personnel Office over their pay or Medical over their shots? 


Anyway, I will admit a person needs to be able to fight a fire in order to be assigned to a naval vessel. Similarly, commercial nuclear power plants have a fire brigade, often manned by operators. I have seen many former Navy fat boys perform well at Fire Academy and pass the S-3 / S-4 medical required.

Defending body fat as a reason to kick people out because of fire-fighting is like defending the swimsuit competition in the Miss America program to verify the entrants are "healthy". The real reason is the Navy doesn't like the Bluto image for their Sailors.

[Stargate_to_Earth]

well my 40 yard isnt that good but i'm not waddleing 5.4 40yd

[LDO4CNO]

There are a many reasons that we should all try to live a healthy lifestyle.  Maintaining a low body fat, and an active lifestyle lead to better productivity....PERIOD.  When people join the military they should adopt this philosophy.  The military wants and needs a productive force. 

Feel free to make light of my shipmates that are serving on carriers in the gulf.  Or on specop, or doing drug interdictions, or taking great risks to maintain national security.  Those guys need stamina endurance, heat tolerance and the ability to deal with sleep deprivation.  A fit person will be better at it.  PERIOD.

I on the other hand think my shipmates need every edge they can get to keep the ship safe, to recover the wounded plane, or to maintain silence with the oxegen bleed at a minimum....  so low they can barely stay awake.  I will continue to hold my sailors to high standards for fitness.  With the climate in the Gulf right now we are filling billets "IA Billets"  on a moments notice with our bubbleheads, nucs, etc.  These orders come out of the blue for the most part. 

I refuse to be put in a position where I am sending one of my sailors over there 40 pounds overweight that cant run a mile and a half in 14 minutes.  I have spent summers in the gulf on carriers and boats alike.  I have lived through the heat.  We had to send several bubbleheads from my last command on IA. One first class in particular spent nine months over there getting shot at and missed.   He was leading convoys up and down the highways dodging mines and taking fire. He came back with a Silver Star, and subsequently made Chief.  I would have felt responsible if his stamina and endurance meant he was not up to the challenge.

For years I was smoking two packs a day, and drinking thousands of empty calories a week.  I later realize I owed it to my family and kids to live a healthy lifestyle.  That was 40 pounds ago.   I have never looked back.

JB

[Rad Sponge]

well my 40 yard isnt that good but i'm not waddleing 5.4 40yd

Don't even try to get caught up in the PRT/BF discussion. Its not worth the effort.

Just lose body fat down to the point where you have some definition in your abs, wear 40 inch pants or smaller.

And for poops and giggles, keep working your traps and neck to ensure you have a neck at least 19 inches around.

Trust me.

[Stargate_to_Earth]

hey i talked to a recruiter yesterday and got her to tell me about the NUPOC program (though thats not what she really wanted to talk about) and got some info... she's comeing back in 2 weeks with her boss and she wants me to have all the questions i can think of... espically hard ones (i think she wants to make herself look good) but i think it is a good oppurtiunity...

She said she was really impresed with me because i "Did my homework" and knew what i wanted...

Whats the best way to loose the weight... just eat less or eat different things??? or what

[Nuclear NASCAR]

Whats the best way to loose the weight... just eat less or eat different things??? or what

It's a combination of things.  Definitely eat less, cut out any regular soda if you're drinking that.  Start exercising, knowing that you're not going to do it all at once.  Start out slowly and build up in your activity.  Eat smaller portions, chew longer, don't eat until you're full and before long you'll actually get full quicker.  It's just a matter of increasing activity and decreasing intake.  Not to the point of starving yourself, just to the point where you take in less calories than you burn each day.  It's helped me lose 40 pounds since Christmas last year and it'll work for you too. 

[Stargate_to_Earth]

how bout diet soda?