so I'm thinking of goin in as an officer. I'm going to graduate with a BS in mechanical engineering, and was wondering, if I get a degree after going through nuke school?
or is it just an "enrichment" type course...
say afterwards, after i'm all said and done w/ the navy, would I hold a BS in nuclear and mechanical? if not, will i still be able to get a job easily at a nuke plant as an engineer?
thesparo,
Honeycomb is right on target here. There are short answers to all of your questions, but the real answers involve some research and soul searching on your part. Let me share some thoughts. If you enter the Navy with a BS ME as an Officer or Enlisted, successful completion of the Nuclear Power Training Pipeline will not result in any additional degrees, it prepares you to go to sea and operate and maintain the Navy’s reactors. So in your terminology you may call it an enrichment course.
With regards to post service employment, either path as Enlisted or Officer MAY help you get your foot in the door. A lot of your opportunities will depend on your quality of service, performance, and personal drive. Some would presume, more and larger opportunities exist for the Officers. I think a better perspective is to tie the opportunities to performance and drive, not hash marks and collar devices.
Today, many of the Navy’s brightest performers are getting their foot in the door in the commercial Nuclear Industry for a variety of reasons that are the subject of several other threads on this board. Ten to fifteen years ago it was not as easy to break into the industry, but many of the posters here did it. Bottom line if you work hard, do well, and time it right you can get your foot in the door at a Commercial Plant after a few years in the Navy.
Regarding which career path to pursue, one path offers bigger opportunities and bigger challenges. Succeed and the reward will be greater. Fail and it will sting. The other path is more popular (90% of the military is enlisted), and also offers many opportunities. Both paths are admirable. Having spent 1/3 of my life enlisted, and ¼ of my life as an Officer, I would recommend entering as an Officer.
If you want to enter as an Officer, you need to seek out and find a Navy OFFICER recruiter. Don’t let the recruiter at the local office convince you to enlist and apply to be an Officer later. It is almost always easier to come in as an O-ganger rather than pick up a commission once in. The local recruiters’ performance is determined by how well he does at convincing YOU to enlist, not by referring you to the Officer recruiter. Enlisting is a noble thing to do; if you do it you will win my respect. Do it for the right reasons though, don’t do it because you encountered a good salesman.
Sign up SHIPMATE! Get enriched!
JB