Service Academy

[effennuke]

Does anyone know how the NNPTC is on releasing students who are accepted into service academy programs? 

[Gamecock]

If you are accepted for an officer program, you will be released to go to school.

[withroaj]

When I went through they usually had you stick around until you finished whatever portion of school you were in.  Be careful, they can pull your package (HA HA HA, pull your package) if you don't do well in school.  I would almost recommend going to the fleet enlisted if you are already are enlisted, and then deciding wether or not you want to deal with all of the O-gang crap.  I think few programs in the military have enlisted people tell officers, "your job sucks, sir." 

Also there is a kind of dumb thing that happens to people who get picked up officer out of the pipeline.  It will come out that you were prior enlisted, which will earn you brownie points with the blue shirt scum.  When people find out that you were only enlisted up until NNPTC you lose those good points and some retards will respect you less than they would have if you had gone straight from high school to the academy.  It is completely unjustified but it happens.  I think it comes from the bitterness people have when their officer packages get declined and they have to paint bilges for years.

I'm not an officer, but I had to face the same crap showing up to the boat as a staff pickup.  Either way I guess it doesn't matter since people will respect you (or not) based on your abilities once you have had time to show them.  Good luck with the officer thing.

[Preciousblue1965]

Something a bit interesting I noticed in my final few years.

Sometime between 2000 and 2003(not sure when) just about all the officer programs got rounded up into one big STA21 program.  There was no more NECP, or OCS, or any of those small O-gang programs anymore.  When I got to Proto, that is when I was told taht apparently you can file for nuke STA21 unless you are at a nuke school command(NPTU, NNPTC) either as staff or student.  Well when the names came out for people getting picked up Nuke STA21, I would venture to say that 90% of them were either students or SPUs, and very rarely was it Sea Returnees.

I always wondered why that was, and I can come up with a few reasons here and there.  I am sure it has something to do with molding young impressionable minds vs older minds that have been set in stone.  Of course I could be wrong.

[Gamecock]

When I went through they usually had you stick around until you finished whatever portion of school you were in.  Be careful, they can pull your package (HA HA HA, pull your package) if you don't do well in school. 

Once selected for an officer program, "They" cannot do anything about it with the following exceptions.  If you have passed your DODMERB physical and have not gone to or have an NJP pending, you are safe.  Your performance in your studies is a moot point, as long as you aren't derelict in your duties (i.e. not completing required study hours, etc.....things that will result in NJP!!!!).   Service academies and ROTC programs have class convening dates (i.e. when classes or indoctrination starts), so, if you are in the pipeline, then you'll have to stick around and continue on with your training until it is time for you to transfer. 

If you are in the process of applying, "they" do have a lot of input.  "They" will give you your command endorsement, which is generally based on your performance in the pipeline. 

[War Eagle]

I always wondered why that was, and I can come up with a few reasons here and there.  I am sure it has something to do with molding young impressionable minds vs older minds that have been set in stone.  Of course I could be wrong.

One big reason they do this is to keep all the guys like me from retiring before they go to XO.  The longer your enlisted time, the earlier in your officer career you hit the magic 20 year mark.  I got picked up at the end of my SPU tour and went over 20 on my post Department Head shore tour.  I'll have 21 in when its all said and done, but I'm retiring this year instead of going on.  I didn't plan on it going this way when I applied for NECP, but in the last couple of years I came to the realization that I liked spending time with my family.  A good number of my friends made the same decision.

[Wirebiter]

Something a bit interesting I noticed in my final few years.

Sometime between 2000 and 2003(not sure when) just about all the officer programs got rounded up into one big STA21 program.  There was no more NECP, or OCS, or any of those small O-gang programs anymore.  When I got to Proto, that is when I was told taht apparently you can file for nuke STA21 unless you are at a nuke school command(NPTU, NNPTC) either as staff or student.  Well when the names came out for people getting picked up Nuke STA21, I would venture to say that 90% of them were either students or SPUs, and very rarely was it Sea Returnees.

I always wondered why that was, and I can come up with a few reasons here and there.  I am sure it has something to do with molding young impressionable minds vs older minds that have been set in stone.  Of course I could be wrong.

I truly believe you are right.  Of the 17 prior enlisted nukes in my NSI (STA-21) 40 person division this past winter, none of the sea-returnee nuke-officer eligible candidates actually applied for nuke-officer.  Three of them could have done it.  All 10 of the nuke-officer option selectees applied as students or SPU's.  The other seven of us (with sea service) nukes wanted nothing to do with it ever again.


-Rob

[Gamecock]

I truly believe you are right.  Of the 17 prior enlisted nukes in my NSI (STA-21) 40 person division this past winter, none of the sea-returnee nuke-officer eligible candidates actually applied for nuke-officer.  Three of them could have done it.  All 10 of the nuke-officer option selectees applied as students or SPU's.  The other seven of us (with sea service) nukes wanted nothing to do with it ever again.


-Rob

I hate to be the bearer of bad news to you folks, but most Unrestricted Line JO jobs (aside from pilot) are hard with long hours.  As a Surface Warfare Officer, you'll probably work 12+ hours a day....just because.  I hated every second of my time on my conventional ship.    If you think common sense doesn't apply in the nuke world....well, you'll see if you go SWO.  The Department heads on my ship worked 16 + hours a day.....and that was with a CO that was great. 

Most of you know firsthand what JO life is like on a sub, so I'll spare you my observations from my time as a sub JO.

Good buddy of mine is a P-3 pilot who absolutely loves his job....so, if you're going that route then you'll probably enjoy life.


My best advice to any nuke seeking a commission....this from a guy who did JO tours on subs and then surface ships....
Go SWO(N)
Why? 
1.  Money....eligible after MSR for both the $50,000 SWO bonus plus kicker as well as the $30K/year nuke bonus.
 
2.  You only have to put up with the SWO games 1/2 the time and the nuke games 1/2 the time.....every other sea tour you switch platforms (i.e. first 18 months on a conventional ship, then 24 months on CVN after NNPTC)

3.  Family contact even underway......I called my wife and kids every night underway while on the cruiser....from the phone that was located on my desk.  Now, being separated still sucks...but it sucks less when you can at least talk often.

[effennuke]

I actually wanted to be an aviator, but for financial reasons couldn't finish college.  So I ended up in the nuke program, still with dreams of eventually earning gold wings.  Not that I don't like nuke power, but I would rather be in aviation if an officer.

[mlslstephens]

I actually wanted to be an aviator, but for financial reasons couldn't finish college.  So I ended up in the nuke program, still with dreams of eventually earning gold wings.  Not that I don't like nuke power, but I would rather be in aviation if an officer.

effen...are you in the pipeline?  Have you been accepted for a program yet?  You are in a great situation for upcoming board questions about becoming an officer.  Let me know about your specifics and I may have some laser guided assistance for you. 

[Wirebiter]

...I may have some laser guided assistance for you. 

Great, now we got frick'n officers with laserbeams!  Times sure are a-chang'in.

[Preciousblue1965]

Great, now we got frick'n officers with laserbeams!  Times sure are a-chang'in.

That is almost as good as Frick'n sharks with frick'n laser beams attached to their foreheads.

But it is better than ill-tempered mutated sea bass.