How would you fix the NNPP

[LaFeet]

My oh my how the program has fallen since I retired.......  I recall the circle X beginning, but we still had to actually know how the circuitry worked.  And yeah,  we still had magamp controls  when I started.

Good luck all-

[Starkist]

-That supervisor you speak of has existed for years on carriers:  RT.  They watched every RC PM.  Unless of course there was a 12-man Halo tournament in the Rim Room.  
-QA and 3M are underutilized in RC fleet wide.
-Qual cards to perform maintenance should have been integrated into the RO/SRO progression years ago.
-Every PM gets done with a nub watching/performing.  By the time they're qualified, they've seen nearly every PM below an annual and have the RT to fall back on.  

On the carrier I was on, the RT was usually "too senior" to do work (i.e. they were only there if the WS was there, or something specifically demanded their presence), and they ended up relying on a select group of "All stars". Most of which should be leaving around nowish.  Theyre gonna be hurting after some time.

[drayer54]

On the carrier I was on, the RT was usually "too senior" to do work (i.e. they were only there if the WS was there, or something specifically demanded their presence), and they ended up relying on a select group of "All stars". Most of which should be leaving around nowish.  Theyre gonna be hurting after some time.

From the day I arrived until the day I left, I always heard that "they would be hurting after X and Y left".

It never happens. People always find a way. No ship in the Navy needs any 1 person or any small group to survive. That's why this program works and overall... doesn't need too much fixing.

[Starkist]

From the day I arrived until the day I left, I always heard that "they would be hurting after X and Y left".

It never happens. People always find a way. No ship in the Navy needs any 1 person or any small group to survive. That's why this program works and overall... doesn't need too much fixing.

true enough I guess. RM still went on without me

[Neutron Whisperer]

This is not new

The ISIC is responsible to make sure the units under him are ready for inspections.  As such, squadron assists will not be banned.

You're wrong on every count, as usual.

[Neutron Whisperer]

-That supervisor you speak of has existed for years on carriers:  RT.  They watched every RC PM.  Unless of course there was a 12-man Halo tournament in the Rim Room.  
-QA and 3M are underutilized in RC fleet wide.
-Qual cards to perform maintenance should have been integrated into the RO/SRO progression years ago.
-Every PM gets done with a nub watching/performing.  By the time they're qualified, they've seen nearly every PM below an annual and have the RT to fall back on.  

1. Subs just don't have the manning for an RT-like position. It would be nice to have.
2. Agree. On my first boat it was literally non-existent to do anything QA/3M. Now I'm finding great ways to incorporate FWPs into our work.
3. I think the maintenance qual should be separate from the watchstanding quals. They're two different paths with different skill sets.
4. I concur.

[Gamecock]

You're wrong on every count, as usual.

PapaBear by any other name is still the same....

[Fermi2]

You're wrong on every count, as usual.

How exactly can an active Naval Officer, one who seems to really have his S++t together, be wrong on any of these counts let alone on every one.

[Neutron Whisperer]

How exactly can an active Naval Officer, one who seems to really have his S++t together, be wrong on any of these counts let alone on every one.

How can a guy who's been out for so long think he can comment on it?

When an active admiral says ORSEs are going to start being surprise, it means they haven't been. What part is confusing?

When an active admiral says ERRs will be banned, they will be. What part is confusing?

I've never had a surprise ORSE, and have never heard anyone talk about one done on them. And I've been at prototype where the opportunity to shoot the poo with people from all sub and surface happens every day. So despite there not being a prohibition against a surprise ORSE historically, they just don't happen at an appreciable frequency.

Silly me. I forgot why it's been so long since the last time I used this site regularly. The grudges are palpable, and the loser personalities are putrid. Complete opposite to what it's like in person with other nukes. Why does this site exist if some of the participants' only aim is to stir the pot (not in the lighthearted way).

[DDMurray]

WRT surprise ORSEs they are not new.  Just before I retired in 2008, one of our boats had a surprise ORSE.  I was on plenty of boats that prepared for surprise ORSEs .  Before I retired there was some talk about how ORSEs had become a test to see if the ISIC had boats ready for ORSE.  Getting rid of work-ups for inspections is a good idea in my opinion.  We ought to be preparing for missions.  It always struck me as funny how we'd spend the last two weeks of a six month (or longer) deployment preparing for an inspection to see if we had operated the reactor plant safely.

[Gamecock]

When an active admiral says ORSEs are going to start being surprise, it means they haven't been. What part is confusing?

When an active admiral says ERRs will be banned, they will be. What part is confusing?

I've never had a surprise ORSE, and have never heard anyone talk about one done on them.

I have known many people who have had the "pleasure" of a surprise ORSE....

Even wikipedia mentions surprise ORSEs....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operational_Reactor_Safeguard_Examination

BTW....There is only one Admiral whose opinion matters IRT to NNPP....and he wasn't the one who came to your boat.

You're wrong on every count, as usual.

What do I know....

If only there was someone here who actually worked for NR...

[Higgs]

I was the victim recipient of a surprise orse, so there's another.

[GLW]

Not me, but the Gold Crew got one,....we got to go to Edinburgh,....

[drayer54]

Even wikipedia mentions surprise ORSEs....

Any rambling bitter ex squid can be an expert there without providing references.

If only there was someone here who actually worked for NR...

Starkist, our SME... remember?! 

I was the victim recipient of a surprise orse, so there's another.

I would of loved surprise ORSE. We used to get emails with countdowns to ORSE and daily ORSE preps and everything different for ORSE for at least a month or so in advance. We even had one RO who had weapons and deck trying to find Iphone reception in the plant and detecting suspicious smells scrubbing our bilges while we "studied" all day. The whole dog and pony show is just a bit of a joke. We couldn't even take leave without raising a fuss in the month or so before ORSE. It would be a good move in the surface fleet.

[Higgs]

Any rambling bitter ex squid can be an expert there without providing references. Starkist, our SME... remember?!  
I would of loved surprise ORSE. We used to get emails with countdowns to ORSE and daily ORSE preps and everything different for ORSE for at least a month or so in advance. We even had one RO who had weapons and deck trying to find Iphone reception in the plant and detecting suspicious smells scrubbing our bilges while we "studied" all day. The whole dog and pony show is just a bit of a joke. We couldn't even take leave without raising a fuss in the month or so before ORSE. It would be a good move in the surface fleet.

Yeah I tend to agree, as an overall package, the surprise orse was much less stressful than the one we knew was coming. The only thing I hated about the surprise ORSE was that they found the illegal (on a submarine) dive watches hidden under the secret panel of my general RAM storage locker (this is where my victimization occurred when the CDR goes "Hmm, what are these and why are they down here?  LOL) The divers didn't know any better when they ordered them..., but I would have been better off letting them keep them LOL. These things were so bad a$$, they had a tri-foil and NRC registry number on the back!

[Starkist]

Any rambling bitter ex squid can be an expert there without providing references. Starkist, our SME... remember?! 
I would of loved surprise ORSE. We used to get emails with countdowns to ORSE and daily ORSE preps and everything different for ORSE for at least a month or so in advance. We even had one RO who had weapons and deck trying to find Iphone reception in the plant and detecting suspicious smells scrubbing our bilges while we "studied" all day. The whole dog and pony show is just a bit of a joke. We couldn't even take leave without raising a fuss in the month or so before ORSE. It would be a good move in the surface fleet.

At least the drills were a surprise.... oh wait.....          Um, at least our khaki lead a good example for the tests... oh wait.... At least drill team never screwed up drills on accident... oh wait....


Surprise orse would ruin that ship.

[LaFeet]

 I have been surprised by ORSE teams on more than one occasion.   Each sea going command save one had surprise ORSEs, usually coming right after an Excellent score, just to see if we let our guard down.

We need more boat time on deployment and not just exercise/testing runs.  Get the guys out there and let them get it done so theyy can spend more time in port!

All in all,  thank you for your service and good luck.

[bawb]

My student NMM son is stationed at Ballston Spa. His section is scheduled to have their oral boards around December 23rd. He and one other student are scheduled to have their oral boards on November 23rd. Is there some significance to this? I tried to get some information out of him but he is too busy to talk to dear ole dad.

[drayer54]

My student NMM son is stationed at Ballston Spa. His section is scheduled to have their oral boards around December 23rd. He and one other student are scheduled to have their oral boards on November 23rd. Is there some significance to this? I tried to get some information out of him but he is too busy to talk to dear ole dad.

He is busy, but not that busy. No significance.. They will go to board when they have finished all of their requirements and deemed ready by their staff section. Sometimes people get backed up due to plant shutdowns and board backups.

Good luck to your son. He will leave shortly thereafter and have the chance to come home and make up some of that missed time talking to ole dad.

[Starkist]

My student NMM son is stationed at Ballston Spa. His section is scheduled to have their oral boards around December 23rd. He and one other student are scheduled to have their oral boards on November 23rd. Is there some significance to this? I tried to get some information out of him but he is too busy to talk to dear ole dad.

Drayer's got it backwards, but correct... He is taking his oral board early because he finished his quals early. thats a GOOD thing. Sooner he gets qualified, the sooner he goes on staff hours, which is also a good thing :p.

[Jechtm]

Drayer's got it backwards, but correct... He is taking his oral board early because he finished his quals early. thats a GOOD thing. Sooner he gets qualified, the sooner he goes on staff hours, which is also a good thing :p.

I got a week of coming in for 4 hrs then they smacked us with a surprise... ELT class up. Our class hasn't even graduated yet....

[usnsubnuke]

I wish that there were more quality operators coming to the boat.  It amazes me how some people manage to slip through the cracks their entire naval career.  EDMC's, division chiefs, officers, new enlisted guys showing up to the boat, doesn't really make a difference.  That whole pushing people through the pipeline to get them to the fleet thing needs to go away. 
During out last ORSE, we managed to squeeze out an average, but our ENG ended up looking like a complete idiot in most situations, in front of people ranked higher than him almost always.  Once it was over with and we pulled back into port, I found myself in a pretty awkward situation where I was sitting there talking to the other SRO and the EDO on duty that day.  Out of nowhere, the ENG walks in a so does the AENG.  They mumbled something in the background, and then I heard I relieve you come out of the AENG's mouth.  I couldn't believe it actually happened.  My E-div chief said he's never seen that in the last 18 years he's been in.  I guess not everyone's cut out to do it, and someone realized it.  I don't know why they even kept him through ORSE, but they did, and it was miserable for us because he was a complete idiot that knew nothing about nuclear power.

[LaFeet]

Even an incompetent department head has to know something about nuclear power in order to be selected as an Engineer.  I can recall grading engineering exams for prospective Eng's and grilling them on their selective stupidity.  But in the end, most that made it though our (SubScol Engineering Department Instructors) grilling managed to make it pass the process in DC.

There must be other reasons that he was relieved - not that we need to know.

BTW  - thank you for your service- Lafeet

[Gamecock]

This topic is near and dear to my heart.

If you aren't actually going to post on the actual topic.....

How would you Fix the NNPP.....

then find some other place to post.

Cheers,

GC

[DockeTT]

This has probably been said in the past 23 pages but I'll say it anyway...

I think it's an easy question to answer that is impossible to fix.  The reason nukes (especially junior ones) get disgruntled and get out is because they work longer hours, do more training, spend more time cleaning, and are held to a higher standard than the rest of the Navy at nearly the same pay (supervisor nuke pay isn't a ton extra, and junior nuke pay isn't even a happy meal a day extra).  Their friends who have already gotten out tell them about doing the same thing in civilian land for a lot more money and no sea time.  It's amazing how you can deal with more when you get paid more.  I honestly think this is the biggest problem with the program though.  Too much watching Sonar Techs leave at 10am and wondering why they get paid the same as you.  How else can you explain that people are happier doing the same job outside the Navy than they were in the Navy (And for those who will disagree with that statement, too many people get out after 6 to prove to me that it's not at least true for the majority)?   

Now figuring out a way to pay nukes more than the rest of the Navy, especially when there are jobs like A-Gang mechanics where all the above is true would be very tricky if not impossible.  Throw in Seals and special warfare who risk their lives more than the rest of us and the other couple programs I'm not thinking of....