buddy disenrolled from prototype for medical reason

[thelonerx]

  My good friend I met in A school just got disenrolled for a medical reason. He was pretty bummed because he really worked hard to make it through with a
< 3.0 but > 2.5 GPA in both A school and Power school. Wondering what are the possile roads that can happen if a student is disenrolled from the nuke pipeline while in prototype for a medical issue such as a mood disorder/ mental health issue, even if the student was ahead of the curve and was doing well in training. Would something like this allow the student to crossrate, go conventional, or just be sent back into the civilian world?  What kind of non-nuke job could you have with a mood disorder or mental health issue? Any advice or good words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Smart People]

Being disenrolled for this reason is no shame. whether he will be able to stay in the navy and cross rate or go conventional  will be up to him and the navy doctors.

in the civilian world, keeping his problem under control with the right medication (if necessary), i would expect that he should have little problem obtaining and keeping a job.

as you know, Navy nuke is very particular about who they allow to run their reactors, so any indication of any mood or mental health problems no matter how minor would be a disqualifier.

that's just my opinion based on my limited knowledge. i'm sure that others on this forum can give you better info

[G-reg]

SP is correct about it being up to him and Navy Medical/Psych at this point.  BuMed has the ball, but your friend should be lobbying every Navy doctor he knows pretty energetically to nudge things in the direction he wants them to go.

After BuMed makes up its mind and goes on record with a diagnosis, the next step for your friend is to talk to his Command Career Counselor and Detailer.  Waivers should also be looked into, as appropriate.

And while they may not be able to help with his career path, I would also recommend that your friend talk to Fleet & Family Support Services.  The amount of help that they can provide your friend in living/dealing with his condition is not to be underestimated.  He really, really should look into seeing what the good people there can do for him.

And if it does come down to being discharged from the Navy for your friend, he should talk to a local VA (Vetran's Administration) representative to see what the VA can do for him after he gets out.  They have programs specifically created to help groom veterans (even ones with disabilities) for a new job.

[th3ranger]

   I was in a similar situation, except it was due to depression specifically. I thought that getting out would possible prevent me from the suicide that I knew was coming due to the stress/isolation of prototype, and eventually the fleet, which was promised to be worse. Additionally, I was an ET, and every single ET instructor I knew hated their job, and was nearly always stressed to the max and yelled at even for trying to make themselves available to students to get checkouts, which, even though it wasn't our fault, could not leave at a normal time because of this. So I asked myself, "Do I want to have this job? Perhaps with the addition stress of being cutoff from even the small comforts of an apartment? Especially with my already blooming depression? I, of course knew the answer.
   I would have to leave the secure, and I must admit, very fascinating job that I both loved and hated. Would I get honorable or dishonorable? I would be alive, I was sure, and not eventually dead by my own hand, so it hardly mattered. Now, looking back, I know I made the right decision.
   Since then, I have worked ET jobs, not wanting to leave my now wife in Charleston. Two years have passed since I got out of the navy, after only being in for two years. My depression has of course vanished after having time for friends and family, as well as not having the most disappointing and depressing job ever. I can't get GI bill, but I don't really care about that, I really think that now if I take the ACT again, it would be child's play after nuke school. (Also I scored pretty high originally before the navy.) Now we are looking to move to wherever I can get a well paying job in preparation for my coming child.
   Now here's the part I need an answer to. Why are power companies virtually ignoring my job applications? I completed A school, power school, and most of prototype (but no cigar.) I have the honorable discharge paperwork, and say so in my resume. One guy for SCE&G who's number I had from a job fair even claimed that when I called him recently that he tried to call me but "It didn't go though apparently" and mysteriously the same thing happened to is email.
   Am I on some kinda blacklist for doing nothing wrong? Why do I get nothing back, not even a "thanks for applying we'll call you." I know they might be assuming mast, but again I state explicitly HONORABLE DISCHARGE. What the hell???

[cincinnatinuke]

Marssim that is probably the most honest answer a person can give.  I hope the OP doesnt misconstrue your advice as a bitter salt blowing him off.

To the OP, you got to admit, you effectively have 2 years of real world experience and 2 years of training.  You are competing with some highly qualified and motivated individuals at this point.  You are likely going to have to take a different route.  Maybe come in as a contractor at a lower paying wage and work your way up or try a different sector.

I myself got out after 4 and half years.  Same reason, depression.  I was a scared kid with a wife and two kids.  I took the first job out and busted my tail off for three years.  I was no slack in the navy, I did great in A/Power/Prototype but depression just doenst fit in with being a submariner nor a nuke.  I moved up in the company, took the assignments no one wanted, worked the extra hours, finshed my degree, and then and only then did I think I even had the slightest chance at competing with my peers for jobs in the nuclear sector.

Alot of the confidence I gained was self derived.  I just didnt want to "fail" again.  A large part came from the people I met here on this website.  No one held my hand or gave me virtual hugs, but the message is clear.  Not one individual on here with any amount of success achieved those things based on solely being an ex nuke.  Lots of guys come on here posting their accomplishments in the navy perhaps hoping to become the next best thing sliced bread for commercial power and get a little deflated.  You may have your pride hurt at the moment, but this shouldnt be the end.  Keep your head up and your nose clean.  I lurked and then posted on this site for 2 maybe 3 years and by then alot had changed with me.  Make that part of your story too!

David