Technical Nuke Officer?

[Nukewarm]

Hi, this is my first post on these forums. I'm currently in my junior year of college working towards a degree in ME. I've recently been researching opportunities available to me in the military, mainly because of the wide variety of training programs they offer. The prospect of joining the military also seems to become more appealing as my future life in a cubicle becomes more apparent. One program that interests me in particular, Nuclear Power School, seems like an amazing opportunity for a prospective officer. I have a few questions regarding it, though.

From what I've read about NPS, there's often more knowledge there than most can handle. The example of drinking from a fire hose is one I hear a lot. A few times, though, I've heard from those that have gone through the program that all it does is train you look up answers to technical problems in a manual. This seems like a contradiction to me. Can anyone comment on this? How much creative thinking/problem solving is found on the job?

I also am very enthused about "A-School". Can officers attend this? Can they, before or after graduation, choose to learn other rates, such as MM, EM, and ET as well as their designated one? How available are training programs in general to officers?

I've heard a nuclear officer's job is mostly administrative. While I don't doubt my leadership abilities, this prospect, frankly, bores the hell out of me. I also don't like the idea of leading men without the technical knowledge to back up any authority I'm given. How technical can I make the job? Would I be able to learn the technical aspects of the job from the enlisted nukes I'll be working with? How closely will I be working with them? Will I have time to study the technical concepts on my own while aboard a sub/carrier? Can I ever expect to surpass the enlisted nukes in technical knowledge? How involved will I be with EM/MM/ET/etc. work? Oh, and "technical"; There, that makes 6.


---deleted this paragraph as it wasn't on topic (and made me look like a tool)---


P.S.

How was this screen name not already reserved? For shame.

[93-383]

Enlisted = Technition/technical expert

Officer = Admin/tactical expert

[Marlin]

From what I've read about NPS, there's often more knowledge there than most can handle. The example of drinking from a fire hose is one I hear a lot. A few times, though, I've heard from those that have gone through the program that all it does is train you look up answers to technical problems in a manual. This seems like a contradiction to me. Can anyone comment on this?

You will not be accepted unless they believe you have a good chance of making it, that does not mean it will be easy.

How much creative thinking/problem solving in found on the job?

Create thinking and problem solving? It's the Nuclear Navy and all ways are Rickovers way even these many years after his passing.

I also am very enthused about "A-School". Can officers attend this? Can they, before or after graduation, choose to learn other rates, such as MM, EM, and ET as well as their designated one? How available are training programs in general to officers?

No

I've heard a nuclear officer's job is mostly administrative. While I don't doubt my leadership abilities, this prospect, frankly, bores the hell out of me. I also don't like the idea of leading men without the technical knowledge to back up any authority I'm given. How technical can I make the job? Would I be able to learn the technical aspects of the job from the enlisted nukes I'll be working with? How closely will I be working with them? Will I have time to study the technical concepts on my own while aboard a sub/carrier? Can I ever expect to surpass the enlisted nukes in technical knowledge? How involved will I be with EM/MM/ET/etc. work? Oh, and TECHNICAL.

Chief Petty Officers run the Navy on a daily basis, officers decide where it is going and when. Your first assignments will be as a division officer in charge of one of the MM EM and ET divisions, this will be an opportunity to learn to be a senior officer, which is what you and the Navy want. Nuclear power school is a prerequisite for command of a nuclear vessel, pilots who are on a career path to command a Carrier end up going to Nuke school as commanders (O-5). If you are going to consider Navy as a career the nuke part of it will be only part of it as an officer.

Assuming I get in and decide to make a career of it, is there the possibility of eventually captaining sub/ship?

Not a carrier you must be a pilot, but any other nuclear powered ship after you grow up, but don't worry the Navy will do that for you.  

[kp88]

I've heard a nuclear officer's job is mostly administrative. While I don't doubt my leadership abilities, this prospect, frankly, bores the hell out of me.

Everything in nuclear is administrative.  Leadership sometimes is being the one who can find the paperwork.

[HydroDave63]

(and made me look like a tool)---

That's a good interview question..... "if you could be a tool, what tool would you be?" I'd be a torque wrench, I think

to ya for running the gauntlet....

[G-reg]

How much creative thinking/problem solving is found on the job?

Creative thinking = 0%.  (It may even run into negative numbers at times.)  For example, there is one - and only ONE - acceptable definition of Pascal's Pressure Law.  If you "get creative" with it, you'll find that you've suddenly discovered a wrong answer.  Same thing goes for running the EngineRoom - if you "get creative" with a plant procedure, you'll find yourself looking for a new job.

Problem solving = Tons.

I also am very enthused about "A-School". Can officers attend this?

No.  But you could start out in the Navy as Enlisted, go through A School, and then subsequently get picked up for an Officer program; that way you would end up having your cake and eating it too (i.e. being an Officer, and having gone through A School).
I wouldn't recommend vying to pull off this particular chain of events, though.  If you really want to be an Officer, then go Officer.

I've heard a nuclear officer's job is mostly administrative. While I don't doubt my leadership abilities, this prospect, frankly, bores the hell out of me.

I guarantee that you will never, ever be permitted to be bored as a Junior Officer. 

[Marlin]

You will not be accepted unless they believe you have a good chance of making it, that does not mean it will be easy.

Create thinking and problem solving? It's the Nuclear Navy and all ways are Rickovers way even these many years after his passing.


No

Chief Petty Officers run the Navy on a daily basis, officers decide where it is going and when. Your first assignments will be as a division officer in charge of one of the MM EM and ET divisions, this will be an opportunity to learn to be a senior officer, which is what you and the Navy want. Nuclear power school is a prerequisite for command of a nuclear vessel, pilots who are on a career path to command a Carrier end up going to Nuke school as commanders (O-5). If you are going to consider Navy as a career the nuke part of it will be only part of it as an officer.

Not a carrier you must be a pilot, but any other nuclear powered ship after you grow up, but don't worry the Navy will do that for you.  

   After all of that bloviating I think one thing I omitted is that after you have done all of the nuclear division officer roles you will go on to "A" gang (non Nuke Mechanics) Weapons officer, then Engineer (in charge of all engineering roles nuke and non-nuke) then navigator, then executive officer and finally Commanding officer if you can cut the mustard. This is for line officers on subs you will have to talk to one of the "O" gangers on this site for info on other routes but you expressed an interest in comanding a ship.
   One of my exCOs ended up as the the vice president of boiling water reactors for Commonwealth Edison, three sites six reactors. Another one of my exCOs made Admiral and did a tour as the Commandant of the Naval Academy.
  To cut myself short before I rant on again, you need to look a little farther into your future as to where you want to end up.

[Khak-Hater]

Everyone covered your questions pretty well except for the topic of creative thinking.  Allow me to offer a slightly different perspective. 

You WILL NOT be allowed to "rewire" the reactor to increase reactor power.  I remember  when I went into the Nuke Navy I had visions of Capt. Kirk calling down to Scotty telling him to bypass the Dilithium Crystals so that they could restore warp drive.  Needless to say, I was disappointed about that part.  You will memorize the correct Navy Nuke definition of every word and term, the correct Navy equation for every problem, and the correct navy answer to each question.  There will be volumes of procedures and requirements that you will be forced to strictly adhere to during the performance of any and all tasks.  So, are you going to get many chances to re-engineer something?  No.

However, that's only one small aspect of the application of creative thinking.  There's plenty of room for creative thinking in the Nuke Navy when it comes to managing time and resources and getting work done [particlarly technical work].  As an officer, your job would primarily be to serve as a manager.  Now the root word in manager is manage.  A lot of people, including most managers and officers, think that being a manager involves sucking up to the next highest people in the chain of command, ordering the lower people around, and thrashing people when things don't work out the way that they thought that they should have.  This is a terrible misconception that many learn, apply for a lifetime, and take to the grave with them, particularly in the Navy.

A real manager manages.  He manages time, resources, people, personalities, regulatory requirements, operational needs, morale, and, above all else, the strengths and weaknesses of his subordinates and superiors.  Managing all of this also involves a lot of problem solving of complex technical issues intertwined with the ever-present network of requirements that you must meet.  So, no, we're not talking about business school management type stuff.  We're talking about real problem solving to get work done in a highly regulated technical work place.  To do that well, there's a lot of creative thinking involved. 

Are there officers in the Nuke Navy who are just "yes" men, sucking up to their superiors, pushing papers, doing what they're told, and following procedures?  Yes, probably the majority.  However, the few who were actually capable of thinking outside the box [but acting inside the box], who looked for the best allowable answer to each question, those were noteworthy men.   I remember every one of their names. 

As far as exceeding the blueshirts and/or Chiefs in technical knowledge, that's a mirage.  There is no exceeding someone else's knowledge.  Everyone knows something useful.  Can you become technically competent and earn their respect?  Yes.  Will you ever know more than all of them?  No, probably not [or you better hope not, because if you do, then that means that you have a bunch of losers working for you].  The nice thing about working with people who know things that you don't is that you never stop learning [provided that you keep the right attitude].

Good luck,

mgm

[Nukewarm]

No.  But you could start out in the Navy as Enlisted, go through A School, and then subsequently get picked up for an Officer program; that way you would end up having your cake and eating it too (i.e. being an Officer, and having gone through A School).
I wouldn't recommend vying to pull off this particular chain of events, though.  If you really want to be an Officer, then go Officer.

A lot of the people I've talked to about enlisting nuke seem to associate it to something along the lines of forced diamond mining in Africa. While the training available makes it tempting to go this route, so far I'm leaning towards staying as far away from the gates of hell as possible.

Thanks a lot for all of the very informative answers. The initial posts regarding the role and training of a nuke officer left me a little disheartened, but now I find myself back on the fence. I'll go see a recruiter and research this more on my own. Thanks again, and if anyone has anything to add I'd be glad to hear it.

Chris

[NukeNTO]

Talk to your recruiter about going on a VIP trip.  Then you can see it for your self and make the most informed decision possible.