Here's Sovbob's Free Advice on How to Make Your Navy Experience a Good One(tm)
RTC (Recruit Training Command)First of all, let me assure you that
nowhere in the navy is anything like boot camp. It's a world unto itself. Tons of military bearing and very anal-retentive. It's intended to be that way, because it's your first taste of military life. Yes, nukes do catch a bit of flak. Pretty much everybody who has heard anything about nukes says the same thing. "Yeah they're smart, but they have no common sense." Just brush it off, they're jealous.
You'll find that boot camp is very very simple. It's been watered down so that even the dumbest box of rocks can comprehend how it works. When I say "One" you put your right foot forward. When I say "Two" you put your left foot forward. You would be amazed how long it takes some people to grasp that concept.
In order to have the best possible time in boot camp, don't do anything to attract attention. That generally means keep your head down, shut up, keep moving. If your uniform is messed up, or you didn't shave that morning, you will most assuredly attract attention.
NNPTC (Naval Nuclear Power Training Command)Here's where the real test begins. There are a thousand different reasons why a person can have a bad experience at nuke school, but they generally fall into two major categories. Academic and Military.
As far as academics is concerned, you will have a
lot of information thrown at you. If you fall behind, there's a good chance you'll never catch up. Try to
understand the information rather than just memorizing it. Some people have been able to pass by brute-force memorization, but they tend to get lower scores and they have to work harder to pass tests. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Lots of people struggle (including myself) at nuke school.
As far as military discipline is concerned, you'll find that the requirements at NNPTC are relaxed compared to boot camp, but still have high standards. It shouldn't be too hard.
But far more important, you will find students who get in trouble when they're not in school. Underage drinking is a very big problem and you will read about students going to Captain's Mast all the time for it. If you're underage, don't even think about it. If you're of age, drink responsibly. And for God's sake don't supply it to the underage guys.
Students get in trouble a lot on T-track (the transition time between A-school and Power School), since they find they have a lot of time on their hands, especially if they're waiting for their security clearance which can sometimes take months. Be vigilant, watch your back, and don't do anything stupid. A lot of bright promising careers have been flushed down the toilet because "it seemed like a good idea at the time."
NPTU (Nuclear Power Training Unit)Another hurdle that you must face, and a largely different animal. NNPTC was full of academics and theory, but prototype is largely hands-on. It's much less structured than NFAS and NPS. Some people thrive in this environment, and some people don't.
At prototype, it definitely helps to make friends with the staff. While the staff at NNPTC was strictly governed in how they can treat students, prototype staff have much more...discretion about how to treat students. You'll find in general that the staff has a distaste for students (mostly borne of cynicism).
The absolute biggest no-no you can do at prototype is act cocky. If you go in there acting like you know everything, you might think it's confidence but they might think it's arrogance. And there is nothing that a prototype staff member likes to do more than chop the legs off an arrogant student.
At prototype, you get to choose how you spend your time. Don't overstudy, and don't waste time.
Make friends, and don't piss off the staff.
THE FLEETWell, if you've made it this far, you can pat yourself on the back. Only about 50% of all nuclear applicants who start the training pipeline ever get this...oh...oh wait, I'm sorry. I was thinking of the
OLD navy nuke program. These days the attrition rate is closer to 10%
So you made it this far. Got your shiny brand-new NEC that tells the world (or at least the detailer) that you are a bona-fide nuke. You are one cool guy.
Not so fast. Once again, you're the FNG (f*ckin' new guy) and you've got to earn the respect of a whole new group of people. Remember, every single person in your division has accomplished what you accomplished, so they won't be impressed by it. And every non-nuke onboard still has that lingering grudge towards those of the nuclear persuasion.
When you first show up to your new command, first impressions are important. The single most important aspect of your performance (for the first year onboard) will be the status of your qualifications. If you're smart, dedicated, hard-charger, you'll impress the people you work with. If not, you will quickly be crushed.
Like most things, you'll find there's varying levels of quality in all crew members onboard. Try to associate yourself with the "dependable achievers" instead of the "sh*tbags".
With that in mind, here's a quote from another posting by 20 Years Gone and you would be wise to remember them, even if they don't all make sense to you right now:
Have him write down the following on a 3x5 card, stick in his wallet, and refer to them often as he progresses.
The 14 Nuclear Commandments
1. Never allow yourself to go dink
2. Never gundeck PMS
3. Never backdoor your supervisor
4. Never do anything that causes you to lose respect for yourself
5. Never mess around with another sailors wife (or husband)
6. Never sleep on watch
7. Never believe your time/sleep/liberty is better than someone elses
8. Never convince yourself there is too much stress
9. Always make the best of liberty
10. Always give officers their due respect
11. Always, when you feel you're right, stick to your guns
12. Always, when proven wrong, accept it and change
13. Always give 100%
14. Always remember your commitment is to your country.
P.S. About those USNA friends of yours, I wouldn't count on them having much influence over your career unless they're at least O-5, or personal friends with the officers in your chain of command.
