NR program question

[lucidglassj]

I am thinking about doing the NR program. My girlfriend and her family does not want me to be assigned to a ship or submarine. I know the NR's don't do either of those but my question is: will I be able to be guaranteed an NR spot before I sign the dotted line or after? Her family is worried that the recruiters will tell me there is a spot open, then I will sign up for the navy, then they'll say that you have to go on a ship now.

I don't know the exact process from expressing interest in the navy to actually becoming an NR. If someone could explain that too, that would be helpful.

[HydroDave63]

but my question is: will I be able to be guaranteed an NR spot before I sign the dotted line or after?

Neither

[lucidglassj]

Could you explain? When will you really know your are absolutely in the NR program?

[HydroDave63]

Could you explain? When will you really know your are absolutely in the NR program?

A 5 second yahoo search yielded the following:

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/officerjo2/a/reactors.htm

[IPREGEN]

It is nice to consider what your girlfriend and her parents want, but make your own decisions. The Navy is all about the sea, shore duty is an incentive used to get people to reenlist after having served at sea, it is possible but remember, the Navy only guarantees to satisfy the needs of the Navy, if it matches yours fine, if not, Navy trumps your needs

[G-reg]

The Navy will not acquiesce to terms/conditions that you dictate to them.  If you join, then the Navy becomes the top boss.  Period.  In the Navy, failure to follow an order they give to you (including an order to a duty assignment type) is subject to Court Martial and many, many years in the Brig.

It's the military, kiddo - not a generic college/job placement gig.  If you're in, you're all the way in.  It certainly isn't for everybody.

[HydroDave63]

100 quatloos against.


On-topic: Original Poster, what do you believe makes you eligible for the NR program?

[War Eagle]

I replied to the original poster's PM but I figured I'd cut and paste for others:

In my experience, if your grades are superlative you may get invited to interview for an NR Engineer position.  The NR position is by no means guaranteed until the Admiral selects you.  Selection depends on your performance in the technical interviews and a final interview with Admiral Donald.  The interview occurs shortly before your commissioning as a Naval Officer, so I really don't think there is a way to be guaranteed an NR position before you are obligated to the Navy in some form or another (NROTC etc...).

I retired in December, but this is the way it worked when I was in.

Edit:  After reading HydroDave's link, it looks like there may be a direct route as well  (shrug). 

[lucidglassj]

So what your saying is that you get interviewed by Admiral Donald, get commissioned (assuming if he selects you), then find out you got selected?

[War Eagle]

No. What I'm saying is that in my experience people who are interviewing for NR Engineer or Nuclear Line Officer positions are already in the Navy in some fashion.  The information in the link that HydoDave provided leads me to believe that there is a way to interview as a civilian and then accept a commission if the Admiral selects you.  I am not familiar with that option, but that's the route I would go if you are interested in NR only.  Talk to an officer recruiter and ask him if there is a way to interview for an NR Engineer position only. 

You'll find out the results of your interview before you leave that day.

[HydroDave63]

We still have yet to hear what the candidate brings to the table.....

[NukeNTO]

For officer programs you get to pick up to 3 programs to apply for at once. If NR is all you want then only put 12201 on your app. If NR deems you worthy to interview you'll get your shot. But you'll know what you're interviewing for prior to signing on the dotted line.

[Fermi2]

Anyone who thinks his girlfriend and especially her family should have any input whatsoever doesn't belong in the industry, particularly NR.

[RDTroja]

Anyone who thinks his girlfriend and especially her family should have any input whatsoever doesn't belong in the industry, particularly NR.

BINGO!

[co60slr]

Anyone who thinks his girlfriend and especially her family should have any input whatsoever doesn't belong in the industry, particularly NR.

I know what our lead HR recruiter (i.e., retired master chief) would say.  (Laughing).

However, it is a rising trend is to have parents at a job interview.  One short example/discussion: 
http://blogs.jobdig.com/wwds/2007/04/20/helicopter-parents-invade-the-workplace/

Regardless, I hope we hear of the first instance in the NNPP.  Perhaps it'll go something like this:  "Dear ADM, Before I accept your offer for me to operate one of your nuclear reactors, my mother has a few questions for you.  Please contact her at XXXX".   

<grin>

Co60

[bradley535]

Goodness gracious, I feel bad for this guy. So far, all he's done is ask a few questions and already he's gotten harassed and thrown some negative Karma. How did this happen? Sure, a quick search on Google will net him the right answer, but that same search will net him three wrong answers too. He's asking for professional opinions as to which ones are correct, and he's come to, what should be, the right place.

I look through this post and see three different possible answers to his initial question. Even a retired NR officer offers up a "could be one way, could be another" answer; so I have to assume that it's a difficult question.

Edit:  After reading HydroDave's link, it looks like there may be a direct route as well  (shrug). 

He even gets slammed for his reason for asking; getting told:

Anyone who thinks his girlfriend and especially her family should have any input whatsoever doesn't belong in the industry, particularly NR.

Who really believes that? I'm sorry, but if you don't think your girlfriend/wife/husband should have an input on something that will impact the course of your life then it's a relationship you don't belong in, not an industry. The fact that he's kept his composure in the face of such harsh and unnecessary degradation tells me that he's got the maturity that is a sought after aspect of the nuclear industry (military AND commercial).

So I ask again, how did this guy get hammered, ridiculed, and marked out for bad Karma? He's got valid questions and has done nothing but ask those questions in a civil manner.

I don't know the exact process from expressing interest in the navy to actually becoming an NR. If someone could explain that too, that would be helpful.

Could you explain? When will you really know your are absolutely in the NR program?

So what your saying is that you get interviewed by Admiral Donald, get commissioned (assuming if he selects you), then find out you got selected?

Yeah, this guy is a real jerk and a useless waste of time...?!

[War Eagle]

Even a retired NR officer offers up a "could be one way, could be another" answer; so I have to assume that it's a difficult question.

When did I say I was an NR Officer?  I was a submarine Engineer Officer who dealt with NR quite a bit on my last shore duty.  I was never involved in recruiting or accessions. My experience is based on my interviews at NR and talking to headquarters folks from time to time.  That's why I recommended he go to an officer recruiter; I don't know all paths to an NR Engineer position.

[HydroDave63]

"Oooooh, too bad about the Navy Officer and NR thing, huh?"

"Yeah, too bad."

, my hero for the day!!! That was awesome!

[co60slr]

Who really believes that? I'm sorry, but if you don't think your girlfriend/wife/husband should have an input on something that will impact the course of your life then it's a relationship you don't belong in, not an industry. The fact that he's kept his composure in the face of such harsh and unnecessary degradation tells me that he's got the maturity that is a sought after aspect of the nuclear industry (military AND commercial).

So I ask again, how did this guy get hammered, ridiculed, and marked out for bad Karma? He's got valid questions and has done nothing but ask those questions in a civil manner.

Perhaps some of us have seen some take advice from girlfriends without thinking the situation through only to find in the end that there's no girlfriend and no career.  I think that to varying degrees of articulation, everyone is trying to get the individual to think outside the box for a moment towards the bigger picture.

Oh...and if he can't handle this level of mild banter, then I doubt he'll make it through the much more difficult and demanding subject interviews.   Perhaps that is what others are concluding here as well...who may have sat in "the chair" before. ;-)

I conclude that everyone here is trying to help him in their own way/style and get him to really think about what he's asking about.   (Being able to ask the right questions...outside the one you think you need to ask is a path to success).  However, since your post attests to his maturity and readiness for any nuclear power career, one can only conclude you're in a direct position to offer "Plan B" when he doesn't make the NNPP interviews and no longer has a girlfriend giving him advice?  

There are many unanswered questions that only the poster can digest in the end.  "Why do I want to work for NR?", "Why do I want to be a Naval Officer that doesn't want to go to sea?", "How much weight should I give my girlfriend's desires about our future?", etc.

Does the poster know that NR civilian jobs are also posted USAJOBs?  Does the poster know that other civilian nuclear job opportunities are available in the DOE and DOD throughout the country?   Based on other threads, I guess we'd also have to ask if the poster thinks he can get a security clearance.

In the end, I think the poster has all the information/advice needed to pursue his advertised goal.

Co60

[Arpydave]

I am thinking about doing the NR program. My girlfriend and her family does not want me to be assigned to a ship or submarine.

Be sure to get her name tattooed on you (hey, maybe even all members of her family's, too) before you sign up for the Nav.

20 years from now it may be all that remains of her, except memories and missed opportunities.

[bradley535]

I do have to admit that the scenario that Marssim puts out there is, one; scary and, two; not uncommon. That being said, I'm not about to try to discuss someone else's decision to include/exclude personal bias based on outside romantic inputs. I'm just saying that if someone is important to you then their desires should have an influence on your life, because your decisions will have an impact on theirs. I didn't join the Navy until very late in life, so that I could stay with my girlfriend... I later married her and we've just celebrated our 10-year. I don't know what lucid's situation is, but I know that I would ask before tearing him a new one. (Side note: lucid, Marssim has made a very valid point in his example. Make sure it doesn't apply to you.)

War Eagle, sorry for the assumption. I extrapolated data from Marssim's references about you being the in-the-know guy for NR positions and your input shortly thereafter. My statement still stands about the initially posed question being a difficult one.

All said and told, lucid, make sure that you do a lot of research before making your decision. Getting into the nuclear industry is a great challenge, an excellent area for personal growth, and an outstanding financial choice for a stable and comfortable future. If your girlfriend is an integral part of your life, involve her in these decisions. My wife was not real thrilled about me joining the Navy, but when she saw how important it was to me she was very supportive. It may have taken close to ten years and life changing events, but once we agreed on the decision she was all I could ever need every time I needed her (and that was often).

Good luck and keep us posted.

[War Eagle]

War Eagle, sorry for the assumption. I extrapolated data from Marssim's references about you being the in-the-know guy for NR positions and your input shortly thereafter. My statement still stands about the initially posed question being a difficult one.

No problem at all.    I just wanted to make sure people didn't think I was from headquarters.   

I talked to a former nuclear officer recruiter today who was very knowledgeable about the process of direct applications to NR.  According to him, direct applications are very selective. He mentioned GPA's of 3.8 and up from highly ranked schools as a starting point in the application process.  He's been out of the loop for a couple years, so I would find someone who is more current.  The original poster's best bet is to talk to a recruiter and be direct about only wanting the NR Engineer position.   

[NukeNTO]

You can go direct to NR thru NUPOC if your competetive AND have the background they need. So if they need an EE and you're an ME you might be out of luck. I know as of today they need three more guys for NR and two instructors for this year, so if your interested apply soon or you may be waiting until October.

[greenbean]

Quick question about the last post. Is there a way to find out how many spots for a particular Nuke billet are open for a given month? Is it true that the Navy starts the "new year" in October and have the largest amount of openings then?

Besides talking to a recruiter, is there a way to access these lists of "needed new hires" for a particular field?

[Gamecock]

Quick question about the last post. Is there a way to find out how many spots for a particular Nuke billet are open for a given month? NO
Is it true that the Navy starts the "new year" in October YES   and have the largest amount of openings then?   NO

Besides talking to a recruiter, is there a way to access these lists of "needed new hires" for a particular field? NO