Navy Nuke to Nuclear Engineer

[nukedad66]

Hi guys, I'm a father of a newly recruited Nuke.. He is set to ship out in March and he is very excited. While he and I both understand that the Navy's nuclear program does not make you a Nuclear Engineer in the civilian setting, we would like to know if the Navy's program benefits in anyway to obtaining that degree in Nuclear Engineering after the Navy. Do any of the Math and Sciences courses transfer from Nuke school to college work. Does successfully completing the Navy's program benefit you in getting accepted into a schools Nuclear program? Has anyone made this transition.. if so what kind of experiences did you have bridging the gap? Any and all information would be helpful! Thanks!

[sovbob]

It's been a generally accepted fact that joining the military is a great way to get an education, and it's true.  There's a multitude of options available to your son.

There's NCPACE (Navy College Program for Afloat College Education) in which active duty sailors can take college courses while underway.  This includes CD-ROM, correspondence, online, and in some cases with large ships, actual college instructors teaching the course.
https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/ncp/pace.cfm

The newly revised GI Bill (often referred to as the Post-9/11 GI Bill) provides an outstanding amount of funding for active duty sailors and veterans.  It effectively pays for 4 years of tuition, housing, and books, after 90 days of active duty (with an honorable discharge).
http://www.gibill.va.gov/

But you were asking about how the Navy Nuclear Program can benefit him in as far as moving on to a degree in nuclear engineering.  Well, the ACE (American Council for Education) recommends up to 31 college credit hours for successful completion of the nuke program.  Note that it is only a recommendation.  It is up to the individual schools how much (if any) credit they will award.
http://www.militaryguides.acenet.edu/ShowAceOccupations.asp?aceid=NWO-740X-002

The single fastest path to a 4-year college degree for a navy nuke is the TESC (Thomas Edison State College) BSAST (Bachelor of Science in Applied Science and Technology) in Nuclear Engineering Technology.  It's an accredited institute of higher education in Trenton, NJ that specializes in distance learning.  Nearly all of the credits required for the TESC degree are satisfied by the Navy Nuke program, and only a few courses are needed to complete the degree.
http://www.tesc.edu/2618.php

There are a number of other "military friendly" colleges throughout the United States, many of them have representatives on the base in the Navy College Office.  The best way to find out if a particular college accepts military training credit is by giving them a call and asking an admissions counselor.

When your son gets out, a very useful document will be his SMART (Sailor / Marine ACE Registry Transcript), which will document all of the training he's ever received while on active duty.  It includes non-traditional sources such as advancement exams, as well as traditional sourses such as NCPACE and Nuclear Power School.
https://smart.navy.mil/

[nukedad66]

Thank you so much for the extensive post. I'll be reading up on as much of this as possible.. one questiong however, which I couldn't find an answer to upon initial research.. is what jobs are available to an individual once they recieve the TESC BSAST. What jobs would they be considered for being hired based on having this degree?

[Fermi2]

Thank you so much for the extensive post. I'll be reading up on as much of this as possible.. one questiong however, which I couldn't find an answer to upon initial research.. is what jobs are available to an individual once they recieve the TESC BSAST. What jobs would they be considered for being hired based on having this degree?

Nothing that wouldn't be available without the degree.

[JustinHEMI05]

Nothing that wouldn't be available without the degree.

I agree. At least if you are talking a job in the utilities.

[co60slr]

what jobs are available to an individual once they receive the TESC BSAST. What jobs would they be considered for being hired based on having this degree?

In the strictest definition, your son is not going to be a "Navy Nuclear Engineer" as an enlisted nuke without an engineering degree.  He's going to be a "Navy Nuclear Operator".  So, how one bridges the gap between NNPP Operations and civilian engineering (nuclear or non-nuclear) is a complicated topic, but yes a college degree will be required.  The transition between Navy Operations and Commercial Nuclear Operations does not require a technical degree, as posted already.

The academic path to the broadest range of technical opportunities, assuming your son has no clue what he wants to do after the Navy, is a full engineering degree.  If he wants to do nuclear research at a DOE lab, than a PhD or DE is required.  If you look at the various job postings floating around the Internet, you can see what employers are looking for in their technical candidates in 2009.  Some "need" a full engineering degree AND a Professional Engineer's (PE) License.   Others want "just" a technical degree (TESC, Excelsior, etc).  Also, he doesn't need a BSNE to work in nuclear...BSME, BSEE, etc. are also needed at nuclear sites, particularly in post-Navy federal employment, which seems to have the strictest academic requirements of any employer. 

If your son wants to transition from the Navy into Commercial Operations, then as posted already...a degree is not required by the NRC, but many other prerequisites have to be met.  However, any Utility can ask for "more" than what the NRC deems the minimum to be.  I believe that if your son doesn't get a degree, he will eventually find opportunities that are not available to him.  There's no secret here in the Nuclear World different than any other:  people without a degree eventually hit a "glass ceiling" in their careers.  Keep in mind there are MM2 sailors that left the Navy in 2009 with not only a technical degree, but several courses into their Master's degree.  As the 9/11 GI Bill gains momentum and colleges continue to offer more flexible, accredited engineering programs to young sailors, you have to consider what the Nuclear Industry will want and what the competition among job seekers will be in 2015, 2020, and beyond.  I suspect that what worked for some of us "NukeWorker Dinosaurs" will not hold true in all cases in years to come.

Finally, I saw few Navy Nukes leave the Navy for Commercial Operations over the last 20+ years, although 2009 seems to be a banner year to change that statistic.  A BSME or BSEE will provide a pathway to many non-nuclear opportunities.   As I posted elsewhere here, non-nuclear companies do offer job interviews based on having a strong nuclear background as "we" seem to have a reputation for technical ability and hard work regardless of the circumstances.  So, given that, I assume that is where your son is at...earning his reputation, finishing Boot Camp, A School, etc.  He should start thinking about long-term academic goals now; however, he needs to be the best at what he's being asked to do now.  If he doesn't obtain a Navy Nuclear NEC, then his nuclear career will be derailed.