Navy nuke/officer/age cutoff questions

[arcturusk1]

Hi there Nukeworker.  I found this site while googling info on the NUPOC program and was wondering if you folks could hear me out.

I'm 28 years old with a BS in Electrical Engineering, a minor in Physics, and a minor in East Asian Studies.  I graduated in 2006 with a 3.57 and immediately began work for a top 5, now top 10 Fortune 500 company.  I went through their engineering program designed for fresh-out engineers, but left the company afterwards due to numerous reasons.  After being out of work for a chunk of time, I found a job with a small solar company working in the renewable energy industry and love it.  Reflecting on my years, what I didn't like, what I did like, and what I'd like to do moving forward, I realize that I want to remain in a field that involves energy.  I'd like to have work in energy generation, transmission, or manipulation on a scale bigger than breadboards and o-scopes on a lab bench.  Whatever I do, it needs to involve in-person, hands-on work to some degree.  I simply must have that, otherwise I'll go nuts (and procrastinate) sitting at a computer all day.

I was interested in the NUPOC program back in 2008/2009, but didn't jump on it because I began a relationship with a great girl and had started my solar job.  I put aside the Navy as I poured myself into solar.  I don't regret that decision; however, in the past 1-1.5 years, I've been seriously and thoughtfully revisiting the thought of joining the Navy.  In particular, I was looking at potentially becoming a SEAL or going NUPOC.  I have spoken to a recruiter numerous times as well as an officer recruiter.  I've since thrown out the SEAL route because washing out sticks me as an E-3 at the "needs of the navy" and I have no desire to waste my ability chipping paint.  When I had spoken to the officer recruiter, he heavily encouraged me to go the officer route and go for Nuke school.  On that route, my goal would be Surface Warfare Officer.

At this point:
1) Is my age a concern?  It was my understanding that you must be 29 or younger to go the NUPOC route.  I meet this criterion, obviously, but will my age impact me in any way?
2) Given my age, what is my path should I go down this road?  Is it just the path put forward on the NUPOC site?
3) Am I completely off-base and NUPOC is only for college-students?
4) What other tests will I have to prepare for and take?  I took the ASVAB and scored a 99, but it's just the ASVAB, and I know there are far more difficult tests on the way.  How difficult are these?  In particular, I have a Navy Nuke study guide in PDF format, but I don't know what test to which it applies.  My fear is that being out of college for 6 years has made my skills rusty.  Will the Navy help me shake off that rust (like pre-test classes?) or is that something I'll need to study for on my own, like taking the GRE?
5) Can I/Should I go back to school and use the college money offered by the Navy to get my MS or a second degree?  If so I would either get an EE masters or BS in Mechanical Engineering.  Or would the Navy rather just take me and my work experience and go from there?
6) What do I get by going this route?  What bonuses, compensation, or college money, if any?  How hard should I press for all this to be in writing, and what do I do if I'm getting told that it can't be put into writing?  See "other notes #6" below.

Other notes:
1) Women are not in the picture.  I have no long-term girlfriend or wife.
2) I have no kids.
3) I have no house or house payment tying me down.
4) My truck is almost paid off and I have no other things tying me to this city.  I want to get out of here, anyway.
5) My boss is a former Navy Nuke (or sort of/similar), although he wasn't around for the structured program they have today.  I have spoken with him on this topic and he had good things to say about his time and did recommend going Navy Nuke.
6) I'm having some trust issues with the people to whom I have spoken.  I know the enlisted recruiter has buckets to fill, but as we spoke about bonuses and other things, when I said that I'd need things in writing he said he wouldn't/couldn't do that.

Final notes:
As it has been months since I last spoke with the enlisted recruiter, I decided to give the officer recruiter a call.  I left a voicemail for him on Friday and I'm awaiting his return call.  Is there anyone else I should be contacting to get this process moving?  I'd much rather cut out the middleman if possible, but this is the military after all, so I understand if that's not doable.

Am I on the right track with my thinking?  Thank you for reading this far!

~Mike

[HeavyD]

It's my understanding that NUPOC is an undergrad program, but GC is the SME on that.

Your best bet may be OCS (Officer Candidate School).  I wouldn't even talk to the enlisted recruiter, to be honest.  Unless less, of course, you WANT to be an enlisted (knuckle dragging technician and part time janitor) Nuke. 

Just my 2 cents as a retired enlisted Navy Nuke

[cheme09]

It's my understanding that NUPOC is an undergrad program, but GC is the SME on that.

Your best bet may be OCS (Officer Candidate School).  I wouldn't even talk to the enlisted recruiter, to be honest.  Unless less, of course, you WANT to be an enlisted (knuckle dragging technician and part time janitor) Nuke. 

Just my 2 cents as a retired enlisted Navy Nuke

NUPOC is the label they use for OCS/ODS candidates accepted into a those 4 specific nuclear designators.

Just an FYI to the OP, 29 is the age limit for when you earn your comission, not for when you apply or get accepted.  It is also common to hear of some applications taking upwards of a year to process/get an inteview/class up.  So just keep that in mind.

No test needed for NUPOC.  You simply have to screen for an interview, and pass your two or three technical interviews and the final interview with the ADM.  The study guides are there to help you review for your technical interviews.

If you apply and get accepted, you'll get all the same benefits of the NUPOC program except for the extra TIS and money you would have accrued if you entered as a student.

[arcturusk1]

Thanks Heavy; that was my thought process as well.  I think it would fit with my degree (to some extent) and would be a challenging route.  I chuckled at the enlisted joke.    Haven't heard from the officer recruiter yet, so I'm going to follow up and give him another ring.

Just an FYI to the OP, 29 is the age limit for when you earn your comission, not for when you apply or get accepted.  It is also common to hear of some applications taking upwards of a year to process/get an inteview/class up.  So just keep that in mind.

No test needed for NUPOC.  You simply have to screen for an interview, and pass your two or three technical interviews and the final interview with the ADM.  The study guides are there to help you review for your technical interviews.

If you apply and get accepted, you'll get all the same benefits of the NUPOC program except for the extra TIS and money you would have accrued if you entered as a student.

Forgive me if this sounds dumb, but I don't quite understand what is meant by earning my commission.  Is that when I'm fully considered to be an officer?

Thanks for the info on the technical interviews and screening; the study guide then makes sense looking at it from that framework.  Are the tech interviews considered very difficult?  I'm trying to get a feel for how much time I'll need to invest as I'd rather start preparing sooner rather than later.

Regarding the perks/benefits, what's TIS?  And it sounds like I missed the student money, but no big deal as that's obviously well behind me.

[HeavyD]

TIS - Time In Service

Military payscale is based on paygrade and total TIS.

http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/militarypaytables.html

Being an officer in the Navy is NOT being an engineer or an operator in a civilian plant.  As an officer, you are a leader charged with managing various programs required of the Nuclear Navy, as well as the military obligations that the Navy imposes on you.  If you have no desire to be held accountable for the actions of 20-100 other people for everything that they do not only at work but in their private lives as well, do NOT even think about being an officer.

Being an officer with Naval Reactors (NR) is a completely different beast, however.  My interaction with them was varying, but they worked primarily as liaisons to the DNR's (Director of Naval Reactors) office in D.C.  It is my understanding that NR does indeed have some personnel that work in traditional engineering roles.  Again, those types of questions are better answered by GC.

Think about what is best for YOU; our opinions are simply that, opinions.  We base them on our previous experiences, but you mileage will vary.  Ask yourself what you want to accomplish;  lead men and women while being gone a good portion of the time from friends and family or get started in a civilian plant as an operator or engineer.  I realize these statements don't answer your questions completely, but if we did you would miss out on the fun to be had when you screw things up  

[cheme09]

Forgive me if this sounds dumb, but I don't quite understand what is meant by earning my commission.  Is that when I'm fully considered to be an officer?

Once you apply to NUPOC (submit all the paperwork to your recruiter), your package which may or may not include your physicals is sent to the NUPOC screeners.  If they decide you're good enough to get invited to an interview then you will receive an interview date.

You will go to all your interviews on that date.  Before you leave DC you'll know whether or not you are accepted.  If you're accepted you'll then wait for an OCS date.  You earn your commission upon graduation from OCS.  That is when you will officially be a freshly minted Ensign of the US Navy.  Time in OCS will vary depending on your performance or any injuries.

You mentioned earlier about going SEALs, that you didn't want to be on the hook as an E-3.  Well, technically, if you don't make it through OCS and drop out, you are held liable for the time already committed to.  This time will be served as an E-3.  I think it's like 5 years.

[arcturusk1]

Sorry for the delay.  I was back in my hometown celebrating the holiday with my folks.  I hope you all have had an enjoyable Thanksgiving.

I realize these statements don't answer your questions completely, but if we did you would miss out on the fun to be had when you screw things up

Absolutely, that's part of what makes life fun and exciting.    Thanks for your responses.  Your comments about leading men and women is spot-on and a sobering reminder of the position.  It doesn't make me shy away from it, though.  It's just something important that I will need to keep in mind.  And I'm not looking for just a civilian engineering position.  I may have hinted at wanting only that and that was unintentional.  If I'm accepted, I want to make full use of as much hands-on time as I can.  Obviously I can't know fully what I'm getting myself into, but I expect to have a great many...interesting...life experiences.

As for family and friends impact, that's really low on my list of negatives.  I'd be leaving behind one very good friend and roommate; the rest of my buddies are getting married (and subsequently dropping off the social scene) and/or moving out of this wasteland anyway.  As for my family, I will simply see them when I get a chance to see them.

Cheme, I appreciate you clearing that up, and thanks for your last few sentences.  That will be good motivation.