I am also a rising junior, but majoring in Mechanical Engineering. I am applying for the NUPOC as we speak, with my Chief hopefully sending in the final paperwork by the end of the week. That being said, I have not put any time into the service so I can't critize what you have shared, but I will try my best to provide some information of my process thus far. Most members who have seen time won't appreciate your reasonings and I will touch on that. I haven't gotten awarded the program, I am speaking through my research, findings, other members first hand accounts, and information told to me by my Chief.
The Air Force doesn't wont consider me due to where I was in the process when I backed out before. Looking at other options the Navy's Nuclear program is most inline with my education and career goals while allowing me to serve of any branch.
This doesn't make full sense. How would the NUPOC help you in any other branch? Do you wish to join other branches of service? If so, you will have crossed AF off the list (maybe a dashed line) and then casually go into the Nukes before maybe joining the Army Rangers or something? Just no. If you are trying to scratch the itch to serve you originally had, there are other programs that are well suited for that besides the NUPOC. The Navy provides the NUPOC for those specifically qualified and specifically motivated towards the program.
So for my questions regarding the NUPOC program. The physical requirements for the program state that a physical fitness test is required. How far into the process do you have before you have to take their physical fitness test, and what standards do you have to pass with? While I am in pretty good health, exercise has been lax since I stopped prepping for the Air Force BMT. I also have issues with push-ups, I curse my long skinny arms. I know I could pass the running and sit-up portions of a PRT with a satisfactory to good score with a few weeks of training its the push-up portion that would take me several months to bring up.
A little searching does wonders. This answers more than you have asked, but the answer is thorough and well put together to answer any questions you may have looming.
From the Purdue Website.......Same program at other Universities.
United States Navy Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate (NUPOC) Program
The U.S. Navy provides money for college through the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate (NUPOC) Program. Qualified Purdue students can earn up to $2,700 per month for 30 months as a full-time student living in the West Lafayette area. An additional $15,000 signing is available for some students. You may apply as early as your sophomore year after completing one academic year of calculus and one academic year of calculus based physics.
Following graduation from Purdue, you will be commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy and serve as a Naval Reactors Engineer in Washington, D.C.; as a Nuclear Power Instructor at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command in Charleston, South Carolina; or as a Nuclear Trained Officer on board a submarine or aircraft carrier.
Academic Qualifications – Must have completed 2 semesters of Calculus and 2 semesters of Calculus based Physics, G.P.A. of 2.8 and a C average in Calculus and Physics. You can be pursuing any degree.
Physical Qualifications – Must be with the Navy’s height and weight standards. No serious medical problems including asthma, and be able to run 1.5 miles in under 12:30, complete 50 sit-ups and 45 push-ups for men and 30 push-ups for women.
Moral Qualifications – No serious police involvement, and no serious drug use.
Benefits:
* Full salary while completing your degree
* Full medical and dental coverage as a student
* While finishing your degree you earn vacation time that carries over to active duty
* Commissioned as a Naval Officer upon receiving you degree and completing Officer Candidate School (OCS).
* Guaranteed employment with one of the world’s largest Nuclear Engineering programs
* Fully funded graduate programs with pay.
* Leadership position from the start.
Training:
* 13 weeks in Pensacola, Florida where you earn a commission as a Navy Officer.
* 12 Months of graduate level courses in Nuclear, Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, Thermodynamics, and Physics
* 3 years running a Nuclear Power facility and managing a large staff of very bright Nuclear trained enlisted members of the Navy
From Another website:
Age: At least 19 and less than 29 years of age at the time of commissioning. Waivers may be considered on a case basis for those who would not exceed 31 at commissioning.
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I put this info up to help anyone else regarding NUPOC.
As you can see, it is a college program for those currently in school. In your case, you already have multiple degrees. So........all you really need to do is to contact a Navy Officer Recruiter and tell him you want to join the Navy Nuclear program. You will then be off to OCS==>Nuclear Power School==>Protoype==>Basic Sub School==>USS Submarine (If you want to be Submariner) -OR- OCS==>Surface Warfare Officer School==>Conventional Surface Ship for initial sea tour ==>Nuclear Power School==>Protoype==>USS Aircraft Carrier (If you want to be nuclear Surface Warfare Officer).
The other question I had is how much consideration is given to the school and program you are in? My school isn't well known or in my opinion very difficult. I fear my good GPA might mean less due to my school. That said I am pretty we have had a student go to the Navy as part of the NUPOC program just before I started back but I think he triple majored or something in physics, math, and computer science.
I am not familiar with your school, or the school mentioned in the upcoming link, but I can tell you my school is relatively small as well. Definitely not a deterrent (assuming your school is comparable to this)
http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,22505.0.htmlI am mainly interested in the NUPOC program for the path it will lead to after graduation, while having the Navy pay for the rest of my school would be nice, I am not dependent on that situation.
As I said before, you are answering your own life question here. Your main reason to join is already your biggest reason to reconsider. Join the Navy Nukes because it is what you want to do, not because you think you'll land a sweet paying job afterwards. IF you want to join the lucrative world of nuclear power, there are plenty of plants that would like to hire local people and train them to specific needs. I may be wrong, but from my casual perousing of the jobs section of the site (which you could've done) an operator with sufficient OT make more money in the private nuclear industry than, say, someone like me, who could potentially have a ME degree 15 years removed with 15 years of nuclear officer experience.
Here is a link to the first post I had on the site about private sector qualifications leaving the service after NUPOC.
http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,36698.msg174378.html#msg174378Interesting reply pertaining to your specific needs:
- After how many years of being an active Naval Nuclear Officer will be equivalent experience to obtain a Nuclear Engineering job in the private sector (aka is it at all equivalent to Nuclear engineering degree)
Unless you're NRE, then none. Not equivalent.
If the physical aspect is the only thing I end up lacking in can I be accepted per say without receiving benefits till I meet the physical training requirements?
Not completely sure, but If I had to guess I would say no.