NNPTC Information

[jamster777]

Hello.

I have been reading this forum for quite some time, and I find the information here very useful.  I have a few questions though. 

I am currrently in the NUPOC program, and I'm heading off to OCS in January.  I know what to expect at OCS from the OTC website, but I have no idea what to expect at NPS.  I cannot find an informative website about what to expect.  Can you guys help me with or simple questions, or point me to where I can get the answers?

1.  I gather that the enlisted students are required to live on base.  Is that true for officers as well?

2.  Do you get to choose where to go for the prototype training, or do they just tell you?

3.  How often do new sections start at NPS?  I will finish OCS in April...how long will I have to wait before I start classes at NPS?

4.  I just graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in electrical engineering.  Can I expect the same level of difficulty at NPS?

I would appreciate any basic information you can give me.

Thanks.

[20 Years Gone]

Good Evening, and welcome to the adventure.  I'm not at NNPTC anymore, but left there fairly recently (last June) so can answer some of your questions.

1.  Officers enjoy a greater level of freedom than enlisted students.  We treat you as though you're a bit more responsible, and housing reflects this.  Married officer students can and do live in base housing, and this is a good thing, as you are very close to the exchange, commissary, school, gym, etc.  Single Officers generally have to live on the community, but are paid a housing allowance to help with the expense.  I recommend rooming with one or more of your peers.

2.  Prototype input is solicited, and of course they try to oblige, but in the end, there are only so many spots for each location.  I believe that married students who want to stay in Charleston have an advantage, as it's more economical to let them stay in housing than to move them out, and have to refurbish the housing for the next arrival.  Class standing is also a factor.

3.  Enlisted sections start every 6 weeks, but I thought Officers classed up every twelve.  A little help here?  BUT, your security clearance must be completed prior to classing up, so if you're coming in on waivers, or there are questionable skeletons in the closet, you might be obliged to wait a cycle.

4.  NPS is harder.  The material doesn't have a higher level of difficulty, but the speed you are expected to consume it is an order of magnitude up.  Expect long days, and long evenings studying.  Get out on Friday afternoon through Sunday mornings, but expect to spend every night before an academic day in the schoolhouse studying.  You'll build a routine quickly enough, and there is plenty of help available.

   I hope this helps, and wish you the best of luck as an Officer and a Nuke.

[CharlieRock]

1.  Enlisted bachelors are required to live on base.  Married Officers are not.  In fact, the BOQ is so small that very few could even if they wanted to.  Married personnel will have a choice.  There was (6 months ago) no wait for 2/3 bedroom officer married housing.

2.  The above post on prototype is close to the mark.  Other things to consider are that all of the plants have periodic overhauls where they don't accept new students (you can't qualify) - this means that more students head to the prototype without a plant in overhaul.  Also, the last several  years have seen more people ask for SC than NY and the class loads have to split about evenly - so you may not get your choice.

3.  Officer/enlisted class up is in sync - every 6 weeks.  As the above post says , there may be a clearance delay.

4.  I disagree with the above post.  I think NPS is much easier than a EE program from a good university.  I went thru both sides (Officer and Enlisted).  The material is compressed and you'll be in school 6 hours a day( normally Officers can get last two study halls of the day off).