STA-21 questions

[kwagner38]

I was looking at applying for STA-21 next year.  I am on a sea going command and was wondering if they would give waivers to apply for the nuke program since i am not a student or staff in the pipeline anymore.  I tried looking for this answer but came out empty handed.

[spekkio]

I was looking at applying for STA-21 next year.  I am on a sea going command and was wondering if they would give waivers to apply for the nuke program since i am not a student or staff in the pipeline anymore.  I tried looking for this answer but came out empty handed.

I wasn't aware you weren't allowed to apply for nuke in STA-21 after the initial training pipeline. As far as I knew, you were restricted to nuke during NPTU and then could apply for whatever URL designator you wanted, including nuke, thereafter.

Where are you reading otherwise?

[kwagner38]

Enlisted Source: Due to the high priority of nuclear officer recruiting, a specific number of STA-21 seats are reserved for enlisted personnel who have successfully completed or are enrolled in the nuclear power training pipeline. The only applicants eligible to apply for this option are those who are currently:

enrolled in Naval Nuclear Power School (NAVNUPWRSCOL) or Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit (NAVNUPWRTRAU); or assigned to NAVNUPWRTRACOM as sea returnee instructor.
As per NAVADMIN 070/13, all Nuclear trained personnel assigned to Nuclear Training Command or  hold Nuclear NEC 335X, 336X, 338X, 338X, and 339X, must obtain a conditional release from Nuclear duty by submitting NAVPERS 1306/7 to OPNAV (N133) via their detailer (PERS-403).  The release must be included in their application package.

I may be interpreting it wrong but to me it sounds as if I have to still be stationed as an instructor or a student

[MMM]

Enlisted Source: Due to the high priority of nuclear officer recruiting, a specific number of STA-21 seats are reserved for enlisted personnel who have successfully completed or are enrolled in the nuclear power training pipeline. The only applicants eligible to apply for this option are those who are currently:

enrolled in Naval Nuclear Power School (NAVNUPWRSCOL) or Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit (NAVNUPWRTRAU); or assigned to NAVNUPWRTRACOM as sea returnee instructor.
As per NAVADMIN 070/13, all Nuclear trained personnel assigned to Nuclear Training Command or  hold Nuclear NEC 335X, 336X, 338X, 338X, and 339X, must obtain a conditional release from Nuclear duty by submitting NAVPERS 1306/7 to OPNAV (N133) via their detailer (PERS-403).  The release must be included in their application package.

I may be interpreting it wrong but to me it sounds as if I have to still be stationed as an instructor or a student

That OR is a big thing. Hopefully Gamecock will clear this up, but I think you can still apply for nuke officer as long as you meet the age requirement. Regardless, as a nuke you will need a conditional release to apply for any officer program.

[spekkio]

Enlisted Source: Due to the high priority of nuclear officer recruiting, a specific number of STA-21 seats are reserved for enlisted personnel who have successfully completed or are enrolled in the nuclear power training pipeline. The only applicants eligible to apply for this option are those who are currently:

enrolled in Naval Nuclear Power School (NAVNUPWRSCOL) or Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit (NAVNUPWRTRAU); or assigned to NAVNUPWRTRACOM as sea returnee instructor.
As per NAVADMIN 070/13, all Nuclear trained personnel assigned to Nuclear Training Command or  hold Nuclear NEC 335X, 336X, 338X, 338X, and 339X, must obtain a conditional release from Nuclear duty by submitting NAVPERS 1306/7 to OPNAV (N133) via their detailer (PERS-403).  The release must be included in their application package.

I may be interpreting it wrong but to me it sounds as if I have to still be stationed as an instructor or a student

Interesting. it could mean that there are spots reserved specifically for people in the nuke training pipeline or staff at these commands, whereas you go into a different pool for normal applicants.

However, come to think of it, I've never had a nuke apply for STA-21 nuke option at sea. They usually want to bolt from the community given the opportunity, especially after what they see sub officers have to go through. The STA-21 grads I served with got accepted to the program in prototype, except one guy in my prototype class who had silver dolphins...don't know when he got picked up, though.

I'd say ask your CCC, but the several CCCs we had were only interested in reenlistment numbers and were useless as tits on a bull for guidance on commissioning applications. Your best bet is to find an officer who commissioned through STA-21 and who is familiar with the process.

[VCSInstNuke]

I applied for and was accepted to STA-21 back in 2004. At that time the only personnel eligible for the nuke option were students and staff and either prototype or power school / A-school. The rules could have changed since then, but that was the case at the time. Good luck, and if you don't get accepted the first time, try and try again. Most people that I dealt with that were not accepted simply didn't take the time to see the application process all the way through. It's not the easiest thing to navigate, and folks would just give up on it when they hit a snag.

[HeavyD]

Having discussed this with Officer reps from BUPERS during a command visit (mid 2010, so take it for what it's worth), those "ORs" are in there specifically to set aside Nuke officer billets in STA-21.  The mindset behind this is that at those points, there is a higher degree of certainty that an individual will be able to complete Power School and Prototype as an officer candidate, due to their prior success.

Most people that I dealt with that were not accepted simply didn't take the time to see the application process all the way through. It's not the easiest thing to navigate, and folks would just give up on it when they hit a snag.

Same LCDR said that this is intentional.  If you can't follow the instructions provided, then this serves as an early and easy means of screening personnel.  Agree or not, it would seem to hold some merit.

Your Departmental Career Counselor "should" be able to help you.  Of course, if you are on a sub, there may be only 1 Career Counselor (former carrier Career Counselor here).  I didn't give 2 $hit$ if you reenlisted or not because i didn't get any kind of reward or kickback for it.  What I did care about was that every sailor who came to me had all the information they needed in order to make the best choice for THEM.

Best of luck, and thank you for serving!

[Gamecock]

That OR is a big thing. Hopefully Gamecock will clear this up, but I think you can still apply for nuke officer as long as you meet the age requirement. Regardless, as a nuke you will need a conditional release to apply for any officer program.

You can apply STA-21 and go core...then get selected for nuke during service selection prior to commissioning.

The only folks who can get nuke option are the ones stationed at the training commands (staff or student).

Cheers,
GC

[spekkio]

Of course, if you are on a sub, there may be only 1 Career Counselor (former carrier Career Counselor here).  I didn't give 2 $hit$ if you reenlisted or not because i didn't get any kind of reward or kickback for it.  What I did care about was that every sailor who came to me had all the information they needed in order to make the best choice for THEM.

Some cone E-6's need eval bullets like that to make chief.

[Adamdg51]

However, come to think of it, I've never had a nuke apply for STA-21 nuke option at sea. They usually want to bolt from the community given the opportunity, especially after what they see sub officers have to go through.

I realize this is a bit off topic, but could you elaborate on what exactly nuke sub officers have to go through?

[GLW]

I realize this is a bit off topic, but could you elaborate on what exactly nuke sub officers have to go through?

I do not believe the English language can elaborate on that topic with justice,...

It has to be witnessed,...or lived,...to understand,...




Hayashi & Rabe........at Okhotsk,....

[HydroDave63]

I realize this is a bit off topic, but could you elaborate on what exactly nuke sub officers have to go through?

Watertight hatches, and sometimes "Bluenose"

[spekkio]

I realize this is a bit off topic, but could you elaborate on what exactly nuke sub officers have to go through?

Similar hours in port (albeit very different jobs), much more work underway buried under a pile of admin, mission reports, and often reinventing the wheel inbetween watches, which generally means less sleep. Other people I've talked to also had off-watch EOOWs man the scope, so they essentially stood 10-12 hours of watch, with 6 hours off to do everything else before repeating, and if there was a mando meeting or two in there then he just wasn't sleeping that day. Higher expectations of performance, and your CoC will often expect you to know stuff and be able to perform your duties without anyone actually teaching you how to do them.

Not insurmountable, but not a career that someone looking for a prompt jump in quality of life will usually pursue, particularly if he doesn't have a passion for sitting at a desk in a 5'x5' room making announcements over a microphone, conning a submarine, and manning a periscope. But at least you're not in the Korengal Valley circa 2007-2009, so it could be worse -- you could be sleep deprived and take fire every day in the middle of nowhere.