Future Nuke

[mtmcnair34]

Hello everyone,

I am new to this site and haven't seen the exact answer to my question.  I just got accepted into the Navy Nuke program and I leave for boot camp Jun 3.  I have a degree in Engineering and my GPA was a 3.1 out of 4.0,  I initially applied to become and officer and didn't make it.  I talked to my recruiter and he said that after I completed Nuke school enlisted and if I became and officer right after, I would have to go back to Nuke school in the Calculus based curriculum, which isn't a problem but that would mean that I would basically take 3-4 years of Nuke school, Algebra and Calculus based.  So my question is if I did have to go back to Nuke school when  I became an officer, would I just take a few courses that are more Calculus intensive or would I have to take every class over again?  Also at what time would I be able to start taking Master's level Nuclear Engineering courses and can I substitute Nuke School courses for some of the courses?  I don't mean to sound cocky in any type of way, I understand the Nuke School is a real intensive school Algebra or Calculus based.

[spekkio]

I talked to my recruiter and he said that after I completed Nuke school enlisted and if I became and officer right after, I would have to go back to Nuke school in the Calculus based curriculum, which isn't a problem but that would mean that I would basically take 3-4 years of Nuke school, Algebra and Calculus based. So my question is if I did have to go back to Nuke school when  I became an officer, would I just take a few courses that are more Calculus intensive or would I have to take every class over again? 

Nuke school is 6 months for officers, and I think 6 months for ET/EM and 3 months for MM. The curriculum is different, so you would go through twice, for a total of 1 year. However, there is quite a bit of overlap and you have an engineering degree, so if you do get picked up for officer out of prototype, you'll probably be one of the guys who is able to leave at 1600 almost everyday and still get nearly a 4.0 average. You won't 'place out' of any coursework.

There is very little calculus to be done in the curriculum outside of taking a condensed version of basic Calc I/II and Physics I/II, and once you get to prototype everything drops to the enlisted understanding of theory which includes no calculus at all. It was fun trying to get the EMs to actually try to understand motor/generator theory in checkouts.

Also at what time would I be able to start taking Master's level Nuclear Engineering courses

When you get out of the Navy.*

and can I substitute Nuke School courses for some of the courses?

No. Ironically, NPS 'accredits' thermodynamics on your SMART transcript (the piece of paper that tells civilians all the military training and education you've had), but they won't actually waive the class if you attend the university. In reality, the curriculum consists entirely of undergrad 100/200 level work applied specifically to Naval nuclear power plants, so it's more surprising that NPS would accredit anything at all. The only thing that makes the curriculum difficult is that you are in classes from 0700 - 1530 with a study hall hour on some days, and if you're a non-tech major like me then you have to learn like 5 different college-level subjects in 6 months.

*There are options to try to do this on shore duty, but it's not guaranteed. Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is the only one the Navy will pay for**, but it requires you to stick around for a DH tour. I'm not sure if they have nuclear engineering specifically, but they have other engineering programs. You also have to get good fitreps as a JO to get it.

Other than that, you'd have to roll the dice that you can get a reputable university NROTC instructor gig, but those tend to go to the people exercising their first choice follow-on options after a non-traditional shore duty. Your most likely shore duty will be at one of the 6 submarine bases, one of the prototypes, or Washington, DC... none of which have a university with a reputable nuclear engineering program nearby.

** You will get full 9/11 GI bill benefits after 36 mo of service, which starts on interview day if you sign the papers. So the VA will pay for some of your grad education if you don't go to NPS.

[mtmcnair34]

Thank you, I appreciate the info

[MMM]

A School (rate training) is 3 months for MMs, 4 for EMs (I think) and 6 for ETs. Power school is 6 months for everyone followed by 6ish months of prototype (one of the last classes I had as TC was at prototype for almost a year). So about a year and a half for an enlisted sailor and a year for officers.

As far as a Master's Degree goes, the navy will pay for it at the current TA rates, but you have to do it on your own time after you complete the nuke pipeline. You'll most likely have to do it online, which I don't think is offered (ASU and UND I think have online master's degrees for some engineering programs). As far as I know there is no engineering program that will give you credits for the navy nuclear pipeline nor are there any master's programs at all, but it never hurts to ask when you apply.

[mtmcnair34]

Thank you, I was also wondering which rate would be the best to get into (ET, EM, OR MM).

[HydroDave63]

Thank you, I was also wondering which rate would be the best to get into (ET, EM, OR MM).

https://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,1890.0.html

[Druid]

What is your Engineering degree in?

[Tylor]

I can help you with the rating breakdown, as I wish I was more informed when I made the decision. I'm an electrician in prototype now, and chose my rate based off my interests. I worked as a commercial electrician before joining the navy and enjoyed it. It also depends on if you're on the surface or on subs. For you, someone who's planning to go officer, I would recommend MM.
If your degree is in mechanical engineering, or if you're interested in mechanical engineering, I'd definitely go with MM. They have a 3 month A-School, as opposed to the 6 month for "wire rates". Power school then becomes easier for MMs because they've already learned a lot of the subjects, such as HTFF. They also have the highest re-enlistment bonuses at the moment, tied with ETs. (I believe they're capped at roughly 100,000) If you decide to stay enlisted, you have the option to become an ELT which is a very interesting career path, but either way, mechanics work a lot on ships.
If you're more interested in the electrical side, what we call "wire rates" are probably more for you. I would definitely recommend you go ET. If you stay in, you'll be welcomed with the highest re-enlistment bonus. All your training is pretty much the exact same as EMs until you get to the fleet, and you'll get a higher bonus, therefore be paid more. ETs are also very undermanned, with the fastest promotion rate to my knowledge. ETs are also much more under the microscope though, they deal with very important, expensive components, and therefore are under a lot of scrutiny from naval reactors. Very stressful job, especially when ORSE comes around.
As for EM, it seems to be to be the even mix between the two. For the time being, the bonus isn't as large, but that's subject to change with manning. Electricians learn about running the electrical plant, and deal with stuff with motors, generators, and breakers. On subs it seems that EMs are the hardest workers, because they take the job of normal electricians as well as their nuke jobs. On a surface ships, all the Electricians I've seen get promoted quick, and really enjoy their jobs.

Really any rate you get, you will think it's the best nuclear rating. Nukes take a lot of pride in their work, and if there is anything else you want to know about the nuclear pipeline, feel free to PM me or ask on here. This forum has helped me a lot coming through.

[mtmcnair34]

@Druid my degree is in Manufacturing Engineering, it's basically a mix between mechanical and process engineering...@Tylor thanks for the information