Should I join? Possibilities?

[MaybeIWillJoin]

Ok, here's my story, probably not that different than alot of peoples' stories, but I'll tell it to you anyway.  Ok, it all began when my mom was giving bir-- ok, maybe not that far back. Anyway, I took the ASVAB and got a 95 on it, and there was a navy recruiter nearby so he pulled me aside (along with anyone else who would come) and talked about recruiting.  When I said what my score was he suggested I be a nuke. Of course, he gave me the recruiter talk about how I'll be E5 after tech school, how theres "Big Money" (his words) in join the Navy Nuke program.
But thats a recruiter talking to me, I figure they will say what they can to get me to sign up for something.  Now what I want to know, are what are my chances of actually getting the training as a Nuke, (is it guaranteed or what?) is it worth it, how hard is it to get in and how hard is it to do.  It will probably be more work than I'm willing to put in, but I dont want to rule out any possibilities.  The main thing the recruiter was glad about was the fact that I havent failed any math classes.  I told him how terrible my high school GPA is (2.5) and he said it didnt matter, which really suprised me.  Ok, so you have my questions, and you know my situation, anything you could answer, or anything extra you think I should know, I would love to hear about.  Thanks in advance.

[shayne]

Well I would suggest reading all the Topics on this website.  That should give you a good start.  However if it is something that you are interested in, you will still have to take a nuclear qualification exam.  It never hurts to take that to see if you qualify.  You are not joining the Navy by taking this exam.

As you will find by reading all topics, it is a challenging program with rewards.

[cave_dog42]

If you pass the nuke exam then you can go and you will be guaranteed the nuke field at meps (military entrance processing station) when you sign your contract. I am currently in DEP (delayed entry program) and I am guaranteed nuke training in my contract. Really the only way that I will not become a nuke is if I screw either by not studying in the nuke schools or is I decided to go out and drink underage while at the schools and get caught. From what I've heard it is hard work but it wont be more than you can handle but it is worth it in career oppurtunities after the navy and the bonus money is there also...but that should be the driving force behind wanting to join the program. I hope my 2 cents here helps you make up your mind.

[RCLCPO]

Here's the real deal:

Yes, you should read the other posts on the Career:Navy Nuke forum, as most of your questions are already answered somewhere.

Not to disagree with Shayne, but as the nuclear field recruiter for the Portland, Oregon area, I can tell you he is not quite correct.  You may not have to take the "nuke test".  Your score of a 95 on the ASVAB is, in itself, not a factor.  What matters is how well you did on certain parts of the test (known as your line scores).  If certain combinations of your aptitudes are high enough, then you don't have to take the "nuke test", and if not, then you will have to take the test.

Yes, the nuclear training is in your contract.  As we do everything by contract, there is no way to join the Navy to go into the nuclear field and, after boot camp, be sent to go work on aircraft (or anything else) instead of nuclear power.

Try our nuclear field website:  www.cnrc.navy.mil/nucfield

Or e-mail me directly: Nuke1_port@cnrc.navy.mil

[MaybeIWillJoin]

What qualifications do I need to bypass the Nuke test?  My Military Career Score on the ASVAB was 6, and for my testing section, my scores (actual:percentile) were : GS 63:90  AR 67:98 MK 64:95  EI 63:91  Thats basically my breakdown, my lowest percentile was Auto and Shop with a 53:67, second lowest was Paragraph Comprehension with 60:85  All my other scores are 63 or higher, and my percentiles are in the mid to upper 90s.

[klsas]

The days of non-degreed enlisted people appears to be coming to an end. RCLPO, can you verify this for everyone?

http://www.military.com/MilitaryReport/0,12914,MR_Navy2_050214,00.html?ESRC=navy-a.nl

[s_Phoenix]

"The days of non-degreed enlisted people appears to be coming to an end. RCLPO, can you verify this for everyone?

http://www.military.com/MilitaryReport/0,12914,MR_Navy2_050214,00.html?ESRC=navy-a.nl"

This has been un-offical  for a while.  The navy has been pushing college classes hard for a while.   The number of schools that honor our training for credit just keeps going up.  For most nuc's should not be a problem.    At Old domin. U in VA.  its 5 classes at the school and like 3 clepable classes to get your BA in nuc tech. 

This is not as good as say a degree from RPI but is better than Thomas ed or other ones that you just pay for.

[taterhead]

It will probably be more work than I'm willing to put in, but I dont want to rule out any possibilities. 

I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide.  There is alot of good advice above and in other posts (do a search).

However, your statement above threw up a HUGE flag.  If you are seriously not willing to work at whatever you do, don't count on being successful.  Going through nuke school is not a "piece of cake" for the vast majority of sailors.  It requires work and dilligence.  If this is your attitude coming into any program, you are in for a rude awakening.

Maybe you didn't mean for it to come across that way, but a good work ethic will take you far in the Navy.

Sure, you can advance fast and reenlist for mega bucks, or get out and work on the civilian side, but in either path, you must remember:
To whom much is given, much is expected.

Taylor (MMC)

[MaybeIWillJoin]

I think my biggest problem right now would be my work ethic (why do you think I have a 2.5 GPA)  I have never before had to even study for a test in any of my classes, Phyiscs, Calc, Ap History, whatever, I never bothered, and I always managed to pass the classes (mainly because of test scores), which was "good enough" for me.  I know I could survive through boot camp and all the training, if I apply myself (man, that word - apply - has come up ALOT in my history "If he would only just apply himself")  I have been working on maintaining a better work ethic in the past few weeks (yea, I just started, a little late, I know) and if I do get into nuke school, and just cant cut it, I was wondering, what happens if you cant handle the training (i.e. flunk out)?  Do I get sent to some other type of training, or do I get kicked out, what happens?

[taterhead]

RCLCPO can likely answer your last question more thoroughly, but here is what I remember:

If you fail to make it through "A" school, you are reassigned to another field, to which you will likely have a limited range of choices.  Back in the day, they sent all the sailors who didn't quite cut it to the Advanced Electronics-Computer Field School.  This may (and likely has) changed.

If you make it through "A" school and get "rated", but fail out of NPS or prototype, you are sent to the fleet as a conventional in your rate.

I can say this, at least you are honest with yourself and the rest of us here.  It will certainly take some soul searching.  Like I said before, if you aren't ready to apply yourself, you will learn the hard way once you get in that laziness is a hurdle that only you can clear.  We (actives) can teach you alot of stuff, but we can't teach you to be motivated.  In most cases, if that is all you have, we can work with that and help you reach your goals.

Taylor (MMC)

[shayne]

Nuke school isn't like high school either.  It is your job to learn.  You will be paid for it.  The Instructors and Staff Advisors will see that you are putting in an honest effort to make it through the program.  They don't want to see you fail either.  I remember lots of individuals, myself included, in nuke training with me that didn't apply themselves or did the very minimum in high school, and they made it through the program just fine.  Everyone that will be in the program with you will all have the same goal to learn Navy nuclear power and get to the ship.

  We (actives) can teach you alot of stuff, but we can't teach you to be motivated.  In most cases, if that is all you have, we can work with that and help you reach your goals.

Taylor (MMC)

In my career, everyone was there to help see me through it, even if it required more effort on their part.  They answered my questions, gave me extra help with anything that I didn't understand.  This was true even when I was getting out of the Navy after 10 years and I find it is still true in Commercial Nuclear Power.  So it just doesn't apply to the training pipeline, but throughout your career.

[RCLCPO]

The days of non-degreed enlisted people appears to be coming to an end. RCLPO, can you verify this for everyone?

http://www.military.com/MilitaryReport/0,12914,MR_Navy2_050214,00.html?ESRC=navy-a.nl

This story also ran in a recent issue of Navy Times.  I don't know that this will ever really happen due to the fact that the Navy would have to allow more time off to attend classes and do other work for the school.  Personally, I have to spend 20-30 hours a week on just one class (grad school) outside of my regular working hours.

MaybeIWillJoin, I agree with the other posts: if you come into this program thinking the nuclear field is disposable, that you can have an exit strategy if things get tough or the work becomes too much, then you're going to fail.  The nuclear power program is demanding, and the Navy doesn't try to hide this fact.  At some point, it would become easy to just roll over, surrender, and take the nearest, easiest way out, and try your hand at another job.  Back when I was an instructor, what other job choices people get depends upon how they get to that point.  If someone has been putting forth real effort, and for whatever reason they just can't hack it, then the Navy isn't going to punish him, but try to get him into a job that he's compatible with.  If someone is just going through the motions, not really trying or putting forth effort, then their choices are going to be reduced.

If you are willing to do what it takes to succeed, the Navy will be there to help you make it through.  Even those who just barely make it through can be successful out in the fleet.  The guy in my class (8507) who was the Anchor Man (last in the class) from nuclear power school, went on to be #1 in his class at prototype.  He couldn't take tests very well, but he could certainly do the job.  What do they call the guy who graduates last in his class from med school?  Doctor!

[Flooznie]

If your gonna go through the program, give it 200%, whether you like it or not.  If you cannot pass the program, and you damn sure tried, you will be reclassified to another rate, and if you passed A school, you may be able to keep your crow.  However, God help you if you show lack of motivation or that you don't want to do your job.  Remember, you are getting PAID TO LEARN.  So, what happens if you decide to slack and not do your job?  Lemme tell you about a very good friend of mine.  I still talk to this guy to this day.  He decided he didn't want to do his homework while he was in the first month of A school.  Bizarre enough, all those free stripes from the Navy went away, (he went from E3 to E1), he went to CO's mast (non-judicial punishment), got sent to Corrective Custody Unit (like being in jail for a month), and got sent to a Frigate out of Mayport as a non-designated seaman chipping paint.  So there it is.  You are signing your life over to the Navy for 6 years.  They are promising you a bonus if you can finish their program, which you are getting paid to complete.  If you don't wanna be there, they are still gonna get their pound of flesh from you.  If you can't commit yourself, don't waste the Navy's time or yours. 

ET1 (SS)

[HydroDave63]

If you can't commit yourself, don't waste the Navy's time or yours. 

ET1 (SS)

The shortest and best answer of the thread!

[Roll Tide]

At Old domin. U in VA.  its 5 classes at the school and like 3 clepable classes to get your BA in nuc tech. 

This is not as good as say a degree from RPI but is better than Thomas ed or other ones that you just pay for.

TESC does have additional requirements for the degree, as does Excelsior. But it can all be achieved while Active Duty, even on subs! To paraphrase what I have said on other threads, "Get a degree before you get out because I don't want to hear you whine that you meet the requirements for a degree and should get ________ (you fill in the blank) just like the people with a degree that you could have gotten!"

[wetbedknob]

Being a nuke will give you a huge benefit when it comes to getting the degree as well. You will have been taught to study and learn massive amounts of material (or just memorize the info for a specific amount of time).