Nukes onboard subs, Carriers

[Niccoli]

First off, my name is Nic, I ship out to Great Lakes Oct 4, 2005, and of course I will be going to Nuke A-School soon thereafter, I've read near every post relating to this question, but decided to ask it for more clarification. I'm not too good in Math (smart but never card too much about anything, until the Navy this past year) i have a B+ in my high School physics class and am currently not taking math, is math a Huge factor in A school? (I'd like to follow the MM pathway) How intense is A-School, is it only for Book smart kids or is it something that is more logical? Less numbers, more logic, I mean.

And one more question, after my A-school, can i volunteer to be a submariner? And what is the time relation from finishing a-school to getting deployed with a Carrier/Sub?

Thanks in advance!

[taterhead]

I suck at math.

I sucked at math in high school.

I sucked at math in college (the first time around).

I barely passed the NFQT.

I failed the first math test in A school.

At that point, my advisor told me to choose a new rating,  that I would likely fail out of A school.  Well, he may have been statistically correct in telling me that, but I made it anyway.

Being good at math does not define whether or not you will be successful at NPS.  Your level of commitment matters much more.  Math is a factor, and you must pass it.  Just make your mind up to pass it.  Power school math will be more demanding.

I know there is a post on here with lengths of A schools.  Quickly, assuming you are an MM, which you will get if you ask for it:

A School:   13 weeks
Power School: 26 weeks
Prototype:  24 weeks

Then, off to your ship/boat.  You will be asked to volunteer for subs in A school.  I did that, but unvolunteered in prototype, and never looked back.  Subs are just too cramped for my style.

[Fermi2]

This reminds me of a guy named Robbie Schneider. Rob was in my section at Nuke School. So far as Book Smarts he wasn't the best guy in the school. So far as I know he didn't fail any tests, (maybe one or two) but damn the guy worked. He wanted to be a nuke more than anyone I knew. He pretty much got a 2.5 on everything, maybe a point or two more, that's it.

What I remember about Robbie is he probably put in 70 hours a week in study time. In fact the Duty Watch in my section was told not to sign Robbie in during certain weekend hours. The Section Head was worried Robbie would die of exhaustion. I'm positive the 70 hours a week were just the ones Robbie actually documented.

I'd feel guilty not having to study.

After the Comp Robbie was a mess because he was convinced his work had gone for naught. Turns out he Aced the Reactor Principles Final and got about 2.5 to 2.7 on everything else. When Robbie saw his final grades and realized he'd passed the dude actually cried.

It made me feel horrible taking for granted what this guy wanted so badly that he sacrificed pretty much everything worth being in Orlando for to get.

I heard he did spectacular at Prototype and in the fleet, I can't say I was surprised.

All I know is everytime I think stuff at work sucks, and I'm being made to work too hard I think of Robbie.

So my young friend, if Robbie could do it anyone could. You need to decide are you  willing to sacrifice for something that is more than worth it in the end. And trust me, it is more than worth it no matter how much you hear graduates of the program bitch about it.

Mike

[Niccoli]

Thanks taterhead, I am only 5'6" so i'll be fine in an SSN or a Boomer, really up until 6 months ago, i didnt care about anything, then when i joined the Navy, thats all I seem to care about anymore.

I searched "Submarines," on the forum and came up with some pretty good information, one question I do have is, how many of each rate is on an SSN, boomer, and carrier? I'm assuming thats there is at least one of each MM, ET, EM per boat, if not more, can someone clarify this? Thanks!

Sequoyah, thanks for your reply, so far evry experience i've had while DEP in the Navy has been 100% Positive, I will definitly work hard to become the best nuke I can be for my country and shipmates

[shayne]

I was on the Nuclear Crusier so it was little different than the CVN or SS(B)N.  We had two plants, so there was about 25 ET's, 35 EM's, 60 MM's and 20 ELT's.  The actual numbers are based on amount of maintenance and watches stood.  ET's had 7, EMs had 7, MMs had 16, and ELTs had 3 watches to support.  Usually CPO supported the EWS.  So given that, Subs have a few less, carriers have more but the ratios are just about the same. 

On another note similar to Mike's post, while I was Staff at Prototype, my best students where the ones who struggled but worked hard.  Sure they occupied more of my time, but it was worth it.  Nothing was worse than trying to help students who struggled because they were lazy.  They just wasted my time.

[Fermi2]

Nukes are about the best darn people in the world. My 3 best friends are all people I met in this industry.

Leaving Fermi was harder than leaving my biological family.

You'll enjoy the program and the industry. At times I wish I was starting it over again!


Mike

[Niccoli]

I've seen many people on here talking about their NFQT scores, which is I'm guessing is Nuclear Field Qual Test, or something like that, I never took this test. I took the High School ASVAB, scored a 96 and in MEPS a counselor called down a Nuke Recruiter and before I knew it I had a new contract and ship date.

When do I take the NFQT, or do I ever take it? This is kinda worrying me now, any info would be great, Thanks

[shayne]

I'm not sure if you have to.  Although I'm not current with the requirements.  Here is something I found performing a quick search.

...
The only thing they tell me is that you are qualified for the Nuclear Field without any further testing. (AR+MK+EI+GS>=252)
...

The best would be to call the recruiter tomorrow and verify that your ASVAB scores are high enough.

[ex-SSN585]

If you (Nico, that is) are already in DEP with a Nuclear Field Program guarantee, there is no further testing necessary.  The verification of your eligibility has been done by the classifier ("job counselor") at MEPS and if there was any question of your qualifications, you would not have been a Nuclear Field guarantee.  So, if you read and fully understood the contract you signed, your recruiter is not likely to know much more about the specific requirements.

I spent all my time in the nuclear navy on submarines and was offered the opportunity to volunteer when my DEP contract was written.  (Actually, it was more like, "Do you want to volunteer for submarines?" and I, not knowing much about the Navy, thinking that it was the normal thing to do, replied, "Sure, why not?")  I'm 5' 0" (how do I know?  because I didn't need a height waiver, so by definition I must be at least 5' tall) and my early experience was that most MMs and ELTs tended to be average height or shorter while most ETs seemed to be big and tall.

I would imagine that you could volunteer for submarines at any time.  You could probably do it now, if you really wanted to, but it probably would involve writing a new contract and you'd have to go back to MEPS to do that.  I say that, not from any direct knowledge, but because, 20+ years ago, submarine volunteers would be treated a little bit differently.  Typically, the submarine volunteer would have his wisdom teeth removed.  I don't know if they do that now.  Yes, you could do it after A school.  You'll probably make an appointment with someone called the "career counselor" and he or she will help you with that.  In any case, if you are going to do it, I would think you should complete the paperwork prior to going to prototype, because the detailers (the people who assign individuals to their ultimate duty station) probably have projections of how many sub and surface sailors they have, and if they don't know you're a sub volunteer, depending on the needs of the Navy, they might already have assigned a job for you on a surface ship.

[Niccoli]

I got my wisdom teeth pulled on saturday, and i still can't eat solids, sucks, but its over! I'll talk to my counselor about volunteering for the subs on thursday when we have our DEP meetings, thanks for the input guys!

[RDTroja]

I got my wisdom teeth pulled on saturday, and i still can't eat solids, sucks, but its over! I'll talk to my counselor about volunteering for the subs on thursday when we have our DEP meetings, thanks for the input guys!

When I got my wisdom teeth pulled the only relief from the pain (I had an allergic reaction to the only painkillers the dentist would give me) was to let some brandy (well, Cognac since I am spoiled) soak the area. Worked well, but gave me a taste for Cognac that I just can't get rid of...

[radgal]

a little off topic but I'm not Navy.....   Why do they pull your wisdom teeth?

[RDTroja]

Perhaps because they don't want to have to do it at sea?

[Niccoli]

I say its just a kick in the nads before you live under the sea for 3 months.

[Roll Tide]

The Independent Duty Corpsman is qualified to perform any emergency treatment needed while underway. The bad news about dental care is he only has 4 hours (not semester hours, but CLOCK HOURS!) of dental instruction. You REALLY don't want dental work done while at sea!

[RCLCPO]

Nico,

It is good that you do not take the nuclear Navy's math to be an easy path.  For some, of course, it is, but keep in mind the minimum requirement to enter the program is one year of algebra 1 with a grade of C or better.

The severity of the eligibility requirements to enter the program are such that if you make it into the program you have what it takes to graduate from the program.  That said, do not underestimate the difficulties you will encounter.  The key will be your work ethic, and willingness to study the Navy way.  If you are willing to put forth the extra efforts when required, you'll do fine.

I used to ask my students: If you could spend 15 minutes doing something today, that would save you from spending a full hour on that same something tomorrow, would you do it?  They would all agree they'd rather spend 15 minutes on a task today vice an hour doing that same task the following day.  Then I'd ask them how many of them actually read the reading assignment.......maybe 1 or 2 would say yes.  The key question is:  why is there never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over?

For those who did the reading assignment for the following days material, while they may not have understood everything they read, when presented in class it wasn't the first time they heard the material.  For them, the instructor was filling in the blanks--while for those who did not read ahead, they were trying to absorb the material and keep up.  Then, later that night, when homework time came, those who now understood the material better (becasue they got it twice) could finish their homework faster.  It is an odd thing to most people that the one thing you can save by spending it is TIME.

Spend the 15 minutes it takes to read over the next days material, and save yourself hours of extra time trying to figure out the homework.  So many students made their lives a lot more miserable than was necessary, simply because they didn't want to read.

If you want a self-inflicted academic gunshot wound, just try going through the Nuke schools the same way as in high school.  If you want to enjoy a higher quality of life (and academic performance), be open minded about the way people learn, and follow the instructions on the Navy Nuke way.  Save time by spending it.

[Niccoli]

Thanks for the advice, I absorb things pretty well, my main problem is lack of motivation, thats really changed thanks to the Navy, in my DEP sqaud i am the "Educational Petty Officer," my squad alreadys knows their 11 Gen orders, Navy Creed, and rank/rate recognitions (basic rates only) I will 100% take the advice to read material first and ask questions to my intstructor after I have read section, this is exactly how my high school physics class runs, read, then ask.

[Fermi2]

I thunk there was 12 General Orders?


Mike

[Niccoli]

I mean the Eleven General orders of a Senty, quitting my post only when properly relieved etc, we only know of 11 as stated in our DEP handbooks, where there at one time 12?

[shayne]

Only 11.  I guess the Navy decided many years ago that the 12th wasn't needed.  After boot camp I forgot them anyhow.  Made room for electrical theory, neutron life cycles, scram immediate actions, etc.

... quitting my post only when properly relieved etc, ...

5th, ok the only one I remember.  Something to do with 5 o'clock quitting time.

I'm still looking for electronic version of Blue Jacket Manual if anyone knows of one.

[Fermi2]

Here were the 12 General Orders from when I went to boot camp in Company 202 at Great Lakes in 1984.

http://www.geocities.com/barbier840louis/General-Orders-Page-22.html

Mike

[Roll Tide]

It looks like I was 2 weeks ahead of you! 180 of 1984 for me!

[shayne]

It looks like the Navy combined the old number 12 with number 11.

OLD
11. To be especially watchful at night and during the time for challenging.
12.  To challenge all persons on or near my post and to allow no one to pass without proper authority.
NEW
11. Be especially watchful at night and during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post, and to allow no one to pass without proper authority.

[Abiien]

Lol Did they think that the 12 orders is harder to comprehend and understand than 11?

Maybe they should make it into one huge order.

my $0.02..