Enlisted Nuke or Officer Nuke?

[melissanavy07]

I'm a junior in college with a Mathematics major, 3.2 GPA. Would it be better to enlist into the Nuke program or to try for NUPOC? I have heard for the officer program, you have to fill out an application. Then the screening process is long and hard, after that the VIP tour, then the technical interviews. An enlisted recruiter told me, if I enlist then they send me to Nuke school in SC for two years. Then after that I will be very close to having a degree in nuclear engineering. After I get my degree in Nuclear Engineering I can be selected to become an officer. How true is this? I don't want to enlist and go through nuke school for two years, then not be able to become an officer. How long do you have to wait after you get you Nuclear Engineering degree to be able to become a officer? Is the process much harder then just applying to NUPOC? Is the recruiter just trying to get me to enlist, but the chances of actually becoming a Nuclear officer after the degree are slim? Any answers would be appreciated I have to go to MEPS next week. I don't want to commit to anything without as much information as possible.

[ChiefRocscooter]

Whooaa, watch your step cause your recruiter just thew a line terd land mine in front of you!  And before you think "he lied" remember if he is not a Nuke he may not understand the process. OK the facts are somthing like this:
1) Being an enlisted nuc in no way confers a Nuclear Engineering degree to you no matter how much college you have (well maybe if you had completed every class for you degree but physical education, cause you will get credit for that from boot camp!).  You do get a lot of credit for nuc program but its for Nuc Eng Technology which is a totaly different thing (this is where yu do some research!!!).
2) Once you are an enlisted nuc your chance of becoming an officer depend on how you persue it and how well you do in the program, but being Nuc Officer is still a slim chance and most guys who go Officer from being Nuc do so as other types through different commisioning programs. Remember that the average enlisted nuc can beat out most (not all), IMHO,  ROTC and other type officer program applicants if they were to all apply then the Navy would lose lots of Nucs, so unless you are top of class they will not push or recommend you (the last one is the killer, they have way of giving you a positive sounding recomendation that is actually a kiss of death for your application).

Ok here is what you do(if you have the time and money to finish college) tell the recruiter you want to talk to OPP (officer programs officer) about NUPOC!  Go thru that process, after all if you want Nuc Eng degree they will help you a whole lot more at getting it.  If you do not get into NUPOC finish your degree and alpply OCS (if you really have that deep down feeling that you need to be an Officer).
Let me repeat do not drop out of college to go NUC if you can finish college!!!!!
There is nothing wrong with being enlisted (I have done for almost 23 years) but make sure it is what you want - not what you think you want!
Oh and yes your recruiter is just trying to get you to enlist, after all it is thier job!  And until they bring bacj the draft you do not have to go to Meps next week unless you want!! You need to talk to OPO before you do anything more with enlisted recruiters!
Good Luck
Rob

[Samabby]

I strongly agree. Get the degree first. It won't hurt to talk to a recruiter now, but only an officer recruiting person.

[Mike_Koehler]

I did what you are describing and wound up being enlisted my whole time in. I was 3.2 student in ME and went nuc enlisted half way through my 3rd year. wound up as a nuc MM on a sub. Enjoyed that enough that I made 9.5 years before comparing quality of family time and deciding to get out. The Chief is correct about those recommendations, they sound positive, but they have some key words in them that mean you will never be accepted as an officer. DO NOT go enlisted unless you are sure you want to be enlisted your whole navy career. Just my 2 cents worth, from someone who has been there.

Mike

[taterhead]

Wow those recruiters are frickin' sleazy!

That nuclear engineering degree line isn't exactly what he says it is...try BSAST in Nuclear Engineering Technology from TESC or Excelsior. 

Unless you have extenuating circumstances forcing your hand (finances,etc), I can't see that enlisting would be best for you.

I was in your situation 10 years ago with no money.  I joined up (enlisted), finished my degree later on (not in nuclear field), and don't regret any of it.

Just remember, you aren't obligated to do anything or go anywhere until you raise that right hand and take the oath.  Until then you are free as a bird.

[Rad Sponge]

For the next 10 Saturdays, get up at 530AM, do not eat breakfast, and clean out a dumpster for 4 hours. If you like that, enlist.

If you don't, that ought to put you on the right track towards finishing your degree now.

Hugs and Kisses

JMK

[Roll Tide]

I don't want to enlist and go through nuke school for two years, then not be able to become an officer. How long do you have to wait after you get you Nuclear Engineering degree to be able to become a officer? Is the process much harder then just applying to NUPOC?

It seems you are considering either NUPOC or enlisted Nuke. There are other choices; NROTC without NUPOC would pay for college, and would allow you to go Nuke Officer afterwards (with the interviews near degree completion). You do not have to get a nuclear engineering degree to be a nuke officer; almost any engineering or physical science discipline is acceptable.

Bottom line: if you want to become an officer, enlisted is not a shortcut. In fact, it may be a roadblock.

[ChiefRocscooter]

Hey come on now it's not that bad! First off boot camp is only 8 weeks! so I would change your hypothetical to:
1) Get up at 5:30 (that part is good) Make bed perfectly ensure room is spotless! then go eat breakfast, give yourself a nice lisurely 5 min to eat (but you may only sit for the last two).
2) Now run to the dumpster and see if the dump truck had emptied it yet, if not come back daily until it is empty then hose it out befoore you scrub it out with greenie (this need only be done twice in the 8weeks to simulate worst jobs, if you should happen to miss  it during the 8 weeks then you will continue on until you have done it twice (also known as ASMO, can't remember but it means somthing about being sent back to do a week or two of boot camp over.)
3) Next run to school gym and clean football teams locker room and showers until they are spotless.  That includes cleaning the urnials, comodes, and shower drains
4) Run over for lunch repeat the time as suggested for breakfast.
5)After lunch go to several classes for subject you are not majoring in and stay awake and attentive the entire time (have a friend help here by hittting you in back of head should you doze off!) Doze more than once? Add another Dumpster cleaning to your assignment list!
6)after classes go reclean gym locker room and bathroom
7) go eat dinner (add 5 min to breakfast schedule, mostly sitting)
go back to your room and empty dresser and closet, now replace everything how it was, must be very neat of course!
9) bedtime at 1100 so take 3 min shower at 1030 (you may have 1 min very hot, 1min very cold, 1 min warm water, may vary daily) get in bed at 1055 turn lights off at 1100!
10) ask friends to come in and out of your room every 1/2 hour all night (they should come in walk around quietly, maybe make minor noise every  other trip.
11) Once every third or fourth day get up from 2-4 am and walk halls then go back to bed, you may not read or chat with anyone during the two hours, if you do then add another dumpster!!
12) Get up and repeat at 0530, do this for 6 weeks you should have general feel for boot camp
13) Remember that being in Navy has little to do with what it is like being in Navy!!
Rob

[devildogdad]

look at this forum  it will help you alot and costs nothing to join www.usnavyocs.com/portal/ BTW my son is in his last year at Vandy and has been accepted in NUPOC.

[bordway]

Ha the only stuff we did with a dumpster was throw trash into it if you were the 'trash PO' in bootcamp.  They hardly make you run I hear from all the new people at NNPTC...  Glad to be out of there now and into prototype...  they are trying to turn NNPTC into a smaller leap from bootcamp so we feel less liberated it's getting rediculous...  did I say I'm glad to be done there?