Nuke n00b

[AKdemon]

I was just very recently accepted into the Navy's nuke program. I'll be going back to MEPS to sign my life away probably in a week or so. I just didn't feel ready to fully commit when I went earlier this week and did all the physical and whatnot stuff.
I plan on going enlisted, doing ET for A school training, going through my Power and Prototype schools, then either staying enlisted for a bit, or possibly changing over to the officer's route. I've applied for NROTC, but I'm not sure I want to do that necessarily. I'm just lookin' to see what I can get offered.

Anyone have any suggestions for me? Anything you guys have done and wish you could do over, anything you know you liked and highly recommend other nukes do?

EDIT: I just realized this was probably not the best place to post this. My apologies to the mods and/or admins. Just go ahead and move it appropriately. I know I screwed up.

[Marlin]

Nice Avatar.

[AKdemon]

Thanks. I'm glad I'm not the only Vader fan out here. Or so I hope.

[DarkMesa8]

You'll be happy to know that I saw Darth Vader walking around NNPTC a few months ago.  Unfortunately, he's probably gone by now, and if not, definitely by the time you get here.

[Roll Tide]

"Granny Vader" will retire next month from Sequoyah (OPS)!

Back on topic:
I considered NROTC or NNPS. For my purposes, Navy Nuclear Power School was better. IF you can be successful in college (according to the criteria of the NROTC program) then that is a great opportunity. Either way, I want to thank you in advance for your service.

[shayne]

I certainly wouldn't rush into anything either.  Nuclear Power program is a minimum of 6 years of your life, so take as much time to figure things out.  Also consider that as a enlisted nuclear power program recruit, you could end up as an EM or MM also.  Unless things have changed recently, Nuclear ET rate is not guaranteed.

[Charles U Farley]

Unless things have changed recently, Nuclear ET rate is not guaranteed.

No, however, they are the most undermanned in the fleet.  And I see needs of the navy dominating.

[AKdemon]

That makes me feel all warm inside. Here's another question:
After college and so forth, what's a typical day in a nuke's life look like? I understand there's a difference between being in port and out @ sea, but anyone that's willing to give me both views would be awesome.

[ChiefRocscooter]

Ho Nellie! Who said anything about college?? Are you going to be enlisted Nuc, cause if you are your going to Nuc school (note that it is called Naval Nuclear Power School, not Nuke College!!).  You need to understand it is not college nor anything like it!!

Not the life style nor the classes!

Rob

[ChiefRocscooter]

O yea as for the rest of the question search the rest of the forum and then ask questions based on what you find there!  This has been asked/talked about many times!! I would be happy to answer a new question or you that explains exiting answers.

Rob

[znowman]

quick question:

My recruiter told me that while in Nuke School, I have the option of applying for an NROTC scholarship.  Is this true? If so, could I apply for the 2008 scholarship now, and during Nuke School, *if* I get the scholarship can I then opt out of the Nuke School, and use my NROTC scholarship?

Here is my thought, I DEP'd last June for the Nuke program, I ship out July 19th.  I want to go, yet I still have lots of reservations, do I want to experience the college life, etc.  I'm not sure how to articulate my thoughts right now, and am pretty indecisive.  So I feel that acquiring as much information as possible will help me determine what I really want.  Anyways back on track.  So I apply for the 2008 scholarship, in the meantime can I go to Basic/Nuke School and *if* I get the scholarship can I use it while still in school? 

I suppose the second paragraph was a rewording of the first, anyways I appreciate any and all information!

Sorry for the not-so-quick question!

[Already Gone]

Here's what your recruiter PURPOSELY DID NOT tell you.  You had the option of applying for an NROTC scholarship without enlisting.  In fact, a person who is awarded an NROTC scholarship THEN enlists in the Naval Reserve.  Most people apply for this scholarship during their junior year in High School.
Basically, this guy heard very well what you were saying - even though you didn't - and he sold you on the idea that enlisting in the Navy Nuclear Program and an NROTC scholarship are somehow related.  They are not.
Send your mother down to his office to slap him.

But, it's too late to change the fact that you have enlisted.  I would not describe you as indecisive.  The fact is that you have already made an essentially irreversible decision.  And you are naturally going through all the second thoughts and doubts that we ALL went through at this point.

Pay attention.  While you are an enlisted Navy Nuke, be the best enlisted Navy Nuke that you can possibly be.  Apply for the scholarship no matter what.  You do not have to accept the scholarship, but you don't get that choice if you don't apply.  If you get it, I think you should take it. 
If you go to NPS and get an NROTC scholarship, you will be transferred to the Navy Reserve.  You will no longer be in NPS, but will go to a real college.  Instead of being a Petty Officer, you will be a Midshipman.  You will be a civilian most of the time, but will still have to participate in NROTC activities.  When you graduate, you will be required to serve as an officer for a number of years (I think it is four).  If you drop out, you have to go back to finish your enlistment.

I'm chuckling at your use of the phrase "college life".  College is not life.  It is nothing like life.  It only lasts a few years, and it is NEVER the right decision to choose college for the experience of being in college.  You choose a college for the benefit it will give you for the rest of your life.  College "life" is bullshit.  A college education is priceless. 

If you want an education, go to a school.  If you want an "experience", go to Disneyland, backpack across Europe, go skydiving, climb Everest, sign onto a fishing boat ... etc. 

You could either love or hate the college "experience" or the enlisted nuke "experience", but remember that you are not doing it for the enjoyment of the experience.  You are doing it to get training, education, and skills, as well as an opportunity to serve your country, and maybe travel a bit.  Yes, that can be described as an "experience", but experience goes on a resume.  Whether you love it or hate it, when it is over you will not regret it.

[Rad Sponge]

That makes me feel all warm inside. Here's another question:
After college and so forth, what's a typical day in a nuke's life look like? I understand there's a difference between being in port and out @ sea, but anyone that's willing to give me both views would be awesome.

Typical day at sea/sub from the aspect of getting up to stand watch on a Trident

 0400/1000/1600/2200/: Be woken by some young nubby guy trying to just do his job by shining hopefully a red light into your rack and not 1000W of white candle power making you have an instaneous dream about nuclear holocaust before realizing SN(SU) Wyatt has been whispering your name about 23 times and has woken up your entire bunk room instead of just using his big boy voice one time.

Previous Time + 30 minutes: You are either still in your rack "waiting" for the next wake up or scratching your ass walking to the head or in line for chow or in line for chow scratching your ass or watching some people play their game boys or PSPs or just leaning against something cold being bitter or a combination of all the former.

Previous Time + 45 min: You are still in your rack because you are lazy bell tapping back of poop (everyone will be this way at some point in a dep) or you are eating some chow or you are playing WoW or some other wizards and lizards adventure waiting for watch.

Previous Time + 60: You have relieved the watch or you are late. 6 hours awaits. If you are an ELT/ERF you are preparing to sample Steam Generators or wandering how you got bagged with a swimming pool in the Sea Water bay and where all this mysterious oil is coming from and why its not cleaned up. If you are ERUL you are drinking coffee in a warm area about to take your loops around the ER. If you are ERML you are hoping you don't have to touch the Evap. If you are ERLL you are covered in oil after the sharples puke. If you are an RO you are pretending to look at a bunch of meters. If you are an EO you are are looking at magical dials. If you are the AEA you are making coffee. If you are the RT you are making coffee or cleaning the clean space the previous RT just cleaned before turnover. If you are the ERS you are shooting the breeze with the ERUL and will eventually shoot the breeze with the ERLL/ERF at the line of death. If you are the EWS you are making rounds amking sure everyone is awake and ready for watch and yelling at the AEA/RT about coffee....generally all EWS business involves coffee. coffee cups, and yelling at AEA's and RTs in some way. If you are the EOOW you are looking forward, preparing for the events to transpire and taking crap from the RO/EO. If you are the TH you are playing with a shiny wheel.

+ 2 Hours: DRILLS DRILLS DRILLS DRILLS DRILLS or something.

+ 6 hours: you are thinking about getting relieved and possibly cleaning something....you ARE cleaning something

+ 6.5 hours: you are being told to clean something else while you are cleaning something and not cleaning what you should be cleaning and why is that phantom liquid over there.

+ 7.5 hours: you are eating or something in anticipation of going back to the ER to clean some more stuff.

+ 8.0 hours: After watch: Training, work, cleaning, maybe a movie (Whatever Days of Thunder dumbass flick the cones put on since they have been there watching a movie while you were cleaning what you cleaned on watch). If you are a non-qual you are not watching a movie in the lounge or in your rack (I watched them in my rack because I was a hot runner and a slug and arrogant).

+ 12 hours: On coming: Hopefully sleeping, but you could be on drill detail, cleaning something, or trying to qualify.

+ 18 hours: Back to the beginning. Wash, rinse, repeat as necessary.

[znowman]

Thank you BeerCourt.

You are right about the college life in that I suppose what I was getting after was having the ability to choose what I am able to learn.  Such that I am not locked into a set course schedule but I can take all the math and physics classes, then delve into the history's and economics courses and broaden my education. 

As I was reading up on the various NROTC websites, I would have to take some military based classes, and participate in activities during the summer.  One such activity is a summer cruise between my Jr. and Sr. year.

Two more questions:

Say I go to NPS and come March or April next year, I find out that I got the scholarship.  Do the courses I've already taken, at NPS, transfer into credits at *college*.

Also do you know what happens inbetween years in that I have 3 months off, is that time my own or do I have to go do something for the Navy.  Would my enlisted contract kick in for a couple of months?

Thank you again for the information!!!

[drbyyz]

I'm in a similar situation, I'm about to leave for basic and then nuke school afterwords.  I'm hoping to get picked up for NECP so I can finish my degree(im about 2 years into it) and become an officer.  I'm new to this forum so I'm still searching for stuff on the NECP program, but if anyone knows anything about it, I'm all ears!

[znowman]

Another oddball question:

My mom is not American and has yet to get her US citizenship and probably never will.  I asked the guys at MEPS if this was a issue and they gave me an ambiguous answer and up until now I just assumed I was ok, does anyone have any information regarding this?

[CharlieRock]

My understanding is that you cannot enter active duty as an enlisted member while you have a commissioning package in process (USNA, OCS, NROTC).  I could be completely wrong but this is my vague recollection from my days becoming a O.  So you need to have process run its course or withdraw before entering active duty.  Then you would re-apply as an active duty member (which has its pros and cons.)  Also, NROTC has military duties (CORTRAMID) after your sophmore year as well.

[Already Gone]

Thank you BeerCourt.

You are right about the college life in that I suppose what I was getting after was having the ability to choose what I am able to learn.  Such that I am not locked into a set course schedule but I can take all the math and physics classes, then delve into the history's and economics courses and broaden my education. 

As I was reading up on the various NROTC websites, I would have to take some military based classes, and participate in activities during the summer.  One such activity is a summer cruise between my Jr. and Sr. year.

Two more questions:

Say I go to NPS and come March or April next year, I find out that I got the scholarship.  Do the courses I've already taken, at NPS, transfer into credits at *college*.

Also do you know what happens inbetween years in that I have 3 months off, is that time my own or do I have to go do something for the Navy.  Would my enlisted contract kick in for a couple of months?

Thank you again for the information!!!

Since NROTC is a commissioning program for Naval Officers, it makes perfect sense that you will have to take some military courses.  Not a tough price to pay for free college.

As for the summers, I can't answer.  Any NROTC guys out there?

No, NPS "courses" do not transfer into college credit.  If you graduate from the enlisted NPS and NPTU, you can apply to receive approximately 33 semester hours (plus a gazillion other college credits for other military training - e.g. Boot Camp covers your PE requirement)  NPS is actually one "course" which includes different classes in different subjects, but you don't get a transcript of them.  You get an entry in your service record that says you either graduated or were dropped.  So, if you don't finish, the credits won't be there.  But, you can still take the CLEP general math and general science tests.  I took them both the week after finishing NPS and passed.  They were worth 12 semester hours.  As an enlisted sailor, you'll have lots of opportunities to earn college credit, but if you get an NROTC scholarship, you'll have an opportunity to get a whole Bachelor of Science with classes at an actual college - all in one shot - getting paid a stipend - ending up with a commission in the Naval Reserve with only 4 years active duty.  Either way you can end up with a degree.  But one way is clearly the better of the two - which is why it is harder to get into.

In my opinion, enlisted nuke school is for guys like me- able to do college level work but with a totally unimpressive High School transcript.  If you have the grades to get into college - the scholarship is for you.

[grsing]

As I was reading up on the various NROTC websites, I would have to take some military based classes, and participate in activities during the summer.  One such activity is a summer cruise between my Jr. and Sr. year.

I can speak to the NROTC requirements. You'll have to take 1 military class every semester, taught by an officer. They are not particularly difficult, but you will learn some important things. You will also have one drill/military instruction period per week, with guest speakers, close-order drill, inspections, and the like.

Assuming you get a four year scholarship, you will have something to do every summer. After your freshman year, you'll go to CORTRAMID, which is basically a week of every community in either Norfolk or San Diego (ie 1 week each for subs, surface, aviation, and Marine). After sophomore year, you'll go on a cruise on a type of ship mostly of your choice (like everything else, you'll submit a dream sheet, but you generally get the broad category you ask for, subs or surface; no aviation cruises for this one). Before your senior year, you'll go on another cruise (now with the option of an aviation cruise, as well as an option for a FOREX, a cruise with a foreign navy). The main difference between the last two cruises is that the one before your junior year, you're shadowing an enlisted crewmember, while before your senior year, it's an officer, and you're generally treated accordingly.

Any more questions about the NROTC life, feel free to ask (I'm being commissioned in May from NROTC, so my knowledge is pretty current, even if my experience of the actual Navy is essentially nil).

[Roll Tide]

I was looking at this, and just realized that "n00b" was the title. According to my kids, that is the new hot term for beginners (especially MMOL gaming). NUB (Nuclear Unqualified Body) has a much older history than the internet. I was calling new reports NUB back when the big excitement among the geeks was modems that would operate above 9600 baud.  I wonder if n00b is related to NUB?

Regardless, welcome all NUBs and n00bs. And thanks for your service.

[longball4414]

Anyone who uses the word n00b is definitely an internet geek and into video games.

[grimmreaper42]

Anyone who uses the word n00b is definitely an internet geek and into video games.

That they are...including me 

[War Eagle]

I'm in a similar situation, I'm about to leave for basic and then nuke school afterwords.  I'm hoping to get picked up for NECP so I can finish my degree(im about 2 years into it) and become an officer.  I'm new to this forum so I'm still searching for stuff on the NECP program, but if anyone knows anything about it, I'm all ears!

NECP was folded into the STA-21 program a while ago. https://www.sta-21.navy.mil/

If you still have questions after browsing the website, feel free to PM me.  I am a nuke officer who was commissioned through NECP.

[Already Gone]

I was looking at this, and just realized that "n00b" was the title. According to my kids, that is the new hot term for beginners (especially MMOL gaming). NUB (Nuclear Unqualified Body) has a much older history than the internet. I was calling new reports NUB back when the big excitement among the geeks was modems that would operate above 9600 baud.  I wonder if n00b is related to NUB?

Regardless, welcome all NUBs and n00bs. And thanks for your service.

Close, NUB is pronounced nub.  It rhymes with grub.  n00b is pronounced "newbie".  Not a new term, just a new way of typing it.

[Roll Tide]

Not a new term, just a new way of typing it.

I have been amazed how many words have been typed differently by Generation Text. But I have also run into terms that my sons only use with their especially geeky friends (that they didn't know how to pronounce since they had never spoken the word!)

Regardless: soon you will be transformed from n00b to NUB. And there is no return from that one-way street.