Bad past, can i still get into the nupoc program?

[cuervo1416]

Hello to all, i am 22 yrs old attending texas tech university and im considering the nupoc program. I have a 3.6 GPA in mechanical engineering, and have made the deans list 4 times. When i heard about the NUPOC program ,money is what made me think about it. When i spoke to the officer programs recruiter it made me realize that this is the program i want to get in with or without the money. So now its not about the money but the experiences and the life i would live, i have been think about this every second of the day for the past week. My only question to you guys is....I have a really bad past, before i was 18 yrs old i live with my father that worked 80 hrs a week. So i had no direction. I got into 2 fights in high school that went to court, 1 theft under 50 dollars at target that went to court ( girl at the register marked down a clock $12) and probably around 10 traffic violations.graduated late from high school with a 2.1 GPA. that was BEFORE i was 18, once i started going to college , everything changed, i have gotten 3 tickets for speeding but other than that, never been arrested , hardly drink or party. what do you think my chances are? Im a completely different person  now that has learned from his past , and wants to get ahead in life .. and wants to JOIN THE NAVY REALLY REALLY BAD~!!!!!! thanks for you time!

[RDTroja]

Hello to all, i am 22 yrs old attending texas tech university and im considering the nupoc program. I have a 3.6 GPA in mechanical engineering, and have made the deans list 4 times. When i heard about the NUPOC program ,money is what made me think about it. When i spoke to the officer programs recruiter it made me realize that this is the program i want to get in with or without the money. So now its not about the money but the experiences and the life i would live, i have been think about this every second of the day for the past week. My only question to you guys is....I have a really bad past, before i was 18 yrs old i live with my father that worked 80 hrs a week. So i had no direction. I got into 2 fights in high school that went to court, 1 theft under 50 dollars at target that went to court ( girl at the register marked down a clock $12) and probably around 10 traffic violations.graduated late from high school with a 2.1 GPA. that was BEFORE i was 18, once i started going to college , everything changed, i have gotten 3 tickets for speeding but other than that, never been arrested , hardly drink or party. what do you think my chances are? Im a completely different person  now that has learned from his past , and wants to get ahead in life .. and wants to JOIN THE NAVY REALLY REALLY BAD~!!!!!! thanks for you time!

I was not in the Navy so I can't answer your question... but I was really good at "What's wrong with this picture?" when I was a kid.

How exactly do you reconcile your user name with the bolded statement? Or is that really your name and it is all just a big coincidence?

Just curious.

[cuervo1416]

My first name is Jose, im a bartender at a restaurant so my nickname there is Jose Cuervo. I dont drink tequila , actually i really dont drink at all, i tried to stay fit and i feel like drinking hurts the body, plus my father is a recovering alcoholic. I live in a college town where all there is to do here in Lubbock, Texas is party which i dont do much at all just concentrate on my studies and try and live a athletic lifestyle.

[IPREGEN]

If you do have a 3.6 average in Mech Engineering you will be wasting time and unearned income being an enlisted person in the nuclear Navy. You can directly to a utility, nuclear or conventional and be hired at more money and make more in annual bonuses than in the Navy. Here is the link to Navy salaries - http://www.navy.com/benefits/financial/#enlisted-chart and here is a link to figuring out salaries for Mech Engineers using the salary wizard from US New, http://usnews.salary.com/salarywizard/layoutscripts/swzl_newsearch.asp Join the Navy for other reasons instead of money.

[cuervo1416]

Its not about the money anymore... i understand that i can make more money outside of the Navy. The more information i got , the more i knew the Navy was for me.

[Fermi2]

The average engineer out of college gets about 53K a year out of that 53K some will be utilized for Medical Benefits. Most are not eligible for a bonus and most utilities do not pay Engineers for OT. I gained that knowledge off the website you posted using Mech Engineer 1 which is where an entry level Mech be hired at.
An O1 in his first year will get roughly 36K a year, plus if he's getting an allowance for quarters and subsistence it'll go up quite a bit. ALSO that same O Ganger will get a raise within a year, the Entry Level Engineer most likely won't.
I'm a huge advocate of going commercial but the fact of the matter is financially for the O Ganger it's almost a wash and in truth the O Ganger will probably get more real experience doing something which will make him more valuable at the 6 year point of his/her career.

Mike

[juggalonic]

Hello to all, i am 22 yrs old attending texas tech university and im considering the nupoc program. I have a 3.6 GPA in mechanical engineering, and have made the deans list 4 times. When i heard about the NUPOC program ,money is what made me think about it. When i spoke to the officer programs recruiter it made me realize that this is the program i want to get in with or without the money. So now its not about the money but the experiences and the life i would live, i have been think about this every second of the day for the past week. My only question to you guys is....I have a really bad past, before i was 18 yrs old i live with my father that worked 80 hrs a week. So i had no direction. I got into 2 fights in high school that went to court, 1 theft under 50 dollars at target that went to court ( girl at the register marked down a clock $12) and probably around 10 traffic violations.graduated late from high school with a 2.1 GPA. that was BEFORE i was 18, once i started going to college , everything changed, i have gotten 3 tickets for speeding but other than that, never been arrested , hardly drink or party. what do you think my chances are? Im a completely different person  now that has learned from his past , and wants to get ahead in life .. and wants to JOIN THE NAVY REALLY REALLY BAD~!!!!!! thanks for you time!

  That degree and GPA is good, and assuming your criminal check goes smoothly you will be screened favorably for either of the Fleet jobs, or the Instructor job.  Naval Reators and those that do your security screening will make a note about your background, but as you stated, it was all before 18, so it will probably not follow you now.  There is only one way to know if it will affect you, and that is to apply.  What is the worst that could happen, they say no?

  Money is NOT a reason to choose this career path.  After you add in the money for housing and food you get up to $50K (roughly), and you have to account for the medical and dental benefits that are still no cost (at least for now), so it is comparable.  Where the enginner that chooses the Navy gets ahead is that you know for sure when you will promote and when you will get a raise, at least for the first 4 years... what comparable civilian job guarantees that?  Also, one of the perks to Nuke is the retention bonus, that is given on TOP of your annual salary when you stay around after your 5 years and puts you over $100K, which you can sign up for a year early.

[cuervo1416]

yeah the only thing im really worried about is the background check, if i pass that i think i would be good. it would just bumm me out to be turned down for something that i did in the past, which is completely my fault, but its not who i am now..

[Fermi2]

A retention bonus is NEVER EVER EVER a valid reason to stay in. It's chump change compared what you'll make on the outside.

Mike

[NukeNTO]

As someone who has been an o-ganger and is now an engineer at a commercial plant I can tell you with 100% certainty that the Navy will pay you more when benefits are included. I took a ~20% pay cut to get out. Where the difference comes in (at least in my case) is the work hours. I worked a lot more hours in the Navy. Just for a point of reference I left as an 0-3 and hired in as an Engineer 3.
I think you have a good chance at a spot. Just be sure to capture your story and how you've matured in your motivational statement and express it to the Admiral if given the chance.  

[juggalonic]

A retention bonus is NEVER EVER EVER a valid reason to stay in. It's chump change compared what you'll make on the outside.

Mike

Who said I was staying in?  They lied, I am on my way out right now, but it has nothing to do with money.

[cuervo1416]

I think you have a good chance at a spot. Just be sure to capture your story and how you've matured in your motivational statement and express it to the Admiral if given the chance.  

I did not even think about that. Thats a very good idea, thanks for the advice.

[NukeNTO]

No problem. Say hi to Pepe if he's your recruiter he's a good guy.

[namlive]

Normally juvenile records are sealed. They will only know what people tell them. I know people who have lied about their juvenile records and are working in the nuclear field. Only use references who have known you after the fact and don't have any first hand knowledge of your misdeeds. Or you can try honesty is the best policy routine.

[stephpatton]

speaking from someone who just got background checked, YES they will check your juvenile records.  They will go to every regular and juvenile court in every county in which you have lived or worked.  So don't think lying about or "forgetting" about the bad things you've done your past.  I would much rather someone admit to me the stupid things they did when they were young when I asked the first time, than to find out you lied to me and the proof is in front of me. 

[G-reg]

Normally juvenile records are sealed. They will only know what people tell them. I know people who have lied about their juvenile records and are working in the nuclear field. Only use references who have known you after the fact and don't have any first hand knowledge of your misdeeds.

This portion is ridiculous garbage - and an act which would become a criminal offense all of its own.

[namlive]

I know a DOE person who had a criminal juvenile record and it was never ckecked, although they did pump me for information about "the teenage years" of the person I was giving a reference for. I didn't budge. If you allow them access to those records and point them in that direction, then of course they will check it.

[G-reg]

I know a DOE person who had a criminal juvenile record and it was never ckecked, although they did pump me for information about "the teenage years" of the person I was giving a reference for. I didn't budge. If you allow them access to those records and point them in that direction, then of course they will check it.

So if the truth ever gets found out (which it can have a nasty habit of doing sometimes), the stuff you have posted above will keep him/her from getting fired how?

[rlbinc]

I was an enlisted Reactor operator - not an officer.
If you want to do any "real" engineering - do not join the Navy Nuclear Power Program.
A Navy Officer is an administrator running a division, and a supervisor who signs authorizations in the plant. A Navy Enlisted is an actual plant operator - and pays too little for a degreed Engineer to gain any satisfaction of achievement.
It sure was fun to pull control rods and do fast recoverys, but fun don't count much in a career.

If you went to work for an Engineering firm or plant vendor - you would likely acquire real experience earlier than if you joined the Navy.

Never choose military service based on a monetary incentive.
There is no limit to overtime worked - and I have worked +100 hour weeks for years on end.
There is no resigning when your life priorities change.
There is no assurance that any GI Bill or benefit you are promised will survive subsequent sessions of Congress. (Vietnam Era GI Bill comes to mind)

I urge a guy in your shoes to stay civilian - and I'm a successful Nuclear Navy vet.

[cuervo1416]

Oh wow i really wasnt expecting that one. Its not about the money anymore, but the actual NAVY experience(not for career experience). Everything that the recruiter has told me about the navy is awesome, and i figured that this program is great opportunity for me to have a good position going in. Is that really all i would do? No designing , i would just be like a supervisor?...

[HydroDave63]

Oh wow i really wasnt expecting that one. Its not about the money anymore, but the actual NAVY experience(not for career experience). Everything that the recruiter has told me about the navy is awesome, and i figured that this program is great opportunity for me to have a good position going in. Is that really all i would do? No designing , i would just be like a supervisor?...

It all starts entry level. Hope you can handle taking orders from people you dont like or respect. Lots of infractions, following rules may be an issue.....

[NukeNTO]

You just need to decide what's right for you. If you truely want to supervise, then the Navy would be better. As an entry level engineer you won't supervise crap. But if you're looking to do more "pure" engineering right away maybe it isn't the best fit. 

[G-reg]

Its not about the money anymore, but the actual NAVY experience(not for career experience).

If this is true, then I would really recommend you go Navy Nuke Officer.  It will almost certainly be the most demanding and the most rewarding job you will ever have.  I guarantee it will be something you always look back upon with pride.

[IPREGEN]

You keep mentioning the Navy experience as being what drives you. The recruiter has a quota to fill, that's his bottom line and he's trying to spin the Navy as a great thing For all the great things that you MAY do there are buckets of bullcrap that you have to put up with. let this forum know what path, officer or enlisted and what you want to do as far as rate for enlisted and type of ship/sub you want. There are plenty of people here that can give you lots of details. I did 6 years and out as an MM/ELT on a cruiser. It was not everything my recruiter said. I did have some fun, but there was plenty of not so fun. 6 years is 2190 days. 1095 at the halfway point. That's when you'll start counting down the time left, unless you extend for the cash.  Consider throwing some feelers out to places like Bechtel, Fluor, Westinghouse, GE, Siemens.

[namlive]

So if the truth ever gets found out (which it can have a nasty habit of doing sometimes), the stuff you have posted above will keep him/her from getting fired how?

No one likes a party pooper.