The Brass Ring

[itsaparent]

Congratulations to you both.

[proud dad]

             
 Congratulations to the new Petty Officer.
 Every step compleated,from the first day of school,junior prom,drivers licence,RTC and A-school graduation and beond gives us as parents a good warm feeling inside.It confurmes that,yes, we did an ok job.
 Congratulations to the parents of the new Petty Officer.
 Alan

[Wanna Know Mom]

BZ to your MM3 and you too, nubnavydad. That brass ring is well within his reach.
Kathy VPNNM                         

[number41]

As a fairly recent Navy Pipeline instructor, I have to agree with MARSSIM.......your son needs to have a never say die attitude.  You'd be surprised how clueless you can be as a nuke if you're willing to work hard and ask for help if you need it.  You really don't have to be a genious to operate a navy plant, but you do need to be willing to work hard.   That said, if your son makes it thru EM A-School, he should be able to head to the fleet as an electrician regardless of his progress thru power school or prototype.  Sometimes, students who don't make it are offered the opportunity to trian for another job, but that's mostly a funtion of "needs of the Navy." 

[liam]

As a fairly recent Navy Pipeline instructor, I have to agree with MARSSIM.......your son needs to have a never say die attitude.  You'd be surprised how clueless you can be as a nuke if you're willing to work hard and ask for help if you need it.  You really don't have to be a genious to operate a navy plant, but you do need to be willing to work hard.   That said, if your son makes it thru EM A-School, he should be able to head to the fleet as an electrician regardless of his progress thru power school or prototype.  Sometimes, students who don't make it are offered the opportunity to trian for another job, but that's mostly a funtion of "needs of the Navy." 

Back in the seventies the only clueless nukes were called officers.   BTW, spellchecker does work in case we need to trian a new genious to funtion.

[nubnavydad]

Wow! I just noticed that it's just over 1 year since I started this thread. It's kind of amazing how much I've learned about Navy Nukes in that time.
Last year my son was a nervous kid, DEP'd into the Navy as an EM. Now he's graduated Boot Camp, and A school, and is anxiously awaiting Power School in G.C. He's a happy and confident MM and wannabe SMAG.
If all it takes is a "never quit" attitude, then he's got it made. Unlike some others I've seen on these boards, nothing has come easy for him. He's had to fight for every success. He does everything the "right way" even when it's hard, and holds himself to the highest level of integrity. He will make a fine nuke... as long as he can pass the academics.
I have seen a few post by others that will be in his graduating class. I feel confident that they to will do whatever they can to assist their classmates. It seems like a great group of sailors.
Once again I want to offer my thanks to the contributers here at Nukeworker. You guys may no longer be in the Navy, but you continue to teach the future generations, (and their parents)of the realities of being a nuke.

[JustinHEMI05]

Hey thanks for the update! Congratulations to you and your son, and please keep us posted! Maybe he can join and share his experiences and advice for the benefit of others. Although all have something to contribute, I believe that those that have to really bust their butts and are successful because of it, have things to contribute that are of more value to more people. A guy that just breezes through can't relate most of the people seeking help here.

[nubnavydad]

Hi Everyone, Just a quick update. My son made it through comps in power school yesterday. I would like to say that with hard work and determination he made it with ease, but I would be lying. He had to bust his hump just to make it through. The math was a killer.
I would like to take this space to both congratulate all of the sailors graduating on Friday, and to thank the staff and teachers in Goose Creek who helped him to succeed.
Now it's off to Ballston Spa to continue his education.
I'll continue reading here to continue mine. Thanks All.

[IPREGEN]

Congrats to him. Prototype should be easier, at least I thought so. There is a logic to the way the Navy teaches the program and it works.

[Wanna Know Mom]

Congratulations to your son and thank you for being a supportive Navy parent. 
Kathy VPNNM

[Frogman164]

nubnavydad: Congrats to your son (I am still in DEP happily enjoying my time left-thanks for a parents perspective I can only imagine how my folks feel on the inside), wish him well in prototype and the fleet. Has he made any hopes for a certain home port?

[Wareal]

Congratulations!  Your son should enjoy Ballston Spa.  My son was born and raised in Virginia, but, he thoroughly enjoyed the 2.5 years he lived in NY.  Great place to visit!

[Jechtm]

I start Power school WEDNESDAY, SO EXCITED
 I was on grad duty during your son's ceremony how cool is that!

[nubnavydad]

I have to say that Power School graduation was a great experience. If there are parents checking here I would recommend it highly. I found it to be large enough to be a really big deal, yet small enough to be individualized. I enjoyed it more than boot camp graduation.
Spending the weekend with my son (his 21st. birthday weekend) was great. Charleston is a beautiful place to visit. It seemed that everywhere we went, his classmates were there with their parents. It also seems that nukes are a pretty close knit bunch. Everyone appeared friendly, and genuinely happy for each other.
Bravo Zulu to class 1003, and I wish the best of luck to those that follow.

[NHSparky]

I start Power school WEDNESDAY, SO EXCITED
 I was on grad duty during your son's ceremony how cool is that!

Hmmmm...I was a little more excited on the night of the Comp.  But hey, that's just me.  Then again, I started NPS about the same time of year you did (8801).  That meant I was missing winter in Idaho.  That would be pretty exciting.

But seriously, good luck.

[nubnavydad]

Well... Now I guess we'll find out the hard way. What happens when you reach for that brass ring... and fall.
My son has struggled with the academics from A school forward. He put in so many extra hours, and so much effort. Everyone in his COC knew how bad he wanted to be a nuke. Unfortunately he failed his 100% test for the second time. I got the call last night, He's a nuke no longer. He made it all the way through to grad week in prototype, and it's over.
His disappointment is huge, and I feel his hurt. All we can do now is hope that the Navy has something decent for him, somewhere.

[Gamecock]

Well... Now I guess we'll find out the hard way. What happens when you reach for that brass ring... and fall.
My son has struggled with the academics from A school forward. He put in so many extra hours, and so much effort. Everyone in his COC knew how bad he wanted to be a nuke. Unfortunately he failed his 100% test for the second time. I got the call last night, He's a nuke no longer. He made it all the way through to grad week in prototype, and it's over.
His disappointment is huge, and I feel his hurt. All we can do now is hope that the Navy has something decent for him, somewhere.

There really is no shame in failing if you can look yourself in the mirror and know that you gave it your all.

What was is rate?

If he is a MM, sub volunteer, he's likely headed to a submarine school in Groton, CT then to a submarine to join the Auxiliary division...."A Gang"
If he is a MM, non-sub-vol, he could end up anywhere in the surface fleet.  
Same for EM/ET also.

Regardless, I wish your son "Fair Winds, and Following Seas" as he closes one chapter of life, and opens another. 

[MacGyver]

Well... Now I guess we'll find out the hard way. What happens when you reach for that brass ring... and fall.
My son has struggled with the academics from A school forward. He put in so many extra hours, and so much effort. Everyone in his COC knew how bad he wanted to be a nuke. Unfortunately he failed his 100% test for the second time. I got the call last night, He's a nuke no longer. He made it all the way through to grad week in prototype, and it's over.
His disappointment is huge, and I feel his hurt. All we can do now is hope that the Navy has something decent for him, somewhere.

In my day the Navy Nuke Want'ta'be's that failed out (re: trying like the world depended on it) got the better end of the deal.

I would have been deflated if I hadn't made it.  But, those that didn't make it quickly cheered up when they saw the good deal's in their future.  We had a majority re-strike their rate's.  And they got something more to their liking.  The rest of us got to be a Navy Nuke.  It was the short straw if you ask me (i.e qualifying navy nuke).  This is only for those that busted their butts.  The slackers and degenerates got coal in their stockings.

As an example we had a number of the NNPP drop-outs (again, due to academics) that re-struck, re-struck for Dog Handler / K-9 (jobs).  They even got awarded an opportunity to NEVER go to SEA.  Again, in hind-sight they got the better deal.  I got to be a navy nuke.  Time and time again I wonder how I managed to convience myself I got the better deal.  Especially knowing I did not in fact get the better deal.

Just saying ...    ... Keep an eye on him until he finally comes to this realization.

Mac

[nubnavydad]

Thank You for the insight G.C. He is an M.M. and a sub vol. If they send him to Groton to be a conventional M.M. he will be pleased.
We're keeping our fingers crossed.

[Gamecock]

Thank You for the insight G.C. He is an M.M. and a sub vol. If they send him to Groton to be a conventional M.M. he will be pleased.
We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Submarine School is in Groton.....

The submarine he goes to could be some place else.

[drayer54]

Just saying ...    ... Keep an eye on him until he finally comes to this realization.

This was great advice and a solid point. Regardless of what he says, he is surely stressed right now. Comp time in any of the pipeline schools is usually stressful already.

Good point on how they usually get taken care of.