Nuke Officer Questions

[warsaw]

About two years ago I applied to the NUPOC program. I submited my paper work and everything. In return I got no contact or anything for sometime. Eventually, my recruiter was replaced, and I was told that I was missing paper work, which I did submit.  I got dismayed from this and I did not continue the application process. I was not sure how to interpret the previous recruiters actions. Was he incompentent, was he subtlety rejecting me.

Well, recently I thought again about the program. I checked out this message board and noticed that some one else had similar trouble with a recuiter. Perhaps I made a mistake to not try to continue to gain entry. I think I am interested again.

As of now, I effectly have my degree; I just need to apply for it. Right now, I am still taking more courses, that would allow me to apply to dental school or to add a second major in chemistry.

So how would admissions be for me, considering all this time has passed? I think it would take some time to be enter. What has changed in the last two or so years? Any words of advice or wisdom?

[RCLCPO]

Please send me your name, when you last applied, and where in the country you applied from, and an e-mail or phone number for our replies.  I will forward the information to the right folks to get your questions answered.

Nuke1_port@cnrc.navy.mil
Navy Recruiting District Portland

[warsaw]

Did you recieve my message?

[RCLCPO]

Have you heard anything, yet, in response?

If not, let me know, and I'll try to stoke the fire under the appropriate ass.

[warsaw]

I have not heard a thing yet.

[dagnabit]

Hey everyone, nukes, nuke wannabees, ex-nukes,

I recently applied for a position as an officer candidate and I put down the CEC as my first choice.  I have an interview in 2 weeks in Virginia.  I did not put down nuke because it seems a bit loony to me.  I did a search on the web, and I came up with a website that said I needed to know all kinds of crazy things that I learned but forgot for a nuke officer interview.  It was the equivalent of taking the math gre.  Are they gonna ask me technical questions for the CEC?  I'm good at math, but I just look things up in a textbook if I need them.  Is there a CEC interviewing website?  Is the CEC a good job?  Got my head spinning.  Any response is very welcome, thanks!

-Rik

[jcrabtr]

Hello-

I am will be receiving my bachelor's degree in physics in May and am very interested in becoming a nuclear trained officer. I have already contacted a recruiter and begun the application process. I have the standard "am I good enough" question. My GPA is currently 3.2, and will hopefully be higher by the time I graduate. I have seen that 3.3 is considered competitive with this program. Have people been accepted with lower, and are people with a physics major much less likely to be accepted than someone with nuclear engineering? Does being interested in sub or surface make a difference? Are there other things that someone such as myself can do to improve my chances? Thanks.

[CharlieRock]

There are a number of factors involved, the most important of which is working against you.  This 'factor' is that nuke officers are not in short supply right now; that is, the commissioning pipelines through which we create the bulk of of our nuclear officers (USNA, NROTC, STA-21, NUPOC) are giving us close to the required number of officers.  That leaves OCS to pick up what's left.  The competition for these spots is tight.  The remaining factors that are evaluated are (in no particular order): 1. Grades - you are competitive with a 3.3 but not dominating. 2. School - Yes, not all schools are equal in NR's eyes and rightfully so. 3. Major - Physics will not work against you but it depends on your course work.  Remember this is a practical engineering job.  They are concerned about you knowing the engineering basics.  A good ME, EE or NE will beat you out.  4. Prior Service - NR loves priors.  You haven't said you are so I can't judge but being a prior enlisted nuke often gives you a lot of slack. 5. Intangibles - Personal interview, being a well-rounded person, etc.  In general folks don't give this much creedence but I have seen a very borderline applicant blow away his interviewers at NR (primarily based on his ability to think on his feet like you wouldn't believe) and get accepted. 

Hope this helps.

[VTche04]

I am a senior graduating in May from Virginia Tech.  I am in the NUPOC program and will go to OCS 30Jul05 and this is my first time posting here. 

My question is about taking the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam.  What good would it do me to take it?  Does serving in the Navy qualify as the 4 years or so required that you work under a licensed engineer?  Is it really just dependent on whether I want to be a career Navy man or just do my 5 years?

At this point I don't even know if I know what to ask.  Any information is appreciated.  Thanks.

[Beta_effect]

The key to any future qualifications is flexibility. The FE will never be any easier than it is now-and it is plenty difficult, but you should be able to pass it now. It only gets harder the longer you are away from school. The PE can be very important if you stay in the government or work for a state.

Whether your experience will count will depend on the PE qualifications of supervision. If the engineer of the boat is that person then make sure you can can contact him after you get out of the Navy as you will need him to vouch for your experience. Document everything. Check the requirements of the State you eventully want to reside in and find out the specifics of what is required to take the PE exam-it does vary from state to state. Documentation is key, and for any PE you work with, make sure you can contact them after you leave the Navy.

We take a lot for granted when we are part of a crew and never think to write down all the peeps we serve with-you'd be suprised at how hard some of them are to remember and how hard those you knew are to find after you have been out for several years.

[Beta_effect]

Another aspect of professional licensure to consider is that the Navy is doing far more than just supplying peeps for the operational ships. There are research possibilities with the Naval research Laboratory, Naval Reactors, the Surface Warfare College, etc. To me, one of the most exciting possibilities is the Navy's involvement now with NASA and the Jupiter moon missions and most probably the development of the reactor that will be used for the Mars missions.

The latter is totally rad in that this powerplant may have great possibilities for Naval Propulsion as the reactor design will incorporate direct energy conversion-oh this far to slick-could be a true reactor-electric sub-no traditional engineroom required. A P.E. could go a long way in getting involved in these types of programs. A prototype facility currently does not exist. Oh me o my-can you imagine being staff at the MARS-1 prototype facility? Sign me up!

[TheMongol]

Hello,
    I am currently enlisted in the Navy and trying to go Nuke. I will be in the nuke program once my security clearance is cleared. I was recently contacted by another recruiter trying to get me into the nuke officer program. Im not really that interested in the officer program. From what i hear is that officers (from O1 to O3) get abused alot from their superiors. I will be meeting with the nuke officer recruiter this friday to talk about this program. Anyone here is a nuke officer or in the nuke officer program can tell me what it's like being a nuke officer? the pros and cons? and how are they different from  "regular" officers in the navy? and what are my chances of becoming a nuke officer? Thanks in advance. Oh yeah, please don't use a lot of technical terms.

Ken

[JsonD13]

Just FYI, as any rank nuke, youre going to get beat down quite a bit.  Its just the nature of the beast.

[Fermi2]

If I were you I'd PM WarEagle. He's been both Officer and enlisted and is a straight shooter.

Mike

[jamdaws]

Can anyone clearly explain the main differences between the Nuke engineer route and the Nuke SWO route?

What is the difference in the training they receive and the quals they have? I am referring to the nuke training not the SWO stuff and the other miscellaneous stuff.  Is the engineer route more "hard-core"? 

Also, does the navy currently need one more than the other?

Thank you.

[thelonerx]

Has anyone heard of the term "have a commission" or anything like it?

[Roll Tide]

I believe that is as in "Commissioned Officer". Officers are commissioned for service, enlisted are enlisted into service.

When an enlisted is looking at moving into the 0-ranks, it is often abbreviated into getting a commission.

[zach232]

I am currently working on an MS in math and hoping to get into the NR Program in DC. Does anybody have any idea what kind of opportunities exist to go to either NPS or a civilian institution to pursue a PhD in either Mathematics or Nuclear Engineering upon completion of my initial obligation? I am talking about going as a full time student... I know these opportunities exist, but I haven't seen anybody talking about them here. It seems like the navy would find this sort of education useful.

Thanks for your help..