Navy Nukes

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Comment by lsdemme2001 on January 30, 2012 at 11:45am

My son has been out in the fleet for almost three years now since graduating from Prototype. In fact he is getting ready for his second deployment and is now fully qualified with no more qualification worries as an ET 2nd class. 

Just want to say that my son had a room mate at prototype that he went through A-school and Power school with.  This roommate tried exceedling hard and had a deep desire to become a Nuke.  My son on the other hand hated every second of Power School and barely made it through to Prototype.  He struggled a bit at Prototype, but not nearly as much as he did during Power School.  

About two weeks before graduation from Prototype his roommate was informed of his removal from the nuclear pipeline.  No disciplinary problems or anything, he simply was washed out by the powers that be.  This stunned my son, as he felt certain that he would be the one to be washed out at any time.  

Imagine...his roommate made it all the way through to Prototype with only two weeks left to complete his nuclear training...then washed out in an instant!

My son finished Prototype and is now a successfull member of the Nuclear Division on board the USS Enterprise and he is doing well. He was offered a huge re-enlistment bonus and he actually re-upped for four more years.  I am certain that he would not have been offered the re-enlistment opportunity as a Nuke had he not been a valuable member of the fleet.

The schooling and training are grueling and very difficult.  The sailors that make it through do it with a lot of hard work...and in my sons instance...with a little luck as well.  

Its simply not all about the test scores.  The superiors have to see something in the students as well.  If they see that you have what it takes, they won't let you wash out.    

Comment by William in Nashua on January 30, 2012 at 11:02am

My son is on the home stretch in  Nuclear Power School with two months until graduation and I will say this:  Every one who goes through power school is going to get kicked in the teeth  somewhere along the way.  It does not matter if you are up in the top 1/3 of the class, in the middle 1/3, or in the bottom 1/3 of your class.   Just about everyone hits tests along the way that rocks his GPA.    In my son's ET section right before the Christmas break he said they had a test where about 42% of the section failed that exam (he passed but  got a 3.1, that was versus his having a 3.6 GPA).  Then he got a 3.7 in chemistry a couple weeks ago and was very cheerful again but this weekend was grumpy and said power school was getting very hard.   Everyone there is very smart and working very hard to achieve, and when they get hit with a killer exam they take it personally.   This is one of those environments where if  your GPA slips by 1/10 of a point  your are going to hear about it from Chief and get chewed out no matter what your GPA is and even though they are still "doing fine" and in no danger of not graduating.   The pressure on our sons and daughters is  that intense,  and much of it comes from within all I tell him is do your best, it is just as hard for the other students, so keep hitting the books.   I expect by Friday he will be his usual cheerful self again.  All we can do is support them and cheer them up, it really is supposed to be  as hard as it is.

Comment by Zazzws on January 30, 2012 at 9:56am

When your sailor is looking at places to rent, one thing they should consider is if their cellphone will get reception inside the dwelling.

Comment by Zazzws on January 28, 2012 at 2:44pm

Ric,

I think that the fact that your son qualified for nuke school and was willing to give it a try says a lot about him.

Be proud!

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on January 28, 2012 at 11:34am

Ric, I have no experience with Nukes as my sailors went into different rates, but I can recall my years in pre-med and then into biochemistry.  Imagine the Nuke schooling in much like med...very oriented towards type-A personalities.....and this is not a negative term, overachievers.  In those really high pressure environments a high percentage are going to fail- no changing that and I know all about the negative terms we used in college for those that could not cut the academic challenge.  It was a way to cope with the pressure, and most that used those negative terms realized "that there but by the grace of the Lord go I....". 

I don't have any suggestions except to say that those handling reactors and nuclear materiel  better be the best of the best since the consequences are so huge and that I have the utmost respect for these sailors and what they go through.  And yeah, I remember the "diff eq" days as well......though at a certain point you start to "get it", though it can be big hurdle!  Then you get into 2nd and 3rd order diff eq's.....a never ending journey......

Comment by Ric Pallson on January 28, 2012 at 10:54am

OK we need to talk about this -- the plain fact is about one in four of our kids is NOT going to get thru power school.

Me -- I remember how I just did not get it with Diff EQ back in college a long time ago.  I still don't get those backward d's . Had to totally replan my career.  So what.

Some of our kids will hit the wall and not make it as Nukes.

Plain fact.

My daughter introduced me to one of her classmates that didn't pass Power  School, he was waiting for whatever the Navy would send him to, totally bummed out. He worked as hard any any one, but he just couldn't understand some of the techie stuff.

How can we support our "Nuclear Waste" -- yeah thats what they are called. The 25% that don't make it thru the nuclear program.

And it gripes my guts. The 1 in 4 that don't qualify nukes after sweating and trying as hard as they can, and just don't get there.

And get called "nuclear waste".

Any help or support greatly appreaciated.

Thanks

Comment by Ric Pallson on January 25, 2012 at 11:04pm

Right -- like Mike said

  He says the classes are intense, but the teamwork and group support is great.  Like Mike K said, support is the key.   Encourage him to talk with the other students and lean on them for understanding and help.

My daughter graduated Power School about 2 years ago.

Their nanny Goat made a big  point of congratulating his top honorman -- not for being top honorman but for the extra 30 hours per week tutoring classmates. Rough quote -- "If you hadn't helped we'd have two or three fewer graudates"

Support is there. Sometimes it's hard to ask for support -- but believe me it is there from instructors, mentors, classmates.

Just ask -- just tell your Sailor to ask for whatever help he needs -- no shame -- Hell , all his classmates and instructors and CPO's --want-- him to succeed.

And bless his guts for embarking on the most intellectually challenging training in the Navy

No shame to ask for help, your shipmates and superiors will give unstintingly.

Just ask it will be given.

 

R

Comment by Steven S on January 25, 2012 at 10:15pm

Michael, if he can make it through power school, he will make it through proto.  Mine did his at GC, but the sponsors will not let him struggle for too long before they get him straight.  He's proved he can learn it. 

Mines been assigned to the USSBN Nebraska in Washington St. since September now.  He's been waiting and getting trained up there soon to be out with his crew.  He re-upped yesterday for 2 more and is very happy today.  I got pictures of certificates, EM 2nd class now.  He was given the flag that flew over the Nebraska Sept 9, 2010.  That came with a certificate stating the same too.  Pretty cool deal.  I cant wait to go visit and see the country there around Seattle. 

Bottom line here is, I suppose if our boys are smart enough to finish power school.  They will make it through the rest, with difficulty, but nothing easy is worth having, right? 

Peace to you all..!

Comment by Michael E. on January 25, 2012 at 8:31pm

My son, is in Ballston Spa going through prototype.  He is struggling with his check outs due to his less than confident style of communicating his knowledge. From any body out there is there still a chance for him to cpmplete the programand get out to the fleet. I am a very worried Dad.  He knows his stuff he says just can't communicate his knowledge.

Please, let me know of lyour experiance if any.

Comment by Mike Adams on January 25, 2012 at 8:18pm

David, 

My son is there now too.  He says the classes are intense, but the teamwork and group support is great.  Like Mike K said, support is the key.   Encourage him to talk with the other students and lean on them for understanding and help.  My son says there is a lot of that going on, you just have to get involved and be open about what you understand and what leaves you a bit baffled.   My son was a solid "A" student with tons of math and science, and he says that this is some of the hardest conceptual information he could imagine grasping.     When you add that they have to leave books and info in the building and cannot study in their rooms it tends to be a challenge for anyone.    There are good folks there and I am sure your son can get some help without going through any issues for asking.  Best of luck David.

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