Navy Nukes

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Comment by LukeH on October 6, 2015 at 4:45pm

They aren't in the ICE part, are they. That is often a struggle.
As a layperson I am careful not to assume how these things are applied or that my understanding is correct, but MILPERSMAN 1510-030 is interesting reading.

Comment by jeremy mcelroy on October 6, 2015 at 4:44pm

There really is no such thing as choosing a different rate when it comes to Nukes. If she passes A school then that is her rate, be it nuke or conventional. If she doesn't pass A school then she will very likely be pushed somewhere towards needs of the Navy, some people I know ended up something with the kind of enjoyed and some with the lowliest of jobs in the Navy. Nuke dropouts tend to excel highly when they get put into a different setting, go figure. Nowadays it is very hard to fail out of the nuke pipeline, the Navy is hurting greatly for them and the instructors are urged to push people through by very great means. As long as she seeks help and lets people know of troubles she is having then they will work with her.

Comment by Steve on October 6, 2015 at 4:36pm

The Navy will not let your daughter fail if she has the aptitude - which she clearly has by being selected in the first place.   They will ensure that all the help needed is available - but she MUST go other SLPO and ask.....above all else, FINISH A school - she will then get to get and keep her E-4.   My sone reports that Power school (he is 2.5 weeks away from graduating) is tough but also easier than A school was - he is looking forward to Proto just so he can cook : ).  Tell your daughter to keep her head up - and send her letters/care packages daily, talk to her SLPO about study help, etc.  You would be surprised on how much these Nukes want and will help a peer out.  Good luck - I know its hard on you as apparent worrying about your kid....Steve

Comment by Ron Fordham on October 6, 2015 at 4:21pm

Jim, will do. My wife is more of a Facebook person (I have a page, but am never on it), so I'll get her assistant with doing that and get input from some others.... thanks! I really appreciate all the input from you guys. 

Comment by Ron Fordham on October 6, 2015 at 4:04pm

Jim, yes, there's a bunch of them having difficulty right now in her class, so it's not just her. She's just feeling it from a lot of different angles. We will pass on some of these positive bits of information to her, especially that her GPA doesn't affect her rerating, but to try as darned hard as she can while she's in it. Oh yeah, she knows that we would come help her study if we could! She knows she's got our support, no matter which ways this goes. We're just uber proud of her for even making a go at this. Way beyond my pay grade, I do know that just from what I've heard! We are in awe of all the nukes out there and what they went through to get in the fleet and stay there for however long. They're definitely serving in a way no other's can, and few understand, it seems, even me, before all this. 

Comment by Ron Fordham on October 6, 2015 at 3:56pm

It's just this whole class is having trouble keeping up and the assistance is spread thin. 

Comment by Ron Fordham on October 6, 2015 at 3:55pm

Oh and we've got her talking to everybody for assistance.... even the chaplain for moral support! 

Comment by Ron Fordham on October 6, 2015 at 3:54pm

Hey guys, thanks for all of this. Just to clarify what Luke says "She would only be re-rated if she is dropped. She doesn't have a direct choice.". So if she makes it through A school even with a 2.59 or something like that, she would NOT be able to say "I'd rather do something else, please rerate me"?? She would have to deliberately fail to be able to get rerated (I don't think we would ever want to tell her something like that). 

Comment by LukeH on October 6, 2015 at 3:48pm

Ron, grades in Nuke school are used only to assess progress and determine mandatory study. It is 2.5 to stay alive, but the program itself runs on points. Grades and points don't carry from one school to the next, nor to the fleet, nor do they have anything to do with re-rating should she be dropped from the program. They either pass or they don't. She would only be re-rated if she is dropped. She doesn't have a direct choice. She is under orders and obligated to do her best until those orders change.
It is normal for them to struggle a but, so encourage her to hang in there and use whatever assistance is available.

Comment by lsdemme2001 on October 6, 2015 at 3:44pm

Ron,  You are doing the right thing.  Nuke is not for everyone.  It was the toughest 2+ years for our entire family when my son went Nuke. nothing any of us could do except try to keep him positive.  It was extremely tough for him and for us as a family.  Its no fun seeing your kid struggle and deal with such pressure.  It is more than anyone could have imagined.  The stress on the Nukes is unimaginable, even after graduation and into the fleet.  My son has ten years in now.  He is readying for promotion to Chief soon.  The road did not get any easier until after his second deployment to the middle east.  He is far enough along and in the field long enough that he is pretty senior and gets good duty assignments now.  But it was a tough tough road.  Even now he says that it would have been so much better had he went into another rate, but he is so far into this that he has made a career out of it and it is actually more boredom than anything else for him at this point.  

One thing is that the Navy will not let your kid fail if he/she truly has the ability.  Short of violating the rules or having to go to Captains Mast they will make sure that all the help needed is available for your young sailor.  

Best of luck.  

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