Navy Nukes

Comment

Comment by old Lt on January 26, 2011 at 10:35am

Jerry, My son is a a few months ahead of yours in A School in GC. There is certainly a lot to do in class and it will get tougher. However, the physical activity thing is still there. I don't know how much the different classes mix but I know my son had us send down lacrosse and some other sports equip. Last time we spoke about it they were looking for others to play on weekends. let me know if there is interest and we can contact outside this forum and I will give you his contact info. Chris

Comment by proud dad Nuke sailor on January 26, 2011 at 9:31am

congratulations on your sons scores, my son is coming up on the end of power school. The right fit is a must with any position, the schedule A school can be challenging, when my son went in the positions available were seals and nukes, there were no other choices.  I encourage my son to do the best that he can and offer him my unconditional support. I know my son will do his best but hearing it from his dad I believe helps. My son has even gotten over the guy macho thing and I hear him say i love you dad. 

I did encourage my son to become a nuke he had other choices in other branches of the military I took my son to visit with a friend that I work with that was an airdale I was a seabee.

There are chaplains there and there are also councilors, no mater what choice your son makes thank him for choosing to serve our country.

Comment by Chuck Brunson on January 26, 2011 at 9:28am

To Jerry Krause:

  There are several avenues your son could take to get counseling for dealing with the issues you raise, but in all likelihood, he won't be very happy with the answer.  Don't misunderstand, I'm not passing judgement on you or your son.  I've seen too many times motivated young men and women get diverted at MEPS from their ambitions because they score well on the ASVAB.  Nuclear power is a great program and can set a young man up well for the future, but it is not for everyone.  Unfortunately, there is no provisions for leaving the program because of an overzealous MEPS classifier.

 

Having said that, my first suggestion would be a Navy Chaplain.  They are very good at providing counseling for folks enduring emotional distress at NNPTC and NPTU.  He could potentially discuss it with a Career Counselor, but as I said before, there isn't much that can be done there.

 

I will offer one possible alternative- when your son completes NF training, and if he is a submarine volunteer, SSN submarines have their own Scuba Divers onboard.  They are sent to Navy Diving School, undergo a rigorous physical and academic training program, perform security dives and emergency maintenance dives on the boats they serve.  He should mention that as soon as he reports aboard so that the command leadership can identify him as an interested person.

 

Good luck to you and your son.  I know it's tough, but considering how much the program can provide, he should learn pretty quickly that choosing nuke isn't really as much of a mistake as he may believe right now.

Comment by Knight Dad on January 26, 2011 at 8:11am

Could anyone please advise me of a useful resource for my son who is struggling emotionally with A-school in the Nuke program.  He is a very physical, active, athletic young man, and he is now worried that he has made a very big mistake.  He is not having trouble with the academics, he just wanted more of a physical challenge.  He originally wanted to be swcc, but the meps center gently persuaded him into nukes because of his scores.  Is there someone he can discuss things with,even if it is just to vent, like a counselor or advisor on base at goose creek?

Comment by Susan J on January 23, 2011 at 12:07am

According to my son he says it is $150 a month and it is SUPPOSE to be after Prototype, but most times wont get it til you get to the ship/sub and have to complain to personnel office to get it...

Comment by William in Nashua on January 22, 2011 at 11:46pm

How much do nukes get each month for Special Duty Assignment Pay and when to they start collecting it.  Do they get it after prototype, or do  they get it only after they are qualified on a ship or a sub?  Thanks

Comment by Jim G. on January 21, 2011 at 12:29pm

I was on both fast attack subs and a sub tender.  Liberty was much more free on the tender than the sub.  We (nukes) were always three section (duty every third day) on the boat while we could be as high as six section on the tender.  Not sure about carriers, but I understand they sometimes keep one plant up in port so that will definitely impact the liberty of the nukes.

 

Passports are not required, but may be needed if flying into or out of a foreign country other than on orders (leave, emergency, etc.)  I would strongly recommend getting one, my son got one before going over to Japan and it is a fairly easy (though somewhat expensive) process. 

 

Hope this helps!

 

Former MM1/SS Nuke ELT

Comment by Rob Gennrich on January 20, 2011 at 10:31pm

Depending on where you are and  your command, its fairly routine for liberty to be in 3 sections. Nukes do get liberty although its not always as often as we would like. When in port and drawing power from shore there is a section of nukes manning the reactor and associated equipment.  They frequently get a shorter amout of liberty since they have to start the reactor up and that can take a while. As far as passports its common for the only thing needed being your military ID and a liberty card.

Comment by William in Nashua on January 20, 2011 at 7:45pm

About how often does an attack sub get to make foreign ports of call?  Say, in comparison to a carrier?   Also do the nukes get any liberty or do they have to stay on the submarine even in port?    When you go to a liberty port do you need a passport or is the military ID enough?   Thanks.   

 

Comment by Rob Gennrich on January 18, 2011 at 9:36pm

For me it took about a week and being a junior E-5 I did have to hot rack. IF your a crank you will not be hot raking (at least on my boat) but I didn't have that privilege as a nuke. :( As for rationing WATER was always a premium showers were about 30- 45  seconds total water flow time.

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