Navy Nukes

Comment

Comment by Chris B. on August 29, 2012 at 8:23am

My son went to college at The Citadel right after completing the pipeline (+SPU).  He said going to college is easy compared to the pipeline.  My son is no bookworm, but has very good grades thanks to the skills he learned in Goose Creek/Ballston Spa.   

Comment by proud dad Nuke sailor on August 29, 2012 at 6:54am

I remember the call from my son saying he was a sailor after the dc trainer, you could hear the pride in his voice. Then after my son made it thru prototype he had a picture of him and his class that made it thru, my son told me he was more proud to be in that picture than any graduateing picture in his life.   Just remember God gave us all different gifts they are all great gifts and we all have to work togeather.  The most important thing you can comunicate to your sailor is for them to do there best and that you are proud of them unconditionaly. Not everyone will make it thru the nuke program but at the end of the day all of our sailors have something to bring to the table. Team work is an important part.

Comment by KS Dad on August 28, 2012 at 10:56pm

My son completed Nuke school in the spring of 2011. He went through what several of you have already voiced regarding the pressures of school. I asked him what the Navy had given him that he highly valued. His response was "the Navy taught me how to study and to know that there isn't anything I can't get through when I go to college."

He went from Nuke school, a short few days at home, then a flight around the world to Bahrain and landed on the Ronald Reagan land via COD. The RR was deployed and flying missions along with the Vinson. Now he's in drydock in Bremerton and boredom is his main enemy. He's wanting to go back on deployment to complete the rest of his quals. No quals,  no promotion so that's frustrating him too. 

Comment by Jonathan Cooper on August 28, 2012 at 5:51pm

Thanks we had a long talk with him last night.  He is 23 and a few years past his last Math class.  But we told him he could do it.  That is why he was selected.  We keep the encouragement but they don't have a whole lot of time to call etc.  He has voluntarily given up other distractions so that is a major accomplishment.  He is focusing on the job at hand.

Comment by proud dad Nuke sailor on August 28, 2012 at 4:39pm

My son made it thru the pipeline. There will be many more challenges ahead. I recently went on a tiger with my son. The ship came to port after being deployed for eight months. Everyone was ready to get off of the ship, there was a big celibration familys were waiting for many of the sailors. I was on the ship with my son, My son could not leave the ship until the reactor had been shut down. It ended up being three hours after everyone else had got off the ship. There will be many more chalenges in front of your son. He has to keep the right head about it.

Comment by Bubblehead on August 28, 2012 at 4:32pm

My son is nearing the end of the process -- finishing up at BS in a month. It has been hard for him, harder than I expected. He's a very sharp kid, but entered the program with a very light math/science background. But, the program provides the motivation and tools to get through, and he has a good friend who tutors him.

I suspect the program is harder than it was 40 years ago, but it's hard to tell. I had plenty of math/science when I went through. Different people, different times...

My nuke has kept a positive attitude and demonstrated to his instructors that he's willing to put in the work, so he hasn't had to worry about being dropped. I have the impression that many of the program drops are self-selected -- they are the people who find it too challenging and too long of a struggle. (I'm just guessing.)

So, being a cheerleader is important. If you can keep your baby nuke working in the right direction, then he/she will be OK.

My wife & I can't wait to find out whether our son gets assign to a sub or a "target". :-)

Comment by Brian E. Moore on August 28, 2012 at 4:27pm

Jonathan, My daughter has her PIR 10/12. After that she leaves for Nuke school. She is 24 and has been out of school for about 2 yrs now. Maybe even a little longer. I pray that she will make it through her 2 yr "A" school. All we can do as parents is support them and try and keep them motivated and positive. I know I want my daughter to do more then "make it". I want to see her excel. Whether she does or not is all up to her. IF something happens and she doesn't make the school, I will support her in whatever she does. It is a very tough program. I have friends who didn't make it through but they have no regrets. Just keep the faith.

Comment by lsdemme2001 on August 28, 2012 at 4:17pm

Jonathan, There will be many walls.  I don't mean to sound discouraging but the challenges are tough and numerous on the Nuke journey.  My son has been in the fleet for four years now.  He is an ETN and he was constantly on the 24-5s throughout power school.  I frankly don't know how he got through it.  My job was to keep him as pumped and positive as possible.  That is your job with your Nuke.   The journey is brutal and it doesn't get easier.  Keep your sons spirits up and encourage him to seek assistance from the instructors. 

Comment by Jonathan Cooper on August 28, 2012 at 3:36pm

Thanks Mike.  My son seems to have hit a wall early on which I hope he can climb. You know the Navy does not want them to fail as he was put right on 25-4 after a bad test.  But even that was not too bad, just not good enough. I know he can do it I just hope he knows it!

Comment by Mike K on August 27, 2012 at 8:41pm

25-4 study hours means 25 hours study per week minimum with 4 hours per day minimum.  Study hours begin pretty standard for all around this type of hours but as time goes by the hours become much more individual.  The best a student can get is they get no set hours per week and they are expected to do whatever is necessary to keep up.  There is a term for this but at present I can not remember it.  How many hours they are required to study all depends on their grades, so it is obviously beneficial to do well.  The better they do the fewer required hours study.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 97
• 98
• 99
• 100
• 101
• …
• 229
• Next ›
• Page