Navy Nukes

Comment

Comment by Michael E. on February 5, 2014 at 3:11pm

Yes, I agree that cheating is prevalent in all occupations.  It is human nature to "get away with as much or as little  as you can". With that said I hope and pray that your jaded attitude about cheating or getting away with is tempered somewhat when you become a civilian. I feel that some how you have come to accept the cheating or getting away with something is the norm and everyone does it or at least tries to get away with the lying or cheating. Either, to get by or get a promotion .

There are many occupations, the Navy included, that do hold people to high standards and the retribution is swift and painful for those that take advantage of their position.  I for one am going to hope that you did not "cheat" while in the service. You were only observing and that you will be able to get your life together when you get out. 

I too thank you for your service and wish you well in future endeavors.

Comment by lsdemme2001 on February 5, 2014 at 3:02pm

Jeremy,  I understand where you are coming from and while it is disheartening to hear that the cheating is pretty commonplace, it does not surprise me.  I don't think that you sound particularly bitter.  Rather I think you sound like a sailor who has put in his time, and is counting the days to get out.  Which, like it or not, is the case with most enlisted personnel.  

Your statements were matter of fact.  I hate to admit it but you sound just like my son, who has been in as a nuke for almost eight years now.  He has two more to go and he cant wait to get out.  

Like you he is now on shore duty by choice.  He did two deployments to the Persian Gulf and that area of operation.  He would rather die than have to deploy again.  While he is a first class petty officer he has no desire to try for Chief.  He is very disgruntled with what he feels is way too much beauracracy, too many officers who are also just putting in their time and who don't care much about anything, and the poor funding of our military by the present administration that is causing hardship for our service members.  

I don't think your attitude and outlook is too very different from 90% of those serving. While cheating should never be condoned and should be dealt with accordingly when found, your pointing out the prevalance of it does not make you disgruntled, it simply makes you someone who is saying what most do not want to hear.  

Best of luck to you as you finish your commitment to the Navy.  

Comment by jeremy mcelroy on February 5, 2014 at 2:44pm

The bitterness I show is just common practice of how people in the Navy sort of vent off the things they are disgruntled about. I don't hate the Navy and am thankful for things it has given me. I would do a full 20 but I do not like going out to sea and having to be away from family and society in general. I would have gotten out years ago but unfortunately spent multiple years putting myself in a place that made it hard for me to do that financially. Family comes first so sticking it out with something you know you don't want to make a career is just something you have to do.

 

I didn't come to post about the cheating to make people think bad about the Navy, the program, their child or the people they work with. Just was putting it out that I have personal experience with it and that it is a much more common thing than people may think.

Comment by Brian E. Moore on February 5, 2014 at 2:31pm

@ James, I didn't realize that you were still active. Disgruntle might have been the wrong word. I agree that "cheating" goes on in every profession and school. I am not disputing that. I have been in Law Enforcement the past 22+ years and am an adjunct instructor at the police academy. And yes I see it all the time. I was a Grunt in the Marines so can't say I saw it there. We didn't have to test for promotions. I guess to a point as an instructor I am guilty when I tell recruits "pay attention to this because you will see it again before the end of the day". 

You sound very bitter towards the Navy in general. I am sure you have good reason. But if it was/is that bad why didn't you get out a long time ago?

Let me end by thanking you for you're service. I do hope it your last few years fly by, are more enjoyable and you stay safe.

Comment by Richard A on February 5, 2014 at 1:23pm

Let me chime in as someone that has had a 25 year career in higher education.  

Cheating happens.  It happens with engineering, massage therapy, history, and even politics (plagiarism runs especially rampant in that discipline).  I'm not surprised to hear it happens with NNPTC.  We're talking about a high stress, program with several 100 percent exams.

The proper course of action is to discipline cheating when it arises, and to ensure that cheating by itself does not determine whether or not you pass the program.  

Given there are tree highly challenging courses that a nuke must pass before they step onto a boat - I feel fairly confident that these students are competent.  Given the long-term safety record of the Navy's nuclear program, I'm even more confident.   Since roughly half of all Nuclear candidates do not succeed - I think there's a decent amount of rigor in the program.  

I am comfortable with the safeguards in NNPTC.  Sure - cheating needs to be addressed.  However, I think I'd still the Navy's nukes to be running the reactor safely and effectively.  

Comment by jeremy mcelroy on February 5, 2014 at 1:10pm

@ Brian How am I a disgruntled Vet? I am still in the Navy, and yes when I get out will leave with an Honarable Discharge.

@ Michael My feelings and attitude do not have to infect any sailors. Most sailors, especially those in the nuke program have the same feelings. Your child will not tell you so but many days go by when he hates being in the Navy. Actually I am "pulling" shore duty because that is how the military works. You do sea duty and then shore duty, I actually did 7 years of straight sea duty whereas the sea tour requirement is only 54 months for nukes.

 

@ Grant I was on one boat for 7 years. Definitely not just a commonplace on my boat. I know and knew many people who served on other boats than just mine and yes it was commonplace there as well. I know people on the surface side of the nuke community and yes it is commonplace there as well.

 

Sorry to hurt peoples feelings who think their children are in a straight arrow by the books organization and think their kids would never succomb to performing these actions. There are many things that happen in the Navy that stay hidden, you more than likely will not hear about them from your kids.

Comment by Brian E. Moore on February 5, 2014 at 12:44pm

It sounds that Mr. jeremy mcelroy is a disgruntle Vet. Just curious sir, but did you leave with an Honorable Discharge? You sound to be a very angry person. I feel sorry for ya.

Comment by Grant Miller on February 5, 2014 at 12:22pm

How many boats have you served on? Is it possible this was more commonplace your particular boat and maybe not fleetwide?-if you served on only one. Again, not judging, just asking.

Comment by Michael E. on February 5, 2014 at 12:19pm

I saw on your profile that you are getting out of the Navy in two years.  I can only hope that your feelings and attitudes do not infect more sailors before you leave. I have two sons in the Navy one a HT1 and another an MMN2 and neither one has ever indicated by  word or deed any of the issues you are talking about.  You may have served on a nuclear sub but you really shouldn't have been allowed back on board and perhaps that is why you are pulling shore duty.

Comment by Gary Brophy on February 5, 2014 at 12:18pm

While I can’t say anything about the Navy, as an Army SSG I used to help my soldiers with testing by supplying study guides that may have had anywhere from 100-200 questions and I may even have let them know what some of the topics were in the last board I sat on. Heck, we had a running book that people added to after each board. When I left it was about 600 pages long. I saw that as no more than what a Teacher would do for their student in any school. Some may say what I /we did was cheating but I didn't give them a specific list of questions or topics. They still had to study and they still had to know their jobs. With 5-6 people on the board you never knew exactly what you would be asked.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 54
• 55
• 56
• 57
• 58
• …
• 229
• Next ›
• Page