Enlisted Nuke or NUPOC?

[eddie]

But I've got to admire his gamesmanship and ability to achieve his goal.

But did he get jets?

 

[Steve Wilkins]

I'm not saying it's right but I know an active duty Captain, pilot and former squadron CO that's in the running for a star that purposely flunked out of Nuke Power school eons ago.

He was drafted into Nuke out of the Academy when he wanted to be a pilot. If they flunked out in the beginning, they had to go SWO. If you flunked out latter on, there was more leeway in getting a new designator. So he started out kicking butt and gradually let his grades slip throughout, finally flunking out at the very end. He asked for extra tutoring and everything. He played a patient game lasting almost 2 years. Since he tried so hard, they gave him his choice of community.

This was also during the early years of the Reagan 600 ship Navy buildup so any officer that flunked out or DORed from any program was given a new designator and had to serve out their commitment. There is probably zero chance of doing this today.

But I've got to admire his gamesmanship and ability to achieve his goal.

And he was a damn fine officer, excellent pilot and great squadron CO. If he makes Admiral, he will probably retire with 3 or 4 stars.

So what you're saying is he cried like a little baby, albeit subtlely, until he got his way. Great way to achieve a goal.

I wonder two things about this.

1) Was he forced to go nuke? I'm guessing no. It was probably more like having to go nuke (subs maybe?) or be a SWO. He knew he could game the system if he went nuke.

2) In any case, the guy had his education paid for by the government. What would you say to a guy on AW contemplating doing the same thing?

 

[HAL Pilot]

So what you're saying is he cried like a little baby, albeit subtlely, until he got his way. Great way to achieve a goal.

I wonder two things about this.

1) Was he forced to go nuke? I'm guessing no. It was probably more like having to go nuke (subs maybe?) or be a SWO. He knew he could game the system if he went nuke.

2) In any case, the guy had his education paid for by the government. What would you say to a guy on AW contemplating doing the same thing?

Cried like a baby? No - but he did game the system. If it hadn't worked, he said he would have willingly served the 4 (6?) year obligation for the Academy but he was not going to incur the additional obligation for the nuke training he did not ask for or want. In fact, he said he all through nuke school they were calling him to the front office to sign the nuke contract with the extra obligation and he kept refusing - causing himself much grief.

Forced to go nuke? Yes. He was told he had to go to nuke school. Nuke SWO or sub was up to him but he never reached that decision point. Subs were all volunteer. I was never sure how he was "forced", but he says he was.

What would I say to a guy on AW? Looking back with my years of service and experience, I'd say it did lack integrity. But the Navy also lacked integrity for trying to force him into a pipeline that required an additional obligation above what he agreed to when accepting the Academy appointment. And he did end up with a longer commitment than his Academy one once he was winged. He paid back that free education and more. However I would counsel not trying it today. It's a different Navy and a different environment. However back than it was actually viewed by most (in the aviation world) as "innovative". Further in today's Navy, I doubt anyone would be force to involuntarily take a training course that required an additional service obligation. For this reason alone, I do not fault him for what he did.

 

[HAL Pilot]

But did he get jets?

P-3s actually.

I also just got off the phone with my brother (also a retired P-3 NFO) who said that he didn't make flag and retired a few years ago. I last talked to him when he had just pinned on Captain and was in the running for either RAG CO, Wing Commander or deep draft command. (Yes there have been a rare few P-3s guys that have done the ship CO thing. One of my former squadron COs went to a CV as Navigator and than an amphib as CO). He had screened for major command and was awaiting an assignment. My brother was good friends with him and said he got very ill before being detailed, spent the better part of a year hospitalized and ended up retiring for medical reasons.

 

[Airyk17]

My main question is, would it really be possible to go to the Nuke school for two years, then get a Nuclear Engineering degree? Then how feasible is it to become an officer. after I get the degree? I just want to make sure it is true, I don't want to be struck on the enlisted side. But if it is only for the purpose of training, then that is fine. However, if becoming an officer would be 3-5 years after the two years of training, then the program is not for me.

you come out of nuke school with 90 college credits that I know. and i believe it takes 120 to get a degree

 

[Goob83]

you come out of nuke school with 90 college credits that I know. and i believe it takes 120 to get a degree

I think she is already in the Navy this post was a year ago you are replying to

 

[Airyk17]

lol thanks, hmm guess i should check that next time