NNPTC, My Experience Failing Navy Nuke School

If there’s any information that you guys feel is incorrect feel free to comment down below.
This is all just personal opinion and experience so big navy please don’t come after me 😂
I will try and answer any questions down in the comments below.
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[@nathanast7036]

For any current nukes on here, quit browsing KZbin and go study

[@bootnad]

I'm not a nuke yet but what's the best way to get ready

[@davidkye3323]

@@bootnad I’m guessing studying chemistry and physics

[@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV]

@@bootnad calculus. Be as fluent as u are arithmitic

[@maxthesongwriter3596]

Ok

[@gamephysics3943]

@@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV calculus in unnecessary for enlisted.

[@victordove9891]

I was one of the dumber guys in my class and I made it through. Definitely important to go into it with a decent understanding of algebra. Hope you're doing well nowadays dude!

[@HEDowns]

Hey Blake... Your video was a LIFE SAVER. Your story is an inspiration to anyone struggling with the curriculum. Your message about light at the end of the tunnel is great, as well as how you discovered the best path for yourself. As the Dad of an aspiring Nuke, all I can say is Thank You. Very inspirational.

[@blakestewart1476]

Thank you. I really appreciate it. I just wanted to get something out there to kinda guide people through the process because there’s lots of unknowns that stress people out when they’re struggling through the pipeline. I really hope they do what’s best for them.

[@firemaker7016]

Our son graduated today and now is on to prototype school. I know how stressed he was. Tough school. Nothing to hang your head at. Enjoy your time in the Navy and go see the world. Remember 20 yrs flies by. 30 yrs ago I was heading to USMC boot camp. Time has flown by. REMEMBER ALWAYS GO NAVY BEAT ARMY!!!!

[@freeyt7501]

Oh nice. Your son was part of delta track that just graduated good for him :). I'm currently in power school A track and graduating in may

[@firemaker7016]

@@freeyt7501 good luck and keep to the grind. It won’t be long until you are sailing across the oceans!! Go see the world!!!

[@dennishacker2010]

Finished NPS in 1982. Man, the things you said brought back so many memories. I didn't personally have problems with most of the curriculum, but I had buddies that did, and you hit the nail on the head when you said some people treat it like the end of the world. I watched to the end of your video and I can't believe how good your attitude is now. I can definitely see that there's a lot of stress gone. I'm glad it didn't ruin you. I was a submariner as well, and me and two other nucs played softball with all of the A-Gangers. Still in touch with them all through Facebook. No matter what you do, you'll make lifelong friends. Cherish them. Good Luck Blake, although I don't think you'll need it now. Your future commands will be getting a good one.

[@blakestewart1476]

I appreciate it a lot, and it’s really interesting to hear how the school has always been so tough on people.

[@plick645]

Mandatory 6s are more harmful than helpful. You end up sleep deprived and then you can't pay attention so you miss stuff. Been there man. I got to the point I'd fall asleep standing without any support popping nodoz and drinking coke. Slept 24 hrs straight once. Fell asleep to take a nap Friday and woke up at the same time Saturday.

[@Skank_and_Gutterboy]

@@plick645 Yep, I've done that, too. The first thing you get told in A-School is, "If you feel like you're going to sleep, stand up in the back of the room." I spent most of nuke school standing up in the back.

[@jerrybandy3827]

I graduated class of 7908 and was always studying. Barely passed but made it to prototype and then the fleet. At one point at prototype after I had already qualified, they put me on watch and I remember telling one of the civilian contactors that I didn't feel qualified. He reassured me that after getting that far, I was qualified. Then it starts again in the fleet. Seemed like we were always qualifying for something. We didn't get a bonus for joining the program other than the advancement in rate. And the reenlistment bonus was only $20,000 back then.

[@Skank_and_Gutterboy]

I graduated class 8906. From when you graduated until I got out in late 1994, the reenlistment bonus actually got lower. I don't know the number exactly but E-4s that reenlisted STAR were getting $8000 in-hand and putting on E-5 immediately. Since the govt. usually takes a solid 1/3rd of a bonus in taxes, it must've been right about $12,000. As a single E-5 with 4 years in, I was still only making $11,000/year, so even with the bonus I was still being grossly underpaid. No way in hell was I reenlisting, I was 6 and out. Best decision I ever made. My department head was a straight-up section 8. Dead serious, I was cutting through Officer's Country when I got off watch at 0230 and I caught him having a conversation with his dead father. I told the Command Master Chief and absolutely nothing came of it. I would've gone to the IG if I knew I had that option (that's how poorly we were informed of our rights). After that, I took the opinion that Navy nuke officers should have the same psychological requirements and periodic testing as Air Force ICBM officers.

[@bobbland5744]

I was in class 8207 section 7 I was an ET. Nuke school is insanely difficult and stressful. I was married trying to raise a family and doing m-25. Dropped week 24. Chemistry is something I never grasped. Physics was my favorite. Math second. 2.5 and alive. :) Nuke school although I failed taught me how to learn. Aced every school after that. Life goes on.

[@braddawson4496]

I was 8207 section 10.

[@jeffferguson4632]

I think I taught 8207. ETRO.

[@kevinhendrix8786]

First, thank you for your service and posting this video. But most importantly, and I say this as someone who failed my final board at prototype and washed out, do not let this experience sour you on the Navy. When I failed out, it felt like the end of the world. I had been on mando 25 or more through A, Power, and prototype. But I ended up getting sent to another A school. I was an ET, so we had really bizarre rules as being sent to the fleet after getting to prototype and failing. I ended up having a great 13 year career in another field before getting out. So just take it for what it was - a bad match for you and the nuclear field. Loads of other opportunities in the Navy if you just take the hit and move on whether staying in or getting out. But it is amazing...the program is the same as it was 30 years ago. MMs just get decimated when they hit power school. ETs did much better because our attrition rate was so high in A school.

[@blakestewart1476]

Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s always great to hear from someone who’s been through similar experiences and went on to have a great career in their new rate.

[@kevinhendrix8786]

@@blakestewart1476 And I hate to sound like one of those old guys going on and on, but some things to consider. First, you volunteered to serve your country and joined the military. Only a small percentage of the American populace can say that. Maybe you joined for the benefits or for whatever reason, but you did it and graduated boot camp. Yeah, most people who enlist graduate bootcamp. But again, not a lot of the general population would even qualify to get there. Second, you graduated from MM nuke A school - again, a significant accomplishment. Third - you washed out of one of the toughest training programs in the world. The nuke pipeline is an asskicker - academic standards, military duties, and lack of sleep. Yeah it is tough. But you managed to get through portions of a program that more than 90% of American citizens could not do. Hold your head up high. Take the skills that you learned from the pipeline and apply to your new non-nuke position and keep pushing forward in the Navy, or in your civilian career if you choose to get out. And a bit of a nuke washout sea story. When I was at prototype, there was a staff pickup who just hated me - ET2 West. This guy despised me. I am not sure why. I was tight with my classmates and the fleet returnee instructors liked me. But this guy hated me. After I washed out and finished my first cruise after my new A school, I ran into him at a Norfolk bar. He was still a second class, while I had also made second. I was 6 months away from going to primo shore duty in London while he was on his second year of sea duty on a five year sea duty assignment. And yeah, we both had the same re-enlistment bonus multiplier. Like I said, I got lucky with my new rate. But Blake, however you decide to approach your career, don't let washing out from a really tough training pipeline impact what you do in the Navy or anything you do after.

[@blakestewart1476]

I really appreciate it and thank you!!!

[@jerkysasquatch9256]

i find it crazy how someone can make it through a school and power school and basically prototype and fail oral board. you must have gotten some real cocksuckers on that board man, that sucks.

[@TomGuard]

Great info sailor. Thanks for making this very informative.

[@stephenvanscoyoc2638]

Class 7708 here, including MARF. Toughest thing I ever did and, yes, passed. You stepped up for a program that hasn't gotten any easier over the years. Well done.

[@TheCardboardPizza]

Don't feel bad man. You did your best and this is probably the most difficult schooling to go to in the Navy. I bet it's a bit of a relief in a way!

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah definitely much easier coming from nuke school to Basic Enlisted Submarine School. Here the work day is shorter, I haven’t had to do study hours, and the tests are multiple choice. It’s 100x less stressful than nuke school.

[@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV]

@@blakestewart1476 Hell sir!!! How u been doin? 1) whats the job now? 2) i wanna see u make a new vod i like ur vid style etc ps: u cute no homo

[@aroundy7171]

Thank you so much for sharing this! My son is in basic with plans to go to nuke school. I will keep this in mind. And share with him if he happens to need you. Brave of you to share this. Good luck in all you do!! 💙

[@blakestewart1476]

Thanks and good luck to him. The school is hell but if he makes it through he’s setting himself up for a great career path.

[@jenniferhayward8537]

First, Thank you for your service! My son is currently at NNPTC in Power School. All day he is at school, and it seems all evening he is clocking hours (studying). The stress of the program is scary, he seems ok. We talk once a week. He is the bigger of the boys in my profile pic, obviously an old pic.. Keep up what you are doing, I love the positive attitude.

[@OlgaGuerra-hs8vy]

I’m so proud of you I’m glad you never gave up and yes it’s not the end of the world I’m happy for you.🎉❤

[@RedTach]

Definitely can identify with your experience even though I went to NPS in the mid-80s when it was in Orlando. Although I eked through NPS, it caught up with me at prototype. Was so nervous I barely ate. When I was put out of the program I went to transient personnel det and it was like a vacation to me too. Then it was a trip to Great Lakes to retake different parts of ET school that I didn't have to take as a nuke. Conventional Navy turned out great, Good video Blake, and best wishes.👍

[@Hunter-zp5hd]

I appreciate your honesty in your video. I know it’s got to be difficult to exhibit your failure to everyone. To me it doesn’t seem like your recruiter did you any favors. You don’t sound like you were a good fit for this job. But embrace your new job and I wish you well young man!

[@hleigh842]

Went to my first submarine in 1960, qualified for my dolphins, completed Navy Nuclear Power school at New London, CT in 1962 and then on to the prototype at Milton just outside of Hartford. I was assigned to the USS John C Calhoun SSBN 630 and went to Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, with several other fellow nukes, that were also part of the commissioning crew. Rode the Calhoun down the ways, helped to take her critical for the first time, and made her first patrol. This was truly an unforgettable experience that has lasted a lifetime.

[@JacobMcGee69]

Thx man. I needed this

[@mrkeiths48]

This is a candid video of your experience. I completed the pipeline in 1982 and know what you went through as I saw a lot of my friends struggle with the curriculum. I knew I had to work extra hard and spend extra hours studying to make the cut. I can tell you there were quite a few shipmates on my sub that did not complete the nuc pipeline but went on to have great careers in related rates. My best friend on the boat was a nav ET and it hurt my feelings when he called himself nuc waste. I had to remind him that ending up on a sub after all was a distinction by itself. Keep your head up and strive to be the best A Ganger on your boat.

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah I just gotta do the best I can as an A-ganger. Even though I’m not a nuke I just gotta try and keep my head up and push forward. In the end MMN or MMA both have really similar civilian jobs and you can make good money off both. Thanks for the support

[@mrkeiths48]

@@blakestewart1476 There were these two A Gangers on my boat ( former nucs) that I enjoyed working with. Wrench turning and equipment rigging were a few of the mad skills these guys learned in the Navy. Pick up all you can.....it will pay your bills for life.

[@JBueno990]

Honestly don’t sweat it man. I just qualified at prototype, and I can honestly say I feel the exact same way about all of this as you did. A lot of my buddies that aren’t in the program anymore are WAAAAAY happier now. You made rank already, so you’re definitely winning 👍👍

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah lol, got to talking with old classmates and found out 10 of the people from my A school class including myself are no longer nukes 😂

[@revdope1]

My son is currently at Goose Creek. Thanks for making this video. Your perspective helps out anxious dads looking for a third party perspective of what their son is going through. So far so good, but he's only been there a month.

[@gamephysics3943]

Is he going to be an ETN, EMN, or MMN? I’m an instructor here I’d be interested to see if I end up teaching your son when he moves over to NPS.

[@revdope1]

@@gamephysics3943 He's going to be an EMN. He's soaking up the electrical knowledge and has a 3.1 in math, but discipline was a delayed trait for me and it seems it may be genetic, as he was moved back to phase one for something he doesn't want to talk about. Should be some time after July that he moves to NPS. I would also be interested to know if you end up teaching him. Let's keep in touch.

[@gamephysics3943]

@@revdope1 moving phases isn’t that bad as long as it didn’t come with a reduction in rank. Pretty small issues if persistent will result in that. Most people don’t like talking about mistakes when they happen but I’m sure it wasn’t anything serious. Good grades and good to hear he’s soaking that knowledge up.

[@revdope1]

@@gamephysics3943 I appreciate you letting me know that. I assume he was late more than once. I know his roommate had graduated forward and he had been relying on that guys schedule as his "alarm clock". The electrical knowledge he is getting has opened a fascination for him. He's able to explain it to me in a way I can understand so I know he's getting it.

[@bandbvids4818]

Good luck man. I ended up making it as a nuke ET but I struggled too. I totally get it. I was in there from 6 am to 11pm 7 nights a week. Brutal. Good luck in Groton. I’m up there for work at the power plant frequently so I’m familiar. Groton is no Charleston that’s for sure, but base looks nice.

[@blakestewart1476]

Thanks man and yeah the city definitely isn’t Charleston, but the barracks and galley are 10x better.

[@secreterlandr8626]

Hey, it's your indoc suitemate here. Sucks you got to go, but I'm glad your not gonna be stuck in limbo for the next year here. Hope you have a better time out in the fleet with the normal people.

[@blakestewart1476]

Thanks man, I appreciate it 😁

[@Jamesthemerciless]

First off, I'd love to know what you're up to now. After failing out, all I ever heard was how I was lucky to have gotten out of being a Nuke. I'm approaching 40 and I still think of it as the darkest time of my life. Out of high school, I had a full time job in construction. Hot, cold, dirty, hard work. When I decided to join, I scored high on the ASVAB and qualified for Nuke school. The recruiter was really excited. I started with two educational waivers which should have been a red flag. I began NNPTC on 25-4 study plan right out of the gate. I was so damned tired all of the time. Super depressed. I couldn't keep up with any of the material. I got berated when I was supposed to be getting tutored afterhours. The junior instructors or whatever would yell at me saying "you should already know all of this!" Mandatory fun would interrupt my study hours so I would have to make up those hours on the weekend. I'd spend all day Saturday and Sunday and at least 4 hours every weeknight trying to learn the material. So I am getting processed out and I am having to report every day and sit in a chair next to my Chief's desk. This went on for a month or two until one day another khaki came in and asked why I was still there and asked my Chief if he had filled out some forms. It turns out he hadn't and I was processed out the next day. I go to the Directorate of Transitional Personnel (DTP). The fact that there's a whole command set-up just for people getting kicked out of Nuke school should serve as a warning to anyone interested. During my five months there, I stood watch at a door for no reason, cleaned up trash, shredded documents, pressure washed, and cut grass. Basically whatever b*tch work the base needed. At the time, they'd help you get assigned a new "A" school. I got to pick from a dozen jobs. I chose one. Got denied after a few weeks. Got to choose from four. Weeks go by. Got to choose from a new list of two: AW or MR. I chose AW. Weeks go by and I got denied. Then they tell me no "A" schools were available so I got to choose between Undesignated Seaman or Subs. I am tall, so I reluctantly chose Deck and was demoted to Seaman Recruit. I get to my ship. The work was pretty hard but I met a lot of cool people and got to see and do a lot I would have never as a nuke. Getting another "A" school or cross-rating isn't as easy as it is made out to be, at least not then, or for me, so after I got back to E-3, I took the BM3 exam and got it. During my time on-board, we ended up getting like 10 nuke wastes in the Deck Department. I guess they overcorrected when they lowered the standards for nuke school in an effort to raise the attrition rate. Anyway, I like to think I helped to make it a bit better on the folks who had recently been kicked out of Nuke school. If I could do it all over again, I would have never even tried Nuke School. I would have been far better off as a BM out of Boot Camp. So that's the Nuke-to-Boats pipeline.

[@blakestewart1476]

Currently in Guam as an MMA2 on a Submarine out here. Just picked up 2nd in December, and overall doing really well.

[@Jamesthemerciless]

@@blakestewart1476 that's great to hear man!

[@charlesbartholomew2910]

@@blakestewart1476 Congratulations on making 2nd Class Petty Officer. Your Navy Career is starting to take flight. By now you are probably "Qualified in Submarines." That will stand you in good stead and will take you a long way. I enlisted in the NucPower Program but did not graduate high enough in my A School Class to make it to Nuc School. I still completed a 20 year career in submarines. Stay with Blake. You have a long and rich Navy Career ahead of you. ICC(SS).

[@tnguy1000]

As a former NPTU Ballston Spa instructor, don't sweat it. Enjoy the rest of your Navy time. The thing that in interesting is that you are "God-awful at math" and went into the Nuke program. Sounds more like your recruiter was a POS. I was very good at math in high school and had one year of college Calculus and still struggled with the math due to the pace at NPS. Eventually I was good to go. I had a recruiter that was very straight forward with me. He had decent knowledge of the program for a surface aviation guy(air traffic controller type). I served with some great nuke drops in my Navy time. Nothing to be ashamed of.

[@stephendavis3456]

thanks for bringing back the memories! I was class 8401, went to S3G and on to USS Eisenhower where I qualified Chief Reactor Watch. NO shame in failing nuke school, it's how you bounce back that counts.

[@wilsonle61]

Hey, don't beat yourself up. People have tried and failed at far easier things in life. It's what you do from here on out that counts. No experience is ever wasted, all the trials, the glorious victories, and the glorious defeats make us who we will ultimately be. My failures made me tough and resilient, they gave me depth and I never allowed them to define me. You sound like you will push on and do just fine!

[@davidemery7982]

In my experience as an EM1(SS), learning how to study was the most important part of the pipeline and the fleet. I was also a NF Recruiter for 2.5 years, and can attest to the fact that a passing NFQT and a good attitude will get you through. Yes, you will work harder than you ever had. Yes, you will probably break at some point. Do not give up. I graduated A School with a 3.35 and Power School with a 3.2, on "Suggested" 25-5 the whole time. Started A School with 35, graduated prototype with one other guy. Being a rock isn't a death sentence, just a longer journey.

[@zcm007attack]

I flunked out of the nuke program back in 2013. Eventually I got rerated as an IS and my life and career has turned out a million times better than it ever would have been if I had passed that dreaded school nestled in the deep dark chasm of Goose Creek.

[@kravkik7930]

So wait do you get a say in what you can rerate as or do they pick for you?

[@davealmighty9638]

You handle it well. I had several good friends fail out. One tried to take his life. It was a shocking thing to see him go thru. The stress is unbelievable and most people do not understand.

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah the stress of the program really gets to people. I’ve had many friends medically separate for the toll it took on their mental health.

[@davealmighty9638]

@@blakestewart1476 I was a staff pickup, and got medically discharged for psoriasis, which I had a waiver for. I was the section leader in power school, and got a 3.28 on my oral board in prototype (the highest score in over 10 years). I had a waiver for my condition. None of that mattered when the Navy docters had their say. I kept all bonuses, and recieved some disability pay, but I am still sour about how they treat the smartest and most dedicated members of the United States Navy.

[@sjf4405]

Thanks for trying your best. Your navy years will go by fast and you'll miss your friends. How about an update from Groton?

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah I’ve been thinking about an update video for a while and might come out with one sometime soon 😁

[@splitatom6217]

Don't worry, bro. I was an academic rollback in A-school (EM). When you sent this vid out, I was in Digital (the second time)

[@Hazmatt3446]

You will be much better off out of the program. I went through in the late ‘80’s. Graduated NNPS (then in Orlando) with a 3.14 then thrived at prototype in New York and was a Staff Pick Up. First exposure to the non-nuclear Navy was at Advanced Steam Plant Maint School. Much better life; higher quality people. Had a bad head injury in 94 that eventually ended my career. I was planning to do 20 because I was on a fast track (made E-6 at 4.5 yrs, first increment). I say all this to tell you that your future away from the Nav with the diesel experience will set you up for a very lucrative career afterward working for CAT or any other large diesel engine manufacture/supplier. Good luck.

[@Cherry-bo7jn]

Gonna miss you Stu! Hope you're getting better sleep now.

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah fr man no more 3-4 hour nights 😂

[@SubStandardPoker]

I spent so much time in the Rickover bro. Glad to see your perspective of the program. I made it through but spent about 25 hours a week extra at least studying in power school. Being a nuke is tough if you aren’t good at math. I hope wherever you are in the fleet you are still working hard and succeeding. Failing out of nuke school isn’t the end of your navy career.

[@SubStandardPoker]

Also I too stood at a podium the entirety of power school. I fell asleep on math 1 and got a 0.8 on it. My class director ended up being my engineering department master chief. When I got to my first boat his first words to me were “hey you failed math!” Lol

[@blakestewart1476]

That’s a great story lol, and I appreciate it man

[@danielsexton9311]

OMG, I was in class 8702 and I made it through, but I spent soooo many hours, after school hours, studying. I was getting maybe 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night and some of the best sleep I ever got was when I put my head down on the desk during the breaks. But the total release of stress after it was done, the best feeling ever. Not sure how it is now, but when I was in they would NJP you if they thought you weren't putting in enough effort. There were 2 ways out, LOA (lack of ability) or LOE (lack of effort) and if it was determined LOE you would find yourself standing in front of the old man explaining yourself. I retired in 2006. I get it though, not an easy program to be in or complete.

[@taetaefranz6514]

I feel you brother man. I took the asvab and got a 98. I went to meps and was offered 3 sub jobs and a nuke. I rejected it all and follwed my passion which was HM corspman. Dont feel bad at all. I know the bonus got you because they sure were throwing bonuses out at me when i went to meps. But thanks for your vid mate.

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah man don’t chase the money. Just gotta do what’s right for you.

[@rars0n]

You didn't even pick a job until you went to MEPS? How is that even possible?

[@intellexiainc.7813]

@@rars0n I didn’t choose mine until I got to MEPS either.

[@rars0n]

@@intellexiainc.7813 It just seems to me to be a very important decision that is made in a very rash way. Like if you're not even sure what job you want to do yet, then why are you shipping out already?

[@intellexiainc.7813]

@@rars0n I went the Delayed Entry Route. So I actually went to MEPS in February and I don’t ship out until January 9th.

[@setapartaay925]

Hang in there buddy. My daughter failed CTT school a couple weeks ago. She’s now been rerated to IT. She wasn’t sad at ALL. It was quite a relief for her, so…🤷🏾‍♀️

[@normanallbritton6386]

I feel ya. I went through nuke school in Bainbridge MD in 1972. Almost failed out..my option was a PBR in Viet Nam. But I hung in there and made it through and served 12 years as a nuke MM on a submarine. It was a tough academic program.

[@aegisofhonor]

nuke school is no joke, I've talked to a couple Navy vets that went through that program (one made it through and became a Carrier Nuke and the other flunked out and became a Machinists Mate instead). It's a long, difficult school that requires a lot of dedication to get through and REQUIRES good math skills to pass (that's the problem with the guy I knew that failed, he was also bad at math and that's the main reason he failed), hopefully you can salvage your navy career and get on the right track. It has a high failure rate which is why they have you to go through a "mate" school first in case you fail out of the program and you have something they can use your skills on in the fleet such as Machinist Mate.

[@blakestewart1476]

Never really thought of it like that, but yeah if I hadn’t sub vol’d in the recruiters office I would be in the fleet rn as a surface MM.

[@sunnyj209]

My friend hated his experience being a nuke tech. Both my friends really hated it. The school the work the hours. Ive never met a happy nuke tech.

[@miastrong151]

I am 34. My A-school experience was definitely traumatic. No matter how hard I tried, I still failed. I am currently a mechanic in a field that involves heavy machinery, and I made peace with my military past. It wasn't all for nothing. I am very proud to be where I am. I have two degrees. I like everyone who's around. A lot of people who I knew before A-School quit talking to me or hated me after, and they can all go to hell. Still, I wouldn't take any of it back (just my marriage, at the time).

[@Skank_and_Gutterboy]

It's pretty lousy that a person would hate on you for failing out of A-School. Sorry to say, that's how a lot of people are: they're your friend as long as it doesn't cost them anything. It takes some inner strength to stand up for somebody that you like and isn't there to defend themselves. Most people won't, they'll just join in the shit-talking and burn you because it's easier to follow the crowd. That's one thing I've learned in life, actual friends are VERY rare.

[@tylerdiven7841]

Failed chemistry and radfunds in power school but made it all the way through power school with a passing gpa overall. Had to go up for ac board because of the 2 class failures though and didnt pass that. Went to DTP in 2013. Kept my rate as an EM and got sent to a calibration school in Biloxi, MS. Absolute cakewalk compared to nuke school. Multiple choice on tests?!?! Then got sent to Guam where I met my wife and had two kids. Those kids would not exist if I didn't become nuke waste first. There's always something positive waiting ahead, even in the darkest times.

[@brooklynboyzfixedgearpov9867]

I went to MEPS for the navy and I met this kid so bright & he got asvab score of 86 & he wanted to join the nuke program. He was so chill & he was my roommate while staying at the hotel.

[@thomasgitlin1038]

I got a 98 but I’m 27 years old right now so idk if they’ll let me in but I’m praying

[@tnguy1000]

@@thomasgitlin1038 27 would not be an issue.

[@douglasbushong3920]

The most important thing is to review your TGOs. Rewrite them as questions, and then make sure your can answer those questions

[@daveburton1515]

Good luck in the fleet. As many have posted below, washing out doesn't mean you're a failure. My A school roommate was Sailor of the Year within a year on a surface ship after he washed out of A school. When I came thru in 91, only 45% or so of us made it through. The keys to Power School is ability for rote memorization and knowing how to study effectively. The math is weird and not how it's taught in the real world. Heat transfer is a key one for MM nukes, you'd use that your whole MM career. My instructor went to Purdue and she said we learned more quantity and depth in two weeks than she did in two semesters at Purdue. After I finished Power School, I went to see my friends from Tennessee (joined as a junior at UT) and visited the bookstore. UT has a top 15 Nuke Engineering program in the nation and I understood every textbook around nuke power up through Masters level classes. We didn't do the math at the same level, but the theory was the same. You get that all in 6 months. No program in the world except maybe some spook stuff crams that much info in such a short time. There are a lot of thing recruiters don't tell you but some of my biggest recommendations for the Navy or any branch in general...1. Always do your best in everything you do. If you slack, you'll get that name and it will stick with you. 2. Keep your head down and don't make waves if you want to advance. Early qualifications for watch stations/warfare pins/etc. are looked at very positively. 3. The biggest for after service is make sure you have anything medical documented while you're in. You could have a bunch of things wrong with you (you will, the service is hard on a body), but if it's not documented, you will get no help or disability rating from the VA without years of efforts. No saying be a sick call soldier, but if you do go, make sure it's in your record. Lastly, NEVER reenlist just for the money. The most bitter people I ever served with were just doing it for the money and did not like the service otherwise. That money (even the crazy numbers you get now) is GONE very quickly. If you're disciplined enough to invest vs buying a new car or paying off all your bills and then running them right back up again, you could be OK. While you're out to sea, you dream about all the things you want to buy or places you want to go when you get back. That money doesn't last long. I can tell you the work ethic you'll get from most branches and the Nuke program in particular will serve you well after the service. I try to hire nukes whenever possible and other service members when I cannot get a nuke because they are not afraid of hard work. Primary, secondary schools and even universities do not prepare you for the real world. Many times, straight HS or college grads bounce when something gets hard, but most Nukes will put their head down and power through whatever it is to get the job done.

[@blakestewart1476]

I appreciate you taking the time to type all that out, and what you’re saying is 100% true. Thanks for throwing all this information out there 😁

[@joelwillis2043]

The theory is the math, it just is.

[@maxseed4730]

I look back at it now.. I'm a retired MMC(SW) non nuke.. I was stationed on the USS RONALD REAGAN CVN 76 from 04 to 07.. anytime we had to work with nuke MMs .. they were in charge of everything work related

[@kitsunec.3497]

My boy, appreciate the vid, perfectly describes the level of bullshit you have to duck and weave through in the program

[@peedscum]

Thank you for helping me realize having the most boring job for more money is not worth it

[@qb8628]

A job is a job is a job…it’s what you make out of it….the different stuff I learned to even qualify for nuke over the weekend really opened my eyes…converting Fahrenheit to Celsius to kelvin…reading molecular and atomic notations to count protons and neutrons….memorizing formulas to find volumes of different shapes….memorizing the different metric systems….reading free body diagrams….it might seem boring but I guess you have to find this kind of stuff interesting to begin with…math included.

[@peedscum]

@@qb8628 Update i just now am about to graduate my a school after 7 months of being in the navy. Im so thankful i choose ATI instead of NET. It was never about the math part my job also includes a lot of math it was more about the experience actually working in the fleet it just didn’t seem like what i wanted to do. I love math maybe i actually ended up top of my class as an ATI. Im now headed to the LHA-6 Anerica to begin my actual service.

[@apmtz1273]

I went through NPS in 93. I was on > Mando 20's most of the time. 35-5s after Physics 1. My adviser had me sign my transfer orders after that particular exam where I'm got like a 2.7 or something. (I want to say you needed a 2.75 back in the day to be considered passing.) He told me, things would only get harder and signing my transfer orders now would save time. Fun stuff. I made it through power school, but it was probably the hardest thing I've ever done and that's after two master's degrees. I made it through the pipeline, but NPS was the most difficult part of that. I also met plenty of Nuc waste out in the fleet. Good guys, good workers and in general they had less shitty jobs. Three things I learned in the Nuc program. 1.) How to pick out what's important in a class/speech/etc. 2.) How to study. 3.) Never do something if the ONLY incentive is money. But my bonus was only 4500.

[@blakestewart1476]

I didn’t really think of the study habits I took from nuke school. Going through A school again I have been able to pick up the key information much easier, and study skills are a million times better than when I was in high school 😂

[@wcollier1]

Nuke waste almost always dominates wherever they end up. You'll enjoy your time in the Navy much more and have more options for shore duty.

[@plick645]

Yeah hahaha. Imagine going from fleet to prototype for your shore duty. Hahaha.

[@tsix8987]

Wow, I remember when I went through 06-09 there were 35-5 study hours for some people. I was very fortunate to be on voluntary hours. It was some of the best years of my life..I would golf 5 days a week at the air force base after school and spent a lot of time at the beach and downtown Charleston.

[@magnumvincent4887]

I’m on my way out too. What a dang relief

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah fr lol

[@mattb4826]

I was all about the 0 - 0...got to just play games on Skipjack lol. Grad with 3.9 something. Good times. I got out in 2017.

[@idolhanz9842]

I went to school with a fellow who was very good with math and physics. He went over to the Nuclear Navy and I went to the Air Force's C-5 program as a mechanic then flight engineer.

[@andy3681]

If u did not undarstand it, just memorise evrrything instead… it works… trust bro…

[@Thatdieselguy5]

Hey good try man. I'm currently weighing in my options right now. I'm doing okay in the nuke program how ever I ended up as an em. Im very mechanically inclined and smart and being an em has been the biggest mental challenge of my life. I'm enjoying what I'm learning but I'm debating if it's something I'll end up loving while I do it. Gonna push through and see if I can make it to the fleet as an emn and see what lies there!

[@blakestewart1476]

Just keep pushing through it man. The only way I know to rerate is to fail out, and I don’t recommend that lol. Just don’t let the school mess with your head, and 99% of people out there are gonna have something they hate about their job, and you just gotta tough out the remainder of your contract and when it’s over maybe you’ll find something that would provide more job satisfaction.

[@SubStandardPoker]

I was a sub EMN for 10 years, left due to a spinal disease. I work in Texas doing electrical distribution operations and I make pretty good money. I don’t regret a single second of doing the program. If you end up enjoying being an electrician, our electrical operators/load dispatchers make good money in the civilian world!

[@claytonbarnes5038]

I know this was 11 months ago, but as someone who finished the program and did 9 in the Navy and is now a civilian, EM is definitely the rate that sets you up for the most success after you get out.

[@dancooper1963]

is that your tattoo? if it is that is too funny. Nps was hard as hell for most of us. you have a great attitude now though. keep that up and you will be fine.

[@blakestewart1476]

Sorry I’m just now getting around to responding and yeah lol. Thanks man

[@Skank_and_Gutterboy]

Failing out of nuke school is actually a blessing in disguise. When I completed prototype and got to the fleet (aircraft carrier) as a nuke, I was so profoundly disappointed with what I found at the end of that rainbow that I decided within a month that I was just going to finish out my remaining 4 years and punch out. If you know what's good for you, don't ever go to a nuclear-powered ship in any capacity.

[@mattburke3550]

Hey Stewart good luck in the fleet

[@blakestewart1476]

Thanks man 😁

[@msfkmsfk]

I hear your pain but I honestly think I would have a different experience because I like math and science. And I would be doubly motivated if I were getting paid to learn as well.

[@funveeable]

Nuke school is like a faucet pouring into a bucket of water and you have a cup and drink from it. Definitely drinkable if you use the secret formula. 1 pound of lard, a chunk of your smartest classmates brain (every class has one), and 24 hours to age. I got 2 exams with 3.4 scores but only snagged 3.3 on the last one because the formula didn't get to age for the full time.

[@MattWalks]

I failed in 2018 and went to the fleet as an MM and was MM2 (SW) within 18 months. I go to school in san diego now for chemical engineering. Failing nuke school was the best thing that ever happened to me.

[@peterlemongello3043]

Hey failing out isn't bad. You'll be the best in your rate. Currently I'm being med boarded and the saddest part is seeing everyone you know going to the fleet.

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah fr. From my time at DTP it always seemed like the people with med boards were there forever. Good luck with it, and I hope it all works out.

[@plick645]

Don't be that broken up about it. Reactor Department in the fleet makes prototype look like a walk in the park.

[@prodbyb0pk1ng]

Yo don’t beat yourself up I’m about to graduate QM a school, but I’ve seen hella people get dropped from the pipeline even though it’s easy as hell

[@GWheeler24]

Hopefully I see you out there bro I ship out march 11th as a MMS

[@LibCon1980]

Good info for someone interested in this program. However I am wondering how you ended up at this school? You don’t seem to have an aptitude or interest in the MOS. Did a recruiter BS you and waive the bonus money in front of you or was this something that you really wanted? I wonder if your recruiter had a quota for enlisted Nukes and you did well enough on the ASVAB to qualify?

[@jimmccormick6091]

I wanted to go Nuke, but was found out to be color blind. No nuke school for me (this was 1982 btw) My cousin, however, DID make it to Nuke school. His neighbor in Maryland was a former Nuke, and he warned my cousin, it is a FOR REAL school, and he was going to see LOTS of guys wash out, fast. Not prepared, not taking school seriously, not paying attention, not taking advantage of study time, etc etc. My cousin said that was pretty much what he saw. Guys going out all the time, partying, drinking, screwing around, you name it. He saw a lot of guys that flat out should have never been there, just not farmiliar with the math. He said the washout was pretty high, but, generally, if you walked around the barracks at 6pm, you could tell who was studying, and who was out fooling around. (not pointing the finger at you Blake).

[@echohunter4199]

I’m a retired Army Infantry Senior NCO and I spent a few years in Army Recruiting and that’s where I learned how the Navy uses the nuke program as a recruiting tool to attract young people to enlist. Each branch of our military recruits differently, it’s not all the same which is a poor assumption people hold when they talk with any recruiter. The nuke program is over slotted with excess students for a good reason, the Navy knows people will screw up one way or another either academically or partying off base when they shouldn’t be and then they weed out people and re-direct them to an MOS (job) that’s “needs of the Navy” which could be anything but it’s usually not good. Now, as an Army recruiter it may seem like I’m attacking our Navy but that’s not my intent here, I want to explain how we’re different, that’s it. All military branches use the ASVAB test to determine IQ and things they’re good at and we sit the applicant down and show them jobs they’re qualified for and talk with them as to which ones they’d like to work in. Once they choose the exact job they want to do then we put it in writing and there’s no fine print or traps waiting for them in the school that’ll get them kicked out or re-classified into a crappy job. Personally, I chose to be a tank destroyer, MOS 11H and I loved it. Being stuck in one place doing the same boring task day after day is like prison to me, I prefer an environment that’s fluid and requires challenging solutions to problems presented. I never wanted to go to airborne school so I didn’t, I felt it was a waste of time and I’d likely break a bone and screw up my career as some of my buddies did so, I stayed with the Air Assault field and progressed in my level of qualifications by going to Rappel Master and Sling Master schools within a few years. My daughter chose to be a 68C: Practical Nurse and enjoyed working in hospitals and she’s been doing the same job as a civilian as well as going to college. It’s hard to choose what branch to join, each are important to our nation but not all branches are so high pressured in their training schools after basic training as mentioned in this video, I’ve never experienced that level of pressure for that long of time in all my 26 years on active duty. Just check with a couple branches before choosing one and if there’s ever a bonus involved, ask more questions and try to find a Veteran that was in that branch who can answer questions about how things are for the program they’re trying to get you to sign with because it may be more than you planned for. Always ask them what happens if I bomb out of the school/training or get in trouble somehow? What happens then? The Marines can’t guarantee you to be anything more than a Marine, they get their funding from the Navy so they can’t lock in a specific training seat for a new recruit, you find out what your job will be once you finish boot camp/basic training. And no, if you join the Air Force, you won’t become a pilot, doesn’t work that way…at all. Yes, you can go to the local flying club on base on your free time and learn to fly at your own expense which isn’t very expensive at all but, you’ll be doing whatever job they decide to place you in. But, the Air Force is a nice place to work no matter what you do and they do a great job covering my butt in combat environments so there’s a plus side to not getting the job you want.

[@Izael1701]

Prior Navy nuke here... yes, all branches recruit differently, and the Navy does intentionally "over slot" the nuke program because it wants "the best of the best," and the Navy recognizes that MOST people simply do not have the capacity to be a Navy nuke. In a way, the nuke program is no different than the Navy SEAL or Army Rangers programs... overfill the incoming personnel because you know that most will fail. Per some news sources last year, almost 32,000 people join the Navy every year... of that figure, only about 3,000 sailors join the nuke program annually, but less than 2,700 actually graduate. That's a 10% attrition rate, which may not sound bad on paper... but... you HAVE to remember that all submarines and aircraft carriers run off of nuclear power, so it is VITAL to the Navy's mission to have trained nuclear sailors. I think the figure is about 35-45% of the Navy's forces are nuclear powered. There are 11 operational aircraft carriers, and each carrier has a reactor department of over 300 people. The Navy also has over 70 operational submarines and those have about 25-40 nuclear personnel each. In total, you are in the ballpark of at least 5,000 nuclear-trained personnel currently serving on active duty in the Navy. Lastly, nuclear retention in the Navy is absolutely garbage. Why? Eventually, nuke sailors discover that they can get out of the military (both officers and enlisted) and work for a commercial nuclear plant and earn over $150,000/yr immediately after separation without any additional education, training, or certification. It may be the same job, but the pay is much better, the work environment is significantly improved, and you get to go home every day.

[@stevem437]

Failed out in 2010 and ended up Re-rated to CTN. It was a blessing in disguise. I ended up working with the NSA for over 6 years doing cybersecurity and malware analysis. Got a job with a large cybersecurity firm out of Silicon Valley working remotely once my contract was done. Then worked for a cryptocurrency startup in Las Vegas. Now I help run the cyber program for a top-4 ranked engineering university in the US. Failing out of nuke school really hurt. Could I have taken it a bit more seriously? Probably. But I’m happy with the direction my life took and believe it was for the best.

[@blakestewart1476]

That’s amazing man. Definitely one of the best success stories I’ve heard from people that failed out. Really hyped for you!

[@chinqlinq89]

I was supposed to ship out in June of 2010 into the Navy and Nuke training. One of my biggest fears was not being granted a TS clearance even if I passed the schooling. I was 19 when I applied and went to MEPS, but was so worried about being dropped from the Nuke program halfway through because of smoking weed a few times and underaged drinking when I was young. Something that I feared would disqualify me from whatever ‘criteria’ the interviewers would have on character. I know I wasn’t a bad person and my friends and family were good upstanding people, but I was afraid of washing out and becoming ‘unrated’ if the people conducting the TS interviews didn’t approve me and I had to fulfill the rest of my 6 year contract in a less desirable rating.

[@prodbyb0pk1ng]

@@chinqlinq89 I see what you mean I myself don’t have anything on my record, but I voluntarily joined as an s pact, now I’m about to graduate QM a school in a few days, I gotta tell you though, undes s pact is not as bad as people say it is

[@braddawson4496]

@@chinqlinq89 the school material is classified as confidential so you have to gain clearance prior to starting school (it's a Secret Clearance vice TS clearance). If you had failed to obtain a clearance they would have only made you do 4 years active.

[@chinqlinq89]

@@braddawson4496 Makes sense, but I would still be thrown back as 'unrated' right? Which I've been told by multiple people is usually the most undesirable jobs with nearly no technical training/professional civilian application. I just psyched myself out at that age and was very intimidated/fearful of the TS interviews because it would be up to how my parents, siblings, and friends would respond. At least from what I had read on the process online from multiple sources. Are you familiar with how they conduct the TS interviews? It's been 14 years since I planned on joining.

[@big-joe-momma]

Edit: T-track can be from 0 weeks to 2 years Power school is easier than ET A-school (My power school master chief put everyone on vols unless they were failing) ETs that fail out dont get to become conventional ETs

[@blakestewart1476]

I appreciate the edit, and there’s always exceptions. Just trying to give a general timeline on T-track. As far as what I said about rerating, ET’s could have the opportunity to go ETV or ETR as far as the submarine community goes. Rerating they had me look at the list of Jobs and pick my Top 5 then after that it was needs of the navy. Thanks for the feedback though, and feel free to correct anything that may be wrong.

[@michaelbernard6220]

What was your ASVAB if you don't mind my asking? I'm personally interested because I was a 91 ASVAB and passed the multiple choice nuke test at MEPS with a 51. Background: (June, 2002) I didn't give a f, I just wanted to be Navy. After I took the ASVAB and got a 91 I got to have my meeting with the career counselor and we landed on AEW (Air Electronic Warfare)....My recruiter (who was new to that game at the time, Petty Officer Moser) was super excited I had an ASVAB that put me on the possible Nuke path and I told him I was super excited for AEW because I had a lifelong interest in Aeronautics and Computers (Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe baby, Microsoft Air Combat Simulator, Fighter Ace Online, etc etc) but he bribed me to stay one more night in a hotel knowing I'd just get drunk as shit and take the nuke test which I assured him I'd fail (at the time I had skirted math and science in High School and was 22 years old and out of school for 4 years which were all bad recipes for Nuke).... He convinced me one more night "paid for"in the Radisson, bought me a case of beer and picked me up the next morning hung over to take a test I promised I would fail. I am really good at multiple choice tests. I have a whole system I could explain but tl;dr(w?). So I get a 51, and failing the Nuke test is a 50 or below, so now I get the hard sell on rerating as a Nuke instead of AEW. At the time AEW A-School was in Pensacola and Nuke School was Charleston and not knowing anything about either place that didn't really factor in. But the "signing bonus" for Nuke and the supposed "prestige" that came with Nuke compelled me to go Nuke. Also I could leave out for Great Lakes 6 months sooner -- my life situation at the time was basically I wanted to be gone yesterday. Great Lakes goes easy for me. Super damn easy. I was 4 years in High School of JROTC (I was our Battalion S-5/6 {Cadet Major}ranking officer by first day my Junior year which was kinda unprecedented I was told) and came up in a military family multi-generation that was all pretty disappointed I went Navy (I grew up to be 6'4" which is too tall for being an infantry bullet catcher and even I had enough self-respect I didn't want to go zoomie much less the waitlist for them at the time non-delayed entry was over a year)...I was one of the top dogs of my Division (graduation date Feb 14 2003 Division 088 Petty Officer Schaub, Chief Wells) and Ship Staff so it was a cakewalk. I got 2 Bravo Zulu's, a letter of commendation from Chief Neff and our Division graduated with the Battle E and I graduated tied for the Top Academic recruit (it lists the other guy in the Great Lakes cruise book instead of us both) Because I had been such a fish in water the transit from Great Lakes to SC I was entrusted with carrying the personnel files of the other 21 Nukes who were transporting with me on 18 February 2003. It was very easy for me to look real quick and see what all their ASVAB's were. Every single one of them were 99's. I was a 91. It kinda warned me, beyond what I already knew, I mighta bit off more than I could chew. Because of my pedigree and performance thus far in boot camp when we met with the Nuke Liaison at Great Lakes I got what I wanted, which was ET. I got thru A-School after some minor struggles (I got best in my class grade on Widowmaker) and struggled through PowerSchool pretty heavily. Max mandatory study time. Got to within 1 set of weekly tests and then what woulda been the comprehensive final for Power School completion and my career got completely interrupted for failing a DT for pot. My personal life outside work had gotten off the rails and it finally caught up with me in Rickover. A life and fate interrupted. Sucks. I regret and miss daily. I was born to be a military Lifer and woulda been on year 21 right now had I made more correct choices and less bad ones. I am interested in knowing if you were a 99 or below that? It took two multiple choice tests to make me a Nuke and I didn't see another multiple choice test for the rest of my military career. Thanks! Great Lakes Division 088, graduation date 14 Feb 2003 - DC1 (surface) Schaub and Chief DSM (surface) Wells our division instructors ET A-School Graduation class 0323-T 25 July 2003 - EM1( Surface) Bradley, Advisor Power School Class 0306 - Chief EM (Submarine) Alexander, Advisor (Fact checked and henceforth edited) ET3 Bernard

[@michaelbernard6220]

Also I was never on T-Track, nor did I know or personally associate enough with anyone who was on or had been on T-Track to know anything about it. From what I understood during my time was that was where people whose Security Clearance was being held up had to go to purgatory until that situation was resolved. Like I mentioned my background was solid and if I wasn't The First I was among the first in my A-School class to find out my SC had gone through with no issues whatsoever -- to the degree that even discharge my SC was still in good standing and I worked for a defense manufacturing contractor which required a SC and I got hired and my DD214 dispo was never even brought up or discussed.

[@flutetubamorg]

Take it from a former nuke whose son is currently in power school now, it is TOUGH. They make you earn that bonus money! And out on the fleet I met plenty of great sailors that also didn't make it through the nuke pipeline for one reason or another. Poop happens and you move on. Great news is when you aren't a nuke, you get more liberty in ports!

[@flutetubamorg]

Just want to add, too, that I really think it's harder for the younger guys fresh out of high school. The nuke program training is really hard to begin with and you have to learn to live on your own, deal with roommates, do your laundry, keep up with all the military necessities. It's just a lot. When I went in I had just turned 21. I was already living on my own, working, paying bills (sort of) and living life. Getting in the Navy sort of simplified all of that and since I had been getting a real dose of living on my own, it helped me focus on making sure I took care of business when going through training. I learned pretty quickly that the secret to happy life as a Navy enlisted man was to qualify as many things as possible to add more dollars to my paycheck. Check, got through nuke training so got that bonus. Maxed out re-enlistment bonus with Star program, went to nuke emergency welder school, volunteered for subs, qualified my senior supervisor watch as E5. Whatever path you go, max out the paycheck!

[@geekmaster123playsmc]

Huh you did a UI for a pad watch with me. Wish you luck at your next command.

[@blakestewart1476]

Thank man 😁

[@blakestewart1476]

Thanks*

[@DuffyF56]

By the time I got to Nuke School it had been 8 years since I had a math class. I was assigned a three week Pre-School based on an NFQT test taken 4 years before. A chit to request 6 week Pre-School denied. I failed every Pre-School Test and was on M-30 the whole way through Nuke School. Our weekend hours counted towards required hours. I never failed a course but it was a tough slog since while I could do the math I couldn't do it fast enough for the timed tests. I never finished a single test including the Comp on which I got a 3.04. My class started with 649 Enlisted Students and graduated 388 back in the Filter Age of the Program. Class 8105 a number I will never forget.

[@thefakebobafettig-8845]

How was the rest of your career as nuke

[@DuffyF56]

@@thefakebobafettig-8845 First RO to qualify, 2nd in my class at Prototype, Staff instructor at prototype (SPU) then C-7 Advanced Electronics School (passed) then sent to a new construction Ohio Class. Two deployments and 3 Strategic Deterrent Patrols, RO for everything (Battle Stations, ORSE and Maneuvering) and that was it. 8 years , 9 month, 13 days of adventure.

[@jf36084]

A school and Power school are the worst of it you can get by prototype by just being social and the fleet is just long hours if you can do it I've heard it's worth it in the long run but I'm not out yet Im about to reenlist for $100,000 for an extra 3 years it's a good deal if you can do it but it's hard and not for everyone

[@jvogler_art4708]

i'm looking at nuke school cause i got an 85 on asvab, but i'm 28 years old. very old to be doing this, the possibility of working in a high paying nuclear position and the financial benefits of joining is what drew me to the navy but it's good info for people like me who have no experience with it. i'm currently a welder with some automotive and machining knowledge as well as electrical. I have passed college level math but never trig or calc so i really am not sure if i can even qualify or do it just that my asvab puts me in the running for it. Still unsure if i want to even join the navy but i do fear joining, qualifying for nuke school or aviation and then flunking out entirely then being stuck with a job i never wanted to do or has no prospects.

[@gamephysics3943]

If you’re doing enlisted (took asvab so I’m assuming enlisted) then you absolutely do not need calc. If you can do algebra confidently we will teach you everything you need from there. And you are not at all the oldest person at the Rickover. Best of luck if you decide to do it, I’ll happily talk about the school if you’re interested I’m a current instructor.

[@prodbyb0pk1ng]

I see where you’re coming from I haven’t even been to college, but I’m about to be in a navigation division position on an aircraft carrier in about a month, I used to be undesignated

[@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV]

@@gamephysics3943 whats the highest math? Algebra 1? Algebra 2/college algebra? Geometry? Calculus? Trig? Precalculus?

[@gamephysics3943]

@@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV Honestly, Algebra 2. No need for trig or anything. We kinda touch it by using sin and cos and we ever so slightly touch precalc but those are 100% unnecessary to have exposure to.

[@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV]

@@gamephysics3943 what content does the NAPT have? What do i need to qualify? A C (>=70%) ?

[@kulhuk7198]

How did you do on your asvab test?? Sorry to hear but sounds like nuc program was not a good fit for you. It is the toughest academic program in the military.

[@blakestewart1476]

90 on the one I took at 16 had to retake at 17 because of my age and got an 85

[@kulhuk7198]

@@blakestewart1476 I think a score of 85 is not enough for an automatic NF program, unless you also take the NAPT and score 252 to qualify NFa. A score of 235 would lead to another test NFb + NAFT to achieve 290. Waivers are not authorized. I think your recruiter did you a disservice by not exploring all options for you. You seem happy and relieved to be out of NNPTC tho. I wish you success and good luck in the submarines. 💪

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah I had to take the NAPT at MEPS. Also yeah very relieved to be out of NNPTC, and thank you 😁

[@American_2]

Can you help me decide whether I should do AV (AT/AE) or Nuke? I like to try hard and be the best me I can, and I'm pretty smart among my peers. I don't want to regret doing nuke, but I think regretting I didn't do nuke seems more awful because I could've been better than I would at the time.

[@blakestewart1476]

Do whatever you feel like you would enjoy more

[@American_2]

@@blakestewart1476 Ended going for AV, something I think I would actually love.

[@nukeonawhiteboard2529]

What do you think would have helped you succeed in the pipeline? I felt like the people who were on long study hours just got burnt out and at that point they wouldn't make it. I've been thinking about starting a channel to help people actually understand the concepts you learn in NPS instead of just forcing the stuff down your throat. I know the NDIs can also be trash because they're usually just JOs who have no experience actually doing anything in the fleet.

[@blakestewart1476]

I feel like if I had just had time to sleep and study on my own without being forced to do BEQ’s. I would be a lot more engaged in class and been able to focus on the things I was struggling with instead of being given random topics from the lessons to do problems on.

[@blueman6469]

So I got an 86 on the asvab and was 7 points off nuke so I took the asvab again and scored high enough for it. I’m not sure if I should pursue this or not, because it seems like a great job especially in civilian life. However I feel like I may not be smart enough because I had to take the asvab twice. I don’t normally study for anything including the asvab so I also feel as though when I apply myself(which I definitely would apply whatever it take in the nuke school) I can do it, but am partly scared to fail and also am interested in jobs like corpsman.

[@Elena-bk9nl]

@@blueman6469 I have been in for a little over two years and finished the “pipeline.” It is hard, a lot of work, and dedication. Not academically but mentally and physically. Personally I’m great at math and stem classes, I had a somewhat easy time. But it’s just the constant cramming of information and environment that is tiresome. And I will let you know that it doesn’t get easier. And again I don’t mean academically, I mean in a mental and physical way. I enjoyed all the people I met, and the independence/growth that developed. But you def need to have a strong mentality, as morale will decrease throughout the pipeline. For example, it’s just situations that are bound to happen in any date you pick . Like, one person doesn’t show up on time so everyone has to show up 20 mins early. It’s the little things that build up. Things ramp up slightly in power school but it’s all just basics and fundamentals. In addition, prototype is a whole other animal. I’ll tell you rn, as long as you are not a shitbag and are willing to put effort and pain, you should make it through. Please look on Reddit as well, I would stay away from asking a recruiter.

[@blakestewart1476]

I know a guy that got a 76 and got a waiver to go through it and he’s in prototype right now. Don’t let your ASVAB discourage you. If you feel like you can be strong in math and science and nuke is something you wanna put 100% effort into go for it.

[@kulhuk7198]

@@blueman6469 There's no shame in taking the ASVAB twice. Infact you can take it several times (depending on your age and time in DEP) if you think you can improve your score for the NP or any other program. Recruiters just don't want to deal with that (as costs in retesting comes out of their recruiting budget) so they discourage you from taking it multiple times. You can take it after 30 days of your first official test and then next one after 6 months. It is all in the Navregs pertaining to recruiting. More importantly it is the line score that matters which is why a waiver could be granted even if you have a lower ASVAB score. 💪

[@ryanalan7421]

Bro imma be dead ass I'm in the same boat. And I can't tell that your at nav subschool in fulton hall. I know because I'm there rn. Lmao

[@pizzaboynizza1]

You’re probably bad at math in the same way as me. I was originally gonna be a Nuke, but was switched to my fallback of conventional ET before I left for boot camp, in 2008, because despite passing the Nuke test, my high school Math scores were horrible because I had no interest in Math beyond practical Math. I literally scored 87 despite scoring 48 on the Arithmetic Reasoning section, lol.

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah I was pretty bad, failed trig twice in high school so never really went much past algebra 2.

[@josephpadula2283]

Your recruiter failed you And the system should have been able to find out before you were put in.

[@tapia720]

Its aright the subs mm have it as tough as the nukes so its probably good you got that extra training

[@redforman4464]

Hey I’m about to go in to take the napt in a few days. What maths and parts of physics would you recommend studying?

[@blakestewart1476]

Hopefully I’m not too late on this but the NAPT was nothing above algebra 2 and basic trig when I took it so just brush up on basic algebra and you’ll do fine.

[@redforman4464]

@@blakestewart1476 I took it Wednesday and passed it! Thank you anyways!

[@magicpancake1089]

​@@redforman4464 good job! I take it soon myself.

[@karlgrant9923]

How does the enlisted pipeline compare with the Officer courses?

[@plick645]

Officer courses are harder and more in depth. They're the ones listed in the top 10 hardest schools in the world.

[@tapia720]

I failed comp at powerschool it my first time i failed a class ever

[@Divirse]

im an AC, which is also a petty hard school. sure as not like nuke though lol

[@niccage6999]

Currently in the shuttle omw to meps - idek what i actually WANT to do but with everything my recruiter has told me and how high I've scored on the picat which i believe exempted me from having to do certain testing for the nuke field it really just feels like it'd be dumb not to go nuke considering the pay level and what not... Idk Anyone feel free to respond with any sort of info or recommendations for me!

[@reedbeggs9442]

I'm currently wrapping up A school right now as an ETN. You really have to ask yourself if you are willing to put the work in. IT WILL BE HARD and be your priority in life until you get out of the pipeline. But it's worth it, especially for the qualifications you will have acquired for after the navy. If you can, do some research for what kind of jobs nukes tend to get transferring from military to civilian side to get an idea of what we are worth after the fact. (Minimum six figure salary). I highly recommend you also conduct the same research for any other rates you may be interested in too

[@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV]

@Blake Stewart So, What would you describe the MATHEMATICS level to be? I'd argue I'm decent at math and am looking to join; please answer if you can: 1) how much calculus was present? 2) where was ur math level at the time of taking? 3) i know this 3rd sounds harsh, but what kicked ur ass so hard??? Did you think it was lack of questions or simply not being as fluent in math as you are english? 4) the level of math. Was it logs, exponents, equations, trig/conics, or functions? Was it rote math or more conceptual questions? Have a nice day!!! Good luck in the next MOS, sir!!!

[@BooGxlu]

Math if you did fine in high school you’ll be fine know logs exponents how to add sub multiply and divide fractions basic math and some geometry and stuff. they teach you from the ground up. When I got here I couldn’t add fractions I just didn’t know how so my math was pretty bad. But I passed everything didn’t fail a single class. I went thru the ET classes which they say is the hardest but it wasn’t that bad. Just study hard early on and get the basics Down and the rest is easy don’t get stuck on one thing you will fall behind it will all make sense in the end trust. If you do join good luck it’s not that bad.

[@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV]

@@BooGxlu wait is it not in calculus? Im in calc BC and was told there is calc. Is there NO CALCULUS WHATSOEVER? Are you just an over glorified mechanic (ego aside)? are you finished with the pipeline?

[@BooGxlu]

@@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV Math was very basic. I don’t know much about math cuz I never payed attention to it in high school. There may be some calculus in Power school but as for A school it was very easy. I have not finished the entire pipeline but I just finished A school. And as much as I hear from my friends ahead Power is easier. If you are familiar with the grading scale I ended with a 3.63 as an ET. So as someone who went in not knowing how to do math it is not very difficult and just takes some effort. As far as my job I’m basically a computer doctor and I get to actually control the reactor. If you want to know more there are videos on the different jobs. But if you are interested in joining it is interesting and you learn a lot of cool things.

[@jermonmaxey5544]

@@BooGxlu yooo about to take the NAPT, how'd you do on that? I have no idea how to prep

[@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV]

@@BooGxlu is the content significantly harder?

[@commentary4298]

Do they still do mando hours? I was on 45-5s for a long time when I was there.

[@blakestewart1476]

45-5’s sound crazy. I was failing pretty bad and I’m not sure if this is true or rumor, but I heard they need the CO’s signature to put anyone on hours greater than 25-4’s

[@commentary4298]

@@blakestewart1476 woooooowwwww the average when I went was 25-5s as a minimum

[@justinperry2298]

Are you still under a 6 year contract or did it change to a 4 year after you re-rated?

[@blakestewart1476]

Still under the original 6-year

[@plick645]

If you finish a school you have to re-up to the 6 yr contract.

[@lettuceishere9125]

I have a question, why do you look so good?

[@blakestewart1476]

All u bud 😉

[@beachfluffman6420]

So ur gonna be on subs? If so then that's pretty cool.

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah lol I’ll be on a sub probably in the next 6 months

[@mikebrophy]

Don't feel bad, you were weeded out of a program designed to do so (and which has weeded out at least 80% of everyone who's gone through it). I failed out of nuke school as an MM in 1993 and did a grueling 3 weeks straight with no days off of galley duty as they figured out what to do with me. They were pretty brutal on dropouts then too, saying we'd never amount to anything. I amounted to a lot nearly 30 years later. You'll be ok!

[@blakestewart1476]

I was so happy to be out

[@claytonbarnes5038]

Sorry but 80% of people do not fail the pipeline. That's complete bullshit.

[@adamh4530]

If someone fails A school or power school could you possibly re rate as something in Aviation possibly?

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah I knew I guy who became an aviation mechanic. You can’t be a sub volunteer and you would pick a top 5 out of surface and Seabee rates and it’s needs of the navy after that. If you’ve gone through A school it’s the same thing, but they’ll definitely try and force you towards something similar to your current rate.

[@kevinhendrix8786]

A lot depends on the person's A school pipeline and/or their rank. I failed out in prototype at the same time a guy who had already picked up E-5. I was still an E-4, so the Navy decided to send me to another school. The guy who was an E-5 was just automatically transferred to an aviation rate as an E-5. The Navy figured he was already an E-5, they could give him any other job and he would figure it out.

[@landonfagan9361]

Grippy sock gang😎😎😎

[@randomgeezer3456]

When I joined in 1974, I was told my test scores qualified me for literally any school I wanted. The Nuke program sounded interesting, but I figured I'd better ask what was involved in the coursework. The recruiter (who was actually honest) said "a lot of advanced math, chemistry and physics." Now even at 17, I knew that since (1) I had nearly flunked a watered-down HS chemistry class, and (2) struggled like a MF in Algebra 1, there was no way in hell I could cut it. Ended up becoming a fire controlman - if I'd gone nuke I know damn well I'd have flunked out and wound up an MM3 on a 1200-psi destroyer steam plant. A little after watching this vid, I saw another by a guy who'd gone through the Nuclear Power Officer Candidate (NUPOC) program about 10 years ago. He faced an exacting series of tests and interviews, and mentioned that NUPOC prospects had to have taken at least two courses each in calculus and physics. Seems to me that by not having some prerequisites for the enlisted nuke school, the Navy's both wasting a buttload of money and causing frustration to a lot of sailors who would be happier and more successful in fields they're better suited for.

[@DuffyF56]

When I went through there was a math prerequisite. Had to have a C average in Algebra in HS as I recall. And of course the NFQT test which was required was physics and math based too. I never took Trig nor did I take Calculus in HS.

[@robinscottmarsh846]

Why did you pick Nuke school? I hear so many guys that pick MOS's that are not their strength's or not at all things that are interesting to them. Sounds like even if you passed, you'd hate the job.

[@blakestewart1476]

Money, auto-E-3, and Auto E-4 after A-school. I hated it but it would’ve set me up good lol

[@cesarreyes8320]

My son is in boot camp now, he joined t hff e Navy as a Nuclear engineer, I've heard is hard but you will have a skill very few people have in the world.

[@blakestewart1476]

Yeah it’s very true. The school is insanely difficult. For many people including myself the school can prove to be too much. For the ones that make it through the program it’s a tough job but definitely the most transferable enlisted job to the civilian world. Most nukes after the navy can land six-figure jobs after their contract.

[@hyde5295]

Would you say that Nuke School is worth attending? I just left my recruiters office because I wanted to go in enlisted and have opportunity at Officer to attend flight school, and they sent me in the direction of nuke as a way to achieve that. Just skeptical because I don't think I'm THAT smart to pull that off, and I feel I wouldn't do well in Subs. Any thoughts?

[@blakestewart1476]

If your end goal is flight school and you don’t have a degree, talk to the army about the WOFT program. Although I’ve seen people get picked up to go to the Naval Academy in “A” school that was only one guy out of 25. I highly recommend applying to the Academy, College ROTC, or the WOFT program. The Warrant officer flight training program is really competitive to get picked up for but if you made good grades throughout high school, I’d talk to an army recruiter about it.

[@jerkysasquatch9256]

in prototype rn, so im at the ass end of the pipe line. No, dont be a nuke. In fact if you want to fly planes, enlisting in any branch is not the way to go. As far as im aware, only officers can fly planes or helicopters, so you must commission, not enlist.

[@hyde5295]

@@jerkysasquatch9256 t is only commissioned officers that get slected for flight school, and I have an easy in to the commercial flgiht industry at the moment. I'm not just looking for service as its something that I want to be for myself and for my country, so I might look at air national guard or reserves now

[@tnguy1000]

If you want to make your way to flight school, the nuclear program is not the way. Your recruiter is full of shit if he told you that. The odds of getting a commissioning program from enlisted, though not impossible, they are slim. Doing it from the nuclear pipeline does not help. Once they have you in the nuke program they don't like to let you go though it does happen. Reserves or National Guard might be an easier path. I have a couple of friends that took that path.

[@claytonbarnes5038]

Recruiters will blow all kinds of smoke up your ass. I was one for 3 years. Your chances of getting picked up for an OCS or ROTC are better being a nuke, but not a given by any means. Now speaking as a nuke and former recruiter and realist, chances are you're never going to fly, at least not in the military. The odds of being picked up for that job is slim to none.