What The Navy's Really Like - The Truth About Nuke School

[@DragonTail624]

Really glad I watched this video, I'm signed up for the Nuke program and leave for boot camp in December and still only had a vague idea of what schooling would look like after basic. Sounds tough but honestly I feel like listening to these anecdotes made it feel more realistic/manageable. Here's hoping I make it out in one peace lol

[@2F2FPod]

Glad to hear it! It is definitely tough, but it's doable. They've also made some changes to the program to allow people who struggle to have a better chance to make it through. Thanks for watching, and please reach out if you need anything.

[@vaughn9547]

No way bro Im also going to boot camp in December lol.

[@DragonTail624]

@vaughn9547 lol, I gotta do a 3 week fat camp before starting actual boot camp so we might not end up in the same group

[@TheGnarlyPigeon]

Hey, I shipped out in December of 2022. Good times. I'll be heading to my first boat when you go to boot camp. I can honestly say it wasn't that bad. Prototype was the hardest part for me, but everyone is different.

[@TheRealFerret428]

​@@DragonTail624Yooo, I'm most likely shipping out around February, I'll see you there

[@pyayaXC]

Former officer student here, so don’t have Rickover stories as wild as that of an enlisted nuke, but here a few fun exam markups from my Power School class: RHWB = right horse, wrong barn FOK = fusion of knowledge RC = reality check ECF = error carried forward and everyone’s favorite… BOD = benefit of the doubt

[@2F2FPod]

@@pyayaXC I can't believe I forgot about FOK!! Thank you for those!

[@elapidpython4378]

WTF = Wrong Trig Function

[@2F2FPod]

@@elapidpython4378 That's a great one!

[@themonkeebrothers6753]

i got a "wut" "wow..." and "sheep?" one of my answers was grazing...

[@nanux99]

During Power School, the A/C in our wing stopped working and weren't fixed, all while in summer. Had good memories, though.

[@2F2FPod]

@nanux99 That sounds brutal! Im not sure how long ago you were in, but Naval Instructor School harps pretty heavily on the fact that environment (a/c, distractions, etc.) can be a huge barrier to learning. Leave it to NNPTC to take a full summer to fix one of those issues 🫠

[@joercoll30]

You're all wrong. The job to go for on T-track is duty driver. Also 2:09 made me lol.

[@2F2FPod]

@@joercoll30 I'm pretty certain Duty Driver was only a Grad Hold job in our time.

[@AsianVidWatcher]

I was in T track for 3 months as duty driver. Definitely best watch, you listen to your own music as you drive and can relax on site/beq while you’re not busy

[@FloofyMinari]

There was no Suite upgrade once in Power School when i was there. All the new kids from boot camp got the bigger rooms while us 3rd classes stayed in our A school barrack.

[@2F2FPod]

Oh that's awful! I guess it definitely makes it easier logistically on the staff... but the room upgrade was such a cool perk after graduation.

[@joercoll30]

@@2F2FPod Also did not receive this upgrade in 2017-2018. I do remember a couple people moving around though, so it maybe something I just was unlucky about.

[@2F2FPod]

Damn so you guys had to stay in the tiny rooms with the bunk beds for a year plus!?

[@pjv767b5]

I was staff at basic power school after 4 patrols and a shipyard on an SSBNas a First class then CPO RO 1972 through 1976, we were called section advisors, and I will say this: the students who were on 35 to 40 hrs on average made the best operators when they went to the boats. The barracks sucked for sure and I’m glad to see NPS is still very demanding. With 2 years of college I operated, maintained, helped build every one of the various types of civilian power plants ending up as CEO of the power system in the Fl Keys. I attribute this to what I learned at Nuc School. It’s a tough demanding time but I wouldn’t trade it for anything

[@2F2FPod]

That's so awesome! They were called Section Leading Petty Officers or, "SLPOs", when we were students there. Are you saying that the students who were on the longest required study hours turned into the best operators?? That's really interesting considering, in theory, the material didn't come quite as easily to those sailors. Why do you think that was/is the case?

[@ckytaz7]

I was on 25-4 all of A-School and 35-5 for 5.5 out of the 6 months of P-School. Worst experience of my life still.

[@2F2FPod]

It really can be brutal. Sounds like you made it through, though! There is something to be said about the way Nuke School can change the way we think and learn... sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

[@ckytaz7]

@@2F2FPod I did make it through. Then came back to prototype as an instructor

[@NoFace237]

I am debating trying to do the Nuke program, ive heard that its super stressful even after schooling, but im not sure, would you say its worth it?

[@2F2FPod]

@@NoFace237 that depends completely on your personal motivations. Are you motivated by money and future career prospects? It could be worth it for you. Are you motivated by free time or feeling like you're truly making a difference in the world? You might find this work unfulfilling and awful...

[@ckytaz7]

@@NoFace237 TBH if I were to go back and do it all over again, I would have went with my original contract which was CTN. Nukes have a poor quality of life in the fleet and you are really limited on shore duty options. It's not all bad and definitely opened many doors for me but other rates in the Navy (such as CTN) would open many doors too. The people are awesome and I really miss that but that also has to do with the trauma bonding of us all going through the suck together. I can talk about this for hours but that's the shortest to the point answer I have.