Job options if a sailor fails nuclear power school

[tam17730]

I just spoke with my son who is in Power School in Goose Creek, SC.  With each conversation lately, he tells me about more guys who are being dropped from the Nuclear Engineering Program.  He sounds very sad watching this happen, and is probably wondering if he will make it through.  For those students who end up released from this program, what are their job options in being re-designated?

[Jsmom]

You are very smart and you made me smile.  Thank you!

[Angie]

How is your son being treated badly? 

No Sailor is better then another Sailor, no matter what their job is.  The Navy needs everyone to make the ships warships.  Also once they are out in the fleet, no one cares who got what on their ASVAB, that is just a test to get them a school.

The Navy needs people to paint, chip, and clean he is mistaken if he thinks he would not be doing that, as everyone does that.  People also have to take out the trash, and cook for everyone on the ship.  Everyone is also a firefighter on board as they can not just call 9-11 to have a firetruck come out to the middle of the ocean.  My point is Sailors do a lot more than just the job they are trained to do.

If he feels he is looked upon as "not good enough" that is him placing those feelings on himself.  He needs to either pick himself up, or go talk to a Chaplin or doctor if he really is depressed.  People use that term very lightly and they need to be careful about that as that is a medical diagnoses, which if he really is depressed he may need assistance. 

As was said, it takes time to get them to a new school, the schools are filled up.  They can not just put him in any school he wants, and sorry to say he really will not have a say in what he gets.   They may try to find something he wants, but it will be what the Navy needs first.  The paper work is not done by the school, it is sent to big Navy in Milling ton, TN and they do the paper work for every school in the Navy and for everyone who fails out or is dropped from school.  So they have more than a few peoples paper work to do.

Regarding removing him from school, they need to remove him quickly and the school does the paper work, so yes it can and is done fast. 

[Jsmom]

First of all, I never said my son, or any sailor was better than another. 

Second, maybe he is placing the way he feels on himself, maybe not.  He is entitled to his own feelings.

 

The military is all new to me, so thank you very much for enlightening me with the process.

[Angie]

Yes he is entitled to his own feelings and you as his mom are also.  I was trying to point out that depression is a medical diagnose, and if he really has it then he may need assistance, or maybe the military isn't for him if he really is depressed.  those are things he needs to look into.  

[Askance]

Just here to drop some words of experience and support :)

I am not a Mom. I am married to a Nuke drop, myself. I was there from bootcamp and constantly supported him through school as much as I could. Pushing him to do his best and giving him what he needed at home whether it be space, a nice dinner, or just quiet time to sleep. Things just didn't work out his way and I accepted it when he came home and told me the news.

The Nuke program is very political. I'm just going to leave it at that. If you don't "play the game" then it can be hard for your sailor. That being said, if your sailor gets behind on progress, which is what is known as DINQ, they often give you supplemental work to try and help you understand and move forward. However, this work, just adds to the workload you already are pressured to get done in a day. Unfortunately, most sailors who fall DINQ either stay DINQ or continue to progress further DINQ. Honestly, there's not much you can do for them at that point, except encourage them to keep moving along. It can be very frustrating when people at home are telling them to do better and people at work are pressuring them too.

My husband was very proud of being a Nuke at first, but after dealing with the workload and the political side of things, he was ready to leave. After his contract was up, I know he was planning to get out. My husband was kicked out because his entire section was DINQ. There were people who were further behind him who still had the opportunity to stay. But, my husband was picked to leave along with a few others that day. (This was back in Jan 2012).

My best advice for you is to just encourage them about the future. I can tell you that when we had to move to Groton, CT for him to be re-rated, we had the following job opportunities: CS, LS, ITS (which later closed due to so many people being interested), GM, EN, and BM. This obviously rotates due to the demands of the Navy, but obviously, you're not getting "superb" job selections. However, life outside of the Nuke program as a another rate has proven to give my husband a lot more opportunity. My husband selected GM. I encouraged him to pursue it because I wanted him to have something fun and something he wanted to do. Plus, I always wanted to go in as a GM :P My husband LOVES guns, so I knew he would do well, he would be happy (very important), and he would more than likely want to stay in and have a career. The best thing for you to do is to just encourage them to find a job they would be happy with. Maybe pursue something they were looking into before they selected the Nuke rate?

Just remember that not everyone can make it through. They put a lot of Nukes into the program to make sure they have enough for the demands of the Navy, but they put more in than the rate allows because they know some people just don't make it. So, definitely don't feel discouraged. Don't discourage your sailor. Keep pushing for a different future and I'm sure they will do well :)

*Not a brag, but just proves the opportunity: My husband was later selected out of his division as a GM for sailor of the year, he advanced in under 6 months in his rate, and he does SUPER awesome stuff that he gets SO excited to tell me about!

Good luck to your sailors! :)

[Jsmom]

WOW.  Thank you so much for your reply and input.  As someone that is just learning about the military it's nice to hear a success story from someone that has already been there. 

Every time I get the chance to text or talk to my son, I try and encourage him.  They have been keeping him pretty busy which is good because it makes the time pass quickly. I think one thing  that is really starting to get to him is not knowing.  He doesn't know where he'll go or when.  He has packed all his things and is now living out of a suitcase.

He keeps talking about being placed in DTP, I think that's what it's called.  Apparently he would move down the street from the school and wait to be reassigned.  That may be wrong, but I just don't know how things work. 

Can you tell me how long it took for your husband to get any information once he was dropped from the program?  I've read different things on this and other websites about the sailors being stripped of ratings and having to pay back money they were paid because they went in as an E3.  Is that true?  Are the contracts they signed originally to get into the Navy really null and void?  Do they have to start over once they are reassigned or does the time in boot camp , THU, and whatever point they were in in Nuke school count?  This Tuesday it will be two weeks to the day that he was dropped.  He has gotten all the signatures needed, but is now playing the waiting game.  He  has told me that jobs are posted on the 1st and 15th of each month, but once again, I don't know what anything stands for.  He originally wanted to be a Corpsman but was talked into the Nuke program.  He just turned 19, so he has his whole life ahead of him.  I pray his outcome will be as successful as your husbands'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Angie]

Their time in the Navy starts the day the went to bootcamp, so no they don't start all over with their contract...though yes they can and normally do get a new contract as a nuke contract is for 6 years with E4 out of school.   If the contract is written for them to have E3 due to the nuke program, yes they can pay back money, though it does not happen often, more if their was issues with them not realized to school.

I recommend you stop reading all the stuff and just wait to see what happens with your Sailor as everyone situation is different.

[Jo1]

It's not the end of the world if they are dropped from the Nuke program. My son is in a new rate and doing very well in the navy. Hope everyting works out well for your sailors. :)