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Comment by submom⚓️pwm on June 26, 2017 at 10:17pm

Thanks LTB! We have experienced the hurry up and wait. My son interviewed on Tuesday in DC and commissioned on Thursday of last week. Everything is moving very quickly now. My son gets tired of a mom's many questions. Thanks for the explanation. Time for me to switch gears from ROTC. Sounds like there are many paths to reach their goals :)

Comment by LTB on June 26, 2017 at 9:46pm

submom⚓️pwm> you posted this, "I am assuming from what I have read that he isn't NUPOC since he has already commissioned"

I learned not to assume with the Navy. ;) 

NUPOC is a program that they generally seek your kid out for. I'll do my best to share what little I know about the screening process and my understanding of same.

All those qualified by a recruiter and accepted are NUPOCS. As another mom said, they’re invited to fly to San Diego where they’re encouraged to explore and talk to those actively serving but also to be evaluated. I believe evaluations included a psychological component and there most likely was additional testing,  it’s been three years since our son went.  The candidates were flown home and were notified if they were selected to continue in the program. Those who were selected were then invited to visit Newport RI or maybe it was Charleston SC…. can’t recall. More evaluations and more testing only it was a tad bit more rigorous.  Candidates were again flown home and were informed they would be notified if they were chosen to continue,  Full physicals were required throughout the process. At some point in time, the Navy began the process of  procuring a security clearance of some sort for candidates. Can’t recall when.  Those chosen to continue who were able to receive a security clearance were invited to visit a prototype school  I believe.  Again, it’s been a while. Same deal with flying them out and evaluations and testing.  At this point, the candidates were informed that about 25 of them would receive a formal invitation to DC in the mail and that if they didn’t receive one, they were no longer in the pool. Those chosen to move forward  in the screening process would  be provided with study materials and would be flown out to DC for oral exams.  I got the impression the oral exams were brutal. Our son studied for weeks. Those who successfully made it through the oral exams moved on to  a final interview with the admiral and he would decide after meeting privately with them which candidates he wanted to continue in the NUPOC program. Those he chose were asked to sign on the dotted line then and there and I believe they were asked to choose reactor engineer, unrestricted sub warfare officer, unrestricted surface warfare officer, or  instructor at that time.  About 12 or 13 ended up being asked to continue by the Admiral. Those who weren’t selected were flown home and  a reception with a photo shoot followed for those who made the final cut after which they were flown back to finish their undergraduate degrees.  

This was our take on the process as parents looking in from the outside but it’s the Navy and it’s an adventure and things change year to year and week to week.  

Comment by Noni on June 26, 2017 at 8:33pm

NukeMomCarol,
My daughters as well....Thank God it's on the Navy and not I.

Comment by myvampress on June 26, 2017 at 7:02pm

I am so excited! My son is finishing up Prototype and taking his board exam this week! It has been a long stressful journey but it is finally coming to an end and he will finally be in the real world... He will be coming home for about a year (Which I am really excited about) since the sub he will be stationed on is brand new and coming out of the shipyard and is here for about a year before heading to its homeport.

Comment by NukeMomCarol on June 26, 2017 at 6:56pm

that is so cool Noni... MIT is my daughter's dream school... she keeps saying that is where she wants to go for her masters!

Comment by Noni on June 26, 2017 at 6:21pm

Sub mom
My daughter is commissioned and she will be entering the Nucular Engineering Program

Comment by submom⚓️pwm on June 26, 2017 at 5:17pm

Thanks LTB and M's mom. Trying to learn what I can and not ask too many stupid questions. My son was ROTC and was selected for subs. I am assuming from what I have read that he isn't NUPOC since he has already commissioned?

Comment by LTB on June 26, 2017 at 4:36pm

M’s mom>   I don’t know anything about the ROTC or nuclear engineering programs the Navy offers.  NUPOC is a Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidacy Program offered by the Navy. Recruiters canvas universities looking for candidates with declared science, math, and engineering majors who have completed their freshman year. Some of the candidates are pursuing undergraduate degrees in engineering, many are not.  To the best of my knowledge, a lot of calculus and physics courses are/were required.  An extremely high GPA appears to be one of the criteria however I’m sure other criteria exist/existed.  It’s actually a delayed commissioning program that’s 2.5 years not  2 that presumably culminates once they are commissioned as officers.

About 15 out of a pool of 1,000 made it into the program in 2014. The screening process was extensive and lengthy. Presume it still is. 

Little bit more on the NUPOC program here,  https://navynupoc.com/ and much more here, http://todaysmilitary.com/videos/inside-the-nupoc-program

 

Comment by Noni on June 26, 2017 at 10:05am

M's Mom
You would think, but you can go like 10 different ways in engineering. I knew she would pick Nuke do to the Chemestry background from collage. The children how go Nuke are going to be dedicating their lives to school and testing. Every year they must recert. If the don't score to standards they loose their jobs. Very stressfull! When I talked to her yesterday. I asked if she was sure she wanted to be a Nuke Engineer and not the doctor she dreamed of. The answer was are you crazy. Then she precedes to tell me she told her comander she wants to deploy. My answer. Are you crazy! Why did you transfer from the Princeton then? Got no answer on that one. So she might leave the big Z and go to another ship. She wants to apply her new skills as a ASWO before going to school. I just don't understand her. Next June the big Z will leave for Rimpac. Go there! She was at Rimpac with the USS Princeton last year.

Comment by M's mom on June 25, 2017 at 11:36pm

Noni:  Well, obviously she IS special!  Sounds pretty smart, too.  I'm not sure reading a dissertation in nuclear engineering would be something I would want to tackle, and I studied college-level physics and chemistry!  haha

I'm confused, though. You say she WAS in NUPOC, but now is in "the nuclear engineering program."   I thought those were the same thing, but apparently not.

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