Nuke application

[Kbpoohbear]

How long did it take to hear back on wither they are accepted or not to nuke program

[Chipmunk]

My apologies Kbpoohbear, I had intended to reply to you last night and then was sidetracked with other things. I am not sure how to answer your question exactly, because I don't know at what stage of the recruitment process your child might be with trying to get accepted to the nuke program. For us it was a 3 - 4 mo. process depending on where you start counting. Each scenario is different and honestly, your recruiter is going to have the most accurate information. I would go in with your child and talk to them. My son was under 18 when recruited so I had the privilege of being with him for his decision making.

Below is my son's scenario, if you wish to read and see how it compares with where you are at.

First of all, my son did not go to the Navy trying to enlist or get accepted to their nuclear program. A Navy recruiter came knocking at my door, trying to convince me (my son was at work) to let the Navy recruit him for their enlisted nuclear program. I say it that way, because we weren't even looking at sort of military service, officer or enlisted, it was not on our radar, my son was looking at attending college and getting a nuclear engineering degree.

My son did not attend our local public high school and so he had taken ACT and SAT tests for college entrance, but I had an opportunity for him to take the ASVAB and so after discussion with him, I signed him up to take it May of his 11th grade. In our circumstance, the ASVAB is taken one day, graded, and then returned the next day with explanations to the students and parents about how to interpret it and what could be expected. My son was told that with his very high ASVAB score that recruiters would probably come calling and he had also put down nuclear engineering as a career interest. I didn't exactly pick up on the first part of that, as my husband add sat in on the interpretation.

In order to be accepted into the Nuclear program your ASVAB composite score is not what they look at, it includes the individual scores for certain areas of the test, and that is what the recruiter told me, that my son had scored well above average in those areas to qualify for the Nuke program. In fact, those scores, his ACT, SAT, and high school transcript were high enough for him to qualify without any hesitation, and why the recruiter came knocking on our door. There was one thing though, because my son was not a public high school student, he was also required to take the NAPT (Navy Advanced Programs Test) a supplementary Test for the Nuclear Field that is usually given to applicants who have not qualified based on their other line scores.

Is this where your child is at? Are they waiting to hear on NAPT scores, or did they qualify for Nuke with their ASVAB scores and having a public school high school transcript?

In our state and region, the NAPT had been compromised, so there was a delay in my son being able to take the test. In the meantime the recruiters put him through all the rest of the processes that he needed to qualify for the Navy (physical and security check at MEPS), along with having his high school transcript and other test scores, approved by our regions Nuclear office. He was actually signed up under another rating contract, and sworn in with the stipulation - which we had in writing - when he was able to take the NAPT and if he did not qualify for the NUKE program, he could back out of DEP and nothing further would be said. He also had that option, I think up until right before he left for boot camp as well, but he knew he wasn't locked in to another rating contract. The recruiters did it this way, to make sure all other qualifications were met, so if not, we could drop the enlistment process and return to pursuing college applications.

The NAPT was finally made available the day he was suppose to start his senior year of high school. They actually had to drive him to Dallas to take it, and I am pleased to say that he scored well above the average that he needed, which was a boost for his confidence and just another stamp of approval on this ASVAB scores. At that point, he came back home and signed his contract with the Navy for nuclear, he still had phone calls he had to make to the regional nuclear office, meetings with the recruiters, and DEP meetings for a year. Upon graduation, his diploma and final transcript still had to be approved, and then even after boot camp, he had to wait for his final orders (which I was told by an officer at RTC, could be they were still scrutinizing his security clearance and medical). He wasn't the only one and hopefully, some of that process is getting accomplished sooner.

He is now in his fourth week of actual classes at A school in Goose Creek and seems to be enjoying it. For the moment, we both believe this was a good choice for him.

That was our scenario, I am sure every mom here has their own story as well.

[Kbpoohbear]

Thank you for responding. Mine was interested in High School but being a chunky monkey he needed to lose some weight. 3 years later he got the thumbs up. His ASVAB qualified him, he has a public school diploma but his grades are the hickup. He has signed a contract for another school but if he gets accepted to nuke everything changes. They don't know when they will hear back. He has been talking about this since he was 16, now he is 21 and feeling all the feelings. I just wish I knew how long it would take for the application to be accepted or rejected.

[Chipmunk]

Kbpoohbear - that makes more sense now, hearing your son's story. Are they asking him to take the NAPT due to his grades? I know that was one of the things that the recruiter was insistent upon that our son made sure he maintained his grades through his senior year.

In our area (OKC) the main district office for Nukes is in Dallas. Everything had to be filtered through them and approved through them. Has your son taken any college classes? I just wondered if he had, they would probably look at those as well to see how he is doing in college.

The hurry up and wait is no fun. The summer I was trying to get my son's information ready for the recruiters, it seemed like they were pushing me to get this or that done, and then when I would, and we were trying to find out about the NAPT - they told us, Oh we can't give it to him yet because it has been compromised and they have to change the test and we don't know the date when it will be ready. Hopefully you won't be much longer having to wait to hear.

[Kbpoohbear]

As far as I know all the tests are done. He is supposed to report for BC on January 18th unless the nuke comes through. I guess I need to find patience. I hope he gets in and I hope I can deal with him being gone. He used to volunteer at a boy scout summer camp with little cell service. I am used to not hearing from him for a month at a time but I could jump in the car and drive an hour to yell at him. Now I can't and if I try to moma bear the military they will laugh in my face.

[Chipmunk]

Kbpoohbear - Yes, my Momma Bear sort of went by the wayside the morning of my son's second swearing in at MEPS, before he left for GL. Up until that point, I think the recruiters knew that I could take my son away from them and so they figured out how to work with us, but I almost missed actually giving my son a good bye hug, because I was busy in the Navy MEPS office trying to figure out why there wasn't a Navy personnel going with my son to GL, like I had been given the impression by our recruiter!!

I didn't even have this group to ask questions of until almost PIR and I am still learning things. But I called my sister the night before MEPS - her son is in the Army and a SIL in the Air Force, so I knew she would at least understand the separation. But after that, I didn't have anyone, but I told people at church and I they all had prayed for our son before he left and I emailed him every night for the first week, because it helped me and then each time I opened up his email, I would see his picture. After the first week I started not writing as much but still would send a couple of letters a week and he wrote fairly faithfully, even if just very short. And I also gave his address out at church and family, friends.

Hopefully, your son will hear soon. That will be my prayer.

[Chipmunk]

Kbpoohbear - Any new news on your son's rating?

[Kbpoohbear]

"His explanation for his d didn't sound like he was sorry enough, rewrite it sound more sorry."
So he rewrote it and we are waiting.

[Chipmunk]

Thanks, so we are still waiting to hear. Okay. Thanks.

[Kbpoohbear]

Just found out we shouldn't hear until mid December. He is leaving mid January.

[Kbpoohbear]

My son was notified yesterday. He was accepted into the Nuke program.

[momterp]

Congratulations, Kbpoohbear! Glad the waiting is over for you! We'll be anxious to hear how it goes with BC and know when he heads to GC for A school. Enjoy your last days together for a long while!

[PedALqueen4ever]

Congratulations!