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NUPOC Program
After my son got back from MEPS this week, he told me that he enjoyed chatting with the recruiter about enlisted life on the long drive back home. He told me the conversation made him even more excited about joining the Navy. He then told me that our local recruiter (he went to MEPS with a recruiter from a neighboring town) is really encouraging him to go in as an officer instead of enlisted. Of course that means college first. I've read about the NUPOC program and it seems like a great way for college students to get into the Navy and finish college and start their career as an officer. So, now my son is having a hard time making a decision about which path he wants to take in the Navy. We really need to talk more to the recruiter about the program. Are there any Nuke moms on here whose son or daughter went the NUPOC route and can give some advice? It almost seems like this option is more for students who have started college already, instead of kids who are deciding to join the Navy before they start college.
Views: 2087
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by MichPad(STA21 Officer Mom) on
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I'm not sure what the NUPOC program is. Is it OCS? I know a person who went to college, and did OCS and became an officer that way. My son went to college for one year, and didn't enjoy it all that much. He had always wanted to be in the Navy (as a pilot) ever since his Jr year in high school. He was going the college/ROTC/OCS route when he and his girlfriend got serious. He abandoned those plans and went to a school locally to be closer to her. After a year he regretted his decision, and after they talked he decided to enlist. He was DEP for about 9 months before going to boot camp, and subsequently the Nuke program. He applied for STA-21 (Seaman to Admiral, 21st century) about half way through Power School. STA-21 is a way to become an officer from being enlisted. It is highly competitive and they are accepting fewer and fewer candidates each year, but it IS a possibility. My son was accepted into the program and just started his first quarter of college. He does have to participate in ROTC at his school and he does have to check in, but it's not like being in the enlisted Navy. Once he's done with college he will have to repeat Power School and Prototype school, as an officer, then he will get commissioned to a ship. If your son enjoys school, then maybe he should go to college first. My son just wanted to be in the Navy and didn't really care if it was as enlisted or an officer, to begin with :-) He always knew he wanted to be an officer, but didn't want to wait till college was over to be "in the Navy". He did it the hard way, but it worked out. Getting all available information about the program is a good idea. Recruiters have a way of telling them what they want to hear. Good luck to your son! On a side note; my son is now married, and, although Nuke school was difficult, he seemed to enjoy all of it. He is excited to start this new chapter of his Navy career and is looking forward to the day when he will be commissioned. He has no regrets joining the Navy and taking the path his is.
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Permalink Reply by Sierrascrapper (ETN2) on
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Thank you so much for your response! NUPOC from what I understand is for college students who are already at least a sophomore in college. They have to apply and get accepted into the program, a lot like the STA-21 process. They get the rest of their college paid for and get their degree and get paid to go to school. Again like STA-21. I know there is some difference between the two programs, but not much. The STA-21 program seems quite impressive and a GREAT way for enlisted to go the officer route.
I was in NJROTC in HS and I LOVED IT! My plan after HS was to go to school to become a nurse and join the Navy as an officer. Well...I didn't do so well in college and never joined the Navy. I regret that! So...my concern for my son going the NUPOC route would be that he would have to start college first and then "hopefully" still want to go the NUPOC route and finish college and then go in as an officer. One of the things I still am trying to figure out is that when he graduates from high school, he will have quite a few college credits under his belt as he has taken AP classes his Junior and Senior year, so I'm wondering if that would classify him as a sophomore (or close to it) based on the number of credits he would have already earned. If that is the case, the NUPOC route wouldn't seem so bad because he would be entering the program right away and it wouldn't give him a chance to think that the Navy isn't for him. Don't get me wrong, he's really excited about his decision to join, and trust me, July 1, 2014 can get here soon enough for him, but I know I was excited too and things happen that make you change your mind.
I really think the STA-21 option would be better. I have a feeling that my son just wants to enlist and work his way into the STA-21 program. He definitely seems like he wants to be an officer at some point. Don't all kids have big dreams when they embark upon their future? LOL Anyway, I just want to give my son all the info possible so he can make the most informed decision. I told him that I will not influence his choice, but I sure would hate for him to start college and then decide he doesn't want to join the Navy and make the same mistake that I did.
Thanks again for your input, and thanks for giving a little insight into the STA-21 program and how your son feels about the program.
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It is a hard decision to make! I really pushed my son to talk to all branches of the military, since he had his heart set on being a pilot, but he only listened to what the Navy told him and didn't even meet up with any other recruiters. He made the officers program and he's really happy with that, the icing on the cake would have been to be chosen for flight school, but the chances of that were slim to none. He's happy with his Nuke choice and knows that as an officer he has the ability to some day command his own sub, and that's what his goal will be.
If your son took AP classes, and passed the tests, then more than likely he'd do well on his ASVAB's and be considered for Nuke school. There are many ways to go, and by getting all his information outside of the recruiters will give him his options to be able to make an educated decision. Best of luck to him!
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Thanks MichPad! When these kids set their mind to something, they go with it don't they? It's good to hear how other sailors have gotten to where they are and that they are happy with the choices they have made to get there.
My son did well on the ASVAB and the Nuke test, he signed into DEP as a Nuke just this week. I love the fact that there are so many paths for these kids in the Navy. This will just have to be a decision he has to make on his own. It's hard to be a Mom and just sit back and let him make the choice. It seems we always want to make sure our babies are protected and don't make bad choices. LOL -
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Permalink Reply by motherofasailor on
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I found a good explanation http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/nucfield/college/officer_options.htm
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Thank you...that was more comprehensive than what I have read so far and I've been doing a lot of searching. Obviously, not enough though. LOL I will pass this info along to my son. What a tough decision for a young man to make...college first or military first
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Permalink Reply by Frances5901 on
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When my son joined he was in his Junior year in college, in the Nuclear Field.
Here is the interesting part. My son did not want to go officier. He said he wanted to learn how things work not just how to run the people that run the reactors. He felt he would make better decisions if he knew the "guts". Granted, my son is now going to be instructing new Nukes in classes. He is still in the Navy but he will be taking classes as well to finish his degree.
My son can still become an officier if he wants to. He hasn't decided yet. He has a few years. Either way the Navy pays for him to finish his education through school post Navy; or he will stay on and the Navy will pay him to finish his education.
By the way, I am glad my sons are in the military but have your son talk to a Nuke. Recruiters don't always know the real answers. And Nuke is a specialty, Only NUKES really know...
Side note: I think he will be a better officier, if that is what he decides, because he knows what enlisted guys go through. My father was an officier and now he has better insight because he grandkids went enlisted.
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You are right Frances. My son went all the way through Nuke school, and was on staff as an instructor at Prototype before he switched to STA-21. He definitely has an appreciation of what it takes to do that school, and has a better understanding of how to counsel having gone through it. He was lucky in that one of his recruiters was a nuke and could give him some true insight as to what to expect. Although it wasn't near enough. It's all trial by error, and everyone has to learn their own way.
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My son is supposed to talk to a Nuke guy pretty soon as the recruiter mentioned it. I would think that going in enlisted is a better way just like you gals said as it gives them an idea of what it takes to get the job done. I would think it also earns them more respect when they become an officer rather than the officers that come straight out of college first. I really appreciate you gals sounding off on this subject. Right now my son's and my head are swirling with so much information to take in. I hope that talking with one of the Nuke guys will help give him a better understanding so that he can make an informed choice and not just one on a whim.
So I guess my next question is for both of you...what does your son think about going back and teaching as a Nuke instructor? That seems like an interesting opportunity. And...what rating was your son assigned out of BC? My son isn't really mechanically inclined, so do they base the rating mostly off of your ASVAB line scores or just the "needs"? I'm thinking he is probably more apt to work in the ET rating but who knows. Is one rating in the Nuke Field more interesting than another? I've read the rating cards, but unless you experience it, it's hard to understand all that is involved.
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Permalink Reply by NF Mom on
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My understanding was. at the time my son signed up to be a Nuke, he could opt for a guaranteed job as an MM before boot camp, but that was the only Guaranteed Rating available.
He did not, and instead he interviewed with a Nuke Field Chief at Boot Camp, and a few weeks later he was notified he had been selected as an ET. My understanding is that he could have been selected as MM or EM instead at boot camp. They did allow him to express a preference and in his case he received his preference.
Not sure what their criteria for selection was, but I do know that some ETs scored 99 percentile on the ASVAB and others just made the minimum ASVAB score to automatically qualify for NUKE.
My son required a waiver to be a Nuke ( he was home schooled in his first two years of High School ) and his other qualifications were a mixed bag. But apparently they look at the entire man, not just top grades, anyway my son was selected as an ET.
There are also some exceptional MMs who are sent to ELT ( Engineering Laboratory Technician ) school and picked up for Staff right out of the Training Pipeline, so I am not sure how you predict who is going to be selected for MM, EM or ET.
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As to which is more interesting and which has the best job potential after they get out ( a question you did not ask ).
My husband ( who grew up in a mechanical contracting small business ) would say the MM would have the most varied / least boring job and the most different type of jobs available in the private economy after they got out of the military.
But the ETs would have the highest income potential, post Navy, if they maximized their experience/qualifications potential while in the Navy and obtained a four year degree with high grades. Provided they did not "burn out" in the Navy and never wanted to work as a Reactor operator again.
Of course, I am bias toward ETs. -
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