Nuke School Charleston

E'sMom - welcome!  By all means print off info and send it to your son!  Glad you found your way over here and to the nuke mom's group.  This group isn't quite as active as the nuke mom's group, but you can still find lots of friendly faces here ;-)

Feel free to ask any questions you may have - someone will surely be able to answer them for you!

B's Nuke Mom - Thanks for the welcome. 

When talking with my son as he had a little bump in the road in BC, he said to keep the letters coming.  I think even with being able to call now, the written word is still a nice thing for them to have.  Write to your Sailors and let them know that you are there for them.  It is something they can also hold in their hands.  It is more personal then a text or e-mail.  I still have my letters from BC, (30 some years ago) went through them the other day.  Mail call is an important part of the day even after BC. 

NavynucDad - Praying for you and your son also. 

Hi! I'm new to this group, my son will be starting Nuke school in early FEB. Just wondering if you guys can tell me what kind of stuff he is able to bring with him? Clothes, tv, game system???? Thanks!!!!

Hi Jen, He can bring his TV and gaming systems. But their room is more like a dorm room so not much room. Clothes send him his boxer and the rest of the clothes you can send later since he won't be able to wear them till he phases up, My son requested I bring his good pair of tennis shoes he was so happy to get rid of the boot camp ones. They can have their computer and phone. There is a best buy not too far if they need more electronics.

When my son was in Goose Creek the first thing he wanted was nicer quality  bedsheets.  That is probably one of the most useful things you can send him.

Do the sheets need to be white?

USPS tracking, like everything else about the United States Postal Service is second rate, and often un-reliable and totally unaccountable.

Tracking from Fed-Ex and UPS is predictable, and will provide your son/daughter with the date and time a package arrives at the mail room and usually who signed for it, immediately upon drop off at the mail room / loading dock at NNPTC.

At that point he / she can take the initiative and just go pick it up at the mail room with the tracking information.  The alternative is to wait for the notice they have a package to trickle down through the staff leadership and student leadership chain of command for his/her class.

The mail room staff wants to get rid of the package as soon as possible.  My husband would write our son's telephone number all over the boxes and more than half the time the mail room would call and leave a message to come pick it up.

Regardless of how your son/daughter is notified there is a package, he/she must go pick it up during hours the mail room is open.  The same is true for the paid P.O. Boxes just off campus, there is a mail room, to pickup packages, associated with those P.O. Boxes that is only open limited hours.

Receiving packages in a timely manner, like most things at NNPTC, is dependent on the students being proactive.

Zoraida - sorry you had a problem with your package.  I sent everything USPS (if it fits it ships) from CA to SC and never had a problem.  I sent a box a month and they would always get there in 2 days!  Couldn't believe it...the only reason it would sit longer is because my son didn't always have time to get to the mailroom (or the lines were too long & he didn't want to wait!).  I used their tracking too and as soon as I received the email that it arrived I would let him know (along with the tracking #).

The large box cost $15.10 by doing it all online......I haven't sent anything to him in NY yet, but will be soon.  Anxious to see how long it takes to get there....I hope we are as lucky getting packages to him there!

Thanks for the info!!!! I'm considering driving out there the weekend after he arrives to bring him his "stuff". So...tv, xbox, boxers, gym shoes, sheets, anything else? Does he need his pillow/blanket or is that provided? Should I also stock him up on body wash/deodorant stuff? What about school supplies, pens, paper, notebooks? I feel so lost! Help!

Jen - you can take him his own pillow/blanket - it would probably be nicer than what is provided!  I know my son went out & bought a new pillow & sheets right away! He can buy pretty much everything he needs at the Nex- there's a big Nex and a smaller one both there.  Usually it's just a matter of getting time to get there....it would probably be easier for him if you brought his deodorant & personal stuff & then he can buy more later when he needs it...

My son said he bought notebooks, paper, etc at the Nex.  If you have it you might as well take it - one less thing for him to worry about.

Just remember they don't have a lot of room to keep things - and they have room inspections so items will need to be put away! 

Subway cards are a good thing to give him too - that's the closest place on base to eat & often the galley is closed after they finish studying.

Wendy4Cody - Yes I sent lots of beef jerkey (but mine wasn't homemade!). And flavored sunflower seeds (he loved the spciy & ranch).  I also included lots of the single serving ravioli, tuna packs & mac & cheese.....anything to make it easier for him. Oh yeah, he liked Tiger Milk bars so I ordered those and had them shipped directly to him - that would make for a quick snack in the morning before class.  My son isn't into sweets so I never had to worry about that (or the ant problem that they can get!).

Thanks to all for your encouragement, laughs and good advice on this group.  Our son will be moving on to a different rating after some academic difficulties in Power School so I'll be leaving the group eventually.  He's pretty disappointed but based on how he seemed at Christmas, it will probably be better for him to be out of the pressure some.  Don't know what his re-rate will be yet.  Thanks again and best wishes for all your sailors!

Hello All. My son arrived in Goose Creek November 9th. He came home for the holidays and told me his "A" school Graduation will be May 23rd. Can anyone enlighten me about what this Graduation is like? Do most parents attend? Any details about the Graduation would be greatly appreciated....also for the upcoming Power School and Prototype Graduations. His boot camp graduation was amazing and I like to plan ahead as much as possible. Thank you so much...this site is wonderful.

Awesome. So good to know. Thanks for the info. :)

Ok so I sent my boyfriend a Christmas present like a week before Christmas and he has been really busy and had car trouble and hasnt been able to go and get it from the post office. Well he went this last friday and said that he couldnt find it. Does anyone know the number for the post office there on base so I can call and ask about it or does anyone know some more info like do they send things back or something. Thanks!

ProudNavyDad - good luck to your son - we will miss you!  Please keep us updated on where he ends up....I believe everything will turn out for the better - stay Proud!

DeeskiNavyom - our son told us the same thing - that A school grad wasn't a big deal.  We went anyhow (we are also from CA).  It was a small ceremony - we were able to take pictures, meet the Chief, Co, SLPO, etc.  Had a nice time in Charleston - we went Thurs-Mon, then on Monday we flew home & our son left for Florida with 3 other sailors for a week.  I'm glad we did go because we were planning on going to Power School grad (in December) but our son didn't pass Comps the first time!  Because of this he didn't get to walk in the ceremony.  The re-test was the following week!  He passed and is now in Ballston Spa, NY for prototype.  But if we hadn't of gone to A school grad we would have never made it to SC.  Sooooo if there's any way you can go to both do try, otherwise from what I hear from everyone the Power school grad is the bigger one to go to. I'm just so glad we went to A school grad though so at least we got to see one of them (besides PIR!).

More questions, sorry....So my son's PIR is tomorrow!!!! Woohoo! When can we first visit him at school? What type of liberty do they have during the first 6 mos of school?

Just to put some info out.  I talked to my son on Sat. evening and he starts A school on Monday the 3rd.  His PIR was 1/10/14 and he is an EM.  He said that the lock down on base ended on  Wed.  The snow and ice are probably his fault as he wished for them at BC and it snowed (he was so happy) and then now the cold weather in SC.  I do have to say that it also snowed in SC in 1980 went I went to my A school, just a different base ;)

Jen -

Go to the discussion forum on this page and look at "your sailor's schedule upon arrival at Goose Creek"  it does have some good information and a timeline.

Jen - sorry forgot to add congrats to your Sailor!

Jen stay at the foster creek villas. They use to be military housing. You get full kitchen stocked, living room furnished 2 bedroom I think is around $60. Your sailor will have to reserve 1st time but once your in system have never had any problems booking myself. Actually going to book today for this weekend. They are open for booking 11:00-4:30.  It is the closest you are going to get to base. Goose Creek in general isn't that nice but this area is, and is patrolled regularly. It is nice to cook for them and they can stay or go back real quick if they have to study. Could walk  to base.

Thanks so much 1proudmama!!!!

hello all!!

jen--the foster creek villas are great. we stayed there three times when my son was in goose creek.  it was like a home away from home.

I asked my son about it too and he said they were told not to discuss it.  I doubt it affects A school because they are sticking to their schedule for graduations.  As a matter of fact they are trying to cram in the material they missed from the two snow days in addition to what they still have to learn in order to graduate.  I am sure its extremely stressful for all them.  Hope they all do well!  I would think If they lose instructors due to the scandal then they would need to find replacements so that would explain the long time in grad hold waiting for Prototype.

hello all!

just wanted to say hi!!   also to say im praying for all the sailors!!    im not sure how they will be affect by the scandal.  I know my son said he is glad hes not there now.   prototype isn't easy normally!!

wishing PS sailors good luck with comps on tuesday.... looking forward to graduation on friday... my son;s that is

Sons B-day coming up in March. Anyone know of a good bakery that delivers. Thinking cupcakes easier to share. Thanks

I used to live in Michigan and there's a cookie place called Insomnia Cookies and they will deliver cookies via UPS I believe. Their website is Insomniacookies.com and it's under gifts. 

Thanks will check them both out. 

Posting in a couple of groups. I know that my husband can stay at the school for extended periods of time, but if he wanted to do some studying at home, is there some kind of self help textbook he can buy? He is in A school and starting his electrical fundamentals class today… Does anyone have any study tips for my sailor? He's extremely smart (as are all of the sailors!), but he hasn't found a study technique that has clicked for him. He understands the work it seems, but he has some difficulty with vocab from what it sounds like. Thanks! 

Stephanie C - my boy just did average even slightly below in A school. I think like you say it takes awhile to learn what is important to study and what isn't. He use to say "none of what I  studied  was on the test". He never failed but I was worried, and said to my husband, this is the easy part, is he gonna make it? Hubby went thru program many moons ago and assured me he would and everyone shines in different phases.  He likes and is doing much better in Power School. I think the combination of better teachers and better study habits, and more interesting material is helping in that area. Never had to study in H.S like most of them in program. There are study groups have him join one. They can't bring any material home which makes studying a real job! I'm not aware of any studying they can do at home.

Stephanie C, the studying at home issue for married sailors ( if their wife is in Goose Creek with them ) is a real issue.

The best advice is, if you have not moved there yet, and are planning to, is get housing very close to the NNPTC campus ( and to Prototype) as possible.  The on base housing nearest the NNPTC campus works great.  That way they can come home for dinner and go back without a long commute.

The text books are all classified confidential in A-School, Power School, etc.

They apparently do this to train them in how to handle classified material in A-School as well as for other reasons.

My son learned early that the tests were as much about the way you expressed the answer, as they were about content, so studying the exact material the Navy presents, and expressing it using the exact same type of wording as the Navy text used, appeared to him, to be critical.

Learning basic electronics, for instance, out of a different text book, appeared to him to be counter-productive.

Even

boy wonder mom - thanks for your comments it's nice to know of others who struggled and are doing well now too. Are you planning on going to graduation? We usually get a Villa would love to meet you if you have time. Going down in April for another friends power school graduation so I get a sneak peek on what to expect.

boywonder mom it will be good to see you hoping to get Villa too.

A's_momma, I suggested TurboTax Military to my son, but he said that there are some POs there who assist with taxes, so he was planning to go to them.

Yes my son also said someone was doing his for free. Tell son to ask around in class to see if anyone has heard who is doing that. I will ask son if I remember and post.