r/NavyNukes • u/Smooth-Bad-5425 ET2/CVN-72(Plankowner)/LCDR, CEC ( Ret) • 4d ago

Evolution of Nuclear Power Training

This post is mainly for the folks that spent at least a 20 yr active duty career in the nuclear power program over a few years ranges:

1980-2000;

1990-2010;

2000-2020; and

2010-present

What I'm curious about is whether over the time period from 1980 to the present, the nuclear power program changed such as difficulty & entrance requirements.

For data purposes, I was an ET from 1986-1992. Back in 1986, ETs went through Basic Electronics & Electricity for around two months or so where we learned all about the subject and went through circuit board troubleshooting. ET "A" school had antenna theory, transistors & tube, and the SPS-10 radar system (not very nuclear related at all). For the newer folks, ET "A" school for nukes back then was 2200-0600 daily. That was rough. Nuke school was probably similar to current academics and prototype was attended at either Idaho, Ballston Spa, or Windsor CT.

If anyone can chime in and give me program info over the years that would be much appreciated.

In summary, I have a feeling that making it through the training pipeline is more difficult now than what it was 40 yrs ago (that is such a depressing idea!).

Thanks!

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u/New_Mammoth2254 4d ago

Powerschool is easy AF now. 70+% require no more than 15-2s to get over a 3.0 . If you fail comp you recomp. If you fail recomp you get an academic board where they feed you the answers. Basically impossible to fail academically. Before you get to that point they've probably rolled you back already so you see most of the material twice. Not nearly as hard as I've heard it used to be...

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u/ChrisAppleTree 4d ago edited 4d ago

I saw that same from my experience going through 6yrs ago. Prototype seemed to be the great divide for my class. There were hard standards and if you fell behind it only started the avalanche that was nearly impossible to recover.

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u/Smooth-Bad-5425 ET2/CVN-72(Plankowner)/LCDR, CEC ( Ret) 4d ago

Personally I thought prototype (S1W in 1987) was much easier than NPS. Qualified early and was rewarded with having to clean S5G.