Evolution of Nuclear Power Training

[u/Smooth-Bad-5425]

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!

[u/cmetcalf7]

No problem. We might have been in the same class. I was an EM. Which prototype did you go to? I know I was at prototype in October of 1975 because I remember watching the Red Sox play the Reds in the World Series from my quarantine room at the Naval Hospital in Groton, CT. And I'm pretty sure I was on the USS Vulcan around the first 3 months of 1975, so that would mean I would have started NPS sometime in late March or early April.

[u/soljouner → u/cmetcalf7]

I was sent to the Vulcan (forward engine room) waiting for class to open, through not at the same time you were there.

[u/cmetcalf7 → u/soljouner]

The USS Vulcan was a real piece of work. I was deployed on it for around 3 months in early 1975 waiting to start NPS. I think I was in the aft engine room, though I'm not positive. That might be the ship where I first heard the saying, "Get a bigger hammer". We were trying to remove a bearing from a motor, and it was not coming off. So the fellow I was working with said something along the lines of "We need to go get a bigger hammer". When I was an EM1 on the USS Virginia from '78-'80, I was trying to remove a bearing which, again, was not coming off. I told the bearing if it didn't move, I was going to get a bigger hammer. Amazingly enough, the bearing decided to come off. I still use that phrase to this day, rarely we any luck unfortunately.

[u/soljouner → u/cmetcalf7]

Yes the Vulcan was a real POS, confirmed for me that going subs was the correct decision. I was on it about three months, only once going to sea, to New Jersey. Being attached to the Vulcan would have been a soul sucking experience

[u/cmetcalf7 → u/soljouner]

I, fortunately, never got to sea on the Vulcan. In fact, when I was there, after a couple of weeks, I figured it didn't go to sea anymore. They just used it as a repair ship for the Norfolk Naval Base.

I just checked Wikipedia and realized the Navy got their money's worth out of it. It was built in the early 1940s for around $20 million. Commissioned in 1941, it was decommissioned in 1991, and sold for scrap in the early 2000s.

[u/soljouner → u/cmetcalf7]

It sure didn't go to sea very often, I apparently got "lucky". When they lit off the boilers it was raining in the engine room from all the leaks. Nothing worked on auto, not the feed pumps, hot well levels, nothing, and it was hot as hell down there. I was surprised to hear much later how long it lasted, because when I left, I thought this thing is junk. Good times!

[u/cmetcalf7 → u/soljouner]

I guess the Vulcan didn't rank high in the list of the most anticipated sea duty in the Navy in its later days. And I was sure it wasn't seaworthy in 1975. I was probably not far off. Thanks for the great stories of one of my stops during my short 6 year stint in the Navy.