NUKE moms

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Comment by Lisa, Nuke Wife on August 14, 2009 at 12:49pm

The masts in January and February were only of 3 nukes, the rest got DRBs (about 20 or so) including my hubby for being friends with and knowing the underage drinkers. But yes, underage drinking is a very serious problem in GC and unfortunately it follows them to the fleet. Here in San Diego my husbands squadron has the highest rate of DUIs in the navy. They have to attend almost weekly briefings on it. It seems to be a problem Navy wide. And the irresponsible ones ruin it for the responsible ones, its just how it is.

Comment by Denise (mom of Brice) on August 14, 2009 at 11:58am

Thanks Lyn, Mark and Bea and all who responded. I was able to calm down and slept well for a few hours. I think I will be able to breathe easier after the DC interview, but maybe I should just get used to this up and down ride called the US Navy. I'm sure he'll do fine on the test, he is a senior in college just 18 hours away from a physics degree and he did score 99% on the ASVAB. I am just disappointed with the recruiter's attitude and lack of preparation in getting Brice ready for the DC interview (he is trying to get into nuke officer school). I'm a very proud mom and learning to "roll with it..." love and blessings to our sailors and their families!

Comment by judy on August 14, 2009 at 11:38am

Marybeth, my son is already 21 and goes regularly on weekends to Charleston to go to the bars. When I suggested to him that maybe he do a little less drinking, he told me that would not happen until he was no longer in the Navy. They let off steam in different ways. I am not entirely happy with his way of doing it, but he is over 21. They do enlist the aid of under 21 sailors to be their designated driver. I am glad of that. I would hate to think that they would be bar hopping and then get in their vehicle and drive back to GC.

Comment by Holly on August 14, 2009 at 10:42am

I am told that they don't base requirement to take the Nuke test on"raw" ASVAB scores, that they look at combined scores in certain sections of the test that apply. So there are probably cases where a high score does not automatically make you exempt from the test, and times when a lower score might if you score well on the pertinent sections. I'm sure someone like Mark on this site could probably explain that much better than I just did. Or he can correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway, we're all learning something new all the time, right?

Comment by Marybeth on August 14, 2009 at 10:20am

Nucmom not sure if we're talking about the same group or not, but right after James arrived in GC there was a public masting of about 15 Nuke's who were caught underage drinking. This would have been late January / early February of this year.

He has said he would never risk getting in trouble with underage drinking, but that when he turns 21 all bets are off... eeeeek...

Comment by Marie K. on August 14, 2009 at 10:07am

Thank you to all of you (nucmom, Sally, Rebecca, Holly, cameowlot) for your help in figuring this all out. I know the Navy has strange ways of doing things. My brother was in the Navy for 30 years. When we ran into a blip in communication with the recruiter not telling our son something, my brother said "That's the Navy--you learn to role with the punches." Nucmom, I had also read somewhere in here recently about the problem of underage drinking. My son was taken out on his 21st birthday to a bar that celebrates 21's with sample drinks. After a sip of this and a sip of that, he decided he did not like any of them and says he will stick with Coke and Pepsi - cheaper too! He turned 21 months ahead of his best friends and knew better than to buy and supply anything for anyone. Of all the worries a mother can have, I am thankful that alcohol abuse is not one of them. One thing the recruiter here in Virginia told me is that a lot of enlistees take up smoking during A school, etc. This recruiter was one of them and said it was the biggest mistake he ever made because he has been in the Navy for about 12 years and is still trying to quit smoking. Thanks again for your support.

Comment by nucmom on August 14, 2009 at 9:27am

Hi Marie. My son is an enlisted nuke. Congratulations.
Christine- Congratulations to you also. I don't know what the cut off is but some get through without the nuke test. My son did.
Going back to a thought from yesterday. The drinking/underage drinking is a huge factor in nuke school. Andrew's class had an 80% graduation rate but the biggest blow was a weekend partying stint where some of the sailors bought drinks for underage sailors. Most of them were out of the program the following week. Some of the enlisted recruits are right out of high school. I doubt that is a major factor in the officer nuke program.

Comment by Sally on August 14, 2009 at 9:08am

My son scored 95% on the ASVAB but they still made him take the nuke test, which is pass or fail and had nothing on it that his recruiter told him to study for, so he just squeaked by. The fact that he was a homeschooler may be why they wanted him to take the nuke test...who knows. I've given up trying to figure out military reasoning. LOL At any rate, he's in A School now getting settled after graduating from boot camp.

Comment by Rebecca-Jordons mom on August 14, 2009 at 9:01am

Marie,
from what I gather, they are referring to officer candidate school? Your son scored awesome! My son scored 89 on his ASVAB. He did have to take the nuke test and meet with the nuke recruiter. Science has never been his stronghold, so will be taking science classes this fall at the community college to be more prepared. If you look at the navy brochure about the nuke program, they have an opportunity to advance to OCS towards the end. I'm also new to this all, still learning, but this NUKE group is an awesome group for any and all questions!

Comment by cameowlot on August 14, 2009 at 8:46am

Hi Marie: My son took the ASVAB's and also scored high (84%). Congrats to your son... a 99% is awesome! He went back and took the NUKE test last week and said it was more focused on science/math than the ASVAB. Still awaiting test results on his NUKE score. He said he did not know if the NUKE test is mandatory for the program or not, but if this is your sons 'passion' the test will be easy. I know M scored in the top 5% on the ASVABs and still had to take the NUKEs test as it is more focused on the rate he is hoping for. Regardless, the best of luck to him! Since I am rather new at this myself and learning as I go, I have had a lot of help and support from this group of N4M's.

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