Nuclear Field Statement of Understanding
•Active Duty Service Obligation - Six years: accomplished by a four-year enlistment, plus a two-year extension of enlistment for training in the Nuclear Field.
•Rating Assignment - During recruit training, personnel not already guaranteed Machinist's Mate training will be selected for training in one of the following ratings: Machinist's Mate, Electrician's Mate or Electronics Technician. This decision will be based on the needs of the service, test score profile and, so far as possible, upon the personal desire of the individual.
• Challenging Program- The training program consists of three stages: 1) four to six months of intensive classroom instruction at Nuclear Field Class "A" school; 2) six months of intensive classroom instruction in mathematics, physics and basic engineering sciences at Nuclear Power School; and 3) six months of rigorous operational training and qualification on a nuclear reactor prototype plant. Nuclear Field personnel must demonstrate good academic performance in all phases of training. Markedly inferior performance, including very low passing final grades or obvious lack of effort in any training phase may result in disenrollment from the Nuclear Field program.
• Duty Assignment - The Nuclear Field program trains personnel for nuclear submarines (men only) and nuclear surface ship assignments. No promise can be made regarding the type of duty assigned.
• Automatic Advancement- Personnel in the Nuclear Field program will be enlisted in paygrade E-3. Advancement to paygrade E-4 is authorized only after personnel complete all advancement-in-rate requirements (to include minimum time in rate) and Class "A" School, provided eligibility in the Nuclear Field program is maintained. If Nuclear Field Class "A" School training is not completed, the member will be administratively reduced to E-2 or E-1, depending on the member's time in rate at the date of disenrollment. Upon acceptance of automatic advancement to paygrade E-4, the member will be obligated for 12-months of the two-year extension, in addition to the four-year enlistment, regardless of whether or not advanced training is completed.
• Termination of training- Having once volunteered, a Nuclear Field recruit will not be dropped for reason of non-volunteering. Determination of additional obligated service required following disenrollment from the Nuclear Field program will be in accordance with MILPERSMAN 1160-080.
• Character- Personnel in the Nuclear Field program must continually demonstrate by their professional performance, academic achievement and military behavior that they possess the ability, maturity, personal reliability, and integrity to complete the demanding training program and serve successfully as nuclear propulsion plant operators in the fleet. Consequently, any event which cast serious doubt on the member's ability to continually satisfy these high standards of conduct may result in that member's disenrollment from the Nuclear Field program.
•Drug Abuse- Entry into or continuation in the Nuclear Field program will be denied to any individual who has been convicted of, or who is identified as having, illegally, wrongfully or otherwise improperly used marijuana, narcotics, inhaled substances or other controlled substances, or illegally or wrongfully possessed or engaged in the sale of the same. This restriction applies prior to and after entry into active service, with the exception of waivers granted for experimental use of marijuana prior to entry into active duty.
• Special Pay- Personnel in the Nuclear Field who have completed Nuclear Power Training and been awarded a nuclear NEC receive Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP) in accordance with applicable NAVADMIN. Personnel assigned to submarine duty are eligible for submarine duty incentive pay, according to current pay tables.
• College Credit - College Credit is not granted by the Navy for courses studied at Nuclear Power School.
• Department of Energy License to Operate a Reactor-A license from the Department of Energy to operate a reactor plant is not granted by virtue of this training.
•Advanced Education- While Nuclear Field training may enhance a candidate’s suitability for Navy advanced educational or officer candidate programs, no promise or guarantee of selection nor eligibility for any such program should be inferred.
