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VIP Trip

dbrauer87

New Member
Okay, I don't know if all recruitee's go through this, I believe it's just a NUPOC thing but was wondering what all I should be prepared for. I believe I've read there's a few interviews during the trip and was wondering whether just slacks and a button up is what I should wear for the whole thing. Or whether it's casual and I can wear jeans and a decent shirt. Still have yet to meet with my recruiter since he's about 6-8 hours away. Other then that lookin forward to the trip. 3 days off work in a row is crazy, so I'm gonna try to enjoy it. Oh yea, this is a follow up on my post a while ago about the enlisted recruiter giving me the run around. I finally got everything taken care of, after waiting 2 months for my waiver to go through. Also looking forward to the fat bonus waiting for me.
 

FMRAM

Combating TIP training AGAIN?!
Okay, I don't know if all recruitee's go through this, I believe it's just a NUPOC thing but was wondering what all I should be prepared for. I believe I've read there's a few interviews during the trip and was wondering whether just slacks and a button up is what I should wear for the whole thing. Or whether it's casual and I can wear jeans and a decent shirt. Still have yet to meet with my recruiter since he's about 6-8 hours away. Other then that lookin forward to the trip. 3 days off work in a row is crazy, so I'm gonna try to enjoy it. Oh yea, this is a follow up on my post a while ago about the enlisted recruiter giving me the run around. I finally got everything taken care of, after waiting 2 months for my waiver to go through. Also looking forward to the fat bonus waiting for me.

You are going to meet an Admiral, what do you think? :)
 

a-6intruder

Richard Hardshaft
None
Okay, I don't know if all recruitee's go through this, I believe it's just a NUPOC thing but was wondering what all I should be prepared for. I believe I've read there's a few interviews during the trip and was wondering whether just slacks and a button up is what I should wear for the whole thing. Or whether it's casual and I can wear jeans and a decent shirt. Still have yet to meet with my recruiter since he's about 6-8 hours away. Other then that lookin forward to the trip. 3 days off work in a row is crazy, so I'm gonna try to enjoy it. Oh yea, this is a follow up on my post a while ago about the enlisted recruiter giving me the run around. I finally got everything taken care of, after waiting 2 months for my waiver to go through. Also looking forward to the fat bonus waiting for me.

Just how badly do you want that fat bonus? Look the part. Or at least look the part that you think a senior officer expects an officer candidate to look.

Might want to reference a recent post called "The interview" in the officer commissioning section (posted about an hour ago).
 

RockyMtnNFO

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
Relax, this is not "The Interview" with the Admiral where you have to break models and get shut in closets.

The VIP trip is to make sure you know what you are getting into as well as get you prepped for "The Interview".

Wear a collared shirt and slacks, you'll be fine. Leather shoes are good as well but they don't have to be wingtips or penny loafers; in fact, let's hope their not. You'll be touring a submarine and probably a small boy if they can't get you a carrier tour, so the footwear needs to be safe.

You will spend some time with the Nukes going over probable questions you may be asked on the interview.

Example:

An EE type was shown a circuit and asked how many volts came out the end. He looked at it for a few seconds and said, "One." Great answer, they said, now the guy has 59 minutes and 30 seconds more to grill you. The point being they want to see your thought process. If you can prove you have an analytical mind, solid engineering fundamentals, confidence and a never give up attitude, you will be good to go. The interviewer will be looking at you and trying to picture you leading men in a combat situation, if they can picture that, you are solid.

Funny story. I had a recruit who just plain talked too much. I wasn't sure we should even have sent him on the VIP trip but the Nukes wanted to see him so we he got to go to San Diego. They only had one car for five people and the close quarters did not help him. By the end of the 1st day he had earned the nickname "Blanket Party". He wasn't a bad guy, he just literally could not sit still or keep his mouth shut. Had we sent him on he would have been fragged by reactor watch standers on his first shift. I took another recruiter with me for moral support when we told him that he just didn't have the "communication skills" to be in a submarine, i.e. he talked too much. God bless him he just didn't get it. In a last ditch attempt to change our minds as we were leaving he says, "Can I just tell you story?" I dunno, maybe you had to be there.

Anyway, don't sweat the VIP trip, ask lots of questions and have fun.

R/

Steve
 

Bugsmasher

Another Non-qual SWO Ensign
I can only echo what Rocky has said, enjoy the VIP trip. It definitely served its purpose for me at least as a recruiting tool; I was pumped to interview and ship out as soon as I got home from Seattle. Don't sweat the looks at this point, a clean shirt and pants that are in one piece will be fine. Save the suit for the real interview in DC. There are no interviews on the trip, the only thing like that is about an hour "review" session with the NTOs where you work through a couple simple calc and physics problems.

Ask questions of the JOs you meet on your ship tours, they are probably your best resource for finding out what the first few years are like.
 

dbrauer87

New Member
Changes

Well, I was supposed to leave on monday, but the Navy canceled my flight and my recruiter said that they had canceled all flights for the next 3 days. So my nice 3 days I took off from work to go to Florida became 3 days of staying in town. However he got it to where I don't even have to do the technical interview and I'll just be going to DC the 24th. He e-mailed me the study guide earlier today and I will have it down pat asap. He just basically told me to make sure I impress the Admiral and I'll be good to go. Any other advice for this trip besides study up on the study guide?
 

Thisguy

Pain-in-the-dick
However he got it to where I don't even have to do the technical interview and I'll just be going to DC the 24th.

??? DC is where the interviews at Naval Reactors takes place, I'm sure you're misunderstanding him, if he emailed you the study guide, you'll have two technical interviews. Some candidates get a third: That's both good and bad. It's bad because you screwed one of the first two up, but good that they're giving you another chance to redeem yourself.

If you feel like you did shitty on both the first two interviews and you don't get a third, you're probably done unless you really wow the Admiral.
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
However he got it to where I don't even have to do the technical interview and I'll just be going to DC the 24th. He e-mailed me the study guide earlier today and I will have it down pat asap. He just basically told me to make sure I impress the Admiral and I'll be good to go. Any other advice for this trip besides study up on the study guide?
Ya there is a misunderstanding of terms and procedure here. What you won't do because the VIP trip didn't happen is interview with the Dedicated Nuke Recruiter. He is a qualified nuke that should "interview" you to determine if you are ready for the technical interviews in DC. Usually the DNR walks you through the study guide and gives you a practice technical interview like you will get at Naval Reactors. That process used to be mandatory and I suspect, still is. That your recruiter got it waived means either he is confidant in your ability to pass the DC interviews or he is sending you to the slaughter. Absolutely digest the study guide. Here is something I recommend very highly because it seems your recruiter has not done a good job of explaining the process to you. Ask to have a phone interview and technical prep with the DNR. The technical interviews are usually what trips up a candidate, not the Admiral thinking your hair is too long or you said "like" too many times in the interview. Your DNR can tell you typical questions asked by the Admiral and run you through the technical stuff. Do not go to interview without a good brief by the DNR. I am very serious about that. If your recruiter sends you to DC without an extensive phone brief from the Area DNR he is being negligent, and you may be the one paying the price.
 

Spekkio

He bowls overhand.
Definitely enjoy the VIP trip, but remember: every time you interact with Navy personnel, you are being interviewed.

To echo what Wink said: Neither the VIP trip nor the technical interviews can be waived in your application process. I had a ton of issues getting on that damn VIP trip, but it still had to happen before I went to DC.

Aside from that, get in shape for OCS. 90% of nuke designators these days fail the in-PFA because they're fat and lazy. Don't be one of them.
 

dbrauer87

New Member
Yea, the only thing I'm worried about right now is the physical fitness. If given a month I can get my run under 12 minutes and will have situps maxed out. Pushups will probably be at about 50-60. Got to figure out a better training program. But I did get a phone briefing the other day. I should be ok on the technical stuff, just pulling out my cal 2-4 book and refresh everything. Been about a year or so since I used any of it. Leavin tomorrow morning....hopefully all goes well.
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Yea, the only thing I'm worried about right now is the physical fitness. If given a month I can get my run under 12 minutes and will have situps maxed out. Pushups will probably be at about 50-60. Got to figure out a better training program. But I did get a phone briefing the other day. I should be ok on the technical stuff, just pulling out my cal 2-4 book and refresh everything. Been about a year or so since I used any of it. Leavin tomorrow morning....hopefully all goes well.
Gald you got to talk to the nuke. Good luck!
 

Spekkio

He bowls overhand.
Yea, the only thing I'm worried about right now is the physical fitness. If given a month I can get my run under 12 minutes and will have situps maxed out. Pushups will probably be at about 50-60. Got to figure out a better training program. But I did get a phone briefing the other day. I should be ok on the technical stuff, just pulling out my cal 2-4 book and refresh everything. Been about a year or so since I used any of it. Leavin tomorrow morning....hopefully all goes well.

There's a ton of gouge in the PRT section about getting in shape. The interviews aren't that difficult if you do all the problems in the gouge pack and understand them. You may even be asked some of those problems exactly.
 

dbrauer87

New Member
well i got throguh fine. did good on my two interviews and my five minutes of fame with the admiral. all hyped up more than needed. just have to get some paerwork done and i'll be sworn in. worst news was ocs starts july 5. so have 10 days to polish my physical fitness.
 

Spekkio

He bowls overhand.
Um, are you normally physically active with anything? If not, you're going to be spending quite a bit of time in H.
 
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