Sir:
I wish to commend you on your excellent letter to your son. You did a great job at summarizing so much that is relevant today. Your sentiments - I would call statements of fact, but much of what you spoke of seems to be things that are not being taught to the present generation, and are rapidly being forgotten by society.
I wish I could have been as eloquent when my son departed last summer, following a similar path as your son. He started a 4 year period at the United States Naval Academy, and hopes to become a nuclear trained submarine officer. (He is finishing up a 3rd class cruise ... headed for Japan after an under-ice crossing to go from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean on a nuclear submarine. His brief report after emerging from under-ice was that he was having a fantastic time and learning a lot.)
As a graduate of the Nuclear Power training pipeline myself, some 30 years ago, I can say that it is a fantastic training opportunity - but it is one full of hard work. Be sure that your son receives frequent encouragement!! He will work harder - academically - than he ever has in his life.
After the 24 weeks of classroom training, he will then spend another challenging 26 weeks learning to operate an actual nuclear reactor at a prototype training facility, under the watchful eyes of highly qualified personnel who themselves completed the training, and demonstrate the requisite skills of both nuclear power plant operations AND the ability to teach and train the future operators.
Again - it will be an intense period, where he will work 12 hour shifts until he completes the qualifications. After the training, he will report to a ship (the only surface ships with nuclear power plants are aircraft carriers) or a submarine, where he will essentially repeat his prototype experience, and qualify as a watchstander on the Navy vessel.
When that happens, he will be near final qualification of a Surface Warfare qualification pin or a Submarine Qualification pin ("dolphins") - a major milestone in his life, and one that deserves high recognition!
Take care, and best regards to your son.
V/R Michael Vineyard, CAPT, USNR(ret)
We have an all volunteer force of trained and dedicated patriots. Period. No better anywhere.