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William Doe toured a nuclear fast attack submarine in August. A recruiting officer for the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program program will be on the CU campus Oct. 3 and 4 in the UMC for the Fall Technology Career Fair.

Movie fans of the Cold War era may well remember the famous submarine adventure movies  “The Hunt for Red October” and “Crimson Tide,” that thrilled audiences with technology and drama on the high seas, amidst the threat of nuclear war between the former Soviet Union and the United States. If you weren’t born when these films were made or somehow missed them, I strongly suggest you put them on your Netflix list! While the national security threats have changed over the decades, the U.S. Navy’s submarine force is alive and well and looking for help from current and future engineers. I can vouch for this based upon a once-of-a-lifetime ride I took on Aug. 14 in a nuclear fast attack submarine, the U.S.S. Annapolis (SSN 760), off the coast of San Diego, California at a depth of 500 feet below the ocean surface.

So how did this former career U.S. Army officer get to ride in a submarine? I was the guest, as a representative of CU Boulder and our college along with 10 other educators from universities across the country, of the Regrettably, I am too old to enlist so they were not trying to recruit me personally! Rather, the purpose of the trip was to inform educators about the amazing opportunities for engineering students in the United States Navy Nuclear Propulsion community while completing their degree programs. 

Our day-long excursion involved an early morning embarkation onto the submarine at the Point Loma Naval Base in San Diego, cruising out into the Pacific Ocean above the water line, and then diving to depths of 500 feet while at sea. While on board we were able to visit the operations center where sailors drive the “boat” and watch radar and sonar for interferences and other ships, eat in the dining area (“mess”), view the living quarters and learn about the operations and deployments of submarines worldwide. That includes operations under and above the icecap of the Arctic Ocean. Although the strategy has changed, submarines still play a critical role in strategic nuclear deterrence, providing safe waters against potential adversaries and launching sea-based munitions in support of U.S. land combat operations.

The personal highlights of my trip were twofold. The first was standing on the “conning tower” of the sub as it cruised out into the Pacific with the wind in my face and dolphins jumping out of the water in the sub’s wake. The second was meeting the officers and sailors onboard and learning about their extensive training and teamwork to operate the sub. It was remarkable to me that these complex submarines (each with two nuclear reactors on board) are operated by a 130-person crew of 18-35 year old sailors - many who enlisted just out of high school. I actually met a radar technician on the trip who had recently graduated from Brighton High School, in eastern Colorado and who one day may be a student-veteran in our college.

All of the officers on the submarine are college educated and have completed over two years of training in nuclear submarine operations. 

The NUPOC program is a competitive, fully-funded program that will pay for a student’s entire education. A recruiting officer for the program will be on the CU campus Any engineering students interested in a personal meeting with them should contact myself in the Dean’s Office no later than Oct. 1 to set up an appointment.

Here is the basic requirements for selection to the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate program for eligible college students and graduates: 

The program leads to an appointment on active duty as an ensign in the unrestricted line of the U.S. Navy. Nuclear propulsion officers serve their duty on a nuclear-powered submarine or surface ship. Those selected will then attend the 12 week Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island when eligible. Following OCS, those who select surface ships (aircraft carriers) will complete their surface warfare qualification during a division officer tour aboard a non-nuclear ship before moving on to Nuclear Power School. Those who volunteer for submarines move directly to Nuclear Power School. The initial school has 24 weeks of classroom based courses and is located in Charleston, South Carolina. That is followed by 26 weeks of hands-on training at one of the Navy's two prototype reactors located in either Charleston or Ballston Spa, New York.

Applicants must be a citizen of the United States, be at least 19 years old and not have passed their 29th birthday at time of commissioning. Age waivers may be considered on a case-by-case basis for those would be able to commission before their 32nd birthday. All candidates must have completed the requirements for, or be in pursuit of, a bachelor's degree at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States. The service commitment is five years upon commissioning and the total obligated service is eight years. The balance of service to complete eight years may be served in a Ready Reserve status.

Bill Doe is the Research Development Manager for the College of Engineering and Applied Science. He previously served in the U.S. Army for 22 years as a Corps of Engineers officer, including seven years on the faculty at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point). In addition to his primary research business development work with federal agencies and faculty , Bill is active in supporting the student-veteran population in the college. He is also the staff advisor for the Student Chapter of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME).