Anyone who has worked in the nuclear industry knows how prevalent and influential Navy veterans are in the community. The journey from the nuclear Navy to the nuclear industry is one of the most common military-to-civilian talent pipelines. This seemingly natural transition into the civilian nuclear industry is in part because the technical training transfers directly over to a commercial nuclear plant. An even more important factor is that the nuclear Navy offers a real-world, big-picture experience that is very difficult to replicate in a university.
A nuclear-powered Navy vessel, such as an aircraft carrier, is a floating community that depends on its nuclear power plant for virtually everything it does. If the plant goes down, it is not just the lights that go out—the ship itself does not move, planes do not fly and most significant activity has to stop until the power comes back on.
This means the officers and sailors who operate the plant have an immense responsibility to monitor everything that is going on – not just in the engine room, but across the entire ship. And on a ship at sea, everything is in motion almost every minute of every day which means the ship’s nuclear power plant is increasing and decreasing in power constantly.
Reactor power changes every time the ship speeds up or slows down. It spikes every time planes are launched with steam catapults. Repairs and preventive maintenance are continuous. When the crew is not busy keeping the plant operating, they are running casualty drills to practice response to accidents and combat damage.
Because they are asked to shoulder so much responsibility, nuclear Navy officers come out of this environment with finely tuned nuclear power plant management skills. After a few deployments on a submarine or aircraft carrier, there is relatively little they have not seen when it comes operating a nuclear plant.
Experience in the nuclear Navy also provides key insights into the vital role nuclear plays in our domestic energy portfolio and national security—a role that is now threatened by economic pressures. Premature plant retirements driven by low natural gas prices and subsidies for wind energy are projected to only increase over time. As a Navy Nuke, I have seen the value of nuclear energy firsthand and have become a powerful advocate for the use of commercial nuclear energy to power our homes, businesses and schools. I believe the current shortsighted response to these market drivers will negatively impact our national security and eventually lead to a less stable electric grid in the long term.
Serving in the military means many sacrifices. The long working hours and burdens on military service members and their families are just some of the sacrifices made in order to provide our country the protection and freedom we enjoy daily. Military veterans are vital members of our communities, and it is safe to say things would be very different without us—not just on Veterans Day but every day of the year.
Zabrina Johal is director of business development at General Atomics.
