It all started with a career fair

Last February Scott helped with a BYU career fair. While there he talked with recruiters from the United States Navy. The recruiters were looking for engineering majors, and chemical engineering was one at the top of the list. Well, they got him interested in the Navy nuclear engineering program and so Scott began the rigorous application process…he filled out several forms a week from February all the way until May. But to him he wanted it enough to work for it. I think Grandpa Richens got it into Scott’s heart that to work for the armed forces would be one of the coolest jobs ever. As Scott worked on the applications I asked him why he was willing to work so hard for it, why did he want to work for the Navy. Scott’s reply, to be part of something more, he said he wanted to help more than just an independent company, but to really make a difference. I continued to support him.  

Last May Scott visited Charleston, South Carolina on a Navy nuclear engineering VIP trip. There he learned more about the all the benefits under the Navy and about being an instructor at the power school there in Charleston. It all sounded great it made me interested and excited and Scott definitely was excited. So, I continued to support him. There are 3 basic options for engineers interested in the working for the Navy. 1) An operator on a submarine or aircraft carrier. To be deployed for several months at a time... not a very family friendly job. 2) Instructor located in Charleston…A family friendly job. 3) Engineer working in Washington DC… family friendly job, but maybe not area. The engineer is the hardest position to get, so, Scott always going after the best thought engineer would be his first choice with instructor a close second. Submariner? No chance.  After all I heard about his VIP trip my pick would have been to go to Charleston, but I’m not the one working the job s. We kept talking about what might happen and started to think more about living in the DC area. We felt really good about working in Navy.

This week, July 17-19, Scott was in Washington DC interviewing. Monday he studied with the 23ish other applicants, all of whom had a spot available in whichever job they preferred if they passed (so they weren’t competing against each other). Tuesday was filled with interviews. Scott had 4 technical interviews and a short interview with the admiral. In the end the Navy gave Scott a position as an instructor. Since going to the interviews in DC was the commitment to accept the job if he passed the interviews: Here we come South Carolina!

While talking with developmental engineers that work in DC Scott got the idea that the engineer position might be kind of boring. One person he spoke with was the head of valves and Scott being more of a people person didn’t think that sounded all that excited. Well to make a long story shorter, the Lord blessed us and guided us to the spot that would be right for us and in a job that would be more enjoyable to Scott. I hope all will continue to go well with this quest, but I know with the Lord’s help it will. He would not allow us to do anything that was not good.

We are now affiliated with the Navy, the insurance will be a great plus. Scott officially starts on June 10, 2012 at a 5 week “Officer Development School” where unfortunately I cannot follow him to. When the 5 weeks is up he will come back home and we will begin our journey to start a new home in South Carolina.

I here there are beautiful beaches there which means you will all come to visit us. J

Some details may be inaccurate since I wrote the story and not Scott for which I apologize.