Sailors at the Navy's challenging nuclear power school faced delays getting their housing allowances, the result of a miscommunication and more side effects of the service's efforts to update its IT systems.
Because of confusion over which personnel command was required to process some paperwork, 175 students had their housing payments — $1,455 a month — put on hold, forcing the sailors either to wait for the stipend or dip into their paychecks for rent.
Sailors who are part of the Navy's nuclear training pipeline begin their extensive schooling at the Nuclear Power Training Command outside of Charleston, S.C.. After single sailors finish their first two programs, a total of 12 months of training not including any wait time for a class to convene, they are required to move out of Navy housing.
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Military.com received reports that some sailors were waiting months before beginning to see the payments, but could not confirm that time frame before publication. Navy spokesman Cmdr. Rick Chernitzer confirmed that the problem began in September, but the last affected sailor has had their pay fixed in the last week.
Chernitzer said that once sailors graduate from their second course — the Navy Nuclear Power School — they are moved to a temporary holding command that allows them to wait for their next course — commonly called “prototype” — to become ready….
