Nuclear-trained sailors, considered the Navy’s ‘best and brightest,’ face mental health...

Nuclear operators are considered the Navy’s “best and brightest,” with only the top-scoring applicants gaining acceptance into the prestigious training program. But a dozen current and former nuclear-trained sailors, as well as loved ones of such operators who have died by suicide, said the unique challenges and pressures of the job have led some to suffer from severe mental health issues beginning at the school and extending well beyond graduation.

About 3,000 people get selected annually for the rigorous, nearly two-year program at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, where people learn to operate the nuclear reactors that power submarines and aircraft carriers. To entice people to enter the demanding and highly specialized program, the South Carolina school boasts career advancement perks in the civilian and Naval world, and promises the biggest monetary bonuses the Navy offers.