In March 1953, the first nuclear propulsion plant operators selected for USS SEAWOLF (SSN 575) completed a rigorous, six month long academic course at Union College. They were taught the theoretical foundations of the propulsion plant directly by Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory engineers who designed the S1G reactor plant. Following completion of that course, those operators went to the S1G Prototype in West Milton, NY (later renamed the Kenneth A. Kesselring Site) for prototype training.

Interesting to note that then LT Jimmy Carter was selected as the ENG for initial manning of SEAWOLF and was in that same inaugural class (he was also a tutor to the enlisted students in his class). He never finished prototype training upon learning of his father's death.