White's first encounter with the "Father of the Nuclear Navy"—which consisted of attendance to a lecture given by Rickover in Pearl Harbor in 1956—inspired him to apply for one of the very few openings in Rickover's program. He survived the grueling interview process and was accepted, once again relocating his family to New London to attend the Naval Nuclear Power School in the Naval Submarine Base from June 1956 through December 1956. Following graduation, the Whites moved to Idaho so he could continue his training until May 1957—this time serving at the nuclear prototype reactor in Arco, Idaho.
