Backup Plan?

[Jstalz]

I am currently applying for SNA. I finished my application back in October expecting there to be a January board, but now I am waiting for the May board. With all this waiting time ahead of me, and since I am a senior in college graduating in May 2022, I have been trying to figure out what I should be doing for a backup plan... My desire for a backup plan has intensified since I have heard that the May 2022 Board is subject to cancellation and also that so many ProRecY SNAs have had their OCS dates pushed back over a year.

SNA is my dream but I also am concerned about what I will be doing with my life if I don't get selected in May, or if the May board gets cancelled, or if I get selected with an OCS date a year into the future. I was thinking about starting to apply for private sector economics-related jobs for when I graduate, but I feel bad doing so because if I get selected in May and have to ship out to OCS soon thereafter, I'd be quitting after like a month or two. What do you all think? It is it right for me to look into other career opportunities in the interim even though I may get selected for SNA and have to leave that job soon?

 

[AllYourBass]

I was thinking about starting to apply for private sector economics-related jobs for when I graduate, but I feel bad doing so because if I get selected in May and have to ship out to OCS soon thereafter, I'd be quitting after like a month or two. What do you all think? It is it right for me to look into other career opportunities in the interim even though I may get selected for SNA and have to leave that job soon?

Daddy's gotta eat. Apply for jobs and apply for OCS. You are promised neither, and pursuing the one will not hurt your prospects for the other.

 

[JMT865]

I'm in the same boat. I am pursuing both. I've been told by some of my mentors to not feel bad about leaving a corporate job after a short period of time to do something you really want to do... it's your life so you can do what you choose.

FLY NAVY

 

[robav8r]

Maybe this ???

 

[TheDR]

I’m in very much the same boat, graduating in December but I just got my packages to November boards, still gonna job hunt though because it could be late next year even before OCS.

Gotta look out for number 1, do what you gotta do

 

[FloridaDad]

At your age you've got plenty of time to play the waiting game. Go apply for some good solid jobs, work while you're waiting.

 

[Jstalz]

Thanks for the advice. This upcoming summer I could always go back to instructing at a sailing camp where I worked during the summers in college, but I feel like I need to be furthering myself professionally in the meantime, especially since I'll soon have a college degree.

 

[krspy]

I’m working in my field of study gaining work experience as my backup plan. If I don’t get accepted as a SNA, I’ll just stick to being a developer.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Look for an internship opportunity in the career field of your choice that may lead to a job while waiting...

 

[Griz882]

Aerodynamics work the same in the Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard…not sure if the Marines care about all the science stuff, but they get their aircraft off the ground as well.

In other words, there is more than one service.

 

[Jstalz]

Aerodynamics work the same in the Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard…not sure if the Marines care about all the science stuff, but they get their aircraft off the ground as well.

In other words, there is more than one service.

Very true. If I don’t get SNA, I’d try for Air Force and/or reapply for SNA. I am just concerned about what I’d be doing in the meantime while applying for the Air Force or waiting for the 6 months to pass after which I could reapply for SNA if I got a Pro-rec no in May.

 

[Jstalz]

Also, nothing against the Air Force, but I just hear such great things about Naval Aviation’s culture that I would really hope to get to stick with the Navy.

 

[Notanaviator]

Also, nothing against the Air Force, but I just hear such great things about Naval Aviation’s culture that I would really hope to get to stick with the Navy.

don’t have a dog in this fight obviously (because I’m… not an aviator), but a course of action I’ve seen thrown out an awful lot is to go the ANG route. Read around on the forums for a lot of descriptions of why - coming from folks who’ve in many cases done both - but if you like your current field of study, could certainly pursue both and probably enjoy the best of both worlds.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Very true. If I don’t get SNA, I’d try for Air Force and/or reapply for SNA. I am just concerned about what I’d be doing in the meantime while applying for the Air Force or waiting for the 6 months to pass after which I could reapply for SNA if I got a Pro-rec no in May.

USAF does their allocation of pilot spots different than the USN, OTS gets the leftovers if there are any. I would suggest looking at ANG.

 

[Jstalz]

USAF does their allocation of pilot spots different than the USN, OTS gets the leftovers if there are any. I would suggest looking at ANG.

don’t have a dog in this fight obviously (because I’m… not an aviator), but a course of action I’ve seen thrown out an awful lot is to go the ANG route. Read around on the forums for a lot of descriptions of why - coming from folks who’ve in many cases done both - but if you like your current field of study, could certainly pursue both and probably enjoy the best of both worlds.

Ok makes sense... From what I've been hearing from forums on here, the Air Force application process has been difficult for a lot of people (lots of canceled boards). When I was contacting an AF recruiter, it was all automated and unintuitive; the Navy had a much better process imo.

I would just assume ANG would be really difficult because I would just think that they would not be looking for many pilots, but then again you know what happens when you assume.