OCS 11AUG25 IWC BOARD // Nerd Thunderdome 2025

[Aggies23]

Applying for Intel

• Age: 25
• Education:
  • B.A. Economics – Senior Military College (GPA: 3.3)
  • M.S. Land & Property Development (GPA: 3.4)
• OAR: 61
• Current Profession: Financial Analyst – Find, underwrite, and present real estate development deals to executive boards.
• Extracurriculars:
  • 4 years in Corps of Cadets
  • XO & Chaplain – Led formations, managed $15K budget, mentored freshmen
• LORs: 1 from active duty O-3 Naval Intelligence Officer (SOUTHCOM)
• Waivers: None

My recruiter said I have a 50% chance of being selected. I don’t have any coursework in calculus or physics, so I’m not sure how much that will hurt me.

 

[brasidas]

Hi everyone, I'm an IP applicant waiting for the 11AUG25 board. Today my recruiter had me fill out a questionnaire with 40 questions very similar to the SF-86.

Question: (1) Did you also have to fill out a similar questionnaire for your package and (2) have you filled it out recently? I'm concerned that I completed the questionnaire with less than month before the board convenes. Seems like something that should have been done when the package was originally submitted (many months ago in my case). Thanks in advance!

 

[WhiteShiningTin]

Hi everyone, I'm an IP applicant waiting for the 11AUG25 board. Today my recruiter had me fill out a questionnaire with 40 questions very similar to the SF-86.

Question: (1) Did you also have to fill out a similar questionnaire for your package and (2) have you filled it out recently? I'm concerned that I completed the questionnaire with less than month before the board convenes. Seems like something that should have been done when the package was originally submitted (many months ago in my case). Thanks in advance!

Based on what my OR told me, my kit was submitted this Feb.

The only stuff I had to submit regarding my background was NASIS.

I got called from a DSCA investigator last month and went over the entire information I provided on NASIS. The meeting was 4-5 hours long. Not sure if it had to do with my foreign background or if it is a normal process for everyone applying to IWC.

Aside from that, when I asked my OR about security, I was told if I get a prorec Y then they’ll do a suitability screening and T5 investigation.

 

[brasidas]

Based on what my OR told me, my kit was submitted this Feb.

The only stuff I had to submit regarding my background was NASIS.

I got called from a DSCA investigator last month and went over the entire information I provided on NASIS. The meeting was 4-5 hours long. Not sure if it had to do with my foreign background or if it is a normal process for everyone applying to IWC.

Aside from that, when I asked my OR about security, I was told if I get a prorec Y then they’ll do a suitability screening and T5 investigation.

I'm wondering if the 40 question questionnaire I completed today is the "suitability screening." Just seems odd that I did it today. I've had a secret clearance since March and never talked to an investigator. My recruiter did mention that the questionnaire was specific to IWC. Just wondering if others have completed it.

 

[Gandalf_Actual]

Just wondering if others have completed it.

I did too – it's a recent directive from NRC (so it makes sense that some folks are only finding out about it in the last month-ish). I still submitted mine well before the 11 July packet deadline though. If your packet was submitted after NRC's pre-screening guidance went out but didn't include that questionnaire, that might be why you got called in to fill it out today. As for whether or not it'll delay your packet going before the board...I'm afraid I'm just a guy on the internet who knows about as much as you.

Best case scenario, though – you getting the call to fill it out today was because someone processing packets upstairs caught the oversight and asked for that additional documentation from your recruiter (who in turn had to call you in to knock it out).

 

[brasidas]

I did too – it's a recent directive from NRC (so it makes sense that some folks are only finding out about it in the last month-ish). I still submitted mine well before the 11 July packet deadline though. If your packet was submitted after NRC's pre-screening guidance went out but didn't include that questionnaire, that might be why you got called in to fill it out today.

Answers my question perfectly, thank you!

As for whether or not it'll delay your packet going before the board...I'm afraid I'm just a guy on the internet who knows about as much as you.

Hopefully not. My recruiter did mention that there was some snafu with getting my packet accepted for the August board. I'm thinking this questionnaire could be the problem. Thanks again for the info!

 

[WhiteShiningTin]

I did too – it's a recent directive from NRC (so it makes sense that some folks are only finding out about it in the last month-ish). I still submitted mine well before the 11 July packet deadline though. If your packet was submitted after NRC's pre-screening guidance went out but didn't include that questionnaire, that might be why you got called in to fill it out today. As for whether or not it'll delay your packet going before the board...I'm afraid I'm just a guy on the internet who knows about as much as you.

I'm wondering if the 40 question questionnaire I completed today is the "suitability screening." Just seems odd that I did it today. I've had a secret clearance since March and never talked to an investigator. My recruiter did mention that the questionnaire was specific to IWC. Just wondering if others have completed it.

I think I’ll ask my OR about this. Hopefully he gives me necessary information and guidance. It’s the first time I’m hearing this and I was only told my kit was submitted this Feb.

 

[WhiteShiningTin]

I'm wondering if the 40 question questionnaire I completed today is the "suitability screening." Just seems odd that I did it today. I've had a secret clearance since March and never talked to an investigator. My recruiter did mention that the questionnaire was specific to IWC. Just wondering if others have completed it.

I was contacted by an investigator and I was told it was for a T3 clearance. Maybe you did not get a call since you have a secret clearance anyway.

 

[brasidas]

It’s the first time I’m hearing this and I was only told my kit was submitted this Feb.

Same.

 

[slipshodraven]

That's super rough, mate – really sorry to hear you didn't get the answer you were hoping for, but I'm impressed you went up to bat four times. I couldn't help but notice that you mentioned in previous posts that you were just about finished with your master's. Did you wrap up coursework this last semester? / Are you thinking of putting in for another look?

I appreciate the kind words.

In December I will be completing my Master's and hitting 12 years-of-service almost simultaneously. Meaning I'll go from a GPA waiver to a time-in-service waiver. In light of the current no waiver situation and a PA revision on the horizon, my chances of remaining eligible seem exceptionally slim. It seems as though the stars were misaligned just enough to get me within reach of my goal, only for it to slip out of my grasp. In spite of how hard I fought and how much stress I endured in pursuit of MCWO, it just doesn't seem to have been in the cards for me. It's going to be very painful to leave the Navy at nearly 13 years of service but my options in the Navy are so limited at this point that remaining would prevent me from leveraging my advanced education and long list of professional certifications.

If December rolls around and the PA remains unchanged and waivers are being approved I may muster up one last attempt, but it would probably be more productive for me to redirect my efforts toward preparing for separation and exploring career prospects in the private sector.

 

[Gandalf_Actual]

Not sure how many folks were tracking the new Intel Program Authorization that was signed last Friday, but to my layman’s eyes it looks like there’s been quite a few changes. The most notable revisions I think I found (just from what I can remember of the last version) are an applicant age cap at 35 (at date of commissioning), (new?) I-SEL criteria, and a wholesale nuking of waivers (the section for which just reads “Not Applicable” now).

Don’t shoot the messenger (definitely a layman here when it comes to PA jargon, so there’s likely more to the revisions that I just don’t know). I’ve already reached out to my recruiter to see if he’s tracking more info – I just figured I’d give folks a heads up if they wanted to do the same.

 

[candycorn]

Howdy folks! Considering the number of applicants I’m suspecting will be at this board (lookin’ at you patient, patient intel nerds), I figured it’d be reasonable to set up a discussion space for folks to talk stats and scuttlebutt now that we’ve hit the fleet and street submission deadlines.

As always, the board date and/or available IWC designators might change between now and August, so feel free to keep an eye out for updates to the board schedule/notes on the Commissioning Programs page.


This will be my first look at the board - applying for INTEL and CW.

Stats…

• Age: 30
• OAR: 59
• CGPA (Bachelor’s + Master’s): 3.91
• Degree fields: History, Poli Sci, Global Affairs

Background…

• Prior Army intel nerd
• Squad Leader
• x1 Combat deployment
• Languages: French, Latin (lol, I know… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

Waivers…

• RE Code

When is the board convening for CW in 2025?

 

[Gandalf_Actual]

When is the board convening for CW in 2025?

The most recent board schedule (linked in the original post of this thread) has the IWC board convening on 11 Aug 2025 - CW hasn’t been excluded in the notes for that board yet, so as of now it looks like they’ll be considering CW applicants. The board schedule can always (and often does) change if certain designators become unavailable or the board date is rescheduled/ cancelled (which has happened a lot for some IWC designators this past year). You can always check to see if a new board schedule has been posted on the MyNavy HR Commissioning Programs page.

If the 11 Aug board gets cancelled, the next IWC board is currently scheduled for 27 Oct 2025 (packet submission deadlines for that board are 12 Sep and 28 Sep for fleet and street applicants respectively).

 

[candycorn]

The most recent board schedule (linked in the original post of this thread) has the IWC board convening on 11 Aug 2025 - CW hasn’t been excluded in the notes for that board yet, so as of now it looks like they’ll be considering CW applicants. The board schedule can always (and often does) change if certain designators become unavailable or the board date is rescheduled/ cancelled (which has happened a lot for some IWC designators this past year). You can always check to see if a new board schedule has been posted on the MyNavy HR Commissioning Programs page.

If the 11 Aug board gets cancelled, the next IWC board is currently scheduled for 27 Oct 2025 (packet submission deadlines for that board are 12 Sep and 28 Sep for fleet and street applicants respectively).

Thank you. So, as of now board will convene August 11th. You think results will come out in 2-4 weeks?

 

[hclark1821]

Not sure how many folks were tracking the new Intel Program Authorization that was signed last Friday, but to my layman’s eyes it looks like there’s been quite a few changes. The most notable revisions I think I found (just from what I can remember of the last version) are an applicant age cap at 35 (at date of commissioning), (new?) I-SEL criteria, and a wholesale nuking of waivers (the section for which just reads “Not Applicable” now).

Don’t shoot the messenger (definitely a layman here when it comes to PA jargon, so there’s likely more to the revisions that I just don’t know). I’ve already reached out to my recruiter to see if he’s tracking more info – I just figured I’d give folks a heads up if they wanted to do the same.

Well that’s not news I wanted to read. Very bummed!