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14 MAY 18 SWO BOARD

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Deleted member 67144 scul

Guest
zoeth said:
SWO has certainly changed their method over the past couple years. The new 'hollistic' concept outlined in the N3 - Operations notice #39 has definetly thrown some people a curve-ball. I mean last board there was a 4.0 GPA/70 OAR candidate and a 3.7 GPA with a Masters in Neueoscience that got an "N" but "Y" from Intel. I spoke with a local SWO Lieutenant at the ROTC program at my school and he mentioned how they are hot and heavy on Prior service Navy guys, AD Navy and that the motivational statement with 'SWO-Centric' statements is heavily considered.
*edit: He also mentioned how those two collisions shook the SWO community quite a bit
Click to expand...

It still astonishes me how different SWO selection is between NROTC/USNA and OCS. They're on opposite ends of the spectrum. SWO is where they throw midshipmen who don't fit anywhere else but have to throw them in somewhere. But for OCS, it's an ultra-selective puzzle of sorts. Good luck to all of you.

With regards to the part I bolded, if that SWO's information is accurate, folks should seriously take heed. A non SWO-centric motivational statement is probably burning lots of people.
 
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exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Sculpin said:
With regards to the part I bolded, if that SWO's information is accurate, folks should seriously take heed. A non SWO-centric motivational statement is probably burning lots of people.
Click to expand...

you can't really do that if you are applying to multiple designators, the SWO board will have a learning curve, they need to understand a person can apply to more than one designator at once.

If they still with that mentality they will probably see a drop in applications.
 
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Deleted member 67144 scul

Guest
NavyOffRec said:
you can't really do that if you are applying to multiple designators, the SWO board will have a learning curve, they need to understand a person can apply to more than one designator at once.

If they still with that mentality they will probably see a drop in applications.
Click to expand...

When did it start that they decided they wanted SWO-centric motivational statements? The rational side of me couldn't imagine them not understanding that people apply for more than one designator, but if that's the case, then that's a bit stubborn. Maybe this implicit demand for applicants who decisively prefer SWO specifically over being an officer in general is one of the ways they're filtering people out? Wouldn't that defeat the spirit of being an officer first and foremost? Of course, I can only speculate what the idea behind this is.
 
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Playawon

Well-Known Member
Sculpin said:
It still astonishes me how different SWO selection is between NROTC/USNA and OCS. They're on opposite ends of the spectrum. SWO is where they throw midshipmen who don't fit anywhere else but have to throw them in somewhere. But for OCS, it's an ultra-selective puzzle of sorts. Good luck to all of you.

With regards to the part I bolded, if that SWO's information is accurate, folks should seriously take heed. A non SWO-centric motivational statement is probably burning lots of people.
Click to expand...
Rufio and others have said as much on this forum.
Sculpin said:
When did it start that they decided they wanted SWO-centric motivational statements? The rational side of me couldn't imagine them not understanding that people apply for more than one designator, but if that's the case, then that's a bit stubborn. Maybe this implicit demand for applicants who decisively prefer SWO specifically over being an officer in general is one of the ways they're filtering people out? Wouldn't that defeat the spirit of being an officer first and foremost? Of course, I can only speculate what the idea behind this is.
Click to expand...
I think they're trying to get people who really wanna be SWO's. As it is, they probably get plenty of people who were not gung ho to be SWO's from the academy, and ROTC.
 
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chefmike1126

Well-Known Member
I have been told they are trying to focus on Active duty/ Fleet applicants. If you review the last 5 or 6 boards they have picked nearly 50% of the fleet applicants. With that being said if you choose 62 people out of 200 (total) and 9 out of 19 (fleet applicants) in my opinion thats not really fleet heavy. 9 out of 62 selects isnt a very high percentage. Dont get me wrong if they stick to patterns i think a 50/50 shot is a very good one but, i dont know if i would call it a fleet heavy or fleet focused selection numbers.
 
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chefmike1126

Well-Known Member
Playawon said:
Rufio and others have said as much on this forum.

I think they're trying to get people who really wanna be SWO's. As it is, they probably get plenty of people who were not gung ho to be SWO's from the academy, and ROTC.
Click to expand...
I think it has to do with the SWO turn over numbers. So many come in hate it and get out. They want people who really want to be in this field because it is not the most glorious of program choices. They want to understand you know what you are getting into. someone who really wants to be a pilot but wouldnt mind being an officer in general and puts SWO as number 3 might not be there for the long haul when they see its not as shiny as being a pilot.
 
zoeth

zoeth

Over 9000
chefmike1126 said:
I have been told they are trying to focus on Active duty/ Fleet applicants. If you review the last 5 or 6 boards they have picked nearly 50% of the fleet applicants. With that being said if you choose 62 people out of 200 (total) and 9 out of 19 (fleet applicants) in my opinion thats not really fleet heavy. 9 out of 62 selects isnt a very high percentage. Dont get me wrong if they stick to patterns i think a 50/50 shot is a very good one but, i dont know if i would call it a fleet heavy or fleet focused selection numbers.
Click to expand...

Aren't there smaller quotas for current AD? That might be 100% wrong, but it seems to be the case. But man if you were a PRIOR Navy guy applying to SWO as a civilian, you amaze well just start driving to Newport :p

*Edit what's the difference between Active Duty/Fleet applicants or is there any?
 
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chefmike1126

Well-Known Member
zoeth said:
Aren't there smaller quotas for current AD? That might be 100% wrong,
*Edit what's the difference between Active Duty/Fleet applicants or is there any?
Click to expand...
we all go to board together i dont believe there is an AD quota. No difference in AD/fleet i have just seen them in different places listed as either active or fleet so i put both.
 
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Deleted member 67144 scul

Guest
Playawon said:
Rufio and others have said as much on this forum.

I think they're trying to get people who really wanna be SWO's. As it is, they probably get plenty of people who were not gung ho to be SWO's from the academy, and ROTC.
Click to expand...

I can only imagine... Just my personal experience, but of the dozens of NROTC/USNA SWO accessions I've come across, I've yet to meet a single one that didn't hate, or at least hint at hating, it. The ones I got to know better, it was all too apparent. Even dated one. The meme I've come to learn is you do your 4 years, then either get out immediately, try to redesignate, or use your shore tours to figure out your next move in life is and get the heck out.

Let me put it in perspective. When people in their early-mid 20s from villages in the South and Midwest where no one leaves get all-expense paid little work trips to a dozen countries in Europe and doing a fair amount of tourism like these DESRON 60 SWO's I've known (and they'll be sure to tell you all about it), and still hate being a SWO, you know it's obviously not for everyone. Those career SWOs who really "embrace the suck" have incredible fortitude and the SWO lifestyle appeals to them on a personal level.
 
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