18 SEP 18 IWC Board

[Law_to_1830]

Just something to consider, but have you thought about either going active or reserves in an IWC Rate? The 18-year-old guys will probably talk some trash but if you got a good head on your shoulders leadership will quickly notice. IW rates also advance fast so you'll rank up quick too. It would be a good way to get experience (you can get your IW warfare qualification) and make some contacts. Leadership will definitely notice you if you put in the effort and help you out. I knew a guy in sub school who got picked up half way through, so it's not impossible. Once they realize you are not some kid they need to babysit who is going to come in drunk, buy a mustang at 50% APR or marry a stripper you'll probably be treated with more respect. The chain of command will be on your side not only because it looks good on their evals and fitreps, but they will get you where you want to be. You seem deadset on joining the Navy and serving your country so I wouldn't recommend it to someone who wasn't. Worst case is you hate it, do four years, satisfy your itch to serve and come out with the GI BILL and veteran preference for those government agency jobs.

As in going in as an enlisted sailor?

Well, if it gave me a massive boost towards being selected for an Intel officer position, I could probably do it. Serving as a Naval officer is what I want to do - even if it means a circuitous route to get there.

The main issues are finances (how am I going to provide for my family and pay off grad school debt on a seaman recruit's pay) and whether the enlisted IWC job would actually lead to a commission. I'd rather not be stuck as an enlisted man.

I'll think about it. My family might think I'm crazy to consider going in as enlisted since my dad's a retired Captain and I'm an Ivy League attorney, but I'm willing to look at any option that gets me to a career as a Naval officer. So thanks for the idea!

Do you have any thoughts on the other ideas I mentioned?

I'd like to think my stats are good enough that I would be at least competitive already, though I'm interested in anything that will boost my chances.

(Oh, and no worries about the babysitting. I'm 30 years old, happily married, extremely careful with money, and I don't drink, smoke, or party. The wildest I get is drinking green tea and staying up late reading.)

 

[wakefijw]

As in going in as an enlisted sailor?

Well, if it gave me a massive boost towards being selected for an Intel officer position, I could probably do it. Serving as a Naval officer is what I want to do - even if it means a circuitous route to get there.

The main issues are finances (how am I going to provide for my family and pay off grad school debt on a seaman recruit's pay) and whether the enlisted IWC job would actually lead to a commission. I'd rather not be stuck as an enlisted man.

I'll think about it. My family might think I'm crazy to consider going in as enlisted since my dad's a retired Captain and I'm an Ivy League attorney, but I'm willing to look at any option that gets me to a career as a Naval officer. So thanks for the idea!

Do you have any thoughts on the other ideas I mentioned?

(Oh, and no worries about the babysitting. I'm 30 years old, happily married, extremely careful with money, and I don't drink, smoke, or party. The wildest I get is drinking green tea and staying up late reading.)

Well, I would only recommend it if you are OBSESSED with serving in the military, if you are trying to get out of law the CIA or FBI is probably a better option. There is currently an enlistment bonus (I think up to 20,000) and at least when I joined there was a loan repayment program, up to $65,000, so you can see if that is still a thing. You got some pretty solid credentials, so I would definitely think about it hard and don't let anyone try and smokescreen you into something you don't want to do.

 

[Law_to_1830]

Well, I would only recommend it if you are OBSESSED with serving in the military, if you are trying to get out of law the CIA or FBI is probably a better option. There is currently an enlistment bonus (I think up to 20,000) and at least when I joined there was a loan repayment program, up to $65,000, so you can see if that is still a thing. You got some pretty solid credentials, so I would definitely think about it hard and don't let anyone try and smokescreen you into something you don't want to do.

That makes sense. I ran the numbers, and I don't think I could make ends meet on an E1 pay while providing for my family and paying off student loans. I may be obsessed with serving in the Navy, but I have to put my family first. I can't put my own wants ahead of their needs.

The enlistment bonus and loan repayment certainly sound interesting, but I hear horror stories about them not actually following through on that. So I think I'll keep the enlisted-to-officer route as my Plan C (Plan A being just getting accepted next board and Plan B being the CIA/FBI/NCIS-to-Navy route.) I'm a huge contingency planner, so I'm always happy to add another back-up plan. Thank you very much!

If I don't get into the Navy Intel officer program next time, I think I'll just push hard for the CIA or FBI. (I know the CIA likes language skills and the FBI likes law degrees.) If I get in, then I plan to transfer to the Navy as soon as I can.

 

[GlassBanger]

LadyAsh had a great GPA so she would have stood out anyway.

*faints*

 

[AULANI]

If I don't get into the Navy Intel officer program next time, I think I'll just push hard for the CIA or FBI. (I know the CIA likes language skills and the FBI likes law degrees.) If I get in, then I plan to transfer to the Navy as soon as I can.

You have this backwards.

 

[Law_to_1830]

You have this backwards.

OK. I have both language skills and an Ivy League law degree. So that should help with the CIA-to-Navy route or the FBI-to-Navy route.

My information was only from public websites, so I could be wrong. FBI lists law and foreign language as desirable traits, while the CIA talks about foreign languages on at least some of their pages.
https://www.fbiagentedu.org/fbi-requirements/
https://www.cia.gov/careers/opportunities/analytical/political-analyst.html

I'm pretty much open to any idea, no matter how circuitous, that eventually lands me a commission as a Navy Intel officer. I would do CIA, FBI, or NCIS for a while, SWO for a while (if they did age waivers without prior service, which I don't think they do), go back for more degrees, or maybe even go enlisted for a while.

 

[AULANI]

OK. I have both language skills and an Ivy League law degree. So that should help with the CIA-to-Navy route or the FBI-to-Navy route.

My information was only from their public websites, so I could be wrong. FBI lists law and foreign language as desirable traits, while the CIA talks about foreign languages on at least some of their pages.
https://www.fbiagentedu.org/fbi-requirements/
https://www.cia.gov/careers/opportunities/analytical/political-analyst.html

I'm pretty much open to any idea, no matter how circuitous, that eventually lands me a commission as a Navy Intel officer. I would do CIA, FBI, or NCIS for a while, SWO for a while (if they did age waivers without prior service, which I don't think they do), go back for more degrees, or maybe even go enlisted for a while.

Almost all the CIA people I know/knew were prior lawyers. The LSAT is very similar to the test the CIA has you take as well, so that helps.

If I were you and really wanted to be a Naval Officer (not just Intel) I would apply as SWO and then try a lateral transfer. Most of the SWOs in my class were planning to do the same thing. Don't go the enlisted route at your age. At 39 y/o my whole class at OCS was calling me "Dad".

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Almost all the CIA people I know/knew were prior lawyers. The LSAT is very similar to the test the CIA has you take as well, so that helps.

If I were you and really wanted to be a Naval Officer (not just Intel) I would apply as SWO and then try a lateral transfer. Most of the SWOs in my class were planning to do the same thing. Don't go the enlisted route at your age. At 39 y/o my whole class at OCS was calling me "Dad".

Once again, he is too old for swo...

 

[Law_to_1830]

Almost all the CIA people I know/knew were prior lawyers. The LSAT is very similar to the test the CIA has you take as well, so that helps.

If I were you and really wanted to be a Naval Officer (not just Intel) I would apply as SWO and then try a lateral transfer. Most of the SWOs in my class were planning to do the same thing. Don't go the enlisted route at your age. At 39 y/o my whole class at OCS was calling me "Dad".

Once again, he is too old for swo...

Agreed with RUFiO181. I would absolutely jump on the SWO idea if they offered age waivers for 30 year olds with no prior service. Sadly, it seems they don't.

Thanks anyway, though!

 

[AULANI]

Agreed with RUFiO181. I would absolutely jump on the SWO idea if they offered age waivers for 30 year olds with no prior service. Sadly, it seems they don't.

Thanks anyway, though!

Damn, forgot about the SWO age thing.

 

[Law_to_1830]

Damn, forgot about the SWO age thing.

Yeah, it sucks. I'm actually in far better physical shape than I was back in my early twenties, but chronological age is the deciding factor. I wish I had started this a year or two ago.

I am, again, open to absolutely any idea that will eventually get me to Navy Intel. So it's good to hear that I may be a good fit for the CIA. I imagine that the Navy would take my application much more seriously with a few years at the Agency under my belt. Correct?

Of course, I'll still be applying for the Intel job for the November board. I'd like to think I'll still have some chance given my undergrad GPA, JD, OAR score, work and volunteering experience, interviews, etc.

 

[Leanne Gregory]

My suggestion is to just apply for everything you are interested in (Navy Intel, CIA, FBI, etc.). You are looking at a year on-boarding process with any three letter agency, especially since you are not prior service and I am only guessing you do not have an active clearance. My stats are below, but going in my OR did not think my package was competitive. I had a low OAR score or 48. While I had a high GPA for my Doctorate coursework, my cumulative was still borderline low. All of my degrees are non-technical. And my B.S. doesn't remotely apply to the field. I had two letters of recommendation (0-3 and current employer). My current positions is not field related. You really just never know. Most of the people that got selected at our board were from a variety of different backgrounds. So just put your best package together and keep trying! Best of luck to you!

 

[Leanne Gregory]

Thanks, will do!

You might have better chances if you retook your OAR. It might also help to get a LOR from someone higher up than an O-3 if you can.

If it helps, I've seen at least one person get selected for Intel who had a Criminal Justice PhD. Plus, they average out the GPAs based on total number of credits earned.

I imagine law and CJ would be treated similarly.

Thanks, good luck to you too!

I got Accepted at the March Board.

 

[Law_to_1830]

I got Accepted at the March Board.

Congratulations! That's fanstastic!

Thanks, will do!

I imagine law and CJ would be treated similarly. I hope my 3.53 credits-based averaged GPA, Calculus, JD, OAR, LORs, and Interview will help. It's actually really encouraging that they'll look seriously at and even select law or CJ applicants. So thank you very much for sharing!

Hopefully there's still some chance for my application, then.

 

[Leanne Gregory]

Congratulations! That's fanstastic!

Thanks, will do!

I imagine law and CJ would be treated similarly. I hope my 3.53 credits-based averaged GPA, Calculus, JD, OAR, LORs, and Interview will help. It's actually really encouraging that they'll look seriously at and even select law or CJ applicants. So thank you very much for sharing!

Hopefully there's still some chance for my application, then.

Ya, I definitely still think there is hope! Honestly, I have found the board selection to be unpredictable but it sounds like you have a lot of great things to include. You’ve done your research, you have options, just keep at it!