22MAY2023 SNA/SNFO Board

[Storm27324]

From the Share drive, this is a "snippet" for OCM boards made available to us (AD).

Directly from GENOFF Director, the OCM has (especially in recent years) focused on "whole package" ESPECIALLY, with low quotas. My Skipper sat these boards (skipper for one of the 2 strike pipeline training bases FYI, your guess), prior to taking command. He said The following;

9s (assuming good overall package and quotas) are in the right (yes) pile, Likely immediately. A 9 will NOT overshadow a bad GPA/bad package.
7/8 is where the "battle" or "crunch" takes place.
6s are RARE, usually looked at if quotas are available and 7-9 have already been crunched. 5 and below, good luck ??

If you are an applicant with 7 or better in PFAR/FOFAR (designator depending) and you only have that one shot left, I implore you; unless you can say with out a doubt you'll score better, Don't shoot yourself in the foot. All you need is to bomb that test and bye bye dreams.

Focus on the WHOLE package. My final package was 0.1mb away from being too large (compressed) to send off. I have applied 5 times, this board being number 5. Focus on what you can do to make your package better than the next guys, other than ASTB. I may not get in this time or the next, hell the navy may tell me to stop applying who knows. If you want it keep going.

Good luck ?? catch up when the AT BOARD list pops.

 

[gtownjake]

From the Share drive, this is a "snippet" for OCM boards made available to us (AD).

This is what we all needed. Thank you!

 

[exNavyOffRec]

From the Share drive, this is a "snippet" for OCM boards made available to us (AD).

Directly from GENOFF Director, the OCM has (especially in recent years) focused on "whole package" ESPECIALLY, with low quotas. My Skipper sat these boards (skipper for one of the 2 strike pipeline training bases FYI, your guess), prior to taking command. He said The following;

9s (assuming good overall package and quotas) are in the right (yes) pile, Likely immediately. A 9 will NOT overshadow a bad GPA/bad package.
7/8 is where the "battle" or "crunch" takes place.
6s are RARE, usually looked at if quotas are available and 7-9 have already been crunched. 5 and below, good luck ??

If you are an applicant with 7 or better in PFAR/FOFAR (designator depending) and you only have that one shot left, I implore you; unless you can say with out a doubt you'll score better, Don't shoot yourself in the foot. All you need is to bomb that test and bye bye dreams.

Focus on the WHOLE package. My final package was 0.1mb away from being too large (compressed) to send off. I have applied 5 times, this board being number 5. Focus on what you can do to make your package better than the next guys, other than ASTB. I may not get in this time or the next, hell the navy may tell me to stop applying who knows. If you want it keep going.

Good luck ?? catch up when the AT BOARD list pops. View attachment 38019View attachment 38020

This is almost word for word what has been put out for 20 years now, however the actual data from the board results doesn't line up with what is put out, the number of people that are picked up with minimal statements is staggering.

There is what has to be said publicly and what is actually done and those 2 things are not equal, not by a long shot.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Word of mouth, a person reviewing applications at the board told my recruiter. Idk about designators.

The board doesn't review applications prior to convening, at this point they would still be in the review process at NRC. It is possible for NRC to make adjustments based on what they see for needs, for instance if there are no BDCP spots they could turn those away.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

You just happened to show up at a strange time, COVID really messed a lot of things up, and a lot of us are right now feeling those effects. I guarantee you that with great power competition on the horizon and normal attrition rates, we'll get to a new normal that doesn't feel quite so punishing. Some of the things the Navy is doing right now might just be part of the correction process, but they won't last forever, though hopefully they don't also burn otherwise good candidates.

The actual affect of COVID on OCS was not that bad, it was the huge reduction of SNA/SNFO spots while the one board was in process which resulted in a huge over-selection. If COVID was truly a more than minor factor all the designators would be affected, not just SNA and to a lesser extent SNFO.

 

[Storm27324]

This is almost word for word what has been put out for 20 years now, however the actual data from the board results doesn't line up with what is put out, the number of people that are picked up with minimal statements is staggering.

There is what has to be said publicly and what is actually done and those 2 things are not equal, not by a long shot.

I'm just passing along what has been passed down "black and white" (aside the ASTB scores which that horse has been over beaten on this form I might add)

I can't pretend to know what happens at the board behind closed doors, I can only relay what is "supposed" to be happening. Getting wrapped up in the "unspoken" and "what really happens" causing new guys that stress isn't fair man.

I'm sure you're right where some boards, statements and LORs mean absolutely nothing, where as others they carry some weight. But if you focus on providing the board the best of EVERYTHING, and not just amazing GPA/ASTB, you won't have to worry about anything except quotas. That's the whole point.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I'm just passing along what has been passed down "black and white" (aside the ASTB scores which that horse has been over beaten on this form I might add)

I can't pretend to know what happens at the board behind closed doors, I can only relay what is "supposed" to be happening. Getting wrapped up in the "unspoken" and "what really happens" causing new guys that stress isn't fair man.

I'm sure you're right where some boards, statements and LORs mean absolutely nothing, where as others they carry some weight. But if you focus on providing the board the best of EVERYTHING, and not just amazing GPA/ASTB, you won't have to worry about anything except quotas. That's the whole point.

If a person wants to supply everything there is nothing wrong with that, especially if they apply for SWO and SNA or SNFO.

The board that will look at everything is Supply, IWC, and CEC.

Prior to this over-selection (past 18 months) there were quite a few picked up that had 9's who did have not great GPA (this is subjective based on the person), or had legal issues such as DUI's, possession convictions, and yes even a person who admitted to various drug use (not MJ). In the current environment those would not happen, and no one should be surprised at that lol.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Directly from GENOFF Director, the OCM has (especially in recent years) focused on "whole package" ESPECIALLY, with low quotas. My Skipper sat these boards (skipper for one of the 2 strike pipeline training bases FYI, your guess), prior to taking command. He said The following;

9s (assuming good overall package and quotas) are in the right (yes) pile, Likely immediately. A 9 will NOT overshadow a bad GPA/bad package.
7/8 is where the "battle" or "crunch" takes place.
6s are RARE, usually looked at if quotas are available and 7-9 have already been crunched. 5 and below, good luck ??

Both of these paragraphs are counter intuitive.

For aviation, the “cheat code” is to score well on the ASTB. The higher the sub stores, the better.

This isn’t a CPO board where they legit look at everything and you submit a million enclosures / letters to the board to try and make Chief.

 

[Storm27324]

Both of these paragraphs are counter intuitive.

For aviation, the “cheat code” is to score well on the ASTB. The higher the sub stores, the better.

This isn’t a CPO board where they legit look at everything and you submit a million enclosures / letters to the board to try and make Chief.

Not necessarily, you come down to two 7s and trying to find the difference between the two, (identical GPA) etc... ASTB is still a requirement. You still want to remain competitive and it's good to know where or how much your package will have to compete based on your score.

Fleet Applicant Checklist (regardless of program) has you submit literally everything.
Mr. Celestine won't except the package any other way. 18 enclosures this last package (including medical) ??No letters to the board on this one though. Lol

As for not submitting everything, if Civilians want to skip out on package requirements because they "aren't looked at" be my guest. Guess it's up to the recruiter at that point, seems they do what they want anyhow.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Not necessarily, you come down to two 7s and trying to find the difference between the two, (identical GPA) etc... ASTB is still a requirement. You still want to remain competitive and it's good to know where or how much your package will have to compete based on your score.

Fleet Applicant Checklist (regardless of program) has you submit literally everything.
Mr. Celestine won't except the package any other way. 18 enclosures this last package (including medical) ??No letters to the board on this one though. Lol

As for not submitting everything, if Civilians want to skip out on package requirements because they "aren't looked at" be my guest. Guess it's up to the recruiter at that point, seems they do what they want anyhow.

If you score high enough on the ASTB you don’t have to worry about “competing” with GPAs.

You missed the mark with my “submitting a package” statement. I never said don’t submit an incomplete package, simply follow the checklist and submit what is required. Fleet applicants in the past would submit miscellaneous items that were not on the checklist and added no value to the board - things like FLOCs, awards, qual sheets, etc.. It was a waste of time.

On the civilian side, similarly if they score a competitive ASTB, they don’t need to provide as detailed of an application as other OCS programs.

 

[johnpauljones1776]

Been looking through this thread for a while and am seeing a lot of talk about test scores. Forgive me if this has already been said, but does anyone know how much value the board places in other parts of the application vs scores? i.e. if someone has a couple years of relevant work experience and average scores, compared to someone with 9’s but is fresh out of school?

Scores carry the most weight, period

 

[Storm27324]

If you score high enough on the ASTB you don’t have to worry about “competing” with GPAs.

You missed the mark with my “submitting a package” statement. I never said don’t submit an incomplete package, simply follow the checklist and submit what is required. Fleet applicants in the past would submit miscellaneous items that were not on the checklist and added no value to the board - things like FLOCs, awards, qual sheets, etc.. It was a waste of time.

On the civilian side, similarly if they score a competitive ASTB, they don’t need to provide as detailed of an application as other OCS programs.

I agree, knock the ASTB out the park. Boom. Assuming no other issues with package. Not everyone on this form can rock trip 9s. Where a 7/8 is still competative, people on this form have convinced them otherwise and they end up dumping their 7/8 for a 5/6 trying to get better scores.

Submit what's asked, make it the best you can. All I was saying.

 

[Connordl1120]

Scores carry the most weight, period

That’s just something that I don’t get because yes you want someone that understands the information and score high but what about the appraisals where an Officer of that designation is literally putting his/her name on something about you. I feel that should hold some weight.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

That’s just something that I don’t get because yes you want someone that understands the information and score high but what about the appraisals where an Officer of that designation is literally putting his/her name on something about you. I feel that should hold some weight.

When you talk about aviation the pipeline is several years long, they need to pick those with the best chance of making it, the ASTB has shown to be the best indicator.

The problem with appraisals or LOR's is that often people seek out those that do not know them and a person can blow smoke for 30 minutes to get a good scores, BTW that was from some board members I knew. That is why it is important for them to know how long they have known you if you are going for non-aviation.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Not necessarily, you come down to two 7s and trying to find the difference between the two, (identical GPA) etc... ASTB is still a requirement. You still want to remain competitive and it's good to know where or how much your package will have to compete based on your score.

Fleet Applicant Checklist (regardless of program) has you submit literally everything.
Mr. Celestine won't except the package any other way. 18 enclosures this last package (including medical) ??No letters to the board on this one though. Lol

As for not submitting everything, if Civilians want to skip out on package requirements because they "aren't looked at" be my guest. Guess it's up to the recruiter at that point, seems they do what they want anyhow.

Yep if a person is AD you have to go by the checklist provided, you are right on on that.