Active Duty to OCS

[Coldnavy]

My OCS application begins its journey up the chain of command and hopefully to the result of a final select for Information Warfare in the pending weeks. I am going to keep a running event log to track the process so what I go through might be of some use to another prospective OCS candidate.

Here is a brief history of me. I am active duty E6 (CTO1) with just over nine years of experience. My eval’s are awesome, with recommendations for OCS several times throughout the past few years. I’m in the Cryptologic Community so from what I understand, it helps to apply for a commission in the field you’re already in (for active duty anyway). I’ve also taught part of the Basic IW Officer Course while onboard here at Corry Station. I’m Surface and Air Warfare Qualified, and I also have my Master Training Specialist (MTS). I earned both my AA and BS through Excelsior College and my OAR score is 44.

Advice so far:
To date, it has taken me almost two months to assemble my OCS package. The hardest part for me so thus far has been getting a hold of past Officers for letters of recommendation. So advice to future candidates, find a way to stay in contact with or know how to contact Officers you’ve worked for.

Get your package out there. By that I mean, let your chain of command see it. TRUST ME, they will find little mistakes you’ve missed, even though you gone over it and over it a million times.

For those with access to NKO, do the OCS GMT’s. Every little bit helps.

That’s pretty much it for now; I have my PDB board with the Chiefs this week, so well see what kind of write up I get from them. If anyone is going through the process, jump in, I would like know how others are going.

Best of luck
Scott

 

[Thisguy]

I’m in the Cryptologic Community so from what I understand, it helps to apply for a commission in the field you’re already in (for active duty anyway).

That's probably more true for the Staff Corps and Restricted Line Communities (which IW is). Best of luck!

 

[Coldnavy]

First Board Down

Ok, my first board is done. It was pretty simple (and short...about 30minutes). The hardest part I encountered was the question I knew was coming. “Why do you want to be an Officer and not a Chief?” Not a simple question when a hard core Senior Chief is staring you down ready to jump on your answer with a counter question. All in all, not bad a board. It was nice to actually give my answers to someone other then my wife.

Scott

 

[FMRAM]

Chief's board? Is that SOP, or did they just want to get thier tentacles in your business?

 

[Coldnavy]

It is SOP for Corry Station, then again, I'm not too sure about any where else.
It was good though, I highly recommend it for active duty seeking a commission if it’s not already mandatory. From my perception, they didn’t sugar coat anything and came out shooting.

My favorite question was: “Why should I, a Senior Chief with 18 years, want to be lead by you?”

In some perspectives, I think it’s harder for active duty to go through the process of applying for a commission over civilians, for the simple fact that we have some idea of what we are getting ourselves into.

I should have my next board in about a week or two. I do however have one question for anyone out there who might be able to help. Did you have to write (draft) your CO’s Letter of Recommendation?

Thanks
Scott

 

[Aircrew Instruc]

Oh yes that is kind of Par for the course. Good luck writing it.

 

[Coldnavy]

To be honest, I’m not dreading it. After reading this board countless times, I found that inserting the phrase “I want this person to serve in my ward room” or some variation of it, helps. When I get it done, I’ll post it to see what people think.

 

[Coldnavy]

Aircrew,

By the way, congrats on your selection!

 

[Aircrew Instruc]

Thanks Cold If you need some ideas or help call me I'm at NASP. Check Pm for #.

 

[Amanda]

I had to draft my CO recommendation as well.

I just want to comment on the whole chiefs board thing. I don't think it's the chiefs place to board you and make some "write up" as to whether or not you are officer material. That is for the officers that interview you to decide. And ultimately it is the CO's desicion to endorse you or not. Don't get me wrong, it makes for great practice. But I don't think the chiefs should put in their 2 cents. Let your evals, your track record, and your reputation speak for itself. The officers appraising you are very capable of making the correct desicion.

 

[Brett327]

I had to draft my CO recommendation as well.

I just want to comment on the whole chiefs board thing. I don't think it's the chiefs place to board you and make some "write up" as to whether or not you are officer material. That is for the officers that interview you to decide. And ultimately it is the CO's desicion to endorse you or not. Don't get me wrong, it makes for great practice. But I don't think the chiefs should put in their 2 cents. Let your evals, your track record, and your reputation speak for itself. The officers appraising you are very capable of making the correct desicion.

I disagree. I value the input that the goat locker might have on an individual, and we all know Evals aren't exactly the best way to see what a person's potential is. What is the harm in having the Chief's input?

Brett

 

[Amanda]

Nothing is wrong with the chiefs input. I value their input. But I maintain that it should be left to the officers doing the appraisals to decide if the individual is officer material. I guess I just don't see the point in the "write up". Is that intended to sway the appraisers or to give the individual some feedback?

 

[Brett327]

Nothing is wrong with the chiefs input. I value their input. But I maintain that it should be left to the officers doing the appraisals to decide if the individual is officer material. I guess I just don't see the point in the "write up". Is that intended to sway the appraisers or to give the individual some feedback?

The Chiefs' input serves both causes. Ultimately, the officers conducting the board are going to make up their minds and submit their own appraisal sheets based on all the available information. They're not looking at the candidates in the vacuum of the interview room, but trying to evaluate the whole individual as best they can. The luxury of having an input from the Chiefs, whether it's in written or oral form, gives them one more point of view to consider. I'm also a big fan, when time allows, to include as many levels of the COC in the process so that LPOs, Chiefs and the more junior JOs get the experience of watching the process unfold so that they can be smart about it the next time around when they might be in charge.

Brett

 

[FMRAM]

I had to draft my CO recommendation as well.

I just want to comment on the whole chiefs board thing. I don't think it's the chiefs place to board you and make some "write up" as to whether or not you are officer material. That is for the officers that interview you to decide. And ultimately it is the CO's desicion to endorse you or not. Don't get me wrong, it makes for great practice. But I don't think the chiefs should put in their 2 cents. Let your evals, your track record, and your reputation speak for itself. The officers appraising you are very capable of making the correct desicion.

My thoughts exactly...

 

[FMRAM]

The Chiefs' input serves both causes. Ultimately, the officers conducting the board are going to make up their minds and submit their own appraisal sheets based on all the available information. They're not looking at the candidates in the vacuum of the interview room, but trying to evaluate the whole individual as best they can. The luxury of having an input from the Chiefs, whether it's in written or oral form, gives them one more point of view to consider. I'm also a big fan, when time allows, to include as many levels of the COC in the process so that LPOs, Chiefs and the more junior JOs get the experience of watching the process unfold so that they can be smart about it the next time around when they might be in charge.

Brett

Good points, but from the two examples of questions in this board, it sounds like the Chiefs were just hating more than anything else.