Advice on Admission

[Ankea]

Good to know, thank you.

 

[Seafort]

Turns out my "minor traffic violation" actually is a criminal offense. It's reckless driving, I bumped a lady's car without apparent damage in a parking lot, and here I am community service hours and 300$ in fines later.

...I would have fought that, but it's way too late now. I had a similar incident, but I live in a no fault state, and the police ignored her. She sued me, I countersued, and while I had to put that in my paperwork for completeness sake, nothing every came of it. I've had a perfect driving record in two countries for years now. It's something you should make sure to frame early in your personal statement. Make sure it comes off as ridiculous to the board as it sounds to us, but move away from it pretty quickly. You need to dwell on what you offer to the Navy, not get wrapped up in explaining screwups (yours or others').

As for my degree, it's in media arts and animation. I've done volunteer work and am a member of an adult swim team (non school affiliated, art school dosen't do sports), but considering most of my volunteer projects have been politically affiliated (dealing with the GLBT community) putting them down as a strength makes me a bit nervous because I have heard that it still isn't necessary something that is considered acceptable to a large portion of the military.

Degree can matter, but your GPA and other facts probably matter more. My OR has told me he can't ever get someone with a degree in P.E. into the officer corps, however. In his opinion, he thinks the board considers it a mickey mouse degree, no matter where it comes from. As for your politics, again, it depends on how you frame it. I worked for the Democratic National Committee for two years, my supervisor provided one of my letters of recommendation. Compared to most of the military, I am about as left as you can get- which doesn't matter and shouldn't matter. What matters is that I was employed by a major political organisation in the United States and had an excellent series of work evaluations there. Plenty of naval officers on the liberal side. You just check your politics when you put on the uniform.

I wasn't really looking for a what are my chances board, more a would grad school help more or would studying my ass off for my tests and busting ass for the physical produce a more favorable outcome. It's about which will give me the best chance.

No idea. Grad school was what it took for me to up my package, and I had a higher GPA than you did. The PRT/Physical won't matter for professional recommendation unless, given your history, your OR/OPO/Processor/CNRC thinks you need to prove you're not in ill health. I'm in perfect health, so I don't really know what your process will be there. Back to the Whole Person Concept. There is no one thing that will give you a "best chance." You have to consistently improve in all areas, because you will never, EVER know where the board draws the line.

If I can get in without going to graduate school, that's the route I'd rather take. I know this is what I want to do for my career, and plan on doing my "art work" as part of retirement. My pixar dreams are long dead, and it's time to do something equally wonderful and twice as pragmatic. I should be able to get my GPA up to a 3.0 before graduation.

Okay, I'm going be a bit provocative here. Are you looking at this as your back-up? Because that's the wrong attitude. I won't say everyone should join out of love for country or altruistic devotion to service, but I once sat down with my OR and watched him answer phones where he had to nicely as possible tell people to stop wasting his time because he questioned their commitment to the process and understanding just how difficult it is to pursue in current circumstances.

Being a naval officer is my dream. I screwed up a previous commissioning chance, but like others, there is no way to know just how much it hurts me. I'm still competitive by the numbers, and my recruiters, my NRD, and my recommending officers continue to encourage me to keep applying. The jobs I have held between commissioning sources have been a sideshow. I left my teaching job (where I was making very good money) to work on my graduate degree because that is what my O-10 interviewer told me I should do. Now, my graduate degree (and some additional education stuff I am adding on), will help me earn double in my current career field, and my previous employer will take me back when I graduate, so I'm not making hasty decisions, but I certainly would have put it off (like you wish to do), if not for what my supporters feel are necessary to make a board sit up and notice.

Also, I appreciate everyone being so nice about just how they are telling me to shut up.... it doesn't seem like there is an answer.

We're not saying shut up. Or, well, I am not. What we're saying is, yeah, there is no answer. There is no magical equation. There is only APPLY, APPLY, APPLY. If it's what you really want. I get the sense you should take some time to explore whether that is actually the case. Be prepared, this is going to be a long, hard slog just to get in front of the board, and it will get harder after that.

 

[Ankea]

Okay, I'm going be a bit provocative here. Are you looking at this as your back-up? Because that's the wrong attitude. I won't say everyone should join out of love for country or altruistic devotion to service, but I once sat down with my OR and watched him answer phones where he had to nicely as possible tell people to stop wasting his time because he questioned their commitment to the process and understanding just how difficult it is to pursue in current circumstances.

This is not a "backup plan" for me. My original plan was to try to get into the Naval Academy and pursue this all along, but due to the fact that I was unable to join the military due to restrictions on sexual orientation, I thought it was either give up the idea of ever having a family or give up on the NAVY. It turns out the decision was made for me.
Things are changing now. It's a dream I THOUGHT was impossible, but it's not.
Flying for the NAVY has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember.


If going to grad school is necessary, than I am more than happy to do it. As I said, I've already been accepted into a program and could start a week after I graduate, finishing in 12 months with my Master's degree.

We're not saying shut up. Or, well, I am not. What we're saying is, yeah, there is no answer. There is no magical equation. There is only APPLY, APPLY, APPLY. If it's what you really want. I get the sense you should take some time to explore whether that is actually the case. Be prepared, this is going to be a long, hard slog just to get in front of the board, and it will get harder after that.

It's worth the trouble. Everything worth doing in life is a difficult process. I'm willing to do what is necessary, but only if it is necessary. I understand that it's not necessarily something that can be answered, and I truly appreciate your feedback. I myself was trying to decide whether to instantly start working on more school after I graduate, or take some time off and apply.

 

[JMonte85]

Good to know, thank you.

Furthermore for the hell of it I took a look at the medical guide.. And I still didn't see anything DQ about either of the two. Just do a ctrl F and open the find widget.. and type in both.. That's what I did and it seemed if you currently have no issues with them then they are not DQ.. I could be over looking it and the doc's corner is the place you would want to start with that..

http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/r40_501.pdf

 

[EM1]

http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/r40_501.pdf

Tumors and Malignancies.
a. Tumors. Current benign tumors (M8000) or conditions that interfere with function, prevent the proper wearing of the uniform or protective equipment, shall require frequent specialized attention, or have a high malignant potential, such as Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome, are disqualifying.
b. Malignant tumors. Current or history of malignant tumors (V10) is disqualifying. Skin cancer (other than malignant melanoma) removed with no residual, is not disqualifying

 

[GreenLantern330]

This is not a "backup plan" for me. My original plan was to try to get into the Naval Academy and pursue this all along, but due to the fact that I was unable to join the military due to restrictions on sexual orientation, I thought it was either give up the idea of ever having a family or give up on the NAVY. It turns out the decision was made for me.
Things are changing now. It's a dream I THOUGHT was impossible, but it's not.
Flying for the NAVY has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember.


If going to grad school is necessary, than I am more than happy to do it. As I said, I've already been accepted into a program and could start a week after I graduate, finishing in 12 months with my Master's degree.





It's worth the trouble. Everything worth doing in life is a difficult process. I'm willing to do what is necessary, but only if it is necessary. I understand that it's not necessarily something that can be answered, and I truly appreciate your feedback. I myself was trying to decide whether to instantly start working on more school after I graduate, or take some time off and apply.

Just thought I'd add that DADT is still in effect as of now. It won't probably be 100% gone until the end of this year. Also, I just thought I'd add that while I understand the previous decisions you have made for your life, there were plenty of homosexual officers and enlisted that decided it was more important to serve their country than to start a family. And whether you're gay or straight, having a family in the military is difficult, from what I've heard. Just my $0.02.

 

[Ankea]

I'm aware that DADT is still in effect, and to be honest was hesitant to try to get the ball rolling this early, but I figure getting my shit in line so that I can hit the ground running so to speak would be a good decision, especially because I know this could be a long process, and coming in unprepared would be a huge mistake. I could have enlisted before starting college, and genuinely considered it, but after talking to a close family friend who served as an officer for 24 years decided finishing school before joining would be the best route anyway. The gay servicemen and women who have sacrificed far more than I can imagine for their country are brave indeed.
Personally, I know that for myself at least, being cut off from the ability to ever not be alone without fear for my career and reputation is probably something that would be too difficult. The service members who were able to take that hard road are probably some of the strongest people I can think of.

 

[Seafort]

I was in NROTC with a man who was understood be to gay, but no one ever asked, he never told. He's an O-3 SWO now, and he's going places. I had a great deal of respect for him then, and I have a great deal of respect for him now.

 

[JMonte85]

I'm aware that DADT is still in effect, and to be honest was hesitant to try to get the ball rolling this early, but I figure getting my shit in line so that I can hit the ground running so to speak would be a good decision, especially because I know this could be a long process, and coming in unprepared would be a huge mistake. I could have enlisted before starting college, and genuinely considered it, but after talking to a close family friend who served as an officer for 24 years decided finishing school before joining would be the best route anyway. The gay servicemen and women who have sacrificed far more than I can imagine for their country are brave indeed.
Personally, I know that for myself at least, being cut off from the ability to ever not be alone without fear for my career and reputation is probably something that would be too difficult. The service members who were able to take that hard road are probably some of the strongest people I can think of.

I think you're making too big a deal of this issue.. You should worry about bigger issues like getting in the military first.

 

[GreenLantern330]

I think you're making too big a deal of this issue.. You should worry about bigger issues like getting in the military first.

This is exactly the point I was trying to make.

 

[Ankea]

Sounds like a plan.
After all, if I apply and get rejected, I can start on my master's and continue to apply, or even just start more school immediately during application.

 

[JMonte85]

Sounds like a plan.
After all, if I apply and get rejected, I can start on my master's and continue to apply, or even just start more school immediately during application.

I knew we'd get that light bulb to power on eventually