Applying to Jan board 2013

[44magnum]

First post but a long-time lurker. Very happy to say that I was Pro Rec'd SNA/NFO/SWO. My NRD is based out of Connecticut. Here my stats for those who are curious:

Male/24/Non-prior
7/7/7/63
B.A. Political Science and Economics, Minor in History
GPA: 3.84
University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Did you just find out tonight? I'm in CT too and haven't heard yet. Seems to be an issue in this NRD or something. What's your recruiter's rate?

 

[44magnum]

Sometimes the glitch is that a person didn't make it to board, I hated that conversation.

So in this case, how do I address this? Can I submit a letter of reconsideration on an app that didn't make it?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

So in this case, how do I address this? Can I submit a letter of reconsideration on an app that didn't make it?

If it didn't make it you won't need a letter of reconsideration because you were never considered.

 

[44magnum]

If it didn't make it you won't need a letter of reconsideration because you were never considered.

So it'll just be a "sorry shipmate" try again next board? Nothing I can do? Nobody is held accountable?

 

[JH88]

I'm in the same boat 44mag, still haven't heard. Going to be a real disappointment if it didn't make it to this board

 

[Mew]

Do we have a final list of who made it and who gets to try again in March?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

So it'll just be a "sorry shipmate" try again next board? Nothing I can do? Nobody is held accountable?

essentially yes, there are many possibilities if your application didn't go to board, and if you push the issue they will/can look at your application and say "it would have gone anyway because of XXXXX", the GS processor can ALWAYS find something to send an application back if they want to, the easy one is "the transcripts didn't scan clear".

 

[Chemystery]

Got a platform preference? I hope to maybe need an EWO or WSO one day!

Yup...I am going to park myself in the back of an E/A-18G Growler...I guess it would be rather comic...two former Ph.D. dropouts flying around...being all bad ass!


I mean...someone needs to keep your head on the ground, baby!

Congrats, dude! You earned that stuff! Job well done!

I think this describes our relationship perfectly!

 

[LFCFan]

Yup...I am going to park myself in the back of an E/A-18G Growler...I guess it would be rather comic...two former Ph.D. dropouts flying around...being all bad ass!

I hope you are a fan of the Pacific northwest then!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAS_Whidbey_Island

In a perfect world I'd get F-18s out of Oceana. I know a ton of people in Hampton Roads and my family all live in DC, and having that as my home base (or whatever they call it when you get east coast hornets) would be nice for support my as of right now nonexistent family when I'm deployed. Grizzlies would be sweet as well. Really, getting on a carrier is the goal.

 

[Chemystery]

Really, getting on a carrier is the goal.

Yup yup!

I am down with either F/A-18 or E/A-18's really. However, any carrier assignment would be sugar tits!

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

In a perfect world I'd get F-18s out of Oceana. I know a ton of people in Hampton Roads and my family all live in DC, and having that as my home base (or whatever they call it when you get east coast hornets) would be nice for support my as of right now nonexistent family when I'm deployed. Grizzlies would be sweet as well. Really, getting on a carrier is the goal.

Agreed, I'd really rather get Oceana than Lemoore (or Whidbey for EA-18G's), all my family's up in New York, and Virginia's just an 8 hour drive as opposed to the 2+ days from California. Sure I could fly home when I wanted to see the fam, but still.

For anyone looking for some gouge about the different platforms, this was posted on the thread for the 02 December 2012 OCS class:

This is some gouge I got from a friend, NFO went through the academy.

Carrier Aviation: IS FUCKING AWESOME. We are the rockstars of the fleet/ship. We are what the whole strategy is based on. We're our own little club, and we always will have that together. In carrier aviation you have 4 types of aircraft.

Fighters: F/A-18C Hornet, F/A-18E Super Hornet, F/A-18F Super Hornet and lord knows if the F-35 will be working by the time you get there.
Locations: Lemoore, CA (middle of the central valley bleh); Oceana NAS (Virginia Beach), Japan
Synopsis: Flying fighters is exciting for sure, but it comes at a price. Its a lot of hard work. So much so that most people stop doing it after their first couple tours because it just burns them out. They have to fly and fight. Its awesome though if you want to make it a career because so many people drop out that the retention bonus is sooo high and the possibility for promotion is just as high. I did want to fly jets, but now seeing their lifestyle, I prefer what I do.

Jammers: EA-6B Prowler, EA-18G Growler
Locations: Whidbey Island, Washington (just across the sound from Seattle), Japan
Synopsis: If you don't wanna mix it up like the fighter guys, but still wanna fly something cool, go this way. These guys do a lot of flying and are high demand, but in a shooting war, they'll be hanging back. The Prowler is kinda old and getting transitioned out though, so that means you may be lucky enough to fly the new hotness Growler. The down side is that you live in Whidbey and since the crews are being downsized from 4 to 2, it'll be a lot tougher to get promoted in the community.

Airborne Early Warning: E-2C Hawkeye
Locations: Norfolk, VA; Pt Mugu NAS, CA; Japan
Synopsis: I have loved my time in the Hawkeye. Its probably one of the best communities if not the best out there. We know we're not glamorous, but we love it and embrace it. We have a huge crew (relatively) and you can actually stand up in the airplane. So on those long flights, you aren't just sitting there thinking to yourself. The community is getting a new airplane soon, but we are still gonna be a bitch to fly. Unlike the hornets which can land autonomously on the carrier, you're flying this guy down everytime, oh and did I mention we are the biggest thing on the flight deck? Yeah, it takes a lot of training and skill. As a pilot in the community though, that's all you do is fly. You aren't very responsible for the tactical stuff. Some people get by without any knowledge of it, but there are those who get involved. Combined with the laid back attitude of the community and the better locations, its a solid choice.

Carrier Onboard Delivery: C-2 Greyhound
Locations: North Island NAS, CA; Norfolk, VA
Synopsis: The envy of the fleet. If you want to fly carrier aviation, but boat life is not for you, this is it. You spend your time training with the Hawkeye people since its essentially the same aircraft. The big difference is you spend 5 out of your 6 months on dry land, living it up in 5 star hotels and villas making mad cash. All you are is a cargo pilot though, but it leads to international flight ratings and is a great stepping stone for commercial aviation. Most of these guys end up flying small passenger planes for the navy out of cool destinations all over Europe and Asia.

Shore based aviation: Being out on a boat makes you crazy. It does however lead to better comradery, stories, and crazier port calls. When you're just sitting at a base in the middle east flying 10 hour missions every other day, well, it really does become "another day at the office."

Patrol aircraft: P-3C Orion, P-8 Poseidon
Location: Whidbey Island, WA
Synopsis: The SWO's of naval aviaiton. Huge crews, large squadrons, and land basing make these guys just as boring as the surface warfare life. Stay away unless you want to go commercial aviation later, then there's no better community.

Electronic Surveillance: EP-3 Aries
Location: Whidbey Island, WA
Synopsis: You wanna do something crazy cool (so cool I can't talk about it) this is it.

Strategic: E-6
Location: Tinker AFB, OK
Synopsis: Its basically a joint job that very few naval aviators get to do, but you go fly boeing 707's and rack up lots of flight hours traveling all over the world to different countries. If you don't really want to deploy, this is it. Granted you will be gone on a fairly regular basis but only for weeks at a time.

Helicopters: Totally different mindset. These guys get all the attitudes from the fighter mentality to the laid back whatever. I had a blast with my helicopter squadron, and as much as these guys do detachments, you end up in little units that end up on small ships. Maybe only 10 aircrew tops per detachment. It leads to lots of flight time, but maybe a little sea sickness.

Anti-sub/maritime security: SH-60B/F/R/S Seahawks
Locations: North Island; Norfolk; Jacksonville; Guam; Japan and many others
Synopsis: These guys do everything. They're the work horses. They fly cargo. They shoot pirates. They move people. They are flying before the first aircraft takes off a carrier until the last one is on deck. Life on a small boy (destroyer, cruiser) can have its perks (better food, you make your own rules with such a small detachment) but it has its downs (its a small ass boat, you may hate your detachment, etc.) Either way, the squadron lifestyle is like the P-3 community. Very large squadrons. Lots of pilots. Very competitive to stay in. But man, is flying a helicopter fun!

Heavy lift: MH-53E Super Stallion
Location: Norfolk
Synopsis: These helicopters are freaking huge! You want to fly a beast, man, there's nothing like this. Its a dying community though. There are only two squadrons in the fleet and they are combining them. Its gonna be massive, and the fact that the community is so small/specialized, you'll be deploying a lot and promotions will be very competitive.

 

[LFCFan]

Do we have a final list of who made it and who gets to try again in March?

I'm working on the list for the SNAs and SNFOs, and right now only one person in this thread has been informed that they weren't selected for anything. There are still a few people who haven't heard, or haven't posted their results. The only thing I can glean from the data so far is that getting a 7 on the PFAR was necessary for a pilot slot.

If anyone hasn't posted their scores and feels comfortable doing that, it would be helpful to the next crowd of people. This board supposedly gave out a lot of Pro-Recs, so we might be able to say that our performance sets a minimum. (Speaking of which, I just noticed that my ASTB scores for SNA were the lowest accepted on the forum!) If you weren't pro-rec'd for something, please say it so that I can give the most accurate data to the next group. I may remove names from the final chart I post here, so if you'd rather PM me that's cool.

 

[JoJoGoHard]

CONGRATULATIONS to all the newly Professionally Recommended SWO's/NFO's/Pilot's... By the looks of things, this was an excellent opportunity to get selected for these communitees... I've been tracking you guys and gals, and there have been some down right hiliarous comments which have kept me chuckling, but each and everyone who made it means you deserved it. For those who did not, make the necessary corrections to you OCS package and re-submit... Don't give up and throw in the towel... Let's just hope the IDC board and Supply board convening this upcoming February and March can uphold the standard and have both quality and quanties in numbers... Again, Bravo Zula to all Pro-Rec's !!!

 

[TolgaK]

Don't give up and throw in the towel...

I AGREE!

For three years I've been trying to get recruiters to even put up with my situation. You will get in one way or another if you work your ass off. Even after the Pro-Rec, I have to deal with a bunch of government agencies to get my citizenship issue worked out. Hard, well-focused work will get you where you need to be. Just keep pushing.

 

[John wright]

I AGREE!

For three years I've been trying to get recruiters to even put up with my situation. You will get in one way or another if you work your ass off. Even after the Pro-Rec, I have to deal with a bunch of government agencies to get my citizenship issue worked out. Hard, well-focused work will get you where you need to be. Just keep pushing.