Applying to the March 2013 Board

[USAF_WX2USN]

That is a very good question, I will use this example, some here were selected for SNA/SNFO/SWO, now they currently have a place holder for all three 1/1/1, once they say are given the FS for SNA it will be 1/0/0 so there will be a SNFO and SWO spot open.

Great gouge as usual! Any updates to the IDC/SWO-options board in Feb? I believe last time you posted about it there were still a few slots open for FY13 and they were going to pick half of the FY14 as well?

 

[VFRonly]

That is a very good question, I will use this example, some here were selected for SNA/SNFO/SWO, now they currently have a place holder for all three 1/1/1, once they say are given the FS for SNA it will be 1/0/0 so there will be a SNFO and SWO spot open.

Alright great! thanks for the info. I was always curious about how that worked and I have never seen a post on the forum that directly relates to this the gouge you just gave us.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Great gouge as usual! Any updates to the IDC/SWO-options board in Feb? I believe last time you posted about it there were still a few slots open for FY13 and they were going to pick half of the FY14 as well?

none that I have seen if I get any info I will post it.

 

[zianac]

I didn't see any with 6's on the PFAR get selected for SNA, though some 6's on the FOFAR did get selected for NFO

I was selected for NFO with a FOFAR of 5... so anything is possible!

 

[BleedGreen]

I spoke to my OR earlier today about the upcoming board and he mentioned the need for pilots has increased immensely, somewhere around triple of what they originally anticipated. This all was from a meeting he had on Friday apparently.
Would a sudden increase in the need, or the funding for the matter, happen after a fiscal year started?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I spoke to my OR earlier today about the upcoming board and he mentioned the need for pilots has increased immensely, somewhere around triple of what they originally anticipated. This all was from a meeting he had on Friday apparently.
Would a sudden increase in the need, or the funding for the matter, happen after a fiscal year started?

I am guessing (since I have seen this before) is that they are just being told the overall number, for instance since the new FY just started and if you hear that FY13 has a goal of say 300 SNA and this is the first board since FY13 started you would think there are lots of spots left, but in reality they have been putting people in FY13 for the past several boards, so what seems to be many spots actually is not.

I cannot tell you how many recruiters this has and will continue to screw up, especially since the sheet I am looking at that has the complete picture does jive with what he said.

 

[VFRonly]

I spoke to my OR earlier today about the upcoming board and he mentioned the need for pilots has increased immensely, somewhere around triple of what they originally anticipated. This all was from a meeting he had on Friday apparently.
Would a sudden increase in the need, or the funding for the matter, happen after a fiscal year started?

Well whether what your OR told you is totally true or not, that is still motivating and good news to hear! Even thought I can't apply for SNA, I can only hope that the increased need for pilots will increase the spots for SNFOs as well!

 

[LFCFan]

Well whether what your OR told you is totally true or not, that is still motivating and good news to hear! Even thought I can't apply for SNA, I can only hope that the increased need for pilots will increase the spots for SNFOs as well!

I heard "more than usual" from my OR on the board I was just Pro-Rec'd on. My dad guessed that since the FAA dramatically increased the minimum number of hours needed to fly for the airlines right as they started hiring again that a lot of people are probably using this opportunity to get out. The increase in hours needed has really slammed the door on aspiring civilian airline pilots, and the military guys are jumping on it. Not sure if that will affect the SNFO slots or not. However, if they do take more pilots that might mean that folks who would not have been pro-rec'd pilot will be, and thus indirectly free up a few SNFO slots for those who can only or only want SNFO.

 

[VFRonly]

I heard "more than usual" from my OR on the board I was just Pro-Rec'd on. My dad guessed that since the FAA dramatically increased the minimum number of hours needed to fly for the airlines right as they started hiring again that a lot of people are probably using this opportunity to get out. The increase in hours needed has really slammed the door on aspiring civilian airline pilots, and the military guys are jumping on it. Not sure if that will affect the SNFO slots or not. However, if they do take more pilots that might mean that folks who would not have been pro-rec'd pilot will be, and thus indirectly free up a few SNFO slots for those who can only or only want SNFO.

That makes since, but then again I guess we can take that with a grain of salt as well. Either way it will be interesting to see what the results are like in March since it could be close to what happened during the board you got Pro-Rec'd on or different. I am expecting most who got selected for SNA and NFO on your board to take SNA but I guess you never know, because it would depend on whether SNA was there first choice or not. I was going to try to go the civilian route to become an airline pilot before I got married, but now it looks like that road got harder. Thanks for the insight.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I heard "more than usual" from my OR on the board I was just Pro-Rec'd on. My dad guessed that since the FAA dramatically increased the minimum number of hours needed to fly for the airlines right as they started hiring again that a lot of people are probably using this opportunity to get out. The increase in hours needed has really slammed the door on aspiring civilian airline pilots, and the military guys are jumping on it. Not sure if that will affect the SNFO slots or not. However, if they do take more pilots that might mean that folks who would not have been pro-rec'd pilot will be, and thus indirectly free up a few SNFO slots for those who can only or only want SNFO.

If we were talking enlisted that could have an effect, but on the officer side things work a bit different, and many officers take bonuses that obligate them up to certain milestones unless certain things happen, the USN plans for people to leave and often times some are asked to leave that wanted to stay, so if a few more decide to leave when they can there are probably ones that will gladly stay in their place.

 

[BleedGreen]

I am guessing (since I have seen this before) is that they are just being told the overall number, for instance since the new FY just started and if you hear that FY13 has a goal of say 300 SNA and this is the first board since FY13 started you would think there are lots of spots left, but in reality they have been putting people in FY13 for the past several boards, so what seems to be many spots actually is not.

I cannot tell you how many recruiters this has and will continue to screw up, especially since the sheet I am looking at that has the complete picture does jive with what he said.

Yeah I had a feeling it was something like this, either way I hope FY14 is just as promising.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Yeah I had a feeling it was something like this, either way I hope FY14 is just as promising.

Over the past several years the numbers for SNA have held fairly steady, as has the selection criteria, in general PFAR 7 or better with a GPA over 3 and you should be good.

 

[roflsaurus]

Cool man! It is a small Navy lol. Yeah I know where that shop is. Yep it is the 172 at the flying club I took it up for a flight near Mt. Baker that day with my wife who had never been up in a small plane before that. It's a really nice airplane for $90 an hour, because most 172s are $110 an hour at least. Hopefully your recruiter will give you a clear answer tomorrow and he will tell you that you need to do a physical before submitting.

Yeah, that flying club is a really good deal. Sometimes, I find myself missing the mountains and all the beautiful scenery up there... But then I remember that its December and I'm about to walk down to the beach in my bored shorts and order a mai tai.

Who is your recruiter? There are a few up in the NW that have a so so reputation.

I'm off AD now and in Daytona for school, so I'm being recruited out of Jax. He seems like a really good guy, but thanks for the heads up. I'm sure there's some bad ones out there. Apparently, he was going to use my meps physical from coming into the reserves, but I didn't get a physical coming into the reserves because it had been <90 days since my last PHA on AD. So, I'm going to wind up going to meps anyway. Unfortunately, Tampa and Jax meps are closed for the holidays so it won't be until 7 or 8 of Jan. Cutting it kind of close, I know, but everything else in my package is complete so hopefully it won't wind up being an issue.

 

[VFRonly]

Yeah, that flying club is a really good deal. Sometimes, I find myself missing the mountains and all the beautiful scenery up there... But then I remember that its December and I'm about to walk down to the beach in my bored shorts and order a mai tai.

Yea this place has kind of grown on me, but I will be happy to go to Pensacola again for API and SNFO school if I get the chance. I'm jealous about having a mai tai in the beach anytime you want thought.

So, I'm going to wind up going to meps anyway.

So you will have to go to MEPS, but at least it won't be for some time and you get to enjoy the holidays before you go duck walking and participate in the rest of the exciting activities you will get to partake in there. I think you will be fine time wise. I myself aren't taking the ASTB until the 15th of January but I am just looking at it as a lot of extra time to study for it so that I can boost my score. My OR thought it wasn't a problem that I wasn't taking the test until then by the way, she just wanted to make sure I was ready for it.

 

[BleedGreen]

Cutting it kind of close, I know, but everything else in my package is complete so hopefully it won't wind up being an issue.

I am in the same boat as you, got everything in this week except the physical...