DCO Intel Community Gouge (Bonus: "The Long Blue Wait" in FY09)

[mgreen121774]

And to you Bucki. I'll let you guys know as soon as I hear one way or the other. I am really keeping my fingers crossed (who knows where that cliche came from) for both of us. There was supposed to have been over 100 applicants, so lets hope our collective talents will get our feet through the door.

Thus, the wait for word from my recruiter carries on....the minutes seem like hours, let me tell you. Have a great afternoon all.

Trey

 

[mgreen121774]

OK guys, got some new, semi-useful gouge....

I heard back from my recruiter this morning, about an hour or so ago. She said that she is in Pensacola right now for a training class/exercise and but that she will continue to check the selection board results intermittently. I say intermittently because she informed me that there is a problem with the system that normally allows access to this information, and she is thus unable to access it at this time. Hopefully this is just a local thing, but it may be a more global issue. We (I) may have to wait until later today, tomorrow, or Friday before we know anything.

That's not the greatest gouge, but at least it is some gouge.

Trey

 

[bucki4lyfe]

Whats up guys,

I wanted to see if we could get a thread together to find out who got in, who's out, and maybe see what our results were to compare to see what was good or not.

For me, I got some bad news, coupled with some good news. I was not a select from the board, I was part of the "tabled" group. Apparently this is a group they have never had before. The new categories for groupings are as follows (per my recruiters info):

Select, Alternate, Tabled, Non-Select

Select/Non-Select are self-explanatory. Alternate seems to be the ones in line to follow any medical disqualifications of any "selects".

Tabled: Apparently, this group is going to be looked at (again) at a future ADDITIONAL board date to take place BEFORE the normal 6 month board meeting. Therefore, any applicant in this group will NOT have to resubmit information (application documents are normally good for 6 months, so every time a board meets, an application usually has to redo a package). This board date is currently TBD and my recruiter said she will let me know when that board takes place. In the meantime, I am free to update my resume, add letters of recommendation, etc. I know this sounds confusing but my recruiter is as confused as I am because she said this is a brand new category.

I'll be willing to put my credentials up here if other people would like to do so as well.

 

[mgreen121774]

Hey Bucki-,

Sorry to hear about not being selected. At least, though, you are being tabled, which means you are still in the running, and you have that much more time to further prepare and get in shape, etc. I hope that you eventually get what you are after. Judging by your profile, you also seem like an ideal candidate and I am sure that you will make it.

I finally heard from my recruiter today. I have been PRO RECed, and am in the process of final selection. Basically I am in, so I just have to pass the other hurdles - the paperwork, another PRT , and probably the background check before everything is complete. I have to also choose my billet, for which I already know my 3 choices, so I just need to know what the intelligence guys have in mind for my official position/job there before I make that decision.

I am very humbled to have been chosen, and at the same time, greatly honored. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers, everyone, as I continue through this process. I look forward to possibly serving with you, Bucki-, and with others who are seeking their commissions, or who are already there. Have a great week, and keep your head up Bucki!

Trey

 

[FlyinSpy]

Tabled: Apparently, this group is going to be looked at (again) at a future ADDITIONAL board date to take place BEFORE the normal 6 month board meeting. Therefore, any applicant in this group will NOT have to resubmit information (application documents are normally good for 6 months, so every time a board meets, an application usually has to redo a package). This board date is currently TBD and my recruiter said she will let me know when that board takes place. In the meantime, I am free to update my resume, add letters of recommendation, etc. I know this sounds confusing but my recruiter is as confused as I am because she said this is a brand new category.

I had a conversation about this exact topic with the RIA-19 OIC this past weekend. The DC area has probably the most ruthless competition for DIRCOM slots - everybody is grossly overqualified, so they are able to cherry-pick the uber-achievers. There are still a lot of qualified people, though, which caused them to create the new category.

Interestingly, and probably to the benefit of everyone in a position like yourself, is the fact that the Navy Reserve is essentially getting *no* new affiliations from guys leaving active duty. I don't know why this would surprise anyone, since the thought of leaving a high-OPTEMPO fleet job for a virtually guaranteed (eventually) 1 year involuntary mob isn't exactly a great deal. And with the push for an "operationalization of the Reserve force", with a projected OPTEMPO of 1:4, you'd have to have an almost infinitely flexible employment and home situation to tolerate something like that. So there will be a growing gap in the JO community that will translate it's way upward over the next several years. If I stay in long enough, competition for O-5 and O-6 might be significantly reduced....

The value proposition of the Navy Reserve certainly has changed since I joined in 99 - back then, the Navy Reserve was (to quote the Simpsons), "America's 17th line of defense, between the League of Women Voters and the Mississippi National Guard." I no kiddingly told my wife at the time: "Mobilize? Yeah, when the Russians are crossing the Mississippi". Whoops. Having been mobilized twice already, been to ONW twice on ADSW, and one UDP pump to Iwakuni, I'm about operationalized out.... I enjoy my "hobby job" a lot, but you have to go into this with your eyes open. Retention statistics in the Navy Reserve over the next few years will be fascinating to watch.

 

[bucki4lyfe]

Congrats to mgreen for getting in. Make sure you get through that physical and everything to make sure you're a go. I'd hate to hear your slot went to someone else (as my pilot slot did in Air Force ROTC in 05 because of a medical DQ).

Anywho...thanks to flyinspy for the insight on that. I've heard various rumors about that regarding the "overqualifcation" of people in the DC area. With so many units around here and so many people applying with great credentials I can only imagine who they picked...I'll keep in the process and am still eager to hear more details about this new board that is supposedly meeting at some point...I'll post when I hear more about it.

 

[dephyler]

Congrats mgreen on making it in. Bucki, you're the second guy I know that was tabled. One of those got in on the very next board. The other guy was tabled this board as well. Keep trying, and if you've got the stuff, you'll make it. Good luck.

The difference in the processes is fascinating. I have yet to take a PRT. I had a physical, but not a PRT. You'll definitely have a bg check done. You won't have comm docs until you have a clearance. I also think that it's interesting that you're picking a billet right away. My recruiter is working with the OIC of RIA-16 and I'm being assigned to Newport while in my training cycle for "admin purposes." Pretty much, as it was explained to me, the OIC is holding off on finding our home so that he can see where he wants to stick us based on how we do in the training. The next lesson I learned was, "be careful what you ask for, you might just get it."

 

[Flash]

Interestingly, and probably to the benefit of everyone in a position like yourself, is the fact that the Navy Reserve is essentially getting *no* new affiliations from guys leaving active duty. I don't know why this would surprise anyone, since the thought of leaving a high-OPTEMPO fleet job for a virtually guaranteed (eventually) 1 year involuntary mob isn't exactly a great deal.........Retention statistics in the Navy Reserve over the next few years will be fascinating to watch.

When the Navy makes it very difficult to transition from active duty to the reserves, it doesn't really help help their cause that much. I got into my unit in two months, and that's because I was unemployed and could waste my time doing reserve BS. There are guys in my unit that took 8-12 months to get into the reserves and fully affiliated. The reserves is none of the organization of the regular Navy with all of the disorganization.

To the OP, good luck on the next board.

 

[FlyinSpy]

I got into my unit in two months, and that's because I was unemployed and could waste my time doing reserve BS.

I should revise my previous statement to read "Only drunks, fools, and Flash are affiliating with the Reserves off active duty..."

 

[bucki4lyfe]

You'll definitely have a bg check done. You won't have comm docs until you have a clearance.

Fortunately for me, I had my current clearance passed to the board so I'm good to go for that. I'm hoping if I'm selected at the next board, the process will be very brief...just a physical and go. Like I said, time to sit and wait....again :sleep_125

 

[DangerousDan]

When the Navy makes it very difficult to transition from active duty to the reserves, it doesn't really help help their cause that much. I got into my unit in two months, and that's because I was unemployed and could waste my time doing reserve BS. There are guys in my unit that took 8-12 months to get into the reserves and fully affiliated. The reserves is none of the organization of the regular Navy with all of the disorganization.

To the OP, good luck on the next board.

Things in the Reserves are SLOOOOOWWW. It took me 3 months to affilate after I got off active duty and another two years to redesignate plus another year to get through the basic course (two years if you do the reserve program) . I'm ready to go something USEFUL!

I should revise my previous statement to read "Only drunks, fools, and Flash are affiliating with the Reserves off active duty..."

Hey Spy what if I want to get back on Active Duty in our community? Im young enough to do 20 in 24 and at the same level of training as any of the lateral transfers? I know Ill never get an AI slot but still it would be nice to have a regular job and paycheck.

 

[bucki4lyfe]

Congrats mgreen on making it in. Bucki, you're the second guy I know that was tabled. One of those got in on the very next board. The other guy was tabled this board as well. Keep trying, and if you've got the stuff, you'll make it. Good luck.

Dephyler,

You said I'm the second guy who know who was tabled for this board, and one of us got in on the next board? Did you mean you know someone who was tabled on a prior board? I'm trying to figure out what you mean here...:icon_tong

Thanks

 

[dephyler]

Two guys other than you. One of them made in on the board I did back in Dec. The other guy, just like you, was just tabled.

 

[bucki4lyfe]

Ok thanks. Makes sense.

Do you know how long the guy had to wait to get to the second board? I think the last official board was in September...so 3 months until December...That would push it to beginning of July for me...

 

[mgreen121774]

Thank you all for the congrats guys. I am very excited. My physical is done and I presume that my background check is also, or at least will be with no difficulty.

My recruiter wants to do another PRT, so I am supposed to schedule that with her today for sometime next week, or hopefully, later.

Hope all is going well with you guys.

Trey