July IDC Board Purgatory

[exNavyOffRec]

Hi everyone,

My recruiter says that I was pro-rec'd for Intel, but that the board disqualified me because of missing paperwork (he's supposed to find out the exact reason, and calling me, Monday). Does this sound accurate? Or is my OR incompetent?

That doesn't sound right at all, the paperwork goes through multiple QA checks before it even gets to the board, there is also a checklist to go by, I would go with during the QA process they found a form not complete, or something not readable and then sent it back for corrections.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Your kit needs to be approved by the NRD and NRC processors, as well as the respective PM before it gets sent to the board. There has to be some misunderstanding or miscommunication going on. Go ahead and give your OR a call.

 

[Skikopey]

Question for any who are kind enough to help: I applied for Intel last Dec. 2013 (Feb. 2014) and was Pro Rec N. In order to reapply I had to improve my application and retook the OAR and improved my score from a 43 to a 52. However, my question is what are some other ways I can improve my chances in the short run (Master`s is an option I know, but more long term)? I also took the DLAB and scored a 117, my OR asked if I wanted to retake the DLAB as well, but is scoring a higher DLAB score really gonna make much of a difference for me to risk possibly getting a lower score?

Thanks.

 

[Fronch]

Question for any who are kind enough to help: I applied for Intel last Dec. 2013 (Feb. 2014) and was Pro Rec N. In order to reapply I had to improve my application and retook the OAR and improved my score from a 43 to a 52. However, my question is what are some other ways I can improve my chances in the short run (Master`s is an option I know, but more long term)? I also took the DLAB and scored a 117, my OR asked if I wanted to retake the DLAB as well, but is scoring a higher DLAB score really gonna make much of a difference for me to risk possibly getting a lower score?

The OAR score isn't necessarily a dealbreaker. Mine was very high, but I've seen folks get selected with scores in the 40's or 50's. The IDC boards are extremely competitive, especially for someone who isn't prior-service and who doesn't have any advanced degrees. I don't know what the DLAB is, that's not something I did.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Question for any who are kind enough to help: I applied for Intel last Dec. 2013 (Feb. 2014) and was Pro Rec N. In order to reapply I had to improve my application and retook the OAR and improved my score from a 43 to a 52. However, my question is what are some other ways I can improve my chances in the short run (Master`s is an option I know, but more long term)? I also took the DLAB and scored a 117, my OR asked if I wanted to retake the DLAB as well, but is scoring a higher DLAB score really gonna make much of a difference for me to risk possibly getting a lower score?

Thanks.

Ask an Intel officer how often they need to speak a foreign language and that will tell you how important that is, hint none of the Intel officers I know speak a foreign language, none of the Intel officers I put in spoke a foreign language, now I have met some FAO's and they spoke a foreign language.

If you look at the stats of who made it, generally they have one or more of the following, advanced degree, high GPA, tech degree, currently on active duty or prior service.

If you want to be an officer and meet the age requirements go for something that has a decent selection rate, many of those that apply for IDC do so because they are older (so more likely to have advance degrees) and therefore do not meet age requirements for other programs.

 

[Skikopey]

Ask an Intel officer how often they need to speak a foreign language and that will tell you how important that is, hint none of the Intel officers I know speak a foreign language, none of the Intel officers I put in spoke a foreign language, now I have met some FAO's and they spoke a foreign language.

If you look at the stats of who made it, generally they have one or more of the following, advanced degree, high GPA, tech degree, currently on active duty or prior service.

If you want to be an officer and meet the age requirements go for something that has a decent selection rate, many of those that apply for IDC do so because they are older (so more likely to have advance degrees) and therefore do not meet age requirements for other programs.

Interesting...however, FAO is not an option until after a certain amount of years already in the military no?

These are my stats, hence intel and no other options and trying to work with what I got. Therefore again, any suggestions or constructive criticism would be appreciated. Thanks!

Gender:
Male
Birthday:
Dec 25, 1982 (Age: 31)
Home page:
http://www.specialized-group.com
Location:
Tokyo
Occupation:
Finance and Accounting Recruiter
31 yr old male, lived in Japan 9 yrs.
BA in Poli Sci from Temple University Japan with Double Minor in Japanese and Economics, 3.12 GPA

Been trying to apply since 29 but got dinged first time because of a social security card without my middle name which caused me to miss the boards, then next boards got pushed and finally applied for Navy OCS Intel Dec. 2 2013 board and Pro Rec'd N,

non-prior
OAR 52
DLAB 117
LOR: State Senator, Japan Prominent Parliament Member, Dean of University, O3 Marine
Student Body Pres. of Uni.
Founder/Pres. of American Culture Club at Uni.
Dance Club President at Uni.
DOS Intern
Lots of NPO volunteering
Fluent Japanese and Spanish
LDS Mission to Uruguay

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Interesting...however, FAO is not an option until after a certain amount of years already in the military no?

These are my stats, hence intel and no other options and trying to work with what I got. Therefore again, any suggestions or constructive criticism would be appreciated. Thanks!

Gender:
Male
Birthday:
Dec 25, 1982 (Age: 31)
Home page:
http://www.specialized-group.com
Location:
Tokyo
Occupation:
Finance and Accounting Recruiter
31 yr old male, lived in Japan 9 yrs.
BA in Poli Sci from Temple University Japan with Double Minor in Japanese and Economics, 3.12 GPA

Been trying to apply since 29 but got dinged first time because of a social security card without my middle name which caused me to miss the boards, then next boards got pushed and finally applied for Navy OCS Intel Dec. 2 2013 board and Pro Rec'd N,

non-prior
OAR 52
DLAB 117
LOR: State Senator, Japan Prominent Parliament Member, Dean of University, O3 Marine
Student Body Pres. of Uni.
Founder/Pres. of American Culture Club at Uni.
Dance Club President at Uni.
DOS Intern
Lots of NPO volunteering
Fluent Japanese and Spanish
LDS Mission to Uruguay

the delay since you were 29 would not have made a difference as you had already passed the age for other programs.

realistically you have what I would consider an application that meets the requirements to apply, I have seen many applications similar to yours go to the IDC boards that had the same result as your last result.

compared to those that tend to be picked up your GPA is low, your degree is not a preferred degree, and in general there is nothing that really makes your application stand out in terms of IDC compared to those that have been selected in the past.

if you had been applying for SWO (your age precludes that) I have seen MANY selected that had applications like yours or not as good, the take away here is that each designator looks for different things.

essentially by retaking the OAR to reapply you are hoping that the overall quality of applicants is going to decrease to allow your application to stand out.

realistically what you need to do to improve your chances is to earn a graduate degree and get a very high GPA.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Interesting...however, FAO is not an option until after a certain amount of years already in the military no?

These are my stats, hence intel and no other options and trying to work with what I got. Therefore again, any suggestions or constructive criticism would be appreciated. Thanks!

Gender:
Male
Birthday:
Dec 25, 1982 (Age: 31)
Home page:
http://www.specialized-group.com
Location:
Tokyo
Occupation:
Finance and Accounting Recruiter
31 yr old male, lived in Japan 9 yrs.
BA in Poli Sci from Temple University Japan with Double Minor in Japanese and Economics, 3.12 GPA

Been trying to apply since 29 but got dinged first time because of a social security card without my middle name which caused me to miss the boards, then next boards got pushed and finally applied for Navy OCS Intel Dec. 2 2013 board and Pro Rec'd N,

non-prior
OAR 52
DLAB 117
LOR: State Senator, Japan Prominent Parliament Member, Dean of University, O3 Marine
Student Body Pres. of Uni.
Founder/Pres. of American Culture Club at Uni.
Dance Club President at Uni.
DOS Intern
Lots of NPO volunteering
Fluent Japanese and Spanish
LDS Mission to Uruguay

If I were you, I'd consider the Navy Reserves, specifically Reserve Supply Corps. The low GPA and average OAR score will put you in the middle of the pack of dozens of IDC applications that get turned down time and time again. Looking at your background, looks like you might have 5-6 years of international business experience, which is needed in order to apply. It might not be active duty, but in the end you're still serving your country as a reservist.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

The OAR score isn't necessarily a dealbreaker. Mine was very high, but I've seen folks get selected with scores in the 40's or 50's. The IDC boards are extremely competitive, especially for someone who isn't prior-service and who doesn't have any advanced degrees. I don't know what the DLAB is, that's not something I did.

A counterpart of mine had an IW get selected with a 53 OAR score. Of course his applicant was prior enlisted and had a very high GPA.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

If I were you, I'd consider the Navy Reserves, specifically Reserve Supply Corps.

good point

 

[Skikopey]

NavyOffRec, thanks for the thorough feedback. That is what I was afraid of...I guess we`ll see how this board goes and if no luck then Grad School is definitely an option in process but like I said, it`s not an immediate fix to strengthening my candidacy like I was maybe hoping another O-9 recommendation or Intel Officer interviews or something of that sort might help.

Rufio, thanks for the suggestion, very interesting indeed. Like you said, I`ve had a first decent international career but the older I got the more I realized I really want to serve my country. Know where I could find more information about that? Is there Reserve to Active duty options or something like that as well? I`m really hoping of making the next 20 yrs. of my 2nd career in the Navy.

 

[PensacolaBayou]

After browsing the other designator threads and looking at the Pro-Rec acceptance percentages being in the 30% range, I always get nervous when I think about the IDC. Does anyone have backup plans? What will you do if you get a Pro-Rec N?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

After browsing the other designator threads and looking at the Pro-Rec acceptance percentages being in the 30% range, I always get nervous when I think about the IDC. Does anyone have backup plans? What will you do if you get a Pro-Rec N?

Given you are working towards a PhD you have something that many others do not, but I can tell you the majority of people I have seen apply for IDC stay working civilian jobs, often they don't meet the age requirements for SWO or such, so when they get a pro N there aren't many other options.

 

[mitrokhin]

I was declined for IW, INTEL, SWO-IW, and SWO-IP.
3.5 GPA, B.S. Mathematics, have been working since I was 16 years old and had good LORs.
63 6/6/6 ASTB
Speak Russian/Serb/Croatian
But I was a non-prior, and I think they give a lot of weight to that consideration for the IDC community.
Maybe I applied when there were very few spots. Who knows? But I'm stoked to be going in as an NFO. Officer first, designator second.
And heck, if you get to go unrestricted line, who knows where you'll end up

 

[Skikopey]

Mitrokhin,

That's crazy...with a profile like that and still pro N, it makes you think that it seems like the IDC board in fact doesnt just care about "STEM degrees" high GPA and high OAR but indeed a whole package and needs of the Navy at the time of applying.