OCS Reapplying as a DOR

[umijs]

A while ago I attended OCS with a pilot slot but due to some very unfortunate news back home, I ended up DOR'ing. While at OCS, I brought the issue to the attention of my class officers and I ended up talking to nearly every single person in my chain of command and received advice from all of them. In the end, we decided it would be best I DOR which was extremely disappointing for me but it was probably the best decision at the time. One of the class officers told me it happens all the time and candidates often end up coming back. I'm not sure if they were trying to make me feel better or not but now that the issue has been resolved, I plan on trying again.

How big of a red flag is a DOR to the boards? I'm scared of a "DNR" or any type of automatic DQ because of it. What things can I do to prove that it won't happen again? I remember during the early days of OCS, they drilled it into our heads that any DOR forever prohibits you from trying ever again. But after going through the DOR process, it seems that isn't entirely true.

For reference, I scored 8/9/9 and have a 3.51 gpa. No waivers.
On my DD785, I am marked "RECOMMENDED AS AN AVERAGE CANDIDATE"

 

[tcham28]

I know someone who was attrited and got back in. Also with your scores you should be looking at immediate select

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

A while ago I attended OCS with a pilot slot but due to some very unfortunate news back home, I ended up DOR'ing. While at OCS, I brought the issue to the attention of my class officers and I ended up talking to nearly every single person in my chain of command and received advice from all of them. In the end, we decided it would be best I DOR which was extremely disappointing for me but it was probably the best decision at the time. One of the class officers told me it happens all the time and candidates often end up coming back. I'm not sure if they were trying to make me feel better or not but now that the issue has been resolved, I plan on trying again.

How big of a red flag is a DOR to the boards? I'm scared of a "DNR" or any type of automatic DQ because of it. What things can I do to prove that it won't happen again? I remember during the early days of OCS, they drilled it into our heads that any DOR forever prohibits you from trying ever again. But after going through the DOR process, it seems that isn't entirely true.

For reference, I scored 8/9/9 and have a 3.51 gpa. No waivers.
On my DD785, I am marked "RECOMMENDED AS AN AVERAGE CANDIDATE"

It does happen, but that’s not to say some might not have been offered a second chance. No one can give you odds other than shoot your shot and hope for the best and brace for the worst.

I’m not trying to be Dr Phil here, but unfortunately tragedy happens to everyone and there may be times where you won’t have the opportunity to just drop everything and just leave. Food for thought.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Unless things have changed the fact you DOR'd would itself be a waiver, and if that is the case you would not be eligible for Immediate Selection. I have seen a few who DOR'd get back in, both were due to medical.

I would be prepared to talk in detail about what happened, what led you to decide to DOR and be able to answer questions about what you would do if a similar situation came up or other type of family issue.

It is worth a shot and if you are open about all of that I would feel positive about your chances.

 

[umijs]

Unless things have changed the fact you DOR'd would itself be a waiver, and if that is the case you would not be eligible for Immediate Selection. I have seen a few who DOR'd get back in, both were due to medical.

I would be prepared to talk in detail about what happened, what led you to decide to DOR and be able to answer questions about what you would do if a similar situation came up or other type of family issue.

It is worth a shot and if you are open about all of that I would feel positive about your chances.

Is this where the motivational statement is really going to be huge for me? I definitely am going to try again.

The class officer who signed my DD785 said he was going to give me a "special recommendation" to come back and that my DOR was a "Special Request DOR."

Are those real things? He was very sympathetic and I can't tell if he was trying to make me feel better about quitting or not.

 

[umijs]

It does happen, but that’s not to say some might not have been offered a second chance. No one can give you odds other than shoot your shot and hope for the best and brace for the worst.

I’m not trying to be Dr Phil here, but unfortunately tragedy happens to everyone and there may be times where you won’t have the opportunity to just drop everything and just leave. Food for thought.

After months of contemplating, I've come to understand that I won't be able to just go back home when shit hits the fan, especially if I was commissioned and in the fleet. I think I've come to terms with that and I don't want to be sitting around at home waiting for another tragedy to happen just so I could be there for it.

 

[Swanee]

I'll be the asshole-

You DOR'd. Why should "we" give you a second chance when most people don't even get one?

If the issue was HUGE you'd have been sent home with a return date.

This attitude is what you have to answer for- you got your shot and quit. Why do you absolutely deserve a second chance over someone that hasn't quit?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

After months of contemplating, I've come to understand that I won't be able to just go back home when shit hits the fan, especially if I was commissioned and in the fleet. I think I've come to terms with that and I don't want to be sitting around at home waiting for another tragedy to happen just so I could be there for it.

I had an applicant that prior to going to OCS dropped due to close family member having medical issues, when the family member found out he told my applicant "you can't put your life on hold for me". I think you are learning that just a bit too late, but realize that now.

 

[FLGUY]

A while ago I attended OCS with a pilot slot but due to some very unfortunate news back home, I ended up DOR'ing. While at OCS, I brought the issue to the attention of my class officers and I ended up talking to nearly every single person in my chain of command and received advice from all of them. In the end, we decided it would be best I DOR which was extremely disappointing for me but it was probably the best decision at the time. One of the class officers told me it happens all the time and candidates often end up coming back. I'm not sure if they were trying to make me feel better or not but now that the issue has been resolved, I plan on trying again.

How big of a red flag is a DOR to the boards? I'm scared of a "DNR" or any type of automatic DQ because of it. What things can I do to prove that it won't happen again? I remember during the early days of OCS, they drilled it into our heads that any DOR forever prohibits you from trying ever again. But after going through the DOR process, it seems that isn't entirely true.

For reference, I scored 8/9/9 and have a 3.51 gpa. No waivers.
On my DD785, I am marked "RECOMMENDED AS AN AVERAGE CANDIDATE"

Assuming that your reason for DOR-ing was a very serious family/personal issue, don’t let anybody tell you that you made a bad decision or that you don’t deserve a second chance. Family is (imo) the single most important thing in life, and yes, it’s far more important than the military itself. The military will move on well after you leave it. Your family is forever.

While yes, military life is hard and you can’t always drop whatever it is that you’re doing and be with family, the military isn’t some emotionless organization that gives no special consideration to family. People get sent home from deployments, people get good deal orders, and people get certain locations all due to family reasons.

You only get one family. The fact that you had as good of an ASTB score and GPA as you did and still chose to drop it all for personal reasons I think speaks volumes about your character. Give OCS another shot. And if the Navy doesn’t want to let you back in, then screw em.

 

[MIDNJAC]

I'll be the asshole-

You DOR'd. Why should "we" give you a second chance when most people don't even get one?

If the issue was HUGE you'd have been sent home with a return date.

This attitude is what you have to answer for- you got your shot and quit. Why do you absolutely deserve a second chance over someone that hasn't quit?

I tend to agree with you, but then I realized this was an OCS guy. I dunno, if he/she were in flight school and did this, that would be one thing (and I wouldn't have much sympathy), but an OCS person as well as the military, has almost no stake yet in their career, and I think if you drew a graph of DORs over time, its peak would be OCS and would plummet to almost zero after that. Which is to say it is common then, but rare later. Also the military has spent basically nothing on them more than room and board for however many nights. If I had my druthers, I'd take a guy back who just dealt with a big family emergency, in such a low stakes world. Who knows though, maybe my attitude is overly permissive.

 

[sevenhelmet]

I tend to agree with you, but then I realized this was an OCS guy. I dunno, if he/she were in flight school and did this, that would be one thing (and I wouldn't have much sympathy), but an OCS person as well as the military, has almost no stake yet in their career, and I think if you drew a graph of DORs over time, its peak would be OCS and would plummet to almost zero after that. Which is to say it is common then, but rare later. Also the military has spent basically nothing on them more than room and board for however many nights. If I had my druthers, I'd take a guy back who just dealt with a big family emergency, in such a low stakes world. Who knows though, maybe my attitude is overly permissive.

Given the recruiting issues the military has, permissive makes sense to me at that level. Particularly if the candidate didn’t have a performance-based issue.

Re-apply, and be prepared to answer the question of why you deserve a second chance (e.g. a family emergency). Bonus points for answering how you’d respond to a similar family emergency in flight school or the fleet (emergency leave if possible, work with your OPSO and CO, and recognize you won’t always be able to put family first, even in an emergency.)

Good luck.

 

[Rtjenkins]

A while ago I attended OCS with a pilot slot but due to some very unfortunate news back home, I ended up DOR'ing. While at OCS, I brought the issue to the attention of my class officers and I ended up talking to nearly every single person in my chain of command and received advice from all of them. In the end, we decided it would be best I DOR which was extremely disappointing for me but it was probably the best decision at the time. One of the class officers told me it happens all the time and candidates often end up coming back. I'm not sure if they were trying to make me feel better or not but now that the issue has been resolved, I plan on trying again.

How big of a red flag is a DOR to the boards? I'm scared of a "DNR" or any type of automatic DQ because of it. What things can I do to prove that it won't happen again? I remember during the early days of OCS, they drilled it into our heads that any DOR forever prohibits you from trying ever again. But after going through the DOR process, it seems that isn't entirely true.

For reference, I scored 8/9/9 and have a 3.51 gpa. No waivers.
On my DD785, I am marked "RECOMMENDED AS AN AVERAGE CANDIDATE"

Depends on the reason and your reason for wanting to come back. When one DORs/ attrites, OCS will write a recommendation for you to come back or not. Its like a grading scale. believe 5 or 6 categories top being highly favorable to return, or absolutely do not return. Shoot your shot and put in your personal statement

 

[Rtjenkins]

Tho

Is this where the motivational statement is really going to be huge for me? I definitely am going to try again.

The class officer who signed my DD785 said he was going to give me a "special recommendation" to come back and that my DOR was a "Special Request DOR."

Are those real things? He was very sympathetic and I can't tell if he was trying to make me feel better about quitting or not.

Those are real, there was a person on my ship who had to DOR because his mother passed away, and was told DOR, but would able to return. They ending up getting selected again and made the immediate selection. It could be based on the Recommendation OTCN gives you once the candidate departs.

A while ago I attended OCS with a pilot slot but due to some very unfortunate news back home, I ended up DOR'ing. While at OCS, I brought the issue to the attention of my class officers and I ended up talking to nearly every single person in my chain of command and received advice from all of them. In the end, we decided it would be best I DOR which was extremely disappointing for me but it was probably the best decision at the time. One of the class officers told me it happens all the time and candidates often end up coming back. I'm not sure if they were trying to make me feel better or not but now that the issue has been resolved, I plan on trying again.

How big of a red flag is a DOR to the boards? I'm scared of a "DNR" or any type of automatic DQ because of it. What things can I do to prove that it won't happen again? I remember during the early days of OCS, they drilled it into our heads that any DOR forever prohibits you from trying ever again. But after going through the DOR process, it seems that isn't entirely true.

For reference, I scored 8/9/9 and have a 3.51 gpa. No waivers.
On my DD785, I am marked "RECOMMENDED AS AN AVERAGE CANDIDATE"

Just be prepared to include whatever to help your case and why you should be afford a 2nd chance at OCS.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I'll be the asshole-

You DOR'd. Why should "we" give you a second chance when most people don't even get one?

If the issue was HUGE you'd have been sent home with a return date.

This attitude is what you have to answer for- you got your shot and quit. Why do you absolutely deserve a second chance over someone that hasn't quit?

It’s my understanding OCS doesn’t give much leeway in terms of leave options aside from medical (i.e. you got injured) and the holidays, where candidates go home or wherever during the holiday stand down period.

I’ve heard in most cases if there’s an emergency OCS staff will just tell the candidate “it’s just best to drop and come back when you’re 100% ready.”

I side with @MIDNJAC here, if this kid was already an O-1 or O-2 in flight school and just decides to DOR instead of pursuing other leave options… 100% agree with you. But in this case, he never commissioned.

It’s possible the aviation community and CNRC give him a second change, or not. Either way, I’m sure the OP has learned a lot during this process.

 

[Swanee]

I tend to agree with you, but then I realized this was an OCS guy. I dunno, if he/she were in flight school and did this, that would be one thing (and I wouldn't have much sympathy), but an OCS person as well as the military, has almost no stake yet in their career, and I think if you drew a graph of DORs over time, its peak would be OCS and would plummet to almost zero after that. Which is to say it is common then, but rare later. Also the military has spent basically nothing on them more than room and board for however many nights. If I had my druthers, I'd take a guy back who just dealt with a big family emergency, in such a low stakes world. Who knows though, maybe my attitude is overly permissive.

It’s my understanding OCS doesn’t give much leeway in terms of leave options aside from medical (i.e. you got injured) and the holidays, where candidates go home or wherever during the holiday stand down period.

I’ve heard in most cases if there’s an emergency OCS staff will just tell the candidate “it’s just best to drop and come back when you’re 100% ready.”

I side with @MIDNJAC here, if this kid was already an O-1 or O-2 in flight school and just decides to DOR instead of pursuing other leave options… 100% agree with you. But in this case, he never commissioned.

It’s possible the aviation community and CNRC give him a second change, or not. Either way, I’m sure the OP has learned a lot during this process.

I agree with you guys- I'm just reiterating the negative attitude that he'll have to face/questions he'll have to answer.

I saw dudes get dropped from Marine OCS that they should have been given another shot (injuries, immediate family member died in a car wreck, etc...).

A couple of them never came back. I'm not sure whether that was their choice or not. We lost touch.