What NRC considers competitive

[LFCFan]

Other than that, I haven't seen much info on this.

That's because they give out only a few spots for each of the SWO-IDC options each year, and I don't recall anyone on AW getting picked up for them. SWO-Intel is new as well. I don't think they are "left overs" either.

 

[BusyBee604]

Breaks my heart to see NFOs rostered at the bottom of the pack, GPA-wise. Ah, well…the community must be different these days!

Or maybe not…

"They also serve who arrive at the mishap site .5 milliseconds after the pilot…"

Meh, only by .05 NBD. NFOs have come a looong way baby, since the early days!
BzB

 

[KNSnowy]

BackOrdered and LFCFan, thanks!

That's because they give out only a few spots for each of the SWO-IDC options each year, and I don't recall anyone on AW getting picked up for them. SWO-Intel is new as well. I don't think they are "left overs" either.

No no, they're far from being "left overs" and I didn't mean to imply that Intel is somehow better or has higher standards than SWO. It's just that Intel is more competitive right now and it (seems like?) the biggest community is SWO - I don't know if that's accurate.

Doing SWO for a couple tours and then lat. transferring to Intel sounds absolutely ideal to me. I want that opportunity to earn my chops so I know what the heck I'm talking about in Intel. I'm sure 16 hour shifts are a beast, but it seems like a rite of passage and a thrilling experience.

That's why it's confusing to me that so few SWO-Intel slots are available compared to Intel. If the IDC community is changing over the next few years as is rumored, and the Navy also needs more SWOs, you'd think they'd have more "hybrid" slots. That's their business I'm just still trying to decide on my dream sheet.

 

[LFCFan]

BackOrdered and LFCFan, thanks!

No no, they're far from being "left overs" and I didn't mean to imply that Intel is somehow better or has higher standards than SWO. It's just that Intel is more competitive right now and it (seems like?) the biggest community is SWO - I don't know if that's accurate.

Doing SWO for a couple tours and then lat. transferring to Intel sounds absolutely ideal to me. I want that opportunity to earn my chops so I know what the heck I'm talking about in Intel. I'm sure 16 hour shifts are a beast, but it seems like a rite of passage and a thrilling experience.

But SWO-Intel comes out of the same board, and has fewer slots. So it is still pretty competitive, and not the same thing as going regular SWO and then doing a lat transfer (which can be difficult, so don't bank on it). Intel will probably always be more competitive than SWO just because of the numbers alone. As a SWO-option guy, you'd do one tour (or just earn your pin and go? Can't remember exactly) and then go to NIOBC. So it wouldn't really help with the point you make below about numbers.

That's why it's confusing to me that so few SWO-Intel slots are available compared to Intel. If the IDC community is changing over the next few years as is rumored, and the Navy also needs more SWOs, you'd think they'd have more "hybrid" slots. That's their business I'm just still trying to decide on my dream sheet.

What do you mean by changing?

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

BackOrdered and LFCFan, thanks!



No no, they're far from being "left overs" and I didn't mean to imply that Intel is somehow better or has higher standards than SWO. It's just that Intel is more competitive right now and it (seems like?) the biggest community is SWO - I don't know if that's accurate.

Doing SWO for a couple tours and then lat. transferring to Intel sounds absolutely ideal to me. I want that opportunity to earn my chops so I know what the heck I'm talking about in Intel. I'm sure 16 hour shifts are a beast, but it seems like a rite of passage and a thrilling experience.

That's why it's confusing to me that so few SWO-Intel slots are available compared to Intel. If the IDC community is changing over the next few years as is rumored, and the Navy also needs more SWOs, you'd think they'd have more "hybrid" slots. That's their business I'm just still trying to decide on my dream sheet.

What is your source that is telling you the IDC community is changing? I'm trying to understand everything you mentioned there.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

What is your source that is telling you the IDC community is changing? I'm trying to understand everything you mentioned there.

phrogshoeswife and an Intel officer I worked with who worked for a bit back in DC have both said that the long term plan (who knows how long or if it will actually happen) is that all IDC designators will eventually merge into one as with technology continuing to advance the designators are getting closer and closer to each other, I was told the first step was to change the designators all to the 18XX numbers.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

It's just that Intel is more competitive right now

always is and always will be, and "competitive" is an understatement.

 

[KNSnowy]

I've seen the new Intel-SWO designator talked about in a couple places around the forums, including here: http://www.airwarriors.com/communit...-into-the-intelligence-community.41145/page-2

And later on in this thread NavyOffRec links you to phrogshoeswife's comments. I think I saw this mentioned on the reddit "new to the navy" sub forum too. I'll try to find that link.

I've also seen speculation that Intel will value URL experience more highly in the future, but that's not gouge-worthy and I don't have links to verify but I thought that would make sense if there's a new SWO-INTEL designator.

LFCFan, great point about SWO's numbers not really being helped if they had more SWO-INTELs locked in. I imagine SW doesn't want all their rookies running off as soon as they learn a thing or two. If the Navy ever needed tons of new SWOs last-minute though, promising Intel or IW transfers after 10 years SWO might be a good solution

I know I'll put Intel on my sheet, and I'll probably put SWO too. So the third pick - don't know if I should shoot for SWO-Intel or IW. Still waiting for my OAR and need to look into IW more.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I've seen the new Intel-SWO designator talked about in a couple places around the forums, including here: http://www.airwarriors.com/communit...-into-the-intelligence-community.41145/page-2

And later on in this thread NavyOffRec links you to phrogshoeswife's comments. I think I saw this mentioned on the reddit "new to the navy" sub forum too. I'll try to find that link.

I've also seen speculation that Intel will value URL experience more highly in the future, but that's not gouge-worthy and I don't have links to verify but I thought that would make sense if there's a new SWO-INTEL designator.

LFCFan, great point about SWO's numbers not really being helped if they had more SWO-INTELs locked in. I imagine SW doesn't want all their rookies running off as soon as they learn a thing or two. If the Navy ever needed tons of new SWOs last-minute though, promising Intel or IW transfers after 10 years SWO might be a good solution

I know I'll put Intel on my sheet, and I'll probably put SWO too. So the third pick - don't know if I should shoot for SWO-Intel or IW. Still waiting for my OAR and need to look into IW more.

last I heard SWO-Intel had a zero quota, again.

and RUFi0181 said that NRC put out that anything past second choice probably isn't going to happen.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Try to limit your choices/preferences to two, as third choices more than likely won't be considered. And DON'T PUT SWO AS YOUR THIRD CHOICE as a fallback plan, the board will know it and it likely won't work.

 

[KNSnowy]

Sorry guys, I can't find that reddit link. But obviously Air Warriors is a better source anyway

NavyOffRec, does that mean if I didn't get my first two slots but had SWO as my 3rd, I'd automatically be passed over? (Theoretically.)

If I get an Intelligence job, I'm going to study my butt off to get better at it. If I get SWO, I'm going to study my butt off to get better at it AND to be more desirable as a lat. transfer. Either way I get the lifestyle and get to constantly grow, so that rocks

Actually getting commissioned is the goal

 

[KNSnowy]

And DON'T PUT SWO AS YOUR THIRD CHOICE as a fallback plan, the board will know it and it likely won't work.

Oh O.O Well, that's fantastic to know. Thank you!

I think I'd be very happy as a SWO and god knows there's enough to learn on the ship to keep you busy for a lifetime. I just really love and naturally lean to analysis and abstract thinking, so I feel like I'd offer more in that realm.

 

[picklesuit]

Try to limit your choices/preferences to two, as third choices more than likely won't be considered. And DON'T PUT SWO AS YOUR THIRD CHOICE as a fallback plan, the board will know it and it likely won't work.

Then why have three choices? My list was Pilot/NFO/SWO in that order, and I meant it.
I wanted to serve, and while aviation was what I wanted, SWO also offered the leadership opportunities I was looking for.
I understand something like SEAL not being a second/third choice kind of job...but SWO is just another URL designator to me, and happened to rank third to me, at that time.
Much like my platform dream sheet, I still put a lot of thought into 2, 3, and 4 even though I was really hoping for 1 (P-3's)

Would have kicked myself had I missed a chance at an E-6 spot (second choice) and gotten helo's (4th/last) because I only put P-3's and left the rest blank...
Pickle

 

[LFCFan]

I would be interested to hear what your makeup was of both prior and non prior, from what I saw most of everyone we had selected had high GPA's, tech degrees, extracurricular activities, and a good number did have graduate degrees or working toward one.

A quick glance through the bios today: A lot of degrees in areas that are in psych/bio/bioengineering/neuroscience areas (all non-priors), a few of the priors had degrees from Embry-Riddle in aviation related things. Not quite the hard sci/eng degrees I imagine when folks on here talk about technical degrees. A good number of folks with advanced degrees in poli sci, defense studies, etc.

I've also seen speculation that Intel will value URL experience more highly in the future, but that's not gouge-worthy and I don't have links to verify but I thought that would make sense if there's a new SWO-INTEL designator.

Lat xfers are a different pool of applicants, so it isn't quite right to phrase it like that. But I was told that they want to increase the number of lat xfers in the future.

phrogshoeswife and an Intel officer I worked with who worked for a bit back in DC have both said that the long term plan (who knows how long or if it will actually happen) is that all IDC designators will eventually merge into one as with technology continuing to advance the designators are getting closer and closer to each other, I was told the first step was to change the designators all to the 18XX numbers.

Really? I hope not. I get the whole IDC thing, and I speak from no actual experience, but I'm struggling to see how a targeteer (intel) should be in the same designator as an IP.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Really? I hope not. I get the whole IDC thing, and I speak from no actual experience, but I'm struggling to see how a targeteer (intel) should be in the same designator as an IP.

Well, they have combined several enlisted rates that don't make sense at the time, but they make it work, so I am guessing they are thinking the same thing, it might not make sense now but it will work in the end, those guys that make these decisions get paid a hell of a lot more money than any of us do.