What NRC considers competitive

[Hair Warrior]

@ThomasM22 if you don’t get selected for Intel, apply for PAO (designator 1650). No age restrictions. No requirement for engineering/STEM degree. The Navy doesn’t need a ton of PAOs... but someone’s gotta do the job. PAO would value your MA degree and NOAA web design experience.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

@ThomasM22 if you don’t get selected for Intel, apply for PAO (designator 1650). No age restrictions. No requirement for engineering/STEM degree. The Navy doesn’t need a ton of PAOs... but someone’s gotta do the job. PAO would value your MA degree and NOAA web design experience.

Unless he’s a prior enlisted MC or serious mass communications/public affairs experience don’t bother for PAO.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Does anyone read the Program Authorizations?

I’ll bite on this one. The PAs are good for determining if you’re “eligible” but certainly not to tell if someone is competitive. Especially for Intel, I cannot tell you how many times people think they have a leg up because they know a foreign language or have a history degree.

If you want to see if you’re competitive, go to the respective selection board threads and start to “trend” the stats of those who are selected.

 

[bubblehead]

I’ll bite on this one. The PAs are good for determining if you’re “eligible” but certainly not to tell if someone is competitive. Especially for Intel, I cannot tell you how many times people think they have a leg up because they know a foreign language or have a history degree.

If you want to see if you’re competitive, go to the respective selection board threads and start to “trend” the stats of those who are selected.

The PA's give you the bare minimum from which you can make inferences, especially when you take in to account the Community Health briefs that give an indication of the number openings.

 

[whentherearenine]

I don't have a science degree so I don't think so. I have taken calc I and calc based physics but I don't think it's enough. I will double check on that though.

Really I am just wondering if I am competitive for Intel, can you guys give any advice there?

Thomas

In pouring over the various board posts in AW/looking at some of the historic info posted on the Pers-472 Facebook, I've noticed folks with stats like yours get picked up and other with stats like yours not get picked up. It seems obvious that higher GPA's and higher OAR scores are key, but it also appears there is always a thin layer of unknown when it comes down to what the board sees in a person. Age? LORS? Statements? Who knows! So if you've already applied-- I would just exhale, relax, and see what shakes out! You'll drive yourself crazy running the odds.

 

[ThomasM22]

Well, your GPA is on the low side. Your OAR score is good though. I'm not sure how much references come into play (I don't think they really matter IMO). Your experience is not really relatable to Intel but I've seen people get picked up with random work experience before.

Timing is everything too, it just depends on how strong your package is compared to everyone else this particular cycle. I'm not sure if they've ever not selected anyone. That would suck.

Bottom line: Give it a shot... it's not like you are going to get another Master's any time soon or suddenly start doing intel work for a 3-letter agency to build up that work experience so you might as well apply with what you have.

In pouring over the various board posts in AW/looking at some of the historic info posted on the Pers-472 Facebook, I've noticed folks with stats like yours get picked up and other with stats like yours not get picked up. It seems obvious that higher GPA's and higher OAR scores are key, but it also appears there is always a thin layer of unknown when it comes down to what the board sees in a person. Age? LORS? Statements? Who knows! So if you've already applied-- I would just exhale, relax, and see what shakes out! You'll drive yourself crazy running the odds.

Thank you both for your perspective. I'm having trouble grasping the absurdity of the fact that classes from a major I switched out of over 10 years ago are weighing so heavy on my livelihood right now. Guh.

Unless he’s a prior enlisted MC or serious mass communications/public affairs experience don’t bother for PAO.

Yeah, this is what I was told by my station.

Thanks again for all the knowledge shared in response to my original post.

 

[djr101]

I got a PROREC-Y for Intel with a 59 OAR, 3.26 GPA and a degree in progress in International Relations. I'm proof of just how random the IWC boards can be.

 

[senatesnob]

I got a PROREC-Y for Intel with a 59 OAR, 3.26 GPA and a degree in progress in International Relations. I'm proof of just how random the IWC boards can be.

Was this for the March 4 board? Because damn that’s a fast turn around.

 

[djr101]

Was this for the March 4 board? Because damn that’s a fast turn around.

No that was the December board, sorry for the confusion there! I heard back in mid January from it, the wait was terrible and I honestly thought I had no chance.

 

[ThomasM22]

No that was the December board, sorry for the confusion there! I heard back in mid January from it, the wait was terrible and I honestly thought I had no chance.

Thanks for sharing your details, my GPA and OAR are similar so that gives me hope

 

[KeroK]

To supplement what other have already stated about PAO: This is quite possibly the most difficult designator for non-priors to get into, even more so than Intel. It has very specific, additional requirements that the other designators do not have, one of which is interviews with three Navy PAOs. They would be able to quickly identify and weed out applicants who are not fully invested in the designator. Furthermore, it's a small community that typically has less than a handful of openings each year, most of which go to MC's (if not all). Accordingly, it should not be seen as an easy alternative for someone whose age or academic/ASTB stats fail to meet reqs for other designators.

I'm saying this from personal experience as someone who had been preparing a PAO package for the 2018 board. And it was my first choice, not a fallback. An O-6 PAO kindly took me under his wing and provided valuable advice -- I think the main reason why he did this is because 1) I am very passionate about the PAO community, and 2) I have 15 years of solid marketing communications experience. This includes 10 years overseas, where I directed multinational, multilingual teams on global-scale initiatives for top-ranked Global 100 companies.

Another factor to consider for those who think PAO could be a fallback option: The PAO board typically convenes only once a year, and it is not unusual for it to be canceled. This is what happened to the 2018 board, which is why I said "had been preparing a package." While this was very disappointing, I still found the experience extremely valuable. In order to find interviewers for my package, I cold called/e-mailed a number of O-5 and higher PAOs who were complete strangers. (At the time, I had no connections in any branch of the military). The astonishing level of support and encouragement they gave me provided firsthand insight into their community and made me even more determined to join their ranks one way or another, even if it means a lateral transfer after serving several years in another designator. I actually learned about the board cancellation before my recruiter because one of the PAO's e-mailed me immediately after he saw the BUPERS notice.

Bottom line: PAO is definitely not a community for disinterested or passive candidates.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

To supplement what other have already stated about PAO: This is quite possibly the most difficult designator for non-priors to get into, even more so than Intel. It has very specific, additional requirements that the other designators do not have, one of which is interviews with three Navy PAOs. They would be able to quickly identify and weed out applicants who are not fully invested in the designator. Furthermore, it's a small community that typically has less than a handful of openings each year, most of which go to MC's (if not all). Accordingly, it should not be seen as an easy alternative for someone whose age or academic/ASTB stats fail to meet reqs for other designators.

I'm saying this from personal experience as someone who had been preparing a PAO package for the 2018 board. And it was my first choice, not a fallback. An O-6 PAO kindly took me under his wing and provided valuable advice -- I think the main reason why he did this is because 1) I am very passionate about the PAO community, and 2) I have 15 years of solid marketing communications experience. This includes 10 years overseas, where I directed multinational, multilingual teams on global-scale initiatives for top-ranked Global 100 companies.

Another factor to consider for those who think PAO could be a fallback option: The PAO board typically convenes only once a year, and it is not unusual for it to be canceled. This is what happened to the 2018 board, which is why I said "had been preparing a package." While this was very disappointing, I still found the experience extremely valuable. In order to find interviewers for my package, I cold called/e-mailed a number of O-5 and higher PAOs who were complete strangers. (At the time, I had no connections in any branch of the military). The astonishing level of support and encouragement they gave me provided firsthand insight into their community and made me even more determined to join their ranks one way or another, even if it means a lateral transfer after serving several years in another designator. I actually learned about the board cancellation before my recruiter because one of the PAO's e-mailed me immediately after he saw the BUPERS notice.

Bottom line: PAO is definitely not a community for disinterested or passive candidates.

I am sort of surprised they cancelled the board, often they will do something along the lines of decide that only those on AD can apply, or only those on AD or prior MC can apply, but then again that is really all they pick anyway, last I check the number they had brought in to be a PAO with no military experience could be counted on one hand, and that was going back many years, in one 4 year stretch I looked at the number was 1.

The key thing about getting picked up as a PAO from civilian is on air time, 2 of the people with no experience who were picked up over the past 10 years had time as an actual reporter.

 

[benderMI]

Gentleman, I want to throw my stats out there in the hopes of answering 2 questions. First, what kind of weight does having flight hours and or a private pilots license carry in the boards decision? Secondly, how much does the OAR and AQR factor in an SNA application? From looking at previous SNA boards on here it seems that I am far under the average.

Applying for SNA

25 y/o
Prior Service Air Force
GPA 3.1 Public Safety B.A.S
OAR 49 5/7/6
Student Pilot w/30 hrs


I will be submitting for the next board regardless, however do you guys recommend taking the ASTB again?

 

[TF7325]

Gentleman, I want to throw my stats out there in the hopes of answering 2 questions. First, what kind of weight does having flight hours and or a private pilots license carry in the boards decision? Secondly, how much does the OAR and AQR factor in an SNA application? From looking at previous SNA boards on here it seems that I am far under the average.

Applying for SNA

25 y/o
Prior Service Air Force
GPA 3.1 Public Safety B.A.S
OAR 49 5/7/6
Student Pilot w/30 hrs


I will be submitting for the next board regardless, however do you guys recommend taking the ASTB again?

I can’t speak for the weight of flying hours, but I’m sure it helps. As for the ASTB the SNA mins are 5/6. I would apply for the board and if you don’t get picked up, retake it and reapply. Best of luck.

 

[Peter Moran]

Florida Polytechnic University (STEM)
B.S. Science and Technology Management (Supply Chain Management) GPA: 3.3
Graduate May 2018
Current Employment: Pricing Analyst, Transportation Company
Field of Interest (in order): NFO, SUPPLY

How competitive do I look prior to me taking the ASTB?

I have returned with ASTB scores and updated Experience.
Florida Polytechnic University (STEM)
B.S. Science and Technology Management (Supply Chain Management) GPA: 3.2
Experience: Sr. Analyst, 3 Years of Supply Chain Experience, APICS CLTD (Certified in Logistics, Transportation, and Distribution) Certification
LOR: Retired O-6, Retired O-3
OAR: 50
Field of Interest: Supply