Okay, so I have replied to this thread asking questions before, but now I have some pretty legit answers that I will share.
I stated in previous posts on this thread that I signed on as an aircrewman to leave in August with the hopes of becoming a Naval Aviator after completing NROTC. Well, the scholarship hasn't come. So, I performed some research of my own and this is what I found through this forum and other sources.
1. My recruiter (enlisted) tried to push his program on me. Go through DEP, work hard, apply for STA-21 in A-school and prove yourself.
Well.. A-school for an aircrewman takes a while..
A-School (Job School) Information
Also, it could take much longer than they let on to believe to receive an STA-21 package. It could take years. Many people in this forum alone have put their package in numerous times (I am not saying it's not a good program, just time consuming).
- Aircrewman Candadate School, Pensacola, FL -- 5 weeks
- Rescue Swimmer School (for those who volunteer) -- Pensacola, FL -- 25 class days
- A-School (job training) -- 7-23 weeks, depending on rating assigned
- Aircraft training squadrons, various locations, 6-32 weeks (depending on type aircraft assigned)
I contacted a few officer recruiters, and I was told that it would be best to go to college first and ensure your degree. You can become involved in an NROTC unit at a college without a scholarship, and if you work hard you can earn a 2 or a 3 year scholarship for that school.
If you can't do NROTC, you can try for the BDCP--Bachelor Degree Completion Program. You apply for this your sophmore year of college and starting your junior year if accepted, the Navy will pay your way through college (or so I understand) and also pay you a monthly salary. Afterwards, you go to OCS, a 13 week program designed to turn civilians into officers.
If you decide against that, you can finish your degree and try to get into OCS.
The biggest factors with each of these programs is GPA. Keep it high, and work hard. Have a lot of extracurriculars (leadership if possible. ie student government, etc.)
I personally am going to become involved with the NROTC units without a scholarship and work my butt off to get one. I have already contacted the NROTC unit commanders at the 2 schools I am choosing between and I found that it's not difficult to become involved with. You just fill out some paperwork and you're in as long as you don't eff it up.
Someone gets it!!!!! Someone please rep this gentleman for doing independent research and actually listening to advice!!!