Junior sailor looking to become officer

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Prob gonna study a lil bit every so often for the SAT once I get to C school so I can get a good score. Then im gonna apply for STA-21 every year while i try to complete my degree so I can try for OCS if I dont get picked up for STA-21. Prob gonna wait till C school or my first duty station before I start picking up some extra volunteering cuz we dont get much free time here in A school.

To be honest with you, I think it just depends on how you do in the fleet that matters. They might have changed thier minds but using myself as and example...my SAT was minimum, no volunteering, only 6 hours of college credit...but at my command, submarines, i was command advanced from e3-e4 and e-5, and did everything I possibly could while onboard. So to sum it up, what I think they (the board) is looking for is your leadership and how much of an officer you are already because to be honest with you, depending on your NROTC, you dont learn anything.

A quick question for a few with more knowledge than myself in the STA-21 selection process...

Do they take in consideration Awards? ie: ROY, SOY, etc. I'm an E-5 and have 2 weeks to fine-tune my package. This is my first time applying, so I'm a little anxious! Also, I picked CORE option, and was wondering if that's something that is looked down upon because it's not a "concrete" route??

Lastly, I have my board next week, and I was wondering if anyone had any pointers in what they're looking for? I know that they have they're critique sheet, but any added suggestions would help!

Hey there Salvage,

I may not be the best person to give you “pointers”, but I am in a position to share my experiences with you.

I recently sat on my CO’s board consisting of three Commanders. They were selected by my Command Career Counselor simply due to a lack of Officers at my Command. For me, the board was much less like an interview and more like a conversation. I resolved myself to be honest, open and, most importantly, myself. They asked me a few situational questions and a few opinion based questions, but for the most part we discussed me as a person, my past and my future.
Simply put, as an E-5 you should already know all of the cookie-cutter answers to all of the canned Navy questions. Honor…..Commitment…..Courage. Of coarse we know how to make our answers sound they way we think they should, but do we all know how to be honest in the face of possible adversity? I was given the opportunity to introduce myself, and I started like this: “I would rather make a decision and be wrong then make no decision at all. I would rather be honest and suffer then lie and prosper.” I think that went a long way.
I mailed my package last Thursday. All of my write-ups were 10’s with strong remarks. The CO’s endorsement was short, but very poignant. I made sure that every document was printed in color on bright white paper. I used proper Navy correspondence formant to mark each page as the appropriate enclosure. I made sure every document was certified true by my admin shop. I also printed an up-to-date copy of my SMART.
For content, I included the required documents as well as write ups for my 2 NAM’s and 2 COM’s. I also included each of my LOC’s and SOQ certificates. I also enclosed my strongest 4 letters of recommendation and the appointment letters for my significant collateral duties (Enlisted Technical Leader for my NEC and a BUMED appointment to the Department of Defense Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee). Additionally, I added all community service documentation.
Is my package the best in the Navy? Certainly not. However, I am proud of my effort to put together the best portrayal of myself as a Sailor and I stand behind the merit of my performance. If I get selected, YAHOO! If not, FY07’s package is already under construction.

To answer the "Core" question...I went core and I am glad that I did and some of the guys that are graduating with me in December wish that they choosed Core. I dont see any reason why it is looked down apon, the only reason that I see to go for something other than Core is if you need that peace of mind of knowing what you are doing when you graduate. In my case I am trying for NFO, but if I dont get it then it is SWO. Core leaves it up to you to choose, then it is up to the Navy. I have a friend that got picked up for SWO package, now he doesnt really want to go SWO, so now he has to go back to Submarines, but he would rather like to go aviation, but the Navy doesnt need Aviation, they need Submariners. So there is a good and a bad side of both options. I also picked Core because the board only has so many spots open for the other options, or so I was told.

For the question on the board...I was on submarines, and if you have ever been on submarines you would know that the officers and enlisted know each other pretty well, so my board was just the standard Navy questions. Mine were pointed towards females and how to interact and deal with situations with them since we have no females on submarines. Also, in my opinion, the officers on the board already know what type of person you are and how they are going to grade you, unless your at some huge command and have never seen the officers that are on your board, if that is the case, then good luck.

And to comment on adding all that stuff to your package...I havent looked at what is required or allowed in the package when you send it off, but I would only include what they ask for, nothing more. Its all about following instructions. If they say that you can include award write-ups and what not, include them, but if they dont mention them, in my opinion, I would think twice.

Taken directly from www.sta-21.navy.mil

Additional documents (Optional).
- Qualifications, letters of recommendation, awards, etc.

Taken from FY06 STA-21 NAVADMIN

"HOWEVER, EVEN THE MOST
JUNIOR SAILORS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR SELECTION BASED UPON THEIR
PERFORMANCE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE, INCLUDING THOSE
ACHIEVEMENTS OUTSIDE OF THE NAVY THAT INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR
SUCCESS AS OFFICERS."

Taken from OPNAVINST 1420.1A

(11) Additional documents such as award citations, qualifications, and letters of recommendation or appreciation. Copies of Page 4 and Page 7 of the member's service record may be included as additional documentation. Applicants are encouraged to include other documents that demonstrate leadership qualities while involved in extracurricular activities/volunteer work. Sailors who are junior in the Navy may want to include awards and certificates earned in high school.

Although not required, enclosure (11) appears to be a very important aspect of the application package.

Boot camp is not self paced CBT but electronics strand A school is. ET A school is supposed to take 4 months while FC is 2 months. We share radar strand but FC's dont have comms.

Like I said, if it says to include it, then include it. I didnt say not to include it so the regs for it was alittle much, but thanks anyways, it brings back memories when I had to fill out my application.

The regs were posted in attempt to offer clairty to Salvageman, as my inital response was to his question about "fine-tuning" his package. No disrespect intended.

Additional documents....well I did get a chance to look at my transcript from ATT/former tech core for ET/FC. My instructor put in some really good remarks such as "as class leader seamen apprentice displayed outstanding military bearing and uniform standards as examples to other shipmates."

Would it be worth getting? Id have to go find my old class LPO and probably have him sign it or what not to make it official.

I just hope they overlook the "verbally counseled on wearing white socks while in utilities"

I would add anything that can help create a picture of your potential leadership. Be swift about it though, as the deadline for submission is TODAY.

Yea I know I missed the deadline. I was going to do it but school and other stuff got the best of me. Def plan on putting in a strong package for next fiscal year though.

I just reported to the wasp...

I am undesignated and my goal was to be an aviator. Did I screw up by not reserching it more before enlisting? I know that I can do what it takes to complete the process, even if it takes a while, is being 20 years old to late being enlisted?

Pick your chin up, dude. I enlisted at 20 and was undesignated. Big deal. You give it 100% every day whether you want to be doing that job or not and the faster you can get out of that job and move on to better things. In my case, it was cross-rating, then commissioning program. In yours, cut out the middle man that I used and shoot straight for STA-21. Your chain of command will recongnize your superb efforts (if, in fact, you are giving superb efforts) and will support your decision(s) to advance your career. Good luck.

No, you're not too old. My hubby didn't enlist until he was 23. ~3 yrs and some hard work later, and he's in the STA-21 program. You can do it if you want it.

You should get involved with honor guard, they also had volunteer work when i was there because of flooding in gurnee. There are a number of things to do but the way great lakes is its hard to get an eval of any sort. I didn't get an eval when I left there. The best thing to do would be get extra college credits while you are there.

Hey sb2203, I was also an undesignated Airman aboard the mighty Wasp... Now a helicopter pilot. Took me awhile before I got my crap together and started taking college classes, so you should start now. I was selected for ECP when I was 26 and commissioned at 28. If youre only 20, you have plenty of time, but use it wisely.... and stay out of trouble.

You can apply whenever you want, however, your chances of getting picked up are better with a solid record of "sustained superior performance", which takes time.

Lane, sb2203, Beefalo, and who ever wants STA-21, you should get started on your package and send it in next year. If you don't, it will only ensure that won't be selected for that year. However, if you do put that package in, and god willing you get selected, well the rest is history. And if you don't get selected? Then you will know all of the "ins and outs" of the package process and your follow-on package (for the next year) will be that much stronger.
I didn't apply for STA-21, but I did get turned down from OCS 3x and my package was pretty strong after that many denials. Just remember, that the squeeky wheel gets greased first, and that means persistence, persistence, persistence! Never give up!

Just to let you guys know I finished A school and am heading to C school in Pensacola. I made it out of Great Lakes without getting in trouble which is surprising considering seeing so many guys on restriction on base. Im going to be stationed on the Lincoln in WA.

I finished A school 43 training days ahead which is quicker then anyone I was there with at the time. I also never went up for an ARB (academic review board) for any test. My LPO tried to get me a letter of commendation but was told "graduating is his reward." by the chiefs.

I been studing up on the ACT and hope to take it sometime while in C school. Might try to get into some volunteer work to if they give us a decent amount of liberty. Seems like we hardly get any at all thanks to all the guys always getting in trouble and duty every 4 days.