I have to hand it to you applicants. You are all very well informed, for the most part, and the fact that you are busting your humps to grab that brass ring, motivates me. i applaud your efforts, really. You all know so much more than i did when i applied. i didn't know what an OAR was, nor did i know any of my scores after taking the ASTB. i took it, and the gunny said i passed...ha ha...looking at your experiences, i wonder if i would be able to get in if i were to apply today. (Probably not, as i would have needed an age waiver, and they aren't giving those out anymore, i guess) my oso told me that she couldn't give away air slots back in april 2001. it's hard now, and competition is fierce, of course, with the war on terror, and the economy, there are less people getting out-shrinking the number of candidates needed and probably an increased number of applicants for coveted slots.
My good friend airwinger once told me that i had better be good, because i won't ever be lucky...we laugh, and it's true...however, i was pretty lucky to have the opportunity to go to ocs, tbs, and now flight school. i think all who get to be officers should remember that they are fortunate to serve in that capacity. keep working hard, do the right thing, and it will work out the way it's supposed to.
Remember, Luck favors the prepared mind
1. to CandKy...i don't believe there is anything wrong with people choosing Marine because they got denied by the Navy. I did. the navy wouldn't give me an age waiver, but the Marines would. (i don't tell many people that out loud, of course)...but that's the way it is. if my SNA slot would have been denied, i probably would have gone NFO...and possibly SWO...i didn't care, i just wanted to serve. i love the way it worked out. am i any less of a Marine Officer because it was my second option? not even close.
2. jasand...keep reapplying. it seems pretty severe to have a congressman who doesn't know you write a LOR about you. if that's what the application process has come to, then something is wrong. Pick people who KNOW you and can attest to you as an individual, a team player, a student, one who leads by example, one who has character. i think i had 10 LORs (because that's what the app called for) and only 1 was from an officer...a Marine Captain, whom i knew from my college fraternity. the rest were all professors, and job supervisors. I know lots of people have top brass writing for them...but my guess is that the board knows what they're getting based on the specific quality of the LOR, versus, "yeah, this guy is great" from a 2-star or congressman...just my $.02.
anyway...enough of that. i admire all your efforts and i've been following a lot of the posts. it's cool to see guys get accepted and it stinks to see them get denied. i really just want to urge you all that have not been accepted yet to keep trying and to those of you who have/will, i'm looking forward to working with you in the fleet.
semper fi