LAT TRANSFER from Pilot/NFO to CEC

[ATbullfrog]

I have been looking on these threads a lot and I have seen that it is quite popular for Pilots/NFO to lat transfer after their 8 year commitment to the CEC community.

Is this common, I find it hard to believe that Pilots/NFO's would do this. What are the benefits and disadvantages of going CEC when you are O3 lat transferring into the CEC community?

 

[cfam]

Quite popular? I wouldn’t say that at all. People who lat transfer from aviation to any other community make up an incredibly small portion of the active pilots and NFOs. CEC is a very small community, so the number of aviation lat transfers is even smaller than for other communities like FAO.

I can’t speak for the advantages or disadvantages of the CEC community, but people lat transfer for a whole variety of reasons. Some people don’t like their jobs, some aren’t on a preferred career track in aviation, some don’t like the schedule, etc...

 

[Uncle Fester]

Not sure how you got the impression that it's "quite popular". I can't think of a single pilot or 'FO I know who has, and all the CEC/Seabee officers I've ever met (albeit I haven't met that many) started out there. I'm sure it has been done, but it's not common at all.

Most NA/NFOs who voluntarily redesignate (ie, as opposed to getting FNAEBed) do so to go after the 'alternative' career tracks like AEDO, Intel/IW, HR, FAO, or something like PMP at the Academy.

 

[taxi1]

...lat transfer after their 8 year commitment to the CEC community

They like different toys?

 

[ATbullfrog]

I am referencing a post that was made back in 2008

CEC requirements

I am interested in the CEC. I am up for review this month as a BDCP candidate for SNA SNFO and SWO, but would prefer to go CEC over SWO. I have two questions. First if i get picked up for SWO and took it for now, how hard would it be to switch to the CEC? Now the more difficult question...

www.airwarriors.com

Who is your recruiter's "contact"? The link above directs you the CEC Accessions page. If you click 'contact us' you will be directed to a page that lists recruiters and accessions officers based on your location. If your recruiter is not talking to a CEC Accessions Officer, then direct him to the right person, if he is, then the answer you received is probably the final answer. In this case, however, you might want to talk to the accessions officer just to make sure he understands your exact situation.

There are many Lat Transfers in the CEC (mostly SWO's and Aviators). I don't know how competitive it is, but generally you need to wait until the end of you committment to apply for the transfer (4 yrs for SWO, 6-8 yrs for aviator). Technically, it is possible to apply for a Lat Transfer 24 months after commissioning, but this requires your current community to release you (I don't see this happening with the SWO community).

Your biggest obstacle, however, is the accredidation. If they won't accept your degree now, there is no reason to expect that the will accept it as a Lateral Transfer.

I was in the CEC BDCP program several years ago and then actually Lat Transferred out of the CEC to Aviation (at that time, the first person to transfer out of the CEC in over 15 years). The CEC is one of the best kept secrets in the Navy. Good Luck.

 

[cfam]

I am referencing a post that was made back in 2008

CEC requirements

I am interested in the CEC. I am up for review this month as a BDCP candidate for SNA SNFO and SWO, but would prefer to go CEC over SWO. I have two questions. First if i get picked up for SWO and took it for now, how hard would it be to switch to the CEC? Now the more difficult question...

www.airwarriors.com

Ehhh, I wouldn’t read too much into that single post. That’s just one guy’s experience, and it’s 12 years out of date.

A better way to see how common it truly is would be to look up the results of the lateral transfer boards for the last few years. I was curious, so I checked: there have been three lat transfers to CEC over the last two years (all SWOs).

 

[roy359]

I haven't met an officer yet that lat transfer to CEC after 8 years of being a pilot/NFO. Most lat transfers are from SWOs. Usually 2-3 spots a year. Officers that come from pilot/NFO/nukes are drops and they go through POCR (not lat xfer). There's really no advantages going in as a senior O-3 since you will be so behind the power curve of hitting the widgets before O-4. There's a lot of certs and widgets you have to hit. I lat xfer when I was an O-1 with a waiver for time in community (24 months) after getting my SWO pin.

 

[AllAmerican75]

Quite popular? I wouldn’t say that at all. People who lat transfer from aviation to any other community make up an incredibly small portion of the active pilots and NFOs. CEC is a very small community, so the number of aviation lat transfers is even smaller than for other communities like FAO.

I can’t speak for the advantages or disadvantages of the CEC community, but people lat transfer for a whole variety of reasons. Some people don’t like their jobs, some aren’t on a preferred career track in aviation, some don’t like the schedule, etc...

I know of one dude who I have met along the way. He got NPQ'd sometime between getting his NFO wings and going to the FRS/RAG/whatever it's called. Fortunately, he was able to switch over to CEC. I also know a guy who got NPQ'd as an NFO and became an EDO. He said it was an eye-opener to suddenly find himself responsible for ship maintenance.

I haven't met an officer yet that lat transfer to CEC after 8 years of being a pilot/NFO. Most lat transfers are from SWOs. Usually 2-3 spots a year. Officers that come from pilot/NFO/nukes are drops and they go through POCR (not lat xfer). There's really no advantages going in as a senior O-3 since you will be so behind the power curve of hitting the widgets before O-4. There's a lot of certs and widgets you have to hit. I lat xfer when I was an O-1 with a waiver for time in community (24 months) after getting my SWO pin.

Wow, you're a lucky dude. I've know very few people who had the timing to get picked up while still an ensign.

 

[roy359]

I had my shit together and they happened to be looking for 1 CEC officer and allowed 2 SWO officer out of the community for my YG.

 

[nittany03]

I haven't met an officer yet that lat transfer to CEC after 8 years of being a pilot/NFO. Most lat transfers are from SWOs. Usually 2-3 spots a year. Officers that come from pilot/NFO/nukes are drops and they go through POCR (not lat xfer). There's really no advantages going in as a senior O-3 since you will be so behind the power curve of hitting the widgets before O-4. There's a lot of certs and widgets you have to hit. I lat xfer when I was an O-1 with a waiver for time in community (24 months) after getting my SWO pin.

Wickets. You hit wickets, not widgets.