Officer Candidate Herndon,
I may be wrong about this and if I am out of line, please, someone correct me.
I get the impression that since you are an E-6 and an OC, you think you should be somehow more privileged than those who were not prior enlisted. "Hey, I am on OC! Why isn't anyone listening to me?" The tone of your two recent posts suggest that you're bent out of shape because you had to go through a bunch of stuff that your college buddies don't. You question the system, the one you should have been aware of, as if you deserve an explanation.
I would guess that everybody is in your unit is probably very aware that you are a first class and know more than anybody. I would also venture to guess that you are "that guy". If you need to remind people of your stature, you don't have their respect. I can't think of a time when I heard even a crummy JO remind his branch, crew, division etc. of his rank. If I had, I would've labeled him douchenozzle #1.
I went through OCS and wish I had gone through ROTC. Mids get 4 years of training and tons of OJT fun during the breaks and summers as A4's mentioned. In OCS we got some adversity to bond us and weed out those who didn't want it bad enough. We learned how to salute, swim like a sailor and wear the uniform. Most of what we needed to learn as officers came from paying attention and understanding that if you keep your mouth shut you just may learn something from the chiefs and senior JO's. We probably learned as much in our first month at the squadron about leadership than we did in 3 at OCS. It's an indoctrination program that prepares us to become leaders, not necessarily makes us leaders in 90 days.
ROTC does just fine without OCS.
Having said all that, I am sure that you are a great sailor. The STA sailors I knew were all top notch and I am sure you are the same. Making first class in the time you are eligible for STA is no small accomplishment. I suppose my humble advice, to be left or taken, is to lighten up a bit about the way you think things ought to be.
Steve