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RFA: Enlisted to Officer Commissioning Programs

Kirk G said:
Question regarding the expiration of interviews, from my general research I've been able to find that any officer interview will expire 6 months after it is conducted. Does this also apply to the Commanding Officers Endorsement? Thanks!

V/r
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Yes but usually the endorsement is one of the last things needed in the package.
 
This point was brought up by almost all the priors at OCS. I had a break in service so essentially I was applying as a civilian which made the process easy for me. The graduating class at OCS gets to speak with RADM Bernacchi during their last week and the point about fleet career counselors being clueless about commissioning programs was brought to his attention.

I feel like the Navy in general doesn't do a good job of promoting OCS though. Most people think the only way to get a commission is to go ROTC or one of the service academies. Almost everyone I talked to in my class had never heard of OCS until they stumbled into a recruiter's office. The only people that did know about it was because one of their parents graduated from OCS.
 
@AULANI Interesting point you make, truth be told the most help I've received have been from some of my O's whom were prior enlisted. Which is far more than most enlisted can say from the general consensus. I love my CCC we get along great, but he's not too familiar with the process of applying. I've taken every step I could to find Garcia in this matter, everything short of messaging ocsquestions@navy.mil.

My officer mentors have added that I should seek my CO's approval first before venturing out to complete my remainder, seeing as how he is the sole approver in this process, it is best to get the omni omni from him first before proceeding. Currently deployed and just finished my BS, the time envelope is closing quickly.
 
Kirk G said:
@AULANI Interesting point you make, truth be told the most help I've received have been from some of my O's whom were prior enlisted. Which is far more than most enlisted can say from the general consensus. I love my CCC we get along great, but he's not too familiar with the process of applying. I've taken every step I could to find Garcia in this matter, everything short of messaging ocsquestions@navy.mil.

My officer mentors have added that I should seek my CO's approval first before venturing out to complete my remainder, seeing as how he is the sole approver in this process, it is best to get the omni omni from him first before proceeding. Currently deployed and just finished my BS, the time envelope is closing quickly.
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I was a prior IS1, got out and did Intel work for a few 3-letter agencies and then applied to OCS. My officer recruiter was great and like I said, the whole process for me was easy. The other priors I talked to at OCS all told me they had to move heaven and earth to get into OCS. Most of them went straight to their CO since they weren't making headway with their CCC. Most of them received bad gouge along the lines of them not being eligible for OCS (which they all were obviously).

The process for active duty enlisted sailor's should be no different than it is for civilians with the exception of maybe routing a chit asking to submit a package. Other than that, I'm not sure why the whole process for fleet applicants is such a CHARLIE FOXTROT.
 
I've considered potentially going through an officer recruiter, not for the purposes of submission, but more for guidance. The 1420 is terrible at listing out step by step actions required as well the little stipulations such as medical and interviewer expirations. My mentors have given me their OCS packages and I've been fortunate enough to model it off theirs. Find the winners and do what they do right? I've chit to begin the process has thankfully been approved by my Skipper, as much as we know it's only a formality, it at least gives me the inkling that my command is willing to help me through this process. I'm hesitant in messaging the ocsquestions@navy.mil for answers to clear up any potential gouge.
 
Kirk G said:
I've considered potentially going through an officer recruiter, not for the purposes of submission, but more for guidance. The 1420 is terrible at listing out step by step actions required as well the little stipulations such as medical and interviewer expirations. My mentors have given me their OCS packages and I've been fortunate enough to model it off theirs. Find the winners and do what they do right? I've chit to begin the process has thankfully been approved by my Skipper, as much as we know it's only a formality, it at least gives me the inkling that my command is willing to help me through this process. I'm hesitant in messaging the ocsquestions@navy.mil for answers to clear up any potential gouge.
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The steps an OR knows for his applicants and the steps someone on AD or reserve has to go through are different.
 
AULANI said:
This point was brought up by almost all the priors at OCS. I had a break in service so essentially I was applying as a civilian which made the process easy for me. The graduating class at OCS gets to speak with RADM Bernacchi during their last week and the point about fleet career counselors being clueless about commissioning programs was brought to his attention.

I feel like the Navy in general doesn't do a good job of promoting OCS though. Most people think the only way to get a commission is to go ROTC or one of the service academies. Almost everyone I talked to in my class had never heard of OCS until they stumbled into a recruiter's office. The only people that did know about it was because one of their parents graduated from OCS.
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The main job of a CCC is enlisted career paths, a command should have an officer designated to provide guidance to those wishing to pursue a commission, my ships did.
 
As a SELRES, my biggest headache has been my NCC's/NOSC lack of understanding regarding the OCS process. My biggest hurdle has been trying to get my physical scheduled. Early on in this process I went into the NOSC and spoke with the NCC briefly and informed her that I was in the early stages of getting together a package for OCS. I asked for help scheduling my physicals, and she told me “I have nothing to do with your physicals, all that is handled through medical.” So I walk over to medical, who then tells me that commissioning physicals are handled through a recruiter out in town and not the NOSC. I go out in town and speak to the recruiter who then sends me back to the NOSC, and the NCC who has no clue what's going on. Instead of sending me back out in town, the NOSC sends me to a MTF who informs that they are unable to schedule physicals for SELRES. I got extremely discouraged at this point and I think the lady noticed because even though she was not able to schedule my physicals she did give me a good POC of someone who possibly could. But I knew I was in trouble when I asked the NCC to stamp my college transcripts as an official document and she had no clue what I was talking about.

Honestly without Airwarriors and Google, I would be lost. But I am certain I am not the first SELRES to deal with the issue of a clueless CCC office and unfortunately I won’t be the last.
 
I should have posted this several months ago but didn’t know the thread existed. I made a step-by-step guide for my command (VP-30 at NAS Jax) since many Aircrew students have college degrees and want to make the switch. I spent a good amount of time on it so I hate to just keep it to myself and would rather share the knowledge. It isn’t exhaustive, of course, and may be too specific to my command since it’s a training environment (for instance, what I’ve heard at the fleet squadrons is that your package goes right to the CO rather than routed through an entire CoC which takes weeks/months).

I agree that CCCs are not helpful, but as stated, it isn’t really their job. There is a PDD (Professional Development) office at VP-30 and the LT there is the point of contact for Officer programs. This could be the exception rather than the rule, though. Another exception could be that there is a disproportionately large number of prior enlisted NFOs/Pilots at this training squadron and they’re very familiar with the process.

For me, by far the best guidance came from two other students who were going through the process ahead of me. And specifically for your desired designators, great advice can come from Officers doing those jobs at your command/on your ship. For instance, the Suppo set up all my Supply interviews which was a huge help. Granted, NAS Jax is huge, as well as Mayport nearby, and there are a ton of Commanders and Captains on base. As with most things in the military, you need to be a bit pushy and resourceful. But yes, in the end, the Navy needs better guidance on OCS for active duty and reserve members.
 

Attachments

Maybe i got lucky but my accession was magnificently easy. well, the second time around.

My CCC was worthless. She had absolutely zero clue about any commissioning program. no idea where to even find the info.

Point 3. this page has absolutely all the info i needed to fill out the application and the OCS checklist is money for the sailor building a kit. links to anything they need to know. best thing to do for them is to point them to this site and give them the OCS checklist.

and the mentorship cannot be understated. your CCC doesnt write your evals. your COC MUST have your back. my kit was only successful because my CO went to bat for me and told me exactly what i needed to do to get in.
 
thosefreakinATs said:
Maybe i got lucky but my accession was magnificently easy. well, the second time around.

My CCC was worthless. She had absolutely zero clue about any commissioning program. no idea where to even find the info.
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That is because it really isn't taught at CCC school, basically we were told each command should have a officer that was the point of contact for sailors desiring a commission.
 
thosefreakinATs said:
shouldnt that be something they should have their hands in though?
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I had thought so until going to CCC school and it was said the primary reason for the CCC is to assist enlisted sailors in their enlisted career, we rec'd a basic overview of officer programs such as "there is OCS, NROTC, USNA, LDO, and CWO" and that each CO should have an officer as a point of contact at each command for those wanting to apply. It turns out that many commands do but that info is not actually put out, on the CVN's it is often the ESO.

The part that does get me is that all those programs have different requirements, different forms, etc..... to think that one person at a large command could deal with all that as a collateral duty seems a bit much to me.
 
NavyOffRec said:
The part that does get me is that all those programs have different requirements, different forms, etc..... to think that one person at a large command could deal with all that as a collateral duty seems a bit much to me.
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I have to disagree. STA-21 and LDO/CWO are both very applicant friendly. Each has thorough checklists, examples, and FAQs, not to mention POCs on NAVADMINS. The Officer’s job is not to do the work for the applicant but point them in the right direction. If a person can’t put in the effort to read the directions and do the leg work, why should the command waste its time to “yeomanize” it and endorse them?

Point being, the Officer is not to do the work, just point the Sailor in the right direction. As my skipper told me when I informed him of my intent to drop my first STA-21 package, “I am not, nor will anyone else in my command, hold your hand. If you want this, prove it. Putting together a quality package shows your commitment/desire and ability to actually figure out how to follow Naval instructions on your own.”

Based on previous posts in this thread, OCS/ODS (medical) would be the only programs an officer would have to really dig into in order to be an effective resource for the Sailors. But even that wouldn’t take too long to figure out, maybe a package or two. This isn’t rocket science.
 
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