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STA-21 FOS

SWOtivatedNOT

New Member
Shipmates, I need some help. I was commissioned via STA-21 and since I was commissioned so early by my school, I was IZ (most junior for the cycle) for O4 this cycle even though I only commissioned in '12. Needless to say I wasn't picked up, I barely have any time in. I digress, my STA-21 time does not count per big Navy. So, even though I have continually served since '01 (18 years), Big Navy sees me as being in for only 16 years since my 2 year STA-21 time doesn't count and if I FOS again next cycle, I will be let out since I do not have the required 18 years to be in sanctuary. I'll be 2-3 months short. I cannot find the instruction that says it doesn't count and the STA-21 office will not write me back. I simply saw a statement of service in my OMPF. I'm freaking out only b/c I just PCSed, so my FITREP will not really improve my chances while I'm AZ next cycle. Any insight and help will be greatly appreciated.
 

IKE

Nerd Whirler
pilot
I can't provide an instruction or NAVADMIN excerpt, but I distinctly remember STA-21 changed a few years after I commissioned ('06) to where you're basically like any other midshipman or officer candidate while going to school (not earning time).

Some questions (for you to answer for yourself):
  • Did you reenlist prior to departing for your ROTC unit?
  • Were you provided a DD214 when you started STA-21?
  • I don't have BOL or MyPay handy at the moment, but I think one of those two places will show you total service (It's the OSR/ODC on BOL, and if you haven't checked it, that could be a factor in your FOS)
  • If you'll be <18 years when the O4 results come out, what about 7 months later (the separation date). I'm not sure which date is used when checking sanctuary, but you should check.
  • Worst case, I've heard (don't know for sure) that you could reenlist to finish 20 years, and while you'd be a Petty Officer again, your retirement would still be based on HIGH 3 (O-3 pay).
 

roflsaurus

"Jet" Pilot
pilot
Was continuation supposed to be a thing for Navy O-3s, or was that only the USMC?

Either way, I would probably also start looking into the FTS application process.
 

SWOtivatedNOT

New Member
I can't provide an instruction or NAVADMIN excerpt, but I distinctly remember STA-21 changed a few years after I commissioned ('06) to where you're basically like any other midshipman or officer candidate while going to school (not earning time).

Some questions (for you to answer for yourself):
  • Did you reenlist prior to departing for your ROTC unit?
  • Were you provided a DD214 when you started STA-21?
  • I don't have BOL or MyPay handy at the moment, but I think one of those two places will show you total service (It's the OSR/ODC on BOL, and if you haven't checked it, that could be a factor in your FOS)
  • If you'll be <18 years when the O4 results come out, what about 7 months later (the separation date). I'm not sure which date is used when checking sanctuary, but you should check.
  • Worst case, I've heard (don't know for sure) that you could reenlist to finish 20 years, and while you'd be a Petty Officer again, your retirement would still be based on HIGH 3 (O-3 pay).
Thanks. I'm not looking forward to it, but if I have to retire as an E6, that would be better than not retiring period. I did get a DD 214. I'm meeting with legal next week to explore my options in case things go awry next cycle as well. So if I retire as an E6, I would be getting my highest 3 years of pay while I was in correct? O3E. This whole thing is very frustrating. I've seen conflicting reports, but it looks like this amendment into title 10 was signed just a few months before I started.
 

HAL Pilot

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
If you hit 18 years after you FOS but before you separate, are you now in the sanctuary?
 

Spookcumber

Active Member
I've wondered about this before too because I'll likely be at the 16-17 year mark if I 2x FOS. Hopefully this helps:


If you read the FAQ point 13, there's a "Favorable Resignations/Separations Branch" at pers that can provide more info on reverting to enlisted status. Should things not work out next year, you should be able to take that route and still retire with O3E pay.
 
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Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
So if I retire as an E6, I would be getting my highest 3 years of pay while I was in correct? O3E.

The simple answer is: correct. Although you'd retire as an O-3. The more complicated answer is that you retire and earn based off the average of your highest 36 months of pay.
 

nodropinufaka

Well-Known Member
There is an article from 2016 All Hands titled "From Khaki to Blueshirt"

The same exact thing happened to that guy (1830). They have a program where they will revert you back to your enlisted grade +1 if you are over 16 years but under 18 years. So he went back to E-6.
 

SWOtivatedNOT

New Member
The simple answer is: correct. Although you'd retire as an O-3. The more complicated answer is that you retire and earn based off the average of your highest 36 months of pay.
Thanks man. Besides this entire situation crushing my soul, that would have been awful to drop in pay that greatly as well.
 

SWOtivatedNOT

New Member
There is an article from 2016 All Hands titled "From Khaki to Blueshirt"

The same exact thing happened to that guy (1830). They have a program where they will revert you back to your enlisted grade +1 if you are over 16 years but under 18 years. So he went back to E-6.
Enlisted grade plus 1? I went from E6 to O1E. Are you saying that they would make me a Chief?
 

SWOtivatedNOT

New Member
I've wondered about this before too because I'll likely be at the 16-17 year mark if I 2x FOS. Hopefully this helps:


If you read the FAQ point 13, there's a "Favorable Resignations/Separations Branch" at pers that can provide more info on reverting to enlisted status. Should things not work out next year, you should be able to take that route and still retire with O3E pay.
Thanks for the information. If worse comes to worst, there is that at least.
 

SWOtivatedNOT

New Member
If you hit 18 years after you FOS but before you separate, are you now in the sanctuary?
From what I've been told by my detailer, I will be 2-3 months short of 18 years, so I will not be in sanctuary and will be asked to leave 6 months after the message comes out if it says I FOSsed again. 2x FOs and less than 18 years equals involuntary separation in 6 months.
 

nodropinufaka

Well-Known Member
Enlisted grade plus 1? I went from E6 to O1E. Are you saying that they would make me a Chief?
According to instruction.

I don’t know the actual instruction but it’s out there.

In the article the guy was an E-5 when he went to STA-21 and they reverted him back to his enlisted rate as a first class because he FOSx2 and was 6 months shy of sanctuary
 

picklesuit

Dirty Hinge
pilot
Contributor
From what I've been told by my detailer, I will be 2-3 months short of 18 years, so I will not be in sanctuary and will be asked to leave 6 months after the message comes out if it says I FOSsed again. 2x FOs and less than 18 years equals involuntary separation in 6 months.
What you need to do is convince a bunch of Master Chiefs to unduly influence the board, relay stuff from the tank outside the board, and get the whole thing shitcanned and done over so you are in your window...

 
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