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FY19 STA-21

greenvalley

New Member
Anyone applying this year? Has anyone done the interview before? What kind of questions can I expect? This is my first time applying.
 

Jetty Cat

New Member
Anyone applying this year? Has anyone done the interview before? What kind of questions can I expect? This is my first time applying.
This will be my first and most likely last. I'm prepping for the interviews now and trying to get my ASTB scores up as high as possible.
 

abigail vytlas

OCS SNFO/AMDO
I am applying again for the forth year, hoping this is the last year of course. Expect anything for questions, I've mostly been asked each time about college aptitude and why I want to be an officer.

I do have a question, administators please chime in if you have any info. With NAVADMIN 141/17 put in placed should we as an applicant still participate in the PFA or just get BCAs done since we've "earned" the right to do so? I'm coming out of an injury and will be waived from push ups either way, but I'm not too sure how much the board takes this into account.
 

beewur

New Member
Anyone applying this year? Has anyone done the interview before? What kind of questions can I expect? This is my first time applying.
This is also my first year applying, I am done with my package with the exception of the boards, but I just had my first board today. The questions I was asked are listed below, though some are typical, most were not like ones I read from previous forums. Most were quite personal, and were oriented around my qualifications. Anyways....

"Why do you want to be an officer?"
"What is the difference between management and leadership?"
"What does initiative mean to you and give me examples of ways you have shown it?"
"What if the pilot option does not work out?"
"Why did you stop going to school after you got your associates degree?"
"Where are the weak areas of your package?"
"How did you earn your letters of recommendation?"
"Give a time you had to accept failure."
"Name a challenge you faced in your life and how did you overcome it?"
"How well do you handle defeat? Have you ever been told no?"
"Does your wife support your decisions?"
"What was it like being a Navy brat?"
"Explain to me how the STA-21 program works." (I think he legitimately did not know).
"Why aren't you applying for any other designators?"

Thats all that comes to mind right now. Other questions were ad hoc questions based off of answers I gave. I read that the boards are supposed to be like conversations and not job-interviews. Though it is hard to grasp that mentality, especially having never done this before, the board was just that. It was very relaxed, we joked a bit, and as I mentioned, some answers got personal. They are there to measure your aptitude and potential to succeed as a Navy Officer. Good luck and holler if you need any more help!
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
This is also my first year applying, I am done with my package with the exception of the boards, but I just had my first board today. The questions I was asked are listed below, though some are typical, most were not like ones I read from previous forums. Most were quite personal, and were oriented around my qualifications. Anyways....

"Why do you want to be an officer?"
"What is the difference between management and leadership?"
"What does initiative mean to you and give me examples of ways you have shown it?"
"What if the pilot option does not work out?"
"Why did you stop going to school after you got your associates degree?"
"Where are the weak areas of your package?"
"How did you earn your letters of recommendation?"
"Give a time you had to accept failure."
"Name a challenge you faced in your life and how did you overcome it?"
"How well do you handle defeat? Have you ever been told no?"
"Does your wife support your decisions?"
"What was it like being a Navy brat?"
"Explain to me how the STA-21 program works." (I think he legitimately did not know).
"Why aren't you applying for any other designators?"

Thats all that comes to mind right now. Other questions were ad hoc questions based off of answers I gave. I read that the boards are supposed to be like conversations and not job-interviews. Though it is hard to grasp that mentality, especially having never done this before, the board was just that. It was very relaxed, we joked a bit, and as I mentioned, some answers got personal. They are there to measure your aptitude and potential to succeed as a Navy Officer. Good luck and holler if you need any more help!

One of the questions should be "do you want to be a nuke?" since 35 of 50 spots go to those who want to be nukes.
 

beewur

New Member
One of the questions should be "do you want to be a nuke?" since 35 of 50 spots go to those who want to be nukes.
I noticed that from the selection results from last year! Hopefully with the shortage of pilots the military is experiencing, they will select more pilot applicants
 

FormerRecruitingGuru

Making Recruiting Great Again
I noticed that from the selection results from last year! Hopefully with the shortage of pilots the military is experiencing, they will select more pilot applicants

Your statement is misleading and you’re comparing apples to oranges. Aviation has a retention issue not an ascession issue.

HOWEVER, with current POTUS wanting a larger force there might be more opportunities down the road, but I wouldn’t be too optimistic just yet.
 

Avogadros Number

New Member
Hey everyone!

I am applying this year for the CEC target option. I've put the basic package info in my quote. I'm aware the chance of being picked up is slim, but I will be in the CEC one war or another. I will be in the window for the collegiate program within two semesters, so I will gladly take a pay cut down to E-3 to pursue my goal if needed. Starting in the fall I will be pursuing my Bachelors in Civil Engineering from ODU while still finishing my AS from TCC. I am in my orders window with less than a year till I rotate, but have over a year left on my contract, so reenlistment is still up in the air. If it makes logical sense to get out and get my degree faster and take a pay cut for awhile to come back in with a commission, so be it, however id much rather go the STA-21 route! (Who wouldn't?)
This site has been a great resource, and I just wanted to thank everyone involved! It is nice to encounter a collective of highly motivated people working towards a common goal, more fuel for the fire. Any advice is always welcome, and I will help as much as I can. Good luck to everyone!
 

greenvalley

New Member
Hey everyone!

I am applying this year for the CEC target option. I've put the basic package info in my quote. I'm aware the chance of being picked up is slim, but I will be in the CEC one war or another. I will be in the window for the collegiate program within two semesters, so I will gladly take a pay cut down to E-3 to pursue my goal if needed. Starting in the fall I will be pursuing my Bachelors in Civil Engineering from ODU while still finishing my AS from TCC. I am in my orders window with less than a year till I rotate, but have over a year left on my contract, so reenlistment is still up in the air. If it makes logical sense to get out and get my degree faster and take a pay cut for awhile to come back in with a commission, so be it, however id much rather go the STA-21 route! (Who wouldn't?)
This site has been a great resource, and I just wanted to thank everyone involved! It is nice to encounter a collective of highly motivated people working towards a common goal, more fuel for the fire. Any advice is always welcome, and I will help as much as I can. Good luck to everyone!

Welcome and good look. I wouldn't get your bachelors if your trying to do STA21. It would disqualify you from the program. However, you would still be able to go OCS route.
 

Avogadros Number

New Member
Welcome and good look. I wouldn't get your bachelors if your trying to do STA21. It would disqualify you from the program. However, you would still be able to go OCS route.
Of course, I am still many, many, semesters away from my bachelors. I just want to try and make as much progress as possible towards it to reach my "end" goal as fast as I can. Apparently just having your Associates helps a lot on the board from what I've heard. I should be done with mine in the fall as long as no hiccups arise.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Hey everyone!

I am applying this year for the CEC target option. I've put the basic package info in my quote. I'm aware the chance of being picked up is slim, but I will be in the CEC one war or another. I will be in the window for the collegiate program within two semesters, so I will gladly take a pay cut down to E-3 to pursue my goal if needed. Starting in the fall I will be pursuing my Bachelors in Civil Engineering from ODU while still finishing my AS from TCC. I am in my orders window with less than a year till I rotate, but have over a year left on my contract, so reenlistment is still up in the air. If it makes logical sense to get out and get my degree faster and take a pay cut for awhile to come back in with a commission, so be it, however id much rather go the STA-21 route! (Who wouldn't?)
This site has been a great resource, and I just wanted to thank everyone involved! It is nice to encounter a collective of highly motivated people working towards a common goal, more fuel for the fire. Any advice is always welcome, and I will help as much as I can. Good luck to everyone!

Just remember that grades weigh heavy with CEC, better to go slow and do great than go fast and do average.
 

Avogadros Number

New Member
Just remember that grades weigh heavy with CEC, better to go slow and do great than go fast and do average.
That is very true..It has been a struggle balancing Navy work and school with two kids. I want to take more classes than I do every semester but have been able to check myself and realize quality is better than quantity. It's a very fine line to balance with family. Shore duty is supposed to be chill, but I have never been more busy and stressed in my almost 9 year career. In one way or another it will all pay off though.
 

Airbro

Member
Did my internal board last Monday, external board is on Friday and then my package will be submitted. I'm applying for Pilot/Core. Here's what I can remember I was asked.

Why do you want to be an officer?
What do you know about the process? (I asked for further clarification. STA-21 or the Aviation training pipeline in general.)
What is more important, the mission or taking care of your people?
What sets you apart from other applicants?
What do you want to fly?
What do you think of the service obligation?
What if pilot doesn't work out? What if you were found medically disqualified and had to be re-designated?
Would you be okay with being a SWO?
As a LT, you come back to your stateroom while underway and your roommate (Also an LT) is drinking. What do you do?
What do you think will be your biggest struggle as a JO?
What was a time you had to take on leadership in your command?

Can't remember anything else at the moment. Hope this helps someone out there. I recommend understanding the training pipeline for your chosen community and knowing the expected duty/deployment rotations for the first 10 years. Good luck to everyone applying this year.
 
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