A tale as old as time, NPQ in the pipeline

[soccerman816]

Good Evening,

I have found much information on this and many opinions but as many come and go, titles change, users get wiser, experience has grown, and there is someone like me who may be put in a situation you have the answer to. I am the first admit I did not event the wheel, nor will I recreate it and I appreciate those that have rolled them before me. This is for all those of those people actually living this scenario.

Lets say, its 2021 and hypothetically you get to the end of OCS and you have NPQ'd from aviation over the suspicion of a degenerative eye condition. The letter from NAMI takes all the way to week 12 before you have officially been released from your flight opportunity. You left your wife, a great job, and an entire career, to fly for the Navy; all for you to be told you have an eye issue that COULD cause a problem later so they will not take chance on pushing you down to Pensacola, but currently you see 20/30 uncorrected and 20/20 corrected so you qualify for all other designators.

Lets say, the only offer on the table is SWO. Are those 4 years of your time in your 20's worth it? Looking back on your careers and your goals, would you do it? Would you do it differently knowing what you know now? This isn't a question of whether or not you want to be a Naval Officer, because that is with any designator at OCS. If the designator was trash man, people will go "well at least you are a Naval Officer," yeah that still picks up trash. I will have held a similar title prior to going to OCS and the clout isn't what I was chasing, rather the chance to command an aircraft and honestly above all, work with a group of people who I felt have a mindset much like my own. The aviation community is one of the biggest things I admire of the Navy. I always wanted to "be like those guys" growing up. This scenario could be all to real for many people and with someone I know approaching that, I don't think there are many resources to turn to other than those who have come before.

I appreciate any and all feed back. No disrespect intended to SWO's. Many candidates just have 0 intention on doing that job for any part of our life prior to arriving at OCS. Personally, I would be more interested in Intel (closest to my background) or Crypto, but there is mixed gouge as to whether there are even options or its just "SWO or get out." Which is irrelevant to this forum. I just am looking for your mixed bag of experiences.

Thank you,

SM816

 

[Jim123]

You've got a solid handle on all of the important questions and on your own outlook, much better than a lot of people in this exact situation. In your present situation, there is honor, merit, and all kinds of other ups and downs in either choice. This is one of those forks in the road that Yogi Berra talked about.

Really not much more to say, although this might turn into a pretty long thread.

 

[Pags]

I was NROTC so if an NPQ had come up I knew a non-flying designator was in my future. I also got REALLY close to picking SWO-EDO. That said, if you still desire to serve SWO is a way to do it and you can have an out in a few years. If it's awful you still leave having tried and with some unique experiences and stories. The civilian world will still be there when you get back. There are also people who go SWO and find it's their thing and make a fulfilling career out of it.

 

[soccerman816]

You've got a solid handle on all of the important questions and on your own outlook, much better than a lot of people in this exact situation. In your present situation, there is honor, merit, and all kinds of other ups and downs in either choice. This is one of those forks in the road that Yogi Berra talked about.

Really not much more to say, although this might turn into a pretty long thread.

I appreciate your input! I hope it does turn into a long thread as it can be very insightful to many.

TH

 

[jtmedli]

FWIW, having Naval Officer on your resume, even if it's for a relatively short stint/not a full career, can open a lot of doors for you. Having done a disassociated tour with SWOs, I'm glad it's not my primary job but I spent 2 years there as Aviator and you'll only have to do 4 so you'll survive it and be better for having done it if you wish to serve and pad the resume before pulling chocks on the Navy.

 

[scoolbubba]

No dishonor in saying thanks but no thanks. 4 years in your 20s is a long time to miss out on making a reputation in your current career field, and while Naval Officer has some clout to get your foot in the door for an interview sometimes, that might be all it gets you (and it might keep you from getting a few other opportunities along the way).

It's a lot of time you won't be making career headway in your civilian field, you probably won't be building equity in a home, you won't be getting a good 401k match, and you won't be enjoying much life stability around the family.

If it's not what you wanna do, don't do it.

 

[Skywalker]

As somebody a little closer to you on the totem pole, I have to go with a lazy "it depends."

If you're feeling sleuth-y, you'll notice I've been on this forum for quite some time - and I sank a similar amount of time trying to get where I am now. In between OCS attempts I worked in general aviation and my then-and-now supportive then-girlfriend now-wife tried to convince me to have an open mind, to pursue an aviation career from the civilian end of things. I worked for an FBO/aircraft dealership that shared a small field with a flight school, so I was not short of information and experiences. The pandemic wasn't a thing - it's not like I didn't think about it. But something ate at me. No matter how hard the Navy made it to get back into OCS, they never said "no" - and I could not put to rest the idea of serving in the military. Being a naval officer was at that point the path I had gone the farthest along and the path I knew the most about. So when I finally made it back to Newport for round 2 of OCS, I resolved that there would be no third time. I would leave a pilot or do my contract in something else and put the GI Bill towards flight school. If I had been NPQ'd I would've done SWO. For a while I thought I would have to, actually - the Civilian of the Year played games with my NAMI packet like she does everybody's.

All the SWOs I met at OCS did nothing but shit talk the Navy and made it seem like joining the Navy for anything other than aviation or intel would be a mistake. In contrast, SWOs I've met on social media and through a GU wargaming club have nothing but good things to say about the changes that have happened in that community and the direction it seems to be going. While not necessarily drawing a straight line to reality, Proceedings and USNI news sure do paint a picture of a flag mess trying desperately to make the SWO community suck less.

TL; DR: If I were in your shoes, I'd take SWO. You've conquered the business end of putting those crossed anchors on your head. From what I hear it gets more difficult but less demeaning from there. I turned 26 in student pool. I'm not winged, I could get the NAMI hammer at any time. I'd take SWO if I end up in your spot a year from now. It doesn't make you unwise or immoral if you choose otherwise - it just comes down to what you find important.

 

[Randy Daytona]

If you already have a wife and a solid career, I would think twice, three, four times before jeopardizing that. If you still have the urge to serve, perhaps joining as a reservist (whether Navy, Air National Guard, etc) while keeping what you have might be a good compromise.

 

[NavyOCSHopeful]

If you already have a wife and a solid career, I would think twice, three, four times before jeopardizing that. If you still have the urge to serve, perhaps joining as a reservist (whether Navy, Air National Guard, etc) while keeping what you have might be a good compromise.

I would definitely echo this comment.

I'm married with a small child, but do not have a solid career. Currently ship for 17OCT21 class for SWO. Becoming a Navy Officer is the career move for me, especially as my current employment has zero promotion potential and I would need to invest 3-5 more years in it just to be able to look for a promotion with another company with pathetic salary increase. For me, OCS is a personal, professional, and financial decision.

If your current job/career provides promotion potential, growth, and stability, I would definitely think about whether or not you would accept SWO. Reserves is definitely a solid option for that itch to serve.

I didn’t want to be one of those people at the bar saying “I was going to join the military but-“

This is another one of my underlying reasons. Service to country and duty are the nagging thoughts at the back of my mind every day. If I didn't serve (even as SWO, despite my 1st choice having been Intel), I would grow old feeling as though I let my country and countrymen down.

 

[almond_615]

Good Evening,

Lets say, the only offer on the table is SWO.

I've spent my career being a dual-hatted sailor. I've been in three careers while also being a Navy Reservist. The first thing I always tell my Sailors is to do what fits best for you and yours first.

4 years is a very quick time in your life. But there is this one thought. OCS is will not always be an option, but civilian flight school will. Having the commissioned status could give you a leg up later on during professional civilian jobs later due to the number of things you learn how to do while in the service. You become a highly valued asset from day one, while others are working their way up from the top.

You are free to do what you want, but this may be a situation that puts you on a path for something amazing as a Naval Officer, even if you can't envision it right now. Plus, many many SWOs lat transfer as well.

 

[almond_615]

FWIW: I only wanted to be an MSC officer, and run a hospital. Unfortunately, the Navy/DHA changed the opportunities while I was in grad school so I had to choose what I wanted to do. I took the opportunity I had been given.

 

[squorch2]

Having the commissioned status could give you a leg up later on during professional civilian jobs later due to the number of things you learn how to do while in the service

No.

ETA: No, unless you're a pilot.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

No.

ETA: No, unless you're a pilot.

I would say depends who is looking at the resume, I have seen it many times where a person who was a commissioned officer if hired into a position over someone who was better qualified but had no service or if they had service it was as enlisted.

 

[villo0692]

I would say depends who is looking at the resume, I have seen it many times where a person who was a commissioned officer if hired into a position over someone who was better qualified but had no service or if they had service it was as enlisted.

I was enlisted in aviation for 5 years and in my experience...MY experience, I have been approached quite a bit from quite a few of the three letter federal intelligence government agencies. They didn't really seem to care about the specifics of what I did in the military, as much as just being a veteran, having dealt with things in the Middle East and Europe, having held a clearance and having taken some leadership positions and handled personnel from a young age (e.g. I was running line shack when I was 20 yrs old, and was in charge of 20 kids). I got several really appealing and well compensated offers ever since. I might be completely off about it, but that's what I've seen.

 

[almond_615]

No.

ETA: No, unless you're a pilot.

I've been on both sides of the coin in the interview process and did a lot of interviews during the pandemic. My military service, even as a corpsman, gave me many discreet skills that are not necessarily translated by strict work titles. The employers seemed to value that a lot. Additionally, many employers have a minimum target of veteran employees that they are looking for, so it can help in that regard as well.