ABOUT TO ENLIST BUT WOULD LIKE TO BE AN OFFICER FEEDBACK PLEASE

[Stoflisberger]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum and wanted to get some feedback from everyone regarding becoming an officer while you are enlisted. I am 24 years old and have been in the civilian workforce for almost 2 years now. I have earned my B.A. in Political Science (minor in Criminal Justice), while graduating with a cumulative GPA of 3.1 and becoming a member of the honor society for my major. I am about to go in for MEPS and should be able to get in as an enlisted Intel Specialist (as I wanted). I was wondering when could I put in my OCS package and if I could while I was enlisted? Also how difficult do you think it would be to become an Intel Officer granted I become an Intel Specialist as an enlisted? Any feedback on what I should do or what I am not doing would be greatly appreciated. Also my biggest problem with going OCS from the start is that I was told that the process is a long wait and that my chances with my major and GPA are slim to none for getting into OCS right now since so many are applying and it is extremely competitive. Lastly I scored an 85 AFQT on my ASVAB not that would help at all with going officer.

 

[HH-60H]

Prevailing wisdom around here is if you want to be an officer, don't enlist to get a commission.

 

[Uncle Fester]

This question's been asked many times here, so have a look around the forum and see what others have said.

To sum up, though: If you want to enlist and would be happy without becoming an officer, go for it. If you are enlisting solely to become an officer, I'd reconsider.

The recruiter you spoke to's not entirely wrong, as the drawdown in t he military plus a crappy job market (lots of folks trying to get in, not many getting out) means the Navy can be picky.

That said, don't take his word for it. Talk to an officer programs recruiter. Traditional recruiters have been known to...not lie, but perhaps stretch the truth and commit omissions, in order to get you to enlist.

It sounds like you'd be a good catch as an IS, it's an interesting rate that does interesting work. But the rule of thumb is, enlisting is a lousy way to become an officer. Once you're in, you're subject to the whims/needs of the Navy. I've known plenty of shit-hot petty officers who couldn't get into OCS.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

 

[eas7888]

Stuff

There are a number of guys on the board here who were enlisted in one branch or another that went on to become officers. I'm one of them. If I had the opportunity to do it all over again, I would have tried to get my commission first. I had a 3.0 GPA, and I was still selected in an extremely competitive environment. The selection boards view the whole person concept. If you have a low GPA, but you are extremely involved in the community, or maybe you have a good employment history, the board may still view your package favorably.

Don't settle for anything less than what you want. I have to ask, have you actually taken the opportunity to speak with an officer recruiter? You typically won't find them at your local recruiting station, as they work large areas. My advice to you, talk to an officer recruiter first. If you're willing to wait, you may have an opportunity to become an officer. If it does not work out, you can enlist later.

 

[jbuck387]

I recommend doing a search on this, it has been asked several time. Short answer is (as a prior) don't enlist with expectations to commission, it is a long and difficult path. Best case scenario if you enlisted you're looking at 4+ years until you have enough quals and experience to be competitive for a commissioning program. To top all that off budget cuts have seriously effected the number of people selected for enlisted commissioning programs. If you want to be an officer, pursuing OCS would be your best bet. Best of luck.

 

[Tomodachi]

First off you need to stop talking to the enlisted recruiter. You will be in boot camp in no time unless you stop that process now. You should be working with the officer recruiter to apply for OCS and the designator(s) you want. Yes it is a competitive environment, but that doesn't mean you can't at least try. Just because someone told you that you have a small chance of making it doesnt mean you need to run off to the enlisted recruiter. Fight for what you want. As you will learn when you get in the Navy, your career is in your hands. Don't put your career in the hands of an ENLISTED recruiter.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

If you want to be an officer talk to an officer recruiter, but this is the status of the Intel program. FY 12 is filled, FY 13 has 10 spots left they are on track to have 600+ applications for those 10 spots, if you are lucky enough to be selected given the numbers already selected you are looking at OCS April/May/June of 2013. They are also looking more for those with technical degrees the ratio of the split I have heard is 80/20 of tech/non tech.

Here is some data on the people I have that want to put in for Intel, degrees - Political Science, CS, Math, Physics, EE, and communications, several of the non tech degree people have graduate degrees, not a single one has a GPA less than 3.4, several are around 3.8 I doubt a single one will be picked up.

The next board deadline for Intel is in March, so the results will be out in April, if not selected and you still want to be in the Navy then go enlisted, if you want to go ASAP go enlisted.

 

[VTFlyer]

Coming from a prior Navy enlisted.....you will have to wait at least 2 years before applying to OCS. You also have to consider that you need command approval and if you happen to be in a critical NEC they will not release you. IS is normally a critical NEC and the majority of the time undermanned. That being said, promotions will be easy on the enlisted side but they will also try and keep you in once they go through all the trouble of getting you TS clearance and trained as an IS. Its not a bad job but if you choose to go enlisted first you have to make sure that you want to be in the Navy FIRST, because there is a good chance you won't get into OCS until after your first term (4 years).

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Coming from a prior Navy enlisted.....you will have to wait at least 2 years before applying to OCS. You also have to consider that you need command approval and if you happen to be in a critical NEC they will not releaI se you. IS is normally a critical NEC and the majority of the time undermanned. That being said, promotions will be easy on the enlisted side but they will also try and keep you in once they go through all the trouble of getting you TS clearance and trained as an IS. Its not a bad job but if you choose to go enlisted first you have to make sure that you want to be in the Navy FIRST, because there is a good chance you won't get into OCS until after your first term (4 years).

Not correct, they will release you if you meet the requirements and are applying for a higher priority program I was able to see firsthand what happens if a CO says no strictly based on "critical NEC", he got his d*** stomped on and was directed to make sure that application was submitted.

 

[Stoflisberger]

First off, I would like to thank everyone for the advice. My dilemma is that I would like to become an officer since I had already put in the time to get my degree, but at this point in my life I'm not getting any younger and I want to be in the Navy enlisted or commissioned. I was wondering if I do decide to go the enlisted route and I want to work for CIA, DEA, and FBI after the Navy would IS (HUMINT) be best for me or should I look at some other rates or to focus in on other specialties within IS community. I was pretty set on IS and who knows I could love being in the Navy so much that after my 4 or 5 year contract is up; I may not want to leave and work in the civilian community again. With that being said maybe I would then try for OCS. Also is there a age limit for OCS because I will be 25 in September and if I do 5 years I will be 30 or almost 30 by the time I would be applying, which seems a bit late.

P.S. forgive me everyone for grammar if it is off

 

[jbuck387]

IS will not be doing any HUMINT, an IS is basically an analyst.

 

[Stoflisberger]

IS will not be doing any HUMINT, an IS is basically an analyst.

So HUMINT basically is only a commissioned job?

 

[jbuck387]

HUMINT is clandestine human collection of intelligence through interpersonal communication (poli sci nerd moment, I took an intelligence class in college). While there MAY be a few Navy Officers that do that, most intel O's I've met spend most of their time time in an office or doing power point presentations on a ship. You will not be James Bond in the Navy. HUMINT is primarily a CIA, NSA, FBI, etc kind of deal.

 

[CBR11]

It is VERY difficult to break into the CIA/NSA. They recruit at my college and they were basically laughing people away unless they spoke a critical language (Arabic, Urdu, Mandarin, Russian) or were a quantitative major (math/stats/CS/engineering) with a high GPA. I can't speak to the military to CIA transition though; maybe that route is easier.

 

[Uncle Fester]

What they said. Navy Intel is primarily analysis and dissemination. Less James Bond and more Miss Moneypenny.

Its not a bad route to go if you want to work for one of the Agencies afterward, particularly if you can pick up an SCI clearance, a trip to DLI for languages, etc.

If you really want to be a sneaky man in foreign lands in the Navy, start doing pullups and apply for BUD/S.