Can someone link me to a good summary of the process/competition to becoming a reserve-O? I tried google and came up with jack shit. I am enrolled in OCS now but I am on my way to an NPQ and have been advised that I may want to pursue the Reserves if I want to continue trying to be an Officer - which I do! The NPQ wouldn't be permanent, but long enough to kick me out of OCS..if you were wondering.(According to the Flight Surgeon

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Ok, well I went through the DCO program (as did most on this thread since it's a DCO thread). All of this info is for Intel Community and if it differs with other communities, a bunch of people will call me out on it so no need to fret
DCO means Direct Commissioned Officer. Whether you are prior service or non-prior service, if selected for this program, you will be directly commissioned as an officer in the Navy. No boot camp, no OCS.
How to get there: I contacted a recruiter. Told him the program I'm interested in (already knew DCO was the way for me). Requirements: degree, age limit (age waivers can be applied), ability to demonstrate leadership through work experience (since you will be skipping OCS, you need to prove that you dont 'need' to take it persay), ASTB scores, 3 letters of recommendation (strong), interviews in the community you are applying for (one needs to be the RIPO and the interview reviews need to be strong), motivational statement (don't blow this off - it's an important piece), ability to get a clearance, no arrests, no debts, ability to get PQL - Physcially Qualified Letter, and a ton of patience...this is not the fast way in.
When it's said and done, your packet (which I can send you a copy of the list of actual docs that need to be included in your packet for submission or better yet, you should get one from your recruiter) will contain your application for commission (which includes your motivational statement), your references, your scores, your motivational statement, your interviewer sheets, your transcripts and resume, and normal things like copies of your birth certificates and whatnot. I'm traveling or I would just pull mine out and tell you exactly what is required but that sums it up for submission.
You get this all gathered in preparation of the next incoming board. This is a date you need to know from the start. If you miss this date, you could literally set yourself back a year.
I won't get into the process of the board since you are at the beginning stages and this gives you what information you asked for, but if selected at the board, the time from board meeting till commission is about 4 months (give or take). During that time, you will be heading to MEPS (if you haven't already) to get your PQL, making sure your clearance is good to go, and then you sit and wait (and pray if you are into that kind of thing and even if you aren't, it can't hurt to start).
Competition: Don't even think about the competition. You don't have time to worry about what the next person has/doesn't have. Make sure your packet is as strong as you can possibly make it. That is the thing you can control - you can't control what someone else has/doesn't have. So concentrate on the things you can control. I know that if I saw the resumes and bios of some of the people I beat out, I would have been highly discouraged (still would have gone for it though) (DAS, GOOD GRIEF! Whatever you do, don't look at his resume unless you just like to worry a lot). I believe they look for the 'whole person' concept. Well rounded and skilled in your own right. If you are an engineer, make sure you have a reference from someone that can speak of your strength as an engineer on the references. If you know a language, that is good too. That package you are putting together...it is the chance to sell yourself so make sure your product is top notch and you portray it as such.
Like I said, this is for Intel, and if it differs for other communities, there are great people with great information here that will help me fill in the blanks for those communities. I'm not sure what a NPQ is - Non-physically qualified? If so, there are waivers depending on the issue but the ability to be PQ is required for any military program including this one.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions, if I were at home, I would have access to the exact forms that spells this out much better in black and white.
And if you have a specific question that you don't want posted on the forum, you can PM me and I'll do what I can to get your answer.
-Charlie