DCO Boards — Your Take on the Importance of Panel Appraisals?

[link6]

Greetings all,

First post from a longtime lurker, here. ?

My recruiter and I have just submitted my package for the March IWC DCO Board (1835 designator). Last week we got my panel appraisals back, and I was pleasantly surprised by the feedback from the two CAPTs and two CDRs who sat my interview. Still, I'd like to better understand the value of appraisals in the greater process in order to manage my expectations. (As a qualifying remark, based on the info sheet for the 1835 designator, I meet or exceed the "required" and "desired" criteria.)

My questions are:

1. In your opinion and experience, how heavily do boards tend to weight appraisals in their decisions?
2. Is it common for applicants to have stellar feedback across the board, but not get selected? Or is the relationship between appraisals and selection fairly strong?
3. I have atypical LoRs: one from an IWC LCDR (we served together as enlisted military), another from a senior IC civilian (we served together as 3-Letter Agency civilians), and the last from the director of my (ongoing) PhD program. I'm told that most successful applicants secure an LoR from a Flag Officer and/or a congressional staffer (perhaps this is a D.C.-area cultural norm?); however, I felt that letters from people who know me extremely well (and, in 2/3 cases, have worked with me extensively in the IC) would come across as more authentic and convincing. In any case, will strong feedback from the CAPTs who sat my interview essentially check the "high-level Navy endorsement" box?

Of note, 3 is probably my biggest concern, because it's something I can "correct" if necessary before reapplying in the fall.

Thanks for your insights, and good luck to this cycle's other DCO applicants!

 

[fieldrat]

Ok, a lot to unpack, but here goes....

In your opinion and experience, how heavily do boards tend to weight appraisals in their decisions?

The boards absolutely heavily weight appraisals (along with the OIC appraisal). Without stellar numbers, your package is DOA. I sat a board where it went....sideways (not their fault). Candidate was not going to get good marks. Best we could do is mark it as a 'prep-board', so that the package didn't completely die.

Is it common for applicants to have stellar feedback across the board, but not get selected? Or is the relationship between appraisals and selection fairly strong?

I can't speak to the correlation between appraisal/selection. There are a number of factors that go into selection.

• What's the current demand signal from big Navy Reserve for that specific designator, i.e. how many slots available vs. applicants in a given cycle? (INTEL/1835 specifically, is waaaayyy oversubscribed for applicants)
• How many applicant's submitted fully-complete packages? (No omissions, all waivers approved/present, medically qualified)
• What is a given candidate's overall competitiveness? It's not that hard to get glowing LOR's from folks who barely know you. Do you have the 'normal' certs/qualifications in your field?

More to your point, do you interview well one-on-one? Do you interview well in front of a panel, where they are specifically there to play left/right against the middle?

I have atypical LoRs: one from an IWC LCDR (we served together as enlisted military), another from a senior IC civilian (we served together as 3-Letter Agency civilians), and the last from the director of my (ongoing) PhD program. I'm told that most successful applicants secure an LoR from a Flag Officer and/or a congressional staffer (perhaps this is a D.C.-area cultural norm?); however, I felt that letters from people who know me extremely well (and, in 2/3 cases, have worked with me extensively in the IC) would come across as more authentic and convincing. In any case, will strong feedback from the CAPTs who sat my interview essentially check the "high-level Navy endorsement" box?

I'm not sure that you necessarily need 'Flag' level LOR's, but they couldn't hurt. None of the recent selections that I personally know and help prep, have had Flag LOR's in their package. However, senior officers (O5/O6 in the IWC, or at least in the IC) who actually know you, are the best.

 

[link6]

Thanks for your detailed and helpful reply, FieldRat!

More to your point, do you interview well one-on-one? Do you interview well in front of a panel, where they are specifically there to play left/right against the middle?

My interviews went shockingly well, tbh—so much so that I was a bit concerned that the panelists hadn't taken me seriously as an applicant (e.g., they never ran any "good cop, bad cop" tactics that I anticipated as a test of bearing). With the panel and the OIC, we fell into a groove right away and had long and rich discussions on how my current endeavors might benefit the community, which bled into my feedback.

I'm not sure that you necessarily need 'Flag' level LOR's, but they couldn't hurt. None of the recent selections that I personally know and help prep, have had Flag LOR's in their package. However, senior officers (O5/O6 in the IWC, or at least in the IC) who actually know you, are the best.

Very insightful. At the outset of my process, I touched base with a VADM who was my RSOC CO back in the day, but—expectedly—I got the impression that they had no recollection of me whatsoever. le sigh Hopefully I'm not dinged too badly by my letters in this round, but if I am I'll strategize on how best to implement your advice before reapplying. It's a tough situation because I love the LoRs I secured, and I believe they're from people whose opinions of me are informed by a deep understanding of my work and character, but I also get that the words of a civvie college professor can't compete with those of a senior IWC officer in this context.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Greetings all,

First post from a longtime lurker, here. ?

My recruiter and I have just submitted my package for the March IWC DCO Board (1835 designator). Last week we got my panel appraisals back, and I was pleasantly surprised by the feedback from the two CAPTs and two CDRs who sat my interview. Still, I'd like to better understand the value of appraisals in the greater process in order to manage my expectations. (As a qualifying remark, based on the info sheet for the 1835 designator, I meet or exceed the "required" and "desired" criteria.)

My questions are:

1. In your opinion and experience, how heavily do boards tend to weight appraisals in their decisions?
2. Is it common for applicants to have stellar feedback across the board, but not get selected? Or is the relationship between appraisals and selection fairly strong?
3. I have atypical LoRs: one from an IWC LCDR (we served together as enlisted military), another from a senior IC civilian (we served together as 3-Letter Agency civilians), and the last from the director of my (ongoing) PhD program. I'm told that most successful applicants secure an LoR from a Flag Officer and/or a congressional staffer (perhaps this is a D.C.-area cultural norm?); however, I felt that letters from people who know me extremely well (and, in 2/3 cases, have worked with me extensively in the IC) would come across as more authentic and convincing. In any case, will strong feedback from the CAPTs who sat my interview essentially check the "high-level Navy endorsement" box?

Of note, 3 is probably my biggest concern, because it's something I can "correct" if necessary before reapplying in the fall.

Thanks for your insights, and good luck to this cycle's other DCO applicants!

Do you know if you rec'd 10's or "outstanding" for the marks?

 

[link6]

Do you know if you rec'd 10's or "outstanding" for the marks?

Yes, I was very fortunate to receive all 10s/"Outstandings" across the board from all interviewers.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Yes, I was very fortunate to receive all 10s/"Outstandings" across the board from all interviewers.

that will help out quite a bit

 

[link6]

that will help out quite a bit

Thank you. It was a big relief! I hope it offsets any hesitation the Board might have regarding my LORs.

 

[Hair Warrior]

What @fieldrat said.

Basically, you need a strong panel interview score to even be considered - anything less than 10s/9a is a polite way of saying you aren’t ready. But it’s just one hurdle and isn’t the only factor.

As for your LORs, what’s wrong with your LORs? It sounds like you have a good couple LORs from people who have directly observed your work/your studies. This is good. Ignore what others do in their applications - LORs from Congress or GO/FO leaders only apply if those people have directly observed your work.

You are a strong candidate. What was your MOS in the Marines, and did you deploy as a Marine?

 

[link6]

What @fieldrat said.

Basically, you need a strong panel interview score to even be considered - anything less than 10s/9a is a polite way of saying you aren’t ready. But it’s just one hurdle and isn’t the only factor.

As for your LORs, what’s wrong with your LORs? It sounds like you have a good couple LORs from people who have directly observed your work/your studies. This is good. Ignore what others do in their applications - LORs from Congress or GO/FO leaders only apply if those people have directly observed your work.

You are a strong candidate. What was your MOS in the Marines, and did you deploy as a Marine?

Thanks HW, I appreciate your comments.

I love my LORs, fwiw, but I've heard mixed messages about LOR best practices. I know successful applicants who've cold-emailed Congressional staffers probing for LORs, but that isn't my style.

I was a 2621 (SIGINT analyst/reporter) in the Marines. I didn't deploy, which definitely works against me; but I have sustained excellent FITREPs and other highly relevant Agency and academic experience that I hope will counterbalance that weakness.

If I'm reading into your comments correctly, I should expect the Board to dig in and seriously consider my application because my interview scores will be above the "auto-DQ" threshold?

 

[Hair Warrior]

You’re a very strong candidate and you seem like you’d be a good fit for naval intelligence. If you don’t get picked up on your first try, reapply.

Your LORs and interviews are solid. Focus on making sure the required application paperwork is all in order/ not missing anything (e.g. MEPS, enlisted evals) Also make sure it gets submitted to the board on time or early by your recruiter/ processor; my package missed a deadline once and it was a lost year and lost chance at selection.

Lastly, after you get selected, keep that moto spirit. There’s plenty of administrivia, mandatory wickets, and waiting games - don’t let those discourage you as an ENS and LTJG 1835. Remember why you want to join.

 

[link6]

Thanks, that's very encouraging! And yes, I most definitely plan to reapply if I don't make it on the first go.

Funny you mention enlisted evals—I was finally able to track them down yesterday. After months of intermittent searching, fruitless convos with admin shops and archivists, etc., the whole process took 5 minutes on milConnect. Not sure whether to laugh or cry, but that box is finally checked. ?