Enlisted to OCS

[Gresh]

This is my first post:
I am currently enlisted in the United States Navy. I am submitting my packet at the end of August 2002. I still have to do the flight physical and officer review board with three line officers. My current age is 26 with a birthday of May 10. I have a BA. Yes, I am worried about the age restriction.

My reason for posting is this; is there anyone out there who came from the enlisted ranks into OCS for Naval Aviator? I need some advice on who to trust in career counseling and how to make my packet look as good as possible. My current evaluations are excellent and I have a nice set of awards. Any advice that anyone may have would be most appreciated.

Thank you all and good luck living my dream down there in Florida. I hope I can just get a chance to try, as I know that I can succeed.

MU2 Gresh Laing



Edited by - Gresh on 07/13/2002 12:07:59

 

[kaiangel]

I am currently in the Seaman to Admiral program and there are a bunch of guys much older than you here with me that are going from here to OCS and then fligh school. The STA program requires you to go through OCS after you finish your BA. Active duty time counts off from the age requirement so you should be just fine.

 

[n/a]

Gresh,

From someone who was enlisted and now an SNA, I would recommend you download OPNAV 1420.1 from the Navy Directives website. Reference Chapter 1, 2, 7, and appendix G. to make sure your package is the best possible.

Concerning your age, OPNAV 1420.1, Chapter 7, says max age is 27 on day of commissioning, waiverable to 31 for prior service. Should be no problem for you.

Although the career counselor is there to help you with your package, it is still your package....so take OPNAV 1420.1 and use that "attention to detail" they taught you in boot camp. You'll be using it again OCS.

Good luck!

 

[patbrown08]

I am also an SNA who is prior enlisted. There are quite a few down here in P'cola. The instructions will help you with your package itself, but if you want to find out about the career paths and the opportunites out there, the best thing to do is to talk to people who are doing the job. whether they are priors or not. I guess that is why you are here on this forum. But don't limit yourself. If you are stationed somewhere close to a NAS then get out there and touch base with guys in the squadrons. Also, email or call and talk to the community managers and the point of contacts listed in the Perspective (LINK for Officers) and in the OCS messages and instructions. The more you know about the career opportunites the better prepared you will be for your Officer Evaluation board. Good luck.

 

[Gresh]

You gentlemen are wonderful, thank you for the help. Here are some other concerns.

I have the OPNAVINST1420.1 and I have assembled my packet as per the instructions. I have everything accounted for however there is some concern on my part about the transcripts. The checklist contained in the INST asked for a high school transcript but in order to go to OCS you have to have a BA or at least some college credits. In order to have college credits you must have a high school record or GED. Did they mean to print that they want a college transcript? I am going to include both in my packet unless someone out there has any additional insight.

I had heard rumor that my age problem might not be a problem at all. I have been active duty since MAY1999. If the Navy counts my active time as non-aging then I am 24 yrs old for all intents and purposes. Should I pursue an age waiver or should I pursue the active duty time clause?

Last but not least. I am concerned about my current scores on the FSTB. I have a OAR 45 and 4's on everything else. I have scheduled the test again as I took the test for the 1st time over a year ago. I am really attacking my math and spatial apperception portions. What scores are really competitive?

Thank you all for your encouragement. Good luck to us all!

 

[dewahl]

Good news there is no such thing as an age waiver if you are below 31 and active duty. I think NFO's can get waivers up till 36 if prior enlisted. Pilots though are a pretty hard fast 31 for priors, but you know the nav they can waiv anything. I am 30 now, no mention of anything like that. If you have had a good career, evals, and pt scores along with a good personal statement, you have nothing to worry about. The package really has no order to it as in the old days, no matter what your chain says. When it gets to CNRC they are gonna put it in the order they want it any way. You dont need a cover letter. I just put a short little memo listing all the attachments to appease the chain of command. Just fill all the stuff in the order of the check off sheet and you will be golden. Its not an LDO package, whole diff ball game. GOOD LUCK!!

Dave Wahl

 

[dewahl]

Good news there is no such thing as an age waiver if you are below 31 and active duty. I think NFO's can get waivers up till 36 if prior enlisted. Pilots though are a pretty hard fast 31 for priors, but you know the nav they can waiv anything. I am 30 now, no mention of anything like that. If you have had a good career, evals, and pt scores along with a good personal statement, you have nothing to worry about. The package really has no order to it as in the old days, no matter what your chain says. When it gets to CNRC they are gonna put it in the order they want it any way. You dont need a cover letter. I just put a short little memo listing all the attachments to appease the chain of command. Just fill all the stuff in the order of the check off sheet and you will be golden. Its not an LDO package, whole diff ball game. GOOD LUCK!!

Dave Wahl

 

[Garry]

You guys are living my dream!

Do you guys have any advice for me? My worst weakness is I dont have any warfare pins. I also never held any significant leadership position. Although, my Fitreps/Evals are MP's and EPI's with recon type PRT scores. I also have two-plus years of college. My officer asks me If I want to apply but I don't want to embarrassed myself knowing that only the top notch sailors get accepted thru the STA-21.
Becoming an officer and flying Navy planes has always been my dream.
Thanks. Goodluck!!

 

[webmaster]

quote:My officer asks me If I want to apply but I don't want to embarrassed myself knowing that only the top notch sailors get accepted thru the STA-21.

Embarrassed? It took me two tries to get into the ECP program back in 96. The boards take into account guys that keep applying. And a person's package that gets better, ie you pick up a warfare designator, complete more college, get an award, get qualled something on the ship, et al. If anything, you won't wonder if you would have been selected. I have been out of touch with how the last couple years worth of boards have been going, but I know when I got commissioned back in 99, most of the commissioning programs were hurting for applicants.

Give it a shot, my 2 cents.

 

[ghost_ttu]

Again with zero knowledge, most people that have ever asked me something that would better them I have been willing to help them, and vice versa. So asking someone if you can better yourself they may play devil's advocate and show you your weak points, but that's when you grab the bull and tell them to help you improve those points to make yourself competitive. It's about how much you want something.

 

[Buck]

Man, all of you guys are my heroes. But here's a question for an opinion, more than anything. Do prior usually make the best officers?

 

[webmaster]

Overall, I would say yes. Seeing as how the prior enlisted at least has some clue as to what his/her sailors are going through (duty, advancement, family, financial, career, job, you name it). BUT... I have seen some pretty bad prior enlisted Os that had the "I've been there done that", "I sucked it up, so can you" attitude.

As a general statement, the e's in my squadron say that they are really happy to see prior officers that were prior e's come to the squadron. That they generally look after the sailors better. But like I said earlier, there are the bad apples as with any program.

On the flip side, during my check in interviews with both the CO and XO, when they were reading my bio (you fill out a questionairre the YNs give you ahead of time, previous duty assignments, hobbies, family, college, what you want to do at the command, goals, job assignments you want to request), they both made comments to the effect that they were happy to be getting a prior, and that more was going to be expected out of my based on my age and experience. Double edged sword, especially in my case, even though I have years of experience in the Navy and in the submarine community, aviation is a completely different breed. I think I have FINALLY just managed to get all the rates down...

I think with regards to leadership, it really helps to have good role models and people that you can pick up things from. Through my years I have watched how my superiors (enlisted and officer) have handled situations and have developed my own style of what to do in given situations. I continue to do this.. But, I tell you, there is ALWAYS a new curve ball just waiting to be thrown at you.

 

[patbrown08]

There is an age waiver for prior enlisted. You must have your commission by your 31st birthday for SNA or 35th birthday for SNFO. Federal law prohibits you from getting a commision past your 35th birthday. The key to that is COMMISSIONED by your birthday. I was lucky and made it by 8 days. If I remember correctly the last or one of the last pages of the OPNAVINST 1420.1 package has a spot for waiver requests. I simply put respectfully request age waiver based on prior enlisted service. The application process is fairly straight forward, but I know how you feel about uncertainties. I did not include my high school transcript with my application and it was never even questioned. A good piece of advice would be to check with the command career counseler for your commnad or for your base and see if they have any previous packages that were accepted. This will give you an idea of what they are looking at. I would be happy to send you a copy of mine if you want. Provided I can dig it up. I am sure there are plenty of other guys out there who would do the same. Just drop me an email if you want and I will help you as much as I can. And then when you get picked up you can do the same for the guys behind you. Like John said it is that type of mentality that you really need to have, no matter if you are an O or an E. You have to help your shipmates out. I'll get off the soapbox and let someone else have a turn now.
Pat
PBrown7706@iwon.com

 

[dewahl]

If all else fails and you are at that that critical age enlisted folks can apply for the MECP if ya want to be a nurse. Waivers are being accepted up to 40 for enlisted pers. (281440Z MAY 02)

Dave Wahl

 

[kaiangel]

Gresh,
Don't be intimidated by the STA-21 program. Remember it replaced STA, ECP, and BOOST, so there are a ton of people who get picked up. It is always worth it to apply because all they can do is say no. Plus, no one else is going to worry about your future but you. If you really want it then just take the chance and don't ever get discouraged by one set back.