FY10 STA-21 Applicants gather round!

[S8G2F18]

Hey guys this is my first time posting on this site, I usually just read through it for STA-21 gouge. I wanted to know if any one had any insight on the whole post selection process because I am having an issue with my flight physical right now. I am fully qualified in every aspect on the SNA phys except for eye sight right now. I put my request in to get PRK back in 06 but my command would not allow me to get the PRK done until now due to me being an aircrewman and having to be down for 3 months. My question is if I get the degree plan and acceptance letters in but a phys that says "pending" until Febuary will they pull my spot if I am selected. I talked to the guys at STA-21 help desk and they said it might be feasable but they dont really know because they want the full phys in by December. Has anyone one here heard of someone going even though they dont have everything done by december? thanks

A friend of mine got picked up for pilot 2 years ago and has her commission now.. she said most of the guys she went through with had terrible eye sight and got PRK in college after they were already in the program. YMMV

My package was very well rounded with great recommendations with the exception of the XO who chaired the internal board. My concern was that the board would see my XO gave me a couple 7s and think WTF. Overall the internal board was very weak. The two LTs seemed to show no interest in being there so just threw some stuff on the paper. Very short but good things. I don't know why the board members seemed as if they didn't want to be there...must be a SWO thing

The external board was great, it was a learning experience for me and they seemed thrilled to help someone who wanted to join the community.

Last year I went to board with all 10's and 2 9's. 1350 SAT (710V, 640M) and 140 some credits on my SMART (all from the nuke pipeline). P Eval for A school 3.00/3.06avg (no EP's awarded) P Eval for Power School, EP for Prototype (1/20 Reactor Operators, 9/83 overall) EP for frocking Eval to 2nd Class and getting selected as nuke instructor.

My cousin is a LCDR NFO and he said that essentially if you're going to board with anything but all 10's your chances are very slim.

I completely agree.

You will see when results come out...there will be plenty of E-3 and below that get picked up.

Not if last year's results are any indication. One FN selected for Nuclear and one SN selected for Core. Mostly 2nd Classes, one chief, a good number of 1st's and 3rd's. One of the keys is sustained superior performance. Most junior personnel are not going to have that by default.

Just being realistic guys. Last year I thought I had a strong package and wasn't even an alternate, it was a pretty big let down. I had a few LORs, lots of SMART credit, 2nd class instructor at the nuclear prototype, etc. This year I've added Calc I and Calc II, an A and a B... only the college calls them "Foundations in Technology Problem Solving" on my transcript. Also LOR from CMC.

My command would not do a NRB though, we are too remote. That's going to hurt me, the NRB is pretty important. Instead I did an interview with a 2 Star former Pilot and 2 LCDR's. All 10's, good write up's. I've also never been to sea and have no warfare or NAM's.

Also, for you guys asking about PRT, it does matter but not significantly. I usually get Excellent High. You get a few extra points for higher PRT scores. I think the big thing is they don't want to see someone who is just doing the minimum. "Satisfactory" is not something these guys want to see on these applications.

Good luck. I've heard through the grape vine the results will be out by Friday.

 

[brian_burrows]

Good luck. I've heard through the grape vine the results will be out by Friday.

Please oh please may you be a prophet!

 

[usnwarrior513]

That's a lot of speculation there buddy. Too much college to get picked up? I bet you believe in sasquatch too don't you?

And the external board holds far more significance than you may think grasshopper. It is designed to evaluate your performance with a non-biased group of officers who don't know you. First impressions go a long way.

Just relaying what a couple of officers told me who sat these boards and similar boards in prior years. Take it as you want, grasshopper...

 

[brian_burrows]

Just relaying what a couple of officers told me who sat these boards and similar boards in prior years. Take it as you want, grasshopper...

I was told the same thing by my command. My DIVO told said "Well, at least you still might have a chance" (I recieved all 10's). Pretty reassuring... right?

 

[Edub]

well.. you guys gave me some fun reading for a Monday morning... Thanks.. Now I can continue to press refresh every 30 seconds on this site, sta site and NPC... Yay no life

 

[Woody4SC]

I appreciate the insight but I do hope that my LOR's will carry some weight seeing that I am a junior sailor. I mean I have been in less than 2 years so the vast majority of my leadership expierence comes from prior Navy.

Hopefully the 5 years of community service and 2 1/2 of private college will help as well. The 4 star LOR, the XO, the mayor, and the community service ones are the most insightful as those people actually know me. As for the congressman, state represenative, and senator LOR's should show my resourcefulness.

All in all, I put all I had into this package even to the point of getting my ESWS early, scoring higher on my SAT, and taking additional classes. That's why I have the 115 credits. But regardless of the number, Vanderbilt will only accept 60.

Either way though I am optimistic and can't wait for the results.

Good luck to you all as I am sure many of you worked equally as hard in hopes of getting accepted.

 

[corko87]

There is no set formula for who gets accepted and who doesn't. It really depends on the personalities of the people on the board and what other people competing against you have in their package. I'm pretty sure we all know this but I'll be refreshing this page with the rest of you until the results come out trying to figure out what standards the board will use this year. Not that there is anything we can do to change the outcome now...

On another point: the Navy knows who got accepted this year. How hard is it to type a message and press send?! :icon_rage

 

[jg54170]

I got an alternate spot last year with a board member providing me with a couple 7s. Hopefully the "whole person" concept will prove to be in my favor. I can only hope that the external board which gave me all 10s and consisted of aviators will be worth more than the board of SWOs.

Any others out there have less than perfect board results and get selected?

I can only hope you are right about the results coming out Friday...I will be on leave after that and preparing for an upcoming flight around the world Even if I am a non-select I would prefer to know if my bag must be packed.

 

[MR2(SW)]

On the NPC site it shows the results being posted on the 10th last year. Hopefully we will see them around the same time. I don't want to be waiting till the 31st.

 

[ac2NASTY]

I can say that doesnt hurt to have those LOR's in your package.....but they dont carry alot of weight... your college credits and scores are great keep it up... but one deployment will hurt... gotta have the experience under your belt if ur a fleet sailor

Purple! Whats up?

For those of you with no deployments under your belt don't get to discouraged. I was selected my first time applying last year with no awards (other than a good conduct and LOA), no deployments, no EP evals (other than being frocked), and the bare minimum ACT and ASTB scores. Those are all just eligibility reuirements. It is the whole person, big picture aspect the board is looking for. My package was overall strong even without all the fancy things mentioned above. Don't get discouraged, stay positive, and keep applying! Don't give in to the "I am waiting until next year" or "I'm waiting for more experience to apply" crap. If you want it, then work your ass off to get it.

Now, good luck and enjoy the remaining days of waiting. That was the worst part!

 

[Cleonard19]

I bought caramel covered popcorn from some Cub Scouts outside the exchange yesterday, and its taught me two very important things:

1)My ability to resist such sugary goodness is humorously pathetic (my brain says no, my tongue says MORE!).

2) Refreshing three separate pages every 30 seconds without a working mouse with pnly one hand is harder than I thought.

 

[53Crewman]

I bought caramel covered popcorn from some Cub Scouts outside the exchange yesterday, and its taught me two very important things:

1)My ability to resist such sugary goodness is humorously pathetic (my brain says no, my tongue says MORE!).

2) Refreshing three separate pages every 30 seconds without a working mouse with pnly one hand is harder than I thought.

I Lol'ed at #2...

 

[blizzy]

why do i insist on checking package status every single day when i know my CO will call me before it's on the site?

 

[jg54170]

Last year my CO found out through the grape vine that I was an alternate. He was several days behind the power curve on that one. Hopefully he is on the ball this year ...well hopefully he has reason to be

 

[usnwarrior513]

Here is a question for the guys who are in the program already. I am married and have a newborn son, currently stationed in Washington State. If I get picked up, what happens with them while I am at NSI?