Going through OCS as a Chief or higher

[Smith71802]

Calling all Chiefs/SFC/Gunny's/MSgt types. I'm thinking about throwing a package in for OCS and if get picked up staying Navy for the long haul.

With all that said looking for some insight into what it's like for a Navy Chief going through OCS as a candidate. Appreciate the insight ahead of time while I make the decision.

 

[Brett327]

It'll be no different, but you'll be able to play the game a little better because you understand how the Navy works. I went through as a First Class, and we had a couple Chiefs in my class. Definitely do it. Looking back, knowing that I would have maxed out as a Master Chief... being a CAPT is definitely more fun.

 

[HSMPBR]

You should start by making sure that any SSgt instructors there know that you outrank them to prevent any misunderstandings.

 

[Skywalker]

A classmate of mine was a SWCC chief, instructors didn't know or care until we started wearing NWUs and he had his SWCC badge.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Calling all Chiefs/SFC/Gunny's/MSgt types. I'm thinking about throwing a package in for OCS and if get picked up staying Navy for the long haul.

With all that said looking for some insight into what it's like for a Navy Chief going through OCS as a candidate. Appreciate the insight ahead of time while I make the decision.

If going through OCS aligns with your long term goals then do it. I know several that did and for the most part they have done well, there have been a few that have said if they had not gone to OCS they could have retired as a MCPO and had it pretty easy, but others when they retire will not have to work and can enjoy doing whatever they want to do.

How they were treated in OCS varied, some said they were treated like just another candidate, others said they were given some slack. One of the the guys I sent through went through OCS with a SEAL Chief, he said the instructors didn't mess with him at all as anything physical they did was nothing to him, he told a few that were on SEAL contracts that if they thought any part of the physical part of OCS was tough they should just quit now as there was no way they would make it through BUDS.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Calling all Chiefs/SFC/Gunny's/MSgt types. I'm thinking about throwing a package in for OCS and if get picked up staying Navy for the long haul.

With all that said looking for some insight into what it's like for a Navy Chief going through OCS as a candidate. Appreciate the insight ahead of time while I make the decision.

I’ve seen some during my recruiting days. There's a variety of reasons why senior enlisted (E-7 and above) pursue an OCS commission instead of going CWO/LDO or continue in the enlisted path to CMC / SEL.

Biggest thing is why YOU want to be an officer + ____ designator? That's the biggest thing.

 

[Waveoff]

One of my squadrons pilots was a former sub chief, so it can absolutely be done

 

[MM1DeCh]

It'll be no different, but you'll be able to play the game a little better because you understand how the Navy works. I went through as a First Class, and we had a couple Chiefs in my class. Definitely do it. Looking back, knowing that I would have maxed out as a Master Chief... being a CAPT is definitely more fun.

How long were those chiefs in the Navy at the time? I am a first class about to hit 12.

 

[Brett327]

How long were those chiefs in the Navy at the time? I am a first class about to hit 12.

Dunno, that was a long time ago. You’ll be just fine.

 

[AllAmerican75]

Calling all Chiefs/SFC/Gunny's/MSgt types. I'm thinking about throwing a package in for OCS and if get picked up staying Navy for the long haul.

With all that said looking for some insight into what it's like for a Navy Chief going through OCS as a candidate. Appreciate the insight ahead of time while I make the decision.

Had a dude in my class who was a chief and he got some extra grief from the RDCs but I could never tell if that was just them just doing chief things or whether it was actually malicious. Either way, he experienced more issues as an ensign in the wardroom than he did at OCS as a chief.

Out of curiosity, why go to OCS instead of becoming a warrant officer?

 

[RhodesReese]

For some rates, Warrant Officers aren't utilized in the technical aspect as initially intended. At least for my rate. I've seen Warrants in my community with heavy air background get told you're going back to sea and never got to utilize their technical expertise learned while in an aircrew capacity. Same with those Warrants with heavy tactical/expeditionary experience. They were just thrown on a ship and told go be a DIVO. Warrants in my community are typically used as JO's and put in the same billet types. Since that was the case, I never wanted to be a Warrant. I wanted to have more options for billets as well as more opportunity to lead vice making recommendations.

 

[insanebikerboy]

If you do commission, realize that you have to do at least ten years commissioned to retire as an officer. Otherwise you revert to your highest enlisted grade with corresponding high three pay for retirement. To retire with less than 10 years as an officer you need SECNAV approval.

To make it clear, if you are a chief with 14 years, commission and do 6 years and try to retire as a LT, one of two thing will happen. Your retirement request will be denied, or you will revert to chief/e-7 on your retired ID and you get retired pay for your last high-3 years as a chief.

This is from 10 US Code 6323.

 

[Gatordev]

or you will revert to chief/e-7 on your retired ID and you get retired pay for your last high-3 years as a chief.

Is it last high-3 as a Chief, or last high-3? I thought it was the latter, since high-3 typically doesn't care what rank you are, it only tallies up the last 36 months of pay and averages it.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Is it last high-3 as a Chief, or last high-3? I thought it was the latter, since high-3 typically doesn't care what rank you are, it only tallies up the last 36 months of pay and averages it.

It’s the high-3 from when you were a Chief.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

If you do commission, realize that you have to do at least ten years commissioned to retire as an officer. Otherwise you revert to your highest enlisted grade with corresponding high three pay for retirement. To retire with less than 10 years as an officer you need SECNAV approval.

To make it clear, if you are a chief with 14 years, commission and do 6 years and try to retire as a LT, one of two thing will happen. You’re retirement request will be denied, or you will revert to chief/e-7 on your retired ID and you get retired pay for your last high-3 years as a chief.

This is from 10 US Code 6323.

Not sure if this is still a thing but it used to be you would revert but depending on time to a higher enlisted rank, I served with an LDO who commissioned greater than 10 and was debating reverting so he could retire but found out he was short enough time so he would revert back as a SCPO vice a MCPO that he was looking at. I also served with a LDO who was a LT that was a CWO before, he reverted back to CWO and when reverted became a CWO4 or CWO5. To give a time frame this happened between 10-13 years ago.