Jan/Feb/Mar Boards

[Tomodachi]

I would love to know the average stats of AW readers/posters versus non. Because it seems every applicant who posts here has at least 8's across the board

Check my ASTB score on Page 1, if that makes you feel any better.

 

[Tonkovich.J]

Does anyone know if these numbers are for FY 12? I ask this because my recruiter said there is an April SNA board that I will be applying for. I graduate in May so my OCS class will most likely be FY 13.

 

[CBR11]

I would love to know the average stats of AW readers/posters versus non. Because it seems every applicant who posts here has at least 8's across the board

These are the ASTB scores of AW posters who have indicated that they're applying for this board:
43 (OAR only)
57 (OAR only)
4/6/5 42
5/5/5 56
5/6/7 46
5/6/5 50
6/6/6 54
6/6/7 57
6/7/6 52 (x2)
6/7/6 55
6/7/6 57
6/7/7 50
6/7/7 54
7/7/7 58
7/7/8 56
7/7/8 57
8/8/8 61 (x2)
8/8/8 63
8/8/8 68
8/8/9 61
8/9/7 60
8/9/8 61
9/9/9 69

 

[MGoBrew11]

I would love to know the average stats of AW readers/posters versus non. Because it seems every applicant who posts here has at least 8's across the board

When millsra had access to the at board list and stats for the last go around he mentioned the ASTB scores of AW posters were significantly higher than average.

This is probably for a few reasons. We who post on here are type A nerds that are more likely do well. Another reason is that you are more likely to post if you have good stats. Third reason is the people on this site provide us an invaluable resource ie study materials and contacts.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Does anyone know if these numbers are for FY 12? I ask this because my recruiter said there is an April SNA board that I will be applying for. I graduate in May so my OCS class will most likely be FY 13.

These are FY12, FY13 should be similar. I would agree your OCS class will probably be FY13, not because of your graduation but because of when you apply, I had several May 2011 graduates last year go to OCS in June 2011 for FY11, I would guestimate if selected in the April board, results will be out early May so OCS in August/September?

 

[Sonog]

When millsra had access to the at board list and stats for the last go around he mentioned the ASTB scores of AW posters were significantly higher than average.

This is probably for a few reasons. We who post on here are type A nerds that are more likely do well. Another reason is that you are more likely to post if you have good stats. Third reason is the people on this site provide us an invaluable resource ie study materials and contacts.

Sounds like you nailed it on the head. I just can't imagine going through the whole app process without a resource like AW. Even usnavyocs.com doesn't even hold a finger to the amount of gouge and insider info that this forum does.

CBR11: nice job compiling those scores. If you look at the score tables from FY10 from the NAMI website, 8/8 AQR/PQAR, is something like 98.5 percentile. I bet the majority of that top 1.5% read AW.

 

[kacraven]

Anybody else heard something like this?

I'm applying for the Jan. board for NFO and Supply. My recruiter called yesterday and said he was going to put Pilot down on my application as well as NFO. My eyes aren't anywhere near good enough for Pilot but his rationale was that once I got in and promptly DQ'd for bad vision, I would end up as an NFO anyway. I've already been through MEPS so my paperwork has made it to Millington and they approved me for Unrestricted Line so technically I haven't been denied anything at this point. Anybody else have a similar experience?

 

[mjv305]

Anybody else heard something like this?

I'm applying for the Jan. board for NFO and Supply. My recruiter called yesterday and said he was going to put Pilot down on my application as well as NFO. My eyes aren't anywhere near good enough for Pilot but his rationale was that once I got in and promptly DQ'd for bad vision, I would end up as an NFO anyway. I've already been through MEPS so my paperwork has made it to Millington and they approved me for Unrestricted Line so technically I haven't been denied anything at this point. Anybody else have a similar experience?

sounds like he hooked you up but i am taken back by one thing, how is he "going to put you down"? Arent packages completed and awaiting review by board? Did he mean he already put you down? How would he still have access?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Anybody else heard something like this?

I'm applying for the Jan. board for NFO and Supply. My recruiter called yesterday and said he was going to put Pilot down on my application as well as NFO. My eyes aren't anywhere near good enough for Pilot but his rationale was that once I got in and promptly DQ'd for bad vision, I would end up as an NFO anyway. I've already been through MEPS so my paperwork has made it to Millington and they approved me for Unrestricted Line so technically I haven't been denied anything at this point. Anybody else have a similar experience?

This may not work, I have not seen this happen before unless the person was at OCS and found not fit for Pilot, or had already signed and then found not fit for Pilot.

I hope he meant he put you down for Pilot a while ago as the package due date was Dec 23rd.

 

[Z-Man]

So this thread is the most current I can find regarding SNA boards. I might be going a wee bit off topic right now, but the nuke recruiters are all over me wanting to go forward with NUPOC. They are getting so desperate that I had a nuke recruiter dig up my resume from my college's hiring website and push an application based on my work experience and technical degree. Seems like there's always a shortage of these guys, so I wouldn't have that much of a problem trying to get in after I graduate. I would however lose the financial incentives if I tried nuke after school. That's the recruiter's main pitch right now, but the money isn't why I want to do any of this in the first place. Thing is, I've always wanted to fly, but my eyes are bad and would need surgery. The eye docs are recommending that I wait until I am 23-24 years old before I have the waiver-able LASIK surgery (I'm on the higher end of the refractive error range -6.5 to -7, but not a DQ). I know the quotas often change, and things are cyclic, but can any of you shed some light for me? Will demand be up for pilots in the fleet in 2-3 years? Is that time frame during a probable upswing? Thanks again.

 

[Tonkovich.J]

I have no idea about quotas and future demand but I'm in the same situation with recruiters. My recruiter and others that have called me up have been pitching the nuke program many times. They see mechanical engineer on the top of my application and they go into their salesman mode. I thank them for their consideration but I tell everyone that I'm applying SNA. My advice is very simple, if flying is exactly what you want then keep at it until they say you can't anymore. If my memory serves me right you have until the age of 27 without any prior service to be still eligible.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

So this thread is the most current I can find regarding SNA boards. I might be going a wee bit off topic right now, but the nuke recruiters are all over me wanting to go forward with NUPOC. They are getting so desperate that I had a nuke recruiter dig up my resume from my college's hiring website and push an application based on my work experience and technical degree. Seems like there's always a shortage of these guys, so I wouldn't have that much of a problem trying to get in after I graduate. I would however lose the financial incentives if I tried nuke after school. That's the recruiter's main pitch right now, but the money isn't why I want to do any of this in the first place. Thing is, I've always wanted to fly, but my eyes are bad and would need surgery. The eye docs are recommending that I wait until I am 23-24 years old before I have the waiver-able LASIK surgery (I'm on the higher end of the refractive error range -6.5 to -7, but not a DQ). I know the quotas often change, and things are cyclic, but can any of you shed some light for me? Will demand be up for pilots in the fleet in 2-3 years? Is that time frame during a probable upswing? Thanks again.

The reason they are pushing nuke is a few reasons, one is that it gives financial benefit, two is that we have to weed through many to get a qualified person, and what I mean by that is just a person has a good GPA doesn't mean he is qualified, I have seen people with overall GPA of 3.5 screened "no" due to a couple of C-'s during their freshman year, and three any good officer recruiter will look for engineers first as they are able to go into just about any program.

They way they screen nukes is by transcript only, nothing else. In addition where you went to school can play a factor as to which designator you will be screened for.

I hate to tell you but per Navy Medical Manual article 15-36 (2) you are DQ'd for eyes, even though PRK (not LASIK) could bring you to 20/20 they look at the pre op vision, I have seen waivers granted for vision that was outside the -6 range for unrestricted line, but only for those going NUPOC.

The quotas for pilots are not expected to change in the up direction, if anything it may start to creep down when they make the final decision on cuts.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I have no idea about quotas and future demand but I'm in the same situation with recruiters. My recruiter and others that have called me up have been pitching the nuke program many times. They see mechanical engineer on the top of my application and they go into their salesman mode. I thank them for their consideration but I tell everyone that I'm applying SNA. My advice is very simple, if flying is exactly what you want then keep at it until they say you can't anymore. If my memory serves me right you have until the age of 27 without any prior service to be still eligible.

I have many engineers that I have sent to OCS as SNA, most had great GPA's and I am near certain all would have screened NUPOC, but they wanted to be an aviator so that is what we submitted them for.

You are correct 27 is the max age, that is a "commissioned by date" so you go back 3 months for OCS, then say 3 months for wait time after board results, then add say 3 months for application work and board, so a person should have the application in by 26 years and 3 months.

 

[Z-Man]

I hate to tell you but per Navy Medical Manual article 15-36 (2) you are DQ'd for eyes, even though PRK (not LASIK) could bring you to 20/20 they look at the pre op vision, I have seen waivers granted for vision that was outside the -6 range for unrestricted line, but only for those going NUPOC.

http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/nmotc/nami/arwg/Documents/Waiver Guide - Ophthalmology 100505.pdf

According to the US Navy Aeromedical Reference and Waiver guide, Ophthalmology, section 12.5:

WAIVER:
PRK General Guidelines:
1.
A waiver may be submitted no earlier than:
a.
3 months for myopia less than -6.00 diopters spherical equivalent (SE)
b.
6 months for myopia greater than or equal to -6.00 diopters SE
c.
6 months for hyperopia (SE) measured under cycloplegia
2.
Visual Acuity - each eye with or without corrective lenses must be:
a.
Class I - 20/20-0/10 letters
b.
Class II and III - 20/20-3/10 letters or better
c.
Corrective lenses must be worn while flying if needed to achieve the VA standard
3.
A normal postoperative slit lamp exam
4.
There must be no symptoms that would be cause for concern when considering the performance of the member’s usual flight duties
5.
If topical medication is still required (other than artificial tears), then restriction of flight activities to the local area would be prudent.
6.
An enhancement or “touch-up” must meet the same guidelines.
Additional guidelines:
Applicants:
1.
May obtain PRK at their expense from civilian sources of care.
2.
Pre-operative refractive error measured under cycloplegia must not exceed - 8.00 to + 3.00 (SE) and 3.00 diopters of cylinder.
3.
Anisometropia should not exceed 3.50 diopters (using SE for each eye).
4.
SNA applicants must meet refractive, cycloplegic, and vision standards postoperatively.

I had my vision checked about 3 weeks ago. I've had my ups and downs with my eyesight, but looks like I'll squeak in with a max refractive error of -7.00 in one eye. From what I gather, I would just have to wait 6 months instead of 3. Also, according to the document, the Navy does have a "LASIK in student aviators" study in progress. Refer to section 12.15B. The LASIK study has the same pre-op limits, but you must be screened at one of the 10 locations conducting the survey after the surgery, not just your civilian post-op checkups. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I don't mean to hijack this thread either.

I also understand that these are guidelines, and NAMI has the final say in the waiver. I'm going to try to do everything I can to make this happen. Thankfully I have another 1-2 years before I graduate so maybe things will change who knows.

 

[Tonkovich.J]

I have many engineers that I have sent to OCS as SNA, most had great GPA's and I am near certain all would have screened NUPOC, but they wanted to be an aviator so that is what we submitted them for.

I agree completely, in fact flying is one of the reasons why I decided to study engineering. I thought it was necessary to fully understand the principles that will be keeping me airborne.