Legal Waivers and Board Selection

[KristenQT]

How heavily does the board weigh legal waivers when they see them on a selection board package? Do they read the whole waiver and consider how long ago the event took place? Do they consider the final disposition (dismissed vs convicted?) Do they consider if it happened while you were a Juvenile vs an adult? Do they consider the actual charge? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Background: I had to get a felony waiver for a "fight" between me and mom that I went to talk to a school councilor to back when I was in high school. This counselor then got the police involved and the county/state ended up charging me originally with felony assault (I lived in an extremely conservative, throw the books at you county) The next week the charges were lowered to misdemeanor assault and battery. Because I openly admitted what I did it was adjudicated and I "served" one years good behavior probation in which all charges were dismissed for it being my first offense. I was a juvenile and the event occurred over 12 years ago with no other criminal record. I have a stellar GPA in unique STEM degree medical program (3.96 Clinical Laboratory Science), Medical Certifications, great LOR's, and fairly decent ASTB scores 58 7/7/7. Will the board take mercy on me?

 

[mwilliaams]

They take all those things into account. I've heard that they don't really care about legal incidents that happened when you were a minor. You might not even need to disclose it. And 12 years is a long time. If you haven't had any legal trouble since then you're probably good. I've heard of applicants with felony DUI only a few years old getting picked up. As usual it boils down to 'Needs of the Navy.' Ask your OR what they think.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

They take all those things into account. I've heard that they don't really care about legal incidents that happened when you were a minor. You might not even need to disclose it. And 12 years is a long time. If you haven't had any legal trouble since then you're probably good. I've heard of applicants with felony DUI only a few years old getting picked up. As usual it boils down to 'Needs of the Navy.' Ask your OR what they think.

Everything needs to be disclosed no matter if it is juvenile record, sealed, or whatever, nothing is considered sealed when it concerns the federal government, and do you know what it takes to get a felony DUI? It isn't easy. There have been those with standard DUI get picked up, but still requires a waiver.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

How heavily does the board weigh legal waivers when they see them on a selection board package? Do they read the whole waiver and consider how long ago the event took place? Do they consider the final disposition (dismissed vs convicted?) Do they consider if it happened while you were a Juvenile vs an adult? Do they consider the actual charge? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Background: I had to get a felony waiver for a "fight" between me and mom that I went to talk to a school councilor to back when I was in high school. This counselor then got the police involved and the county/state ended up charging me originally with felony assault (I lived in an extremely conservative, throw the books at you county) The next week the charges were lowered to misdemeanor assault and battery. Because I openly admitted what I did it was adjudicated and I "served" one years good behavior probation in which all charges were dismissed for it being my first offense. I was a juvenile and the event occurred over 12 years ago with no other criminal record. I have a stellar GPA in unique STEM degree medical program (3.96 Clinical Laboratory Science), Medical Certifications, great LOR's, and fairly decent ASTB scores 58 7/7/7. Will the board take mercy on me?

Severity and time from incident are things that can help with a waiver. Aviation is often more forgiving than other designators, there are several that if you have a legal waiver you won't even get looked at.

 

[KristenQT]

Just found out today that my waiver was approved by Big Navy. It took about 4 weeks from time of submission until I heard back that it was approved. I wrote a detailed statement and gathered as much paperwork from the incident that I could through family members that happen to hold on to everything, because the courts had nothing. I never got a call to discuss the incident either; just a call from my recruiter letting me know my package is officially complete and submitted. Just an FYI for anyone searching about legal waivers. ALWAYS disclose charges even if you think they are minor, happened when you were a minor, or they are from a long time ago. They will come up and your past is more likely to haunt you if you are not truthful and up front about it.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Just found out today that my waiver was approved by Big Navy. It took about 4 weeks from time of submission until I heard back that it was approved. I wrote a detailed statement and gathered as much paperwork from the incident that I could through family members that happen to hold on to everything, because the courts had nothing. I never got a call to discuss the incident either; just a call from my recruiter letting me know my package is officially complete and submitted. Just an FYI for anyone searching about legal waivers. ALWAYS disclose charges even if you think they are minor, happened when you were a minor, or they are from a long time ago. They will come up and your past is more likely to haunt you if you are not truthful and up front about it.

Just be aware that the waiver being approved just means you can apply, the board can look at your application and decide that due to your incident you will not be selected.

The fact you are applying to aviation does give you a much better chance though as I said before that aviation is more forgiving than other designators.

 

[BroskiOCS]

The fact you are applying to aviation does give you a much better chance though as I said before that aviation is more forgiving than other designators.

This sort of blows my mind. I've heard this multiple times and can't wrap my head around it. Same with hearing that Aviation is tolerant of low GPA and OAR. I got picked up for SWO and with the way people talk about how bad they are needed right now...I could see why they lowered the GPA and OAR minimums on the last PA. But Aviation? Not to discredit the SWO (my future) community but I view Aviation (especially pilots) as needing to be highly intelligent individuals needing to make split second life or death decisions. I would think OAR and GPA needs to be top notch.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

This sort of blows my mind. I've heard this multiple times and can't wrap my head around it. Same with hearing that Aviation is tolerant of low GPA and OAR. I got picked up for SWO and with the way people talk about how bad they are needed right now...I could see why they lowered the GPA and OAR minimums on the last PA. But Aviation? Not to discredit the SWO (my future) community but I view Aviation (especially pilots) as needing to be highly intelligent individuals needing to make split second life or death decisions. I would think OAR and GPA needs to be top notch.

The need for officers has minimally changed over the past 10 years, recruiters who don't bother to look at past history always say "lots of officers are needed now" the need changes minimally, the number of applicants often varies.

The minimums have been low, then gone up, then gone down, but if you look at the averages of people getting picked up they stay about the same.

The ASTB is a good indicator of the chance of a person making it through flight school, that is why they will weigh that heavily over GPA.

 

[BroskiOCS]

The ASTB is a good indicator of the chance of a person making it through flight school, that is why they will weigh that heavily over GPA.

Yeah I suppose that makes sense. I can imagine the ASTB being far more difficult than the OAR. But a low GPA makes me think one of two things. A) Dumb. B) Lazy. Both traits I wouldn't want in someone flying a plane. But hey....I guess as long as they can fly a plane well then who needs book smarts.

 

[Sonog]

This sort of blows my mind. I've heard this multiple times and can't wrap my head around it. Same with hearing that Aviation is tolerant of low GPA and OAR. I got picked up for SWO and with the way people talk about how bad they are needed right now...I could see why they lowered the GPA and OAR minimums on the last PA. But Aviation? Not to discredit the SWO (my future) community but I view Aviation (especially pilots) as needing to be highly intelligent individuals needing to make split second life or death decisions. I would think OAR and GPA needs to be top notch.

Thank god you're not on boards for future aviation candidates

 

[Sonog]

This sort of blows my mind. I've heard this multiple times and can't wrap my head around it. Same with hearing that Aviation is tolerant of low GPA and OAR. I got picked up for SWO and with the way people talk about how bad they are needed right now...I could see why they lowered the GPA and OAR minimums on the last PA. But Aviation? Not to discredit the SWO (my future) community but I view Aviation (especially pilots) as needing to be highly intelligent individuals needing to make split second life or death decisions. I would think OAR and GPA needs to be top notch.

Seriously, shut the fuck up

 

[BroskiOCS]

Seriously, shut the fuck up

Hah. Don't get butt hurt. I'm not dissing the Aviation community (or any community for that matter). Quite the opposite, actually. Everyone I've met in Aviation has been extremely intelligent. That's why I'm surprised that the minimum scores to make it to the board are so low. It just didn't make sense to me.

 

[picklesuit]

Hah. Don't get butt hurt. I'm not dissing the Aviation community (or any community for that matter). Quite the opposite, actually. Everyone I've met in Aviation has been extremely intelligent. That's why I'm surprised that the minimum scores to make it to the board are so low. It just didn't make sense to me.

That’s because there is more to life, and flying, than being a fucking nerd with your nose in the books.

Takes all types to be good at various kinds of flying, and you can’t learn how to do it from a book.

 

[KristenQT]

My recruiter is confident that I will have a strong package even with the waiver. I honestly will not be surprised if I don't make it this first time up but I will keep putting in for it. I've just recently started taking classes towards getting my PPL. My next application will have flight hours if this one is turned down. I'm a very determined individual and I don't give up easy.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

My recruiter is confident that I will have a strong package even with the waiver. I honestly will not be surprised if I don't make it this first time up but I will keep putting in for it. I've just recently started taking classes towards getting my PPL. My next application will have flight hours if this one is turned down. I'm a very determined individual and I don't give up easy.

flight hours doesn't matter, as it happens the people who came from my NRD who failed flight school often had their PPL or more, now making sure you don't get airsick in a small plane isn't a bad idea, we had 2 flight school fails (we didn't put them in) who went through our NRD on the way our due to not being able to overcome airsickness.