NAVAIR Reserve Program (NRP) and DCO opportunities: AEDO & AMDO

[BigTooona]

Hey guys, I've been browsing around the site for the past few months as I've been putting together a packet for the upcoming AEDO board, appreciate all the help yall've been so far. The only thing outstanding from my packet as it stands are the interviews, and my recruiter is having difficulty getting in touch with the folks that are supposed to help get those set up. He said that if I knew any AEDOs O-4 and above I could have them do the interview, but I don't know any. I saw that Speermw asked the same thing a couple months ago, so I'm guessing this is a fairly common issue. Any insight into how to get these set up? Bam Bam mentioned getting in touch with the NRP manager, but I couldn't find anything online as to how to do this. A bit about me, 31, non-prior, BS and MS AE degrees, GS-13 AE researcher for the Army, east coast in VA, I think I'd be a fairly strong candidate if I could get these interviews checked off. Thanks!

 

[Bam Bam]

Hello BigTooona and welcome to AW!

Here is a good website to look at: http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-n...rs/reserve/selres/Pages/RCRestrictedLine.aspx . The phone numbers and email addresses you are looking for are under the AMDO/AEDO area.

It looks like the community brief is also found on the site now. I think you will find it informative and very helpful. I didn't set up any of my interviews on my own. My OR worked with the Reserve AMDO PM and set them up for me.

Let me know if you need anything else and good luck with your kit!

Bam

 

[BigTooona]

Hey Bam Bam, thanks for the quick response, that's exactly what I was looking for. Appreciate the assistance, and I'll update on here as I advance through the process to see if I can help anyone out. Thanks again.

 

[Longarm]

I've been reading up on the info in this forum and it's been helpful. First, about me. I'm a prior Air Force officer interested in AEDO as a Navy Reservist. I attended the Air Force's NFO-equivalent training at NAS Pensacola, completed 80% of the program but then got med DQ'd (long story--found out later the diagnosis wasn't med DQing). I then became an admin officer for the remainder my service commitment, getting out as an O-3. I have a BS in Aerospace Engineering and currently work at a major aerospace company, but in flight operations as a non-engineer. My boss who hired me did so with the intent of getting me in the door and eventually moving me into an engineering role. I plan to begin Master's courses next year but am somewhat undecided on what to study. I was thinking more non-technical, like a MS in Leadership or Project Management or an MBA. I feel I am in a good location for my civilian career and a possible reserve AEDO career, being smack dab in the middle of "aerospace-country" between both Pt. Mugu and China Lake.

Have a few questions that y'all may be able to give insight on before I speak with a recruiter:
What is the demand for AEDOs right now? High? Low?
Along the same lines, how competitive are the reserve billets?
What Master's degree would be more beneficial in the AEDO field?
Since I am not currently in an engineering role, would it be best to wait a few years before pursuing AEDO to be more competitive with aero experience under my belt?
If I did the above, would I enter as an O-3? or less? I wouldn't mind if I even had to go in as an O-1 again...

Thanks for your help.
Longarm

 

[Bam Bam]

Longarm,

Welcome to AW!! I will PM you my contact info. Give me a call and we can chat.

Bam Bam

 

[Longarm]

Thanks again for chattin with me, Bam, you're a helluva guy to be willing to help out people you don't know. To everyone, I got in contact with a recruiter and I do qualify with my current credentials and background. Now it's just a matter of, are they competitive enough for the board?--but I won't know unless I submit to one! Also for anyone interested in pursuing AEDO/AMDO, I'm attaching both Program Authorizations documents that lists qualifications, etc. I hope these help someone out! Now begins my journey to hopefully become an AEDO, God-willing!

 

[Bam Bam]

Thanks again for chattin with me, Bam, you're a helluva guy to be willing to help out people you don't know. To everyone, I got in contact with a recruiter and I do qualify with my current credentials and background. Now it's just a matter of, are they competitive enough for the board?--but I won't know unless I submit to one! Also for anyone interested in pursuing AEDO/AMDO, I'm attaching both Program Authorizations documents that lists qualifications, etc. I hope these help someone out! Now begins my journey to hopefully become an AEDO, God-willing!

I really enjoyed talking with you too. I didn't get where I'm at on my own whatsoever! I had great mentors and lots of help, so I enjoy helping others when I'm presented the opportunity. Your background will be very competitive for sure. The only weakness that I can see is your current lack of post graduate work. I have known a couple of folks that got picked up without even starting a Masters degree but even a couple class towards an advanced degree is a good feather in your cap and indication to the board.

I think you'll do well. If God wants you back in uniform, it'll happen..... I can personally attest to that!

Bam

 

[BigTooona]

Thanks again for chattin with me, Bam, you're a helluva guy to be willing to help out people you don't know.

I'd like to second this. Bam was kind enough to talk to me a few weeks ago about the reserve AEDO/AMDO community and all it entails. I got picked up in the board last month for an AEDO slot, so now that it's looking likely that it'll happen, my wife was having concerns about the commitment, time involved and such. It definitely helped talking to him, along with one of the officers I interviewed with and his wife, to ease some of my wife's concerns. I'm very much looking forward to joining, especially if this is any indication of the folks I'll be serving with in the community. So, again, thanks Bam.

Longarm, welcome to the board, and just a heads up (although I'm sure you already know this being prior service) but the whole process can take some time. I first contacted a recruiter in May 2014, and didn't have a chance to go to board until last month. The Feb board got delayed to May, and one of the other guys on this site just posted that the upcoming August board had been canceled. I have yet to commission as I'm waiting on my commissioning docs to come in, and the recruiter said that it likely wouldn't be until at least August. So for me, it'll be at least a 15-month application-to-commission process. I understand that these selection boards are extremely competitive (I haven't seen the stats for the May one though), and if you look through the boards enough you'll see folks applying multiple times before they get picked up, so you can imagine that in some cases it can take years to work out. I believe that technical and relevant master's degrees are the most beneficial (I have a BS and MS in AE), as well as work experience that is more technical in nature. I think as long as you are enrolled in a program of study that counts as working towards a master's in your packet, so while not as good as having the MS completed, it's better than just having a BS. Sorry I don't have much to add, but if you have any questions about the application process feel free to ask.

 

[Hair Warrior]

Longarm, just curious, would you DIRCOM as a LT or an ENS? And, would you care either way?

 

[Longarm]

Bam Bam, thanks again, I'll query my recruiter as to when the next board is and, depending on the timeline, seriously consider squeezing in a couple of Master's courses before then.
Big Tooona, thanks for your input and I'll let you know if I have any questions. I expect it to take time but I've embraced the "hurry up and wait" mentality (because it's happened to me so many times). So my aim is to just get all the paperwork and such out of the way and then see what happens.

Longarm, just curious, would you DIRCOM as a LT or an ENS? And, would you care either way?

HW?, I believe my time served would count and I would keep my rank as O-3, but I wouldn't care if I had to wear butter bars again. I understand that there would be pros and cons to both. If I came in as an LT, I might start off being given duties an ENS might be given, since I lack the specific experience. In this case it might make my career a little harder to progress promotion-wise since other competing LTs in a promotion board may have had greater responsibility at that point in their career. But then again, who knows, perhaps I would be put on a fast track and hold ENS- or LTJG-level duties for a shorter period. If I entered as an ENS, the problem would be, well, I'd be an ENS. ;-) Regardless, whatever happens or doesn't happen I'll be flexible. I don't know what they say in the Navy, but as they say in the Air Force, "flexibility is the key to air power." Haha

 

[Longarm]

So I submitted most of the paperwork to my officer recruiter and am now waiting for a MEPS appointment and I guess a waiver in association with a document I had submitted. I am grateful for my OR being willing to work for a waiver though he has not treaded its specific territory before. I have more or less decided to pursue an online MS in Systems Engineering from Embry-Riddle, since it has elements of engineering, leadership, and project management in it, all of which I am interested in. I am now contemplating on starting a class in Oct so I can knock one out before the tentative Feb AEDO board. Tooona, Bam, in your opinion/experience do you think one Master's class is better than none for the board?
Also, separate question I've been pondering on: what kind of AEDO deployment opportunities are there? I know they're out there, but what would an AEDO actually do in support of a deployment?
Thanks again,
Longarm

 

[BigTooona]

Hey Longarm, good to hear you're making progress with your packet. The degree from ERAU will look good for the aviation fields. And I'd say yes, if you can get a class knocked out before the next board, even if it's just one, it'll show that you're making good progress towards the degree and not just registered for the program. I can't see having only one class hurting you in any way. Regarding deployments, from the folks I've talked to, they seem to be few and far between in the community, but again, I'm not the best source for this as I still have yet to commission. Best of luck with the waiver, I know from experience how painful those can be!

 

[AQ-AT-NAVCIV]

Welcome to the board Longarm. I agree with Toona, you would need to have experienced being on a board to know exactly what grading criteria is used. I would assume that if a person grading was looking for a MS, No MS would be a 0, starting a MS could be a 1 and a MSAE with a 4.0 could be a 5. Pure speculation on my part, but I have graded resumes for Civil service hiring and anything positive to make you stand out "could" make the difference. If you read the community brief for RC AEDO, you will find that a Masters (technical/business/War college) is valued within the community along with a list of other career milestones. Its a good read (easy google search).

Any idea when the next board is? My OR has no idea, nor does my other contacts. Was told august 21 board was canx, but my hope/dream is that it actually will meet tomorrow. LOL!

 

[Longarm]

Big Tooona, thanks for the tips! I submitted my application to ERAU yesterday to begin the first Systems Engineering Master's course on 19 Oct.

AQ-AT-NAVCIV, I appreciate your input too. Yeah, I've read the community brief before and it's good stuff. I'm not sure when the next board is. My OR said there may be one in Nov but if not, he suspects they'll meet in Feb. This is all loosey-goosey hearsay though. Godspeed on the board, whenever it is!

 

[Longarm]

For those interested, I just received this from my recruiter:
AEDO/AMDO - App due 01 April ---- Board in May 2016