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Navy isn't taking anymore pilot/NFO applications?

wonderb0iwl

Active Member
Spoke to a recruiter who said they won't know if they'll be taking more applicants for the next year until November. Is this a normal thing for the entire navy? Or does it mean their office has reached their quota for aviators, but then again I didn't think officer recruiters had quotas. He recommended I just study for the ASTB until then, but it would suck if I do all that and I still can't even apply.
 
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FormerRecruitingGuru

Making Recruiting Great Again
Spoke to a recruiter who said they won't know if they'll be taking more applicants for the next year until November. Is this a normal thing for the entire navy? Or does it mean their office has reached their quota for aviators, but then again I didn't think officer recruiters had quotas. He recommended I just study for the ASTB until then, but it would suck if I do all that and I still can't even apply.

It may be a bit longer of a wait… but eventually you’ll be able to apply.
 

FinkUFreaky

Well-Known Member
pilot
Spoke to a recruiter who said they won't know if they'll be taking more applicants for the next year until November. Is this a normal thing for the entire navy? Or does it mean their office has reached their quota for aviators, but then again I didn't think officer recruiters had quotas. He recommended I just study for the ASTB until then, but it would suck if I do all that and I still can't even apply.
You might be looking at quota the wrong way. Officer recruiters don't have "quotas" (number of people to recruit in a given year to determine job performance, as is often the case in enlisted recruiting). But if the Navy doesn't need student aviators right now, the recruiters probably won't waste their time with applications. It's always changing, if I understand correctly the pool at API/NIFE is pretty large, I know we've been behind in NFO production and I would guess the same is true on the pilot side. So they will probably slow down acquisitions of new students for a while, until the bell curve drops to desperately needing every applicant, and the sinusoidal wave will continue.
 

wonderb0iwl

Active Member
Also, I'm not sure how old you are, but.... When I was 22, another year seemed liked FOREVER. Now that I'm forty-something and retired, I'd say enjoy the time, don't do anything stupid, and keep on it and you'll get in eventually.

Yeah I am almost a senior in college so I have no problem waiting till November. And if that doesn't work out there is always later.
 

MGoBrew11

Well-Known Member
pilot
When I was applying as a senior in college the same thing happened. It was the age of “sequestration”. It felt like a death blow at the time, so I get it. You’re not planning on having to find another job and keep applying etc.

I ended up teaching high school in New Orleans for a year before getting accepted. The job was really tough but it was an experience that I’m still really glad I had and it gave me a perspective that very few of my peers had in flight school/the fleet.

It will all work out in the end!
 

Dontcallmegump

Well-Known Member
pilot
I had a partly similar situation. I was already slotted for OCS when I graduated but ended up being delayed for some time while a medical thing got sorted out. I substitute taught across most grades for a few months in the meanwhile. I too really enjoyed the short time "off" that gave me, a ton of perspective through another chapter in my journey.

To the OP, if there is ANYTHING you want to do that takes a large amount of "free" time or freedom to come and go as you please, take this chance and pursue it. Things like travel, and projects/hobbies or whatever that fit that mold become so much harder to fit in once you've joined. People being anxious to get to the next step (there's always another step) comes up all the time and they're always told to enjoy the down time by people who've been there, done that. Take the hint and make the most of a relatively short delay. When the time comes to get back to business give it your all and you'll be glad you had the opportunity to smell the roses.

Good luck
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I had a partly similar situation. I was already slotted for OCS when I graduated but ended up being delayed for some time while a medical thing got sorted out. I substitute taught across most grades for a few months in the meanwhile. I too really enjoyed the short time "off" that gave me, a ton of perspective through another chapter in my journey.

To the OP, if there is ANYTHING you want to do that takes a large amount of "free" time or freedom to come and go as you please, take this chance and pursue it. Things like travel, and projects/hobbies or whatever that fit that mold become so much harder to fit in once you've joined. People being anxious to get to the next step (there's always another step) comes up all the time and they're always told to enjoy the down time by people who've been there, done that. Take the hint and make the most of a relatively short delay. When the time comes to get back to business give it your all and you'll be glad you had the opportunity to smell the roses.

Good luck
JUST DON'T GET HURT!!
 

Pouches

Member
You might be looking at quota the wrong way. Officer recruiters don't have "quotas" (number of people to recruit in a given year to determine job performance, as is often the case in enlisted recruiting). But if the Navy doesn't need student aviators right now, the recruiters probably won't waste their time with applications. It's always changing, if I understand correctly the pool at API/NIFE is pretty large, I know we've been behind in NFO production and I would guess the same is true on the pilot side. So they will probably slow down acquisitions of new students for a while, until the bell curve drops to desperately needing every applicant, and the sinusoidal wave will continue.
Yeah the wait to start NIFE is almost 11 months now, even last year when I went through it was close to 4 or 5.
 

donkeh

Well-Known Member
Like the others have said, go work a job when you graduate and get some experience that you might not find in the Navy. While waiting for my board and OCS ship date I worked at home depot and became a supervisor in my department. I hated it at the time but a super valuable experience looking back. And don't get hurt/end up in a hospital. Or get arrested.

Pilot slots come and go with the fiscal year, as well as OCS class slots. Towards the end of the fiscal year OCS will be filled with Subnucs/NFO's/AMDO's because that's what they need to push before October. Just the way she goes. Enjoy life and not having to ask for permission to go on vacation.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Like the others have said, go work a job when you graduate and get some experience that you might not find in the Navy. While waiting for my board and OCS ship date I worked at home depot and became a supervisor in my department. I hated it at the time but a super valuable experience looking back. And don't get hurt/end up in a hospital. Or get arrested.

Pilot slots come and go with the fiscal year, as well as OCS class slots. Towards the end of the fiscal year OCS will be filled with Subnucs/NFO's/AMDO's because that's what they need to push before October. Just the way she goes. Enjoy life and not having to ask for permission to go on vacation.
NUPOC is big when the colleges graduate, but depending on when that happens dictates what FY they will be in, I had colleges that graduated in May and some that graduated in June, those that graduated in May would make it to OCS to be in the current FY, those that graduated in June would end up being the next FY as they would graduate OCS after Oct 1st.

June/July/August are typically nuke heavy classes, which again would cover 2 FY's
 
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