NFO, SNA Question

[LSUJON]

Say you get picked up for NFO is there anyway you can switch to SNA at a later time and date?

 

[EODDave]

If you physicaly qualify and pass the astb then yes. You can be in the top5-10% of your class in API. If you do this, you can submit a package to be transfered. If it gets signed off by the CO of NAVAVSCOLCOM, then your good to go. 2nd option is do a tour as a FO in the fleet, perform well, then put in a package to transfer.

DAve

 

[wink]

All true but it is very rare. When you show up for OCS they expect you to be winged, pilot or NFO XX number of months down the road. If you switch it messes up the manning planned years down the road. It only happens when things aren't working out and they can justify the switch by a shortage in the other pipeline. From the fleet that switch is further complicated by the analysis of manning within year groups, or broadly, your rank and years of service. If they need 6 year Lieutenant pilots badly enough and they have enough 6 year LT NFOs, they will permit some 6 year LT NFOs to transfer. Don't become a NFO only hoping to transfer to pilot. It is rare and as a NFO I can say that the worst NFOs were the occasional wannabe pilots.

 

[jpfarsider]

How likely is it to transfer into the NFO community (full-time active duty) from the reserve officer community?
Say a reserve INTEL officer (either ensign or LTJG) that received his commission via DCO.

 

[mikedjp]

I've heard that it is difficult to do a lateral transfer but not impossible. That could have been the Reserve recruiter trying to persuade me to enlist rather than go for the DCO though. I asked the same question to him.

 

[wink]

Reserve officer designator change to NFO is difficult and rare. I have never seen it done. Being a DCO may have some bearing. Besides the change of designator you would be looking at a recall to active duty concurrently. You could not do the designator change and stay in the Slected Reserve (weekend warrior). For laterals you must get permission from the community program manager. So the INTEL guys could just say no and you would never get past first base. Intel folks can be spread prety thin these days. They may not want to loose anyone. If you got permission then you have to hope there are requirements within your year group for NFOs so that they are taking laterals. The hard part is concurrently running the recall to active duty. Not sure how that would be done. It has to be in the Instructions somewhere. You will likely get next to no help with this process from either active or reserve recruiters. You will be on you own. Easier but risky is to simply request recall to active duty as an Intel guy and once on active duty request the lateral. Risky because if you don't get the lateral you are stuck on active duty as an Intel guy. Not saying that is bad, but you better be ok with that possibility.

 

[swimbody]

What about age limits? If you come into the Navy as a 31 yo NFO there is no chance in hell of even becoming an aviator for the Navy, right? I have all my tickets as a private pilot, instrument, commercial, multi, etc...I like flying recreationally so I'd be happy as an NFO.

 

[wink]

I bet you will, and that is good, because you are right about the chance of transition to pilot. I enjoyed the NFO gig myself.