OCS advice...

[Mongoose]

I'm currently 28 years old and have been out of the Navy for a year. I was a submarine nuke for 8.5 years. I now have my bachelors degree and I'm considering going to OCS. The only problem is I want to go to flight school and only flight school... I'm thinking it's probably too late for me age wise (I'll turn 29 in July 03'). I also don't know if I can re-enter the military as an officer and say the only thing I want to do is fly. Any advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated for I think I'm running out of time.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[cuculeis]

hey joe, depending on how they want to grant you an age waiver for being prior enlisted, you may be able to qualify for pilot...but if not, you do qualify for NFO. im 31 going on 32 and i was accepted just last month and now im headed for OCS in 2 weeks. depending on how badly you want to fly, you may want to consider the NFO option in case you cant get pilot...as far as requesting to only fly, sure you can say that is the only slot you want to apply for. all they can say is no...talk to a recuiter - soon! ask him about the age waiver for prior enlisted...hope this helps sam

 

[cman]

Joe, I agree with Cuculeis. Talk to a recruiter for the specifics. The thing about Navy OCS is that when you apply you can select up to three choices to be considered for. It's not like the Army where you list choices and after OCS you can be picked up by any MOS even if you didn't list it as one of your choices (major drawback to Army OCS in my opinion). With the Navy, if all you want is pilot, you would list that as your first and only choice. If you are accepted then you are guaranteed that designator. You won't graduate from OCS to find out you've been reassigned. Of course there is the posibility that you could find yourself medically disqualified at some point prior to, durring, or after OCS. In this case you can request a transfere to another designator or take a medical discharge. Also-- at 28 I think you'd be able to get an age waiver. But I wouldn't waist time-- talk to an officer recruiter as soon as possible; the application process can take a while. For some people it goes pretty fast and for others it is very slow. For me is been the later. Just depends on your circumstances I guess. But to be on the safe side, don't waist time-- birthdays have a way of creeping up on you.

Best of luck...
Chris

 

[Mongoose]

Thanks for the replies... what is the actual age limit without a waiver. I think I remember something about completing flight school by your 31st birthday. Also what is the normal waiting period to go to OCS after you are accepted? I saw a couple of forums in which people said they were accepted but weren't going to OCS for about a year...

Thanks again,
Joe

 

[ryan77]

Joe, re: the waiting period - it's true that normal non-BDCP SNA/SNFO candidates are usually having to wait about a year these days to class up. But if you in danger of exceeding an age limit, they make sure you get to Pensacola at an appropriate time.

 

[dcstruble]

A guy in my OCS class was always talking about being 29 and having to get his commission before his 30th birthday to keep his pilot slot. He was a former Marine though. I think we graduated one week before, so he couldn't afford to get rolled. I believe priors often get extensions beyond 30.

I was a non-BDCP, non-prior. Package for selection was sent and responded to within 3 weeks including the Christmas break. Reported for OCS two+ months later. Just get your package in - it's easy to get lost in deciding whether to be a SNA when you don't even have the option yet. Be ready though - once they offer you a shot at a commission, they don't give you much time to decide. Others are ready to commit while you're uncertain.

 

[grouch]

Mongoose, ocs by 27 with no prior. 31 with prior and no waviers. You are "ret ta go." Give it a shot and good Luck!

 

[DDriver]

-Pilot-

I thought the 31 age limit is only applicable for those who received their college degree or accepted via STA-21 while they were active - and not for those who got out (and completed their degree)

Do you guys know where in CNET I can find that info? Thanks.

ed

 

[Valion310]

Can bubbleheads fly? I thought you all sank! [^]

Valion310 - Turning base for full stop in bed!

 

[elkq]

Almost any age requirement question can be found here at http://neds.nebt.daps.mil/1420.htm
For any program.

 

[jwilliamsee]

I'm 29 now with a birthday in July and got accepted for a guarenteed flight slot. I am told OCS is backed up pretty bad. My recruter told me that I got a good class date with an 8 month wait because of my age. I start OCS on April 5th 2003. I am prior service enlisted AF with 4 years in. The way I understand it is you get half of the time you were in applied to your age waver up to four years active duty. In other words you can get in as long as you start flight school before you are 31 if you served a full four years or more or 29 with no prior service. I also had a waver for laser eye surgery and wondered if anyone else did. John

 

[grouch]

Hey John, I was shot out for pilot because age. I'll be 29 in november and I've got no prior. They said it would take an act of congress to get the age wavier. Oh well. Glad to see you got it, when is OCS?

 

[jwilliamsee]

I leave April 5th and found out about two months ago that I got the slot. I was wondering how long other people had to wait to leave? I had 8 months. I was also wondering how long api is backed up. I heard 6 months from a few guys that just got out of OCS but were not pilots.

 

[bluesmobile]

John- Looks like we're in the same class! I'm also going April 5 2003 as an SNA. Haven't found anyone else in the same class, but I'm sure a few more will eventually find their way to airwarriors. As for my wait, I found out in early July, so it'll be nine months by the time I get to P-cola.

 

[JimmyA]

Anyone going to OCS Jan 4th?