Officer Recruiter Problems and the Pilot Board

[logs99]

First time poster here. I'm been working with my Officer Recruiter since last fall. I took the ASTB in October (62 7/8/7) and am a Certified Flight Instructor with about 250 hours. Graduating college in August with an aviation degree. I've been planning on going Navy after graduation, so we were planning on having my package in by the deadline last week for the May Pilot board. Problem is, my Officer Recruiter seems to either be way to busy to help me, or just not have the skills, resources, or knowledge to do his job. Despite my regular check-ins and reminders, he has pushed everything to the last minute to the point that we missed the deadline last week. I had been pushing to go to MEPS since January, and he didn't get me in until last week. He told me that my package would be submitted the following day, and then the day after that, and then the next day until it was too late. Then he tells me, "first thing Monday, there are ways to submit it late," but it is now Wednesday and the package has yet to be submitted. I'm pretty frustrated at this point.

Is it even possible to submit a package late? I can't imagine that reflects well on me, which is frustrating since I feel like I did everything I could to help my recruiter get it in on time, but I still need to try.
How should I handle the situation with my recruiter? I called the Officer Programs Officer in the regional NTAG office last Friday, who was friendly but just called my recruiter and reminded him to prioritize me at the moment. Should I try to reach out to the Aviation OCM, or is this something out of their 'jurisdiction', so-to-speak?

I'm just at a loss here and am not all that familiar with what goes on behind the scenes, so any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

First time poster here. I'm been working with my Officer Recruiter since last fall. I took the ASTB in October (62 7/8/7) and am a Certified Flight Instructor with about 250 hours. Graduating college in August with an aviation degree. I've been planning on going Navy after graduation, so we were planning on having my package in by the deadline last week for the May Pilot board. Problem is, my Officer Recruiter seems to either be way to busy to help me, or just not have the skills, resources, or knowledge to do his job. Despite my regular check-ins and reminders, he has pushed everything to the last minute to the point that we missed the deadline last week. I had been pushing to go to MEPS since January, and he didn't get me in until last week. He told me that my package would be submitted the following day, and then the day after that, and then the next day until it was too late. Then he tells me, "first thing Monday, there are ways to submit it late," but it is now Wednesday and the package has yet to be submitted. I'm pretty frustrated at this point.

Is it even possible to submit a package late? I can't imagine that reflects well on me, which is frustrating since I feel like I did everything I could to help my recruiter get it in on time, but I still need to try.
How should I handle the situation with my recruiter? I called the Officer Programs Officer in the regional NTAG office last Friday, who was friendly but just called my recruiter and reminded him to prioritize me at the moment. Should I try to reach out to the Aviation OCM, or is this something out of their 'jurisdiction', so-to-speak?

I'm just at a loss here and am not all that familiar with what goes on behind the scenes, so any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Good scores, CFI really doesn't have any bearing on what you have experienced. I would say it appears your OR is inept or he feels there is some reason you won't get picked up, do you have any waivers? If not then I would wonder what rank is your OR, maybe he is primarily an enlisted recruiters that is "helping out" with officer recruiting.

If he is an experienced OR he would know you cannot submit an application the day after MEPS as after MEPS you need to get the physical back which takes a few days for labs, then it goes to NRC medical to get a PQ letter, and then you can submit the application so you are looking at maybe a week to get that done.

If he was an experienced OR he would know you cannot submit late.

The aviation OCM has no control over this, it is NRC's area of responsibility and their rules.

In looking at what I have typed I think your OR is inept, or just doesn't care.

 

[Meyerkord]

First time poster here. I'm been working with my Officer Recruiter since last fall. I took the ASTB in October (62 7/8/7) and am a Certified Flight Instructor with about 250 hours. Graduating college in August with an aviation degree. I've been planning on going Navy after graduation, so we were planning on having my package in by the deadline last week for the May Pilot board. Problem is, my Officer Recruiter seems to either be way to busy to help me, or just not have the skills, resources, or knowledge to do his job. Despite my regular check-ins and reminders, he has pushed everything to the last minute to the point that we missed the deadline last week. I had been pushing to go to MEPS since January, and he didn't get me in until last week. He told me that my package would be submitted the following day, and then the day after that, and then the next day until it was too late. Then he tells me, "first thing Monday, there are ways to submit it late," but it is now Wednesday and the package has yet to be submitted. I'm pretty frustrated at this point.

Is it even possible to submit a package late? I can't imagine that reflects well on me, which is frustrating since I feel like I did everything I could to help my recruiter get it in on time, but I still need to try.
How should I handle the situation with my recruiter? I called the Officer Programs Officer in the regional NTAG office last Friday, who was friendly but just called my recruiter and reminded him to prioritize me at the moment. Should I try to reach out to the Aviation OCM, or is this something out of their 'jurisdiction', so-to-speak?

I'm just at a loss here and am not all that familiar with what goes on behind the scenes, so any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Might be worth contacting the nearest enlisted recruiting office to see if they can put you in contact with the next-nearest OR. They usually know the other recruiters in your general area. That’s how I initially found my OR after my calls to NRD went unanswered for weeks

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Might be worth contacting the nearest enlisted recruiting office to see if they can put you in contact with the next-nearest OR. They usually know the other recruiters in your general area. That’s how I initially found my OR after my calls to NRD went unanswered for weeks

unless they give him the name of the OR he is working with, or like I mentioned his "OR" is really an enlisted recruiter "helping out" the real OR.

 

[zippy]

First time poster here. I'm been working with my Officer Recruiter since last fall. I took the ASTB in October (62 7/8/7) and am a Certified Flight Instructor with about 250 hours. Graduating college in August with an aviation degree. I've been planning on going Navy after graduation, so we were planning on having my package in by the deadline last week for the May Pilot board. Problem is, my Officer Recruiter seems to either be way to busy to help me, or just not have the skills, resources, or knowledge to do his job. Despite my regular check-ins and reminders, he has pushed everything to the last minute to the point that we missed the deadline last week. I had been pushing to go to MEPS since January, and he didn't get me in until last week. He told me that my package would be submitted the following day, and then the day after that, and then the next day until it was too late. Then he tells me, "first thing Monday, there are ways to submit it late," but it is now Wednesday and the package has yet to be submitted. I'm pretty frustrated at this point.

Is it even possible to submit a package late? I can't imagine that reflects well on me, which is frustrating since I feel like I did everything I could to help my recruiter get it in on time, but I still need to try.
How should I handle the situation with my recruiter? I called the Officer Programs Officer in the regional NTAG office last Friday, who was friendly but just called my recruiter and reminded him to prioritize me at the moment. Should I try to reach out to the Aviation OCM, or is this something out of their 'jurisdiction', so-to-speak?

I'm just at a loss here and am not all that familiar with what goes on behind the scenes, so any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Where are you located? Are you working with an officer from the NRD or someone else at a local station?

Something does sound out of place, but unfortunately this is a great introduction to administrative attitudes in the Navy- Nothing is important until it’s almost late and sometimes you’re shit out of luck.

You’ve got your CFI? You’ve got options. Don’t put all of your eggs in the Navy basket, especially with the shit your saying is being pulled. Work with some local ANG Units and Air Force reserve recruiters and keep plugging away flying with students and get on with an airline cadet program, do the Airlines with ANG/Reserve thing. You’re welcome.

If you’re Hell bent on the Navy, it sounds like you need to contact an officer recruiter at another NRD.

 

[Elbandito]

Im really not trying to be sarcastic here. Any Chance you're over the age of 32?

 

[logs99]

Thank you all for the responses. My recruiter is a Chief, E-8 I think. I'm not positive but I recall someone at MEPS being surprised that he was a recruiter. He handles both Enlisted and Officer applicants. I don't have any waivers, passed MEPS on the first go. Really high GPA too, so I'm pretty surprised I've had so much trouble.

I'm up in North Dakota, attending UND. 21 years old. I got in contact originally with the NTAG in Minneapolis, who sent me over to this OR in Fargo. From my understanding, he works under the Minneapolis command.

Originally I was just considering ANG/Reserve and airlines, but with COVID I assume it'll take me 8-10 years to get to a mainline carrier anyway, so I figured I may as well go AD Navy and get that experience. At this rate though, it's going to take years just to get to OCS.

 

[SlickAg]

Thank you all for the responses. My recruiter is a Chief, E-8 I think. I'm not positive but I recall someone at MEPS being surprised that he was a recruiter. He handles both Enlisted and Officer applicants. I don't have any waivers, passed MEPS on the first go. Really high GPA too, so I'm pretty surprised I've had so much trouble.

I'm up in North Dakota, attending UND. 21 years old. I got in contact originally with the NTAG in Minneapolis, who send me over to this OR in Fargo. From my understanding, he works under the Minneapolis command.

Originally I was just considering ANG/Reserve and airlines, but with COVID I assume it'll take me 8-10 years to get to a mainline carrier anyway, so I figured I may as well go AD Navy and get that experience. At this rate though, it's going to take years just to get to OCS.

Honestly dude, if you can go the ANG/Reserve route, do it. Get on somewhere with a flow-through if nothing else, but you’ll be pretty competitive soon enough. Do everything you can to get hired at the beginning of this ten year wave instead of the very end.

 

[scoolbubba]

Originally I was just considering ANG/Reserve and airlines, but with COVID I assume it'll take me 8-10 years to get to a mainline carrier anyway, so I figured I may as well go AD Navy and get that experience. At this rate though, it's going to take years just to get to OCS.

Go to the ANG. Go to the ANG. Go to the ANG. Do the regionals while you're doing it to get your foot in the door, even better if they have a flow to a mainline interview.

If you even have an inkling of a goal to be an airline pilot, you are putting your seniority number a decade down the road (best case) if you pursue the active navy component, not to mention you're already getting a dose of the inane fuckery you can expect on a pretty much daily basis for the best part of your 20s.

If I could go back in time, I would take the guard baby path to the airlines.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Thank you all for the responses. My recruiter is a Chief, E-8 I think. I'm not positive but I recall someone at MEPS being surprised that he was a recruiter. He handles both Enlisted and Officer applicants. I don't have any waivers, passed MEPS on the first go. Really high GPA too, so I'm pretty surprised I've had so much trouble.

I'm up in North Dakota, attending UND. 21 years old. I got in contact originally with the NTAG in Minneapolis, who send me over to this OR in Fargo. From my understanding, he works under the Minneapolis command.

Originally I was just considering ANG/Reserve and airlines, but with COVID I assume it'll take me 8-10 years to get to a mainline carrier anyway, so I figured I may as well go AD Navy and get that experience. At this rate though, it's going to take years just to get to OCS.

OK so this is what I think is going on, this Chief (which is an E-7) is helping with officer applicants as a true OR does not recruit enlisted and officer, he has probably never been to OR school and enlisted and officer recruiting is not the same. Since he is also recruiting enlisted that is where he will get the heat for not making goal, and with enlisted recruiting it is month to month. The best way to say this is that to him an enlisted contract would be high priority as it will keep the heat off his ass and keep him from having to explain himself, and that you as an officer applicant are low priority as no one in the enlisted side of recruiting leadership gives a crap if this E-7 gets you to OCS or not.

CO's and senior enlisted don't get fired for missing officer goals, they get fired for missing enlisted goals.

 

[AIRMMCPORET]

I knew the enlisted were important.??⚓?

 

[Elbandito]

OK now my question is. are you in your last semester, or do you still have a summer session to complete?

 

[Swanee]

Originally I was just considering ANG/Reserve and airlines, but with COVID I assume it'll take me 8-10 years to get to a mainline carrier anyway, so I figured I may as well go AD Navy and get that experience. At this rate though, it's going to take years just to get to OCS.

Dumb assumption, bad idea. Go to the ANG take the first pilot slot offered to you. Get hired by an airline. Laugh all the way to the bank that you thought about joining the Navy.

 

[SlickAg]

Follow guardreserve_mafia on IG.

Do not join the Navy. Join the ANG.

Live your best life.

Come back here every year or so and laugh at that time you wanted to join the Navy. Bump the thread and thank us for our wise and sage advice.

You’re welcome.

Yes I’m saying this all jokingly (except for the part about guardreserve_mafia), but seriously...

 

[logs99]

Dang, ANG is that much better, huh? I’ve heard AF UPT is super backed up, any idea how long it’s taking people to get to OTS after being hired?
It’s also a casual long term goal of mine to be an operational test pilot. Right, I know, closest alligator to the boat. But are there many opportunities for stuff like that in the Guard?