Questions regarding the enlisted to officer path for Naval Aviation

[choochlp]

Hi all, I hope that I'm not posting in the wrong area. I looked around quite a bit and this looked like the best place to put my question. Basically, I'm looking for some advice on how best I should handle a transition into the Naval aviation pipeline after I am enlisted. I'll give a bit of background as well so that my question makes sense. I am a 25-year-old college grad who is shipping in 12 days (August 15th) with a SO contract (enlisted). I have been pursuing SEALs for a long time now, but over the course of the last 6 months have been having increasing doubts about whether or not it's the actual path that I want. I ignored those doubts for a long time thinking they were just nerves, but they have stayed persistent, and I'm realizing that team guy life just isn't what I want. On top of that I was always told I am too tall to become an aviator, so I never really considered it, but after doing some reading and taking a few measurements I realize this wasn't true.

So I know straight away people are going to tell me to walk away from the program and find an officer recruiter. The thing is, I can't. I am out of time in my living situation, am in extreme debt from college, and cannot pay my loans and live any longer. On top of this, no matter what happens, I am ok with a career in the Navy. I think I need a little direction and discipline in my life. So my idea was that I would drop out of the SO program at boot and apply for an OCS aviation package after 2 years in the fleet. I'm aware that this is a hard path to take, and that it is in no way guaranteed. But like I said, I don't really have the option to drop from my contract right now and take the year or so I've been told it would take to pick up an OCS billet.

So, I guess I'm wondering if there are any things I should consider while I do this? I'm confident that I can get stellar scores on the ASTB. I'm sure plenty of candidates say this, but I have always done outrageously good on testing even without studying, so with a few years of study and practice am confident I could knock the test out of the park. Are there any particular enlisted rates that would give me a better shot at being picked up for the program? I have been told that if I pick the wrong one, my command may basically refuse to let me go, regardless of what my scores and evals look like. Would the fact that I am also an older candidate be a detriment to my chances? I think I would finish A school right around the time I turn 26, so I wouldn't be able to apply for aviation until I was 28. I'm also wondering how being an older pilot starting out would affect my career? Like most, I would love to fly jets, but am OK with any platform, and if I'm not mistaken no matter what wouldn't be flying until I was 30, if everything worked out.

In general, I'm just looking for some advice on this all, and whether or not I'm being an utter idiot with this decision. I also want to say if any of my post comes off as cocky or stupid I don't mean for it to. I'm just trying to relay and test the information I have been told and read. I appreciate any help and advice.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Do you want to be an enlisted SEAL or a naval aviator / officer more?

If you drop BUDS, you’ll likely be an UNDES sailor (or any other undesired rate) and it’s going to be a few years until you get the support of your chain of command to submit an OCS package.

 

[choochlp]

Do you want to be an enlisted SEAL or a naval aviator / officer more?

If you drop BUDS, you’ll likely be an UNDES sailor (or any other undesired rate) and it’s going to be a few years until you get the support of your chain of command to submit an OCS package.

If I had to say right now, I want to be a naval aviator/officer more. Is that after two years as undes? I thought that undes rate could strike out at that time. I was also told by a few DORs that there are decent chances I won't get an undes rate.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

If I had to say right now, I want to be a naval aviator/officer more. Is that after two years as undes? I thought that undes rate could strike out at that time. I was also told by a few DORs that there are decent chances I won't get an undes rate.

You become needs of the navy if you're a BUDS Dud. That could be UNDES, that could be a Navy rate you have zero desire doing... or you may luck out and choose an OK/good rate. You won't really know until it's that time.

If your overall goal is Naval Aviation/Officer, just apply for that now... presuming you meet all the qualifications.

 

[choochlp]

You become needs of the navy if you're a BUDS Dud. That could be UNDES, that could be a Navy rate you have zero desire doing... or you may luck out and choose an OK/good rate. You won't really know until it's that time.

If your overall goal is Naval Aviation/Officer, just apply for that now... presuming you meet all the qualifications.

How long would the application process take if I were to do it right now? I also am concerned I may make them taking me less likely if I drop now. It's been about 9 months since I DEPed in (started out in early november, given a couple months extra for the last push to pass the PST, then contracted for Aug). I have been told that the Navy wont take someone at a year after their initial DEP.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

How long would the application process take if I were to do it right now? I also am concerned I may make them taking me less likely if I drop now. It's been about 9 months since I DEPed in (started out in early november, given a couple months extra for the last push to pass the PST, then contracted for Aug). I have been told that the Navy wont take someone at a year after their initial DEP.

You can request to roll back your ship date.

Otherwise, I would talk to an officer recruiter right now. The process timelines can vary applicant by applicant.

 

[JoeBob1788]

Listen to the Guru but if you absolutely can’t wait…

Talk to your enlisted recruiter about switching from SO to Rescue Swimmer. Apply to OCS once you’re at a squadron for a year or two. Being aviation, they’d most likely be supportive. There are several current rescue swimmers headed to OCS with aviation contracts from this site.

You’d still have a cool job that’s physically satisfying, not be undes, and be around aviation until you can apply.

EDIT: if you can apply now to OCS, awesome. But do not go undes or roll that dice. Just don’t.

 

[Gatordev]

It's been said countless times here, but if you want to be a pilot sooner or at all, don't enlist.

That said, if you enlist and don't go SO...

Talk to your enlisted recruiter about switching from SO to Rescue Swimmer. Apply to OCS once you’re at a squadron for a year or two. Being aviation, they’d most likely be supportive. There are several current rescue swimmers headed to OCS with aviation contracts from this site.

...understand the nuance of what a "rescue swimmer" is. You can't apply to be a RS. It's for either the AWR or AWS rate, both of which are also swimmers. The AWR time to train is longer than the AWS, so you will get to the fleet sooner as an AWS. Assuming there's still a job for an AWS by the time you got there.

But at the end of the day, if you want to fly, don't do any of this and start working towards OCS.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Listen to the Guru but if you absolutely can’t wait…

Talk to your enlisted recruiter about switching from SO to Rescue Swimmer. Apply to OCS once you’re at a squadron for a year or two. Being aviation, they’d most likely be supportive. There are several current rescue swimmers headed to OCS with aviation contracts from this site.

You’d still have a cool job that’s physically satisfying, not be undes, and be around aviation until you can apply.

EDIT: if you can apply now to OCS, awesome. But do not go undes or roll that dice. Just don’t.

I wouldn’t recommend AW enlisted for that means as well.

Go/apply for aviation directly. Applying as a civilian is by far the “easiest” means.

 

[taxi1]

I am out of time in my living situation, am in extreme debt from college, and cannot pay my loans and live any longer.

Our education system...I understand the need for a job yesterday.

What's your major? STEM?

 

[choochlp]

You can request to roll back your ship date.

Otherwise, I would talk to an officer recruiter right now. The process timelines can vary applicant by applicant.

Ok assuming I went for an OCS SNA application I have a few questions. My DEP timeline so far has gone Start DEP (I think this was really early November 2021, just dont remember the exact day)>my initial ship date was May 2022 for nuke but I had that extended to pass the PST> I passed in may and had a ship date of June but had that pushed out to august as I was already having my doubts about the SEAL program at this point. So my question is, will having my contract pushed out so many times jeopardize my chances of gaining an aviation contract if I went that route? Additionally, I would need about 2-4 weeks to study for the ASTB. I'm confident that I could get phenomenal scores on it (skipped grades growing up), but I have a BA in political science and need some time to brush up on my formulas and so forth for those sections. Would needing this time also mess me up at all?

I guess I mainly don't really even know where to go from here if I decided to go the OCS side right now. I'm not sure if I would just back out of my contract or if that would stop my chances of gaining a commission. If I'm unable to commission I still want in the navy, and I don't want that to be screwed up because my recruiting district thinks that I just have cold feet and am wasting their time.

 

[choochlp]

Our education system...I understand the need for a job yesterday.

What's your major? STEM?

Negative. Political Science...... A really really expensive political science degree at that too. This is definitely going to be the weak side of my package as well. Again I don't want to sound cocky or brag, but growing up math and science and school were a breeze, if I had played my cards right I could have been 2 years into an engineering degree upon graduating high school, but I was an absolute idiot about the realities of the world and went on what amounted to a very expensive party school for a poli sci degree with a 2.9 at the end of it. The reason I keep stressing my academic ability however is because I am beyond certain that with a bit of time I can study up for and kill the ASTB which if I am understanding correctly is the most heavily important aspect of an OCS SNA package.

 

[JoeBob1788]

It's been said countless times here, but if you want to be a pilot sooner or at all, don't enlist.

That said, if you enlist and don't go SO...



...understand the nuance of what a "rescue swimmer" is. You can't apply to be a RS. It's for either the AWR or AWS rate, both of which are also swimmers. The AWR time to train is longer than the AWS, so you will get to the fleet sooner as an AWS. Assuming there's still a job for an AWS by the time you got there.

But at the end of the day, if you want to fly, don't do any of this and start working towards OCS.

I was speaking about the enlisted “challenge programs” like SO/SB/EOD and “air rescue swimmer” programs, which is AWR and AWS. They all PT and take PST’s together to apply for their special program of choice. And to be clear, I recommend that if you can’t avoid shipping out before applying to OCS.

I definitely agree, don’t enlist if you can help it. Apply straight to OCS if you are able to push your ship date.

@Gatordev and @FormerRecruitingGuru Would an OCS board look unfavorably on backing out of enlisting in order to apply?

 

[taxi1]

Not sure the specifics turning you off of SEAL teams, but Navy diver seems like a challenging gig that would take advantage of athleticism you must have. I’ve known quite a few, and they’re all top notch folks with a mindset that suits aviation. Some very cool not talked about missions. As long as you’re headed to boot camp, that’d be my pick.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

Your chances of becoming a pilot are much better if you apply for OCS as a civilian than if you enlist. That's coming from a pilot who did 5 years enlisted first. If you have the education check in the box, apply for OCS. Don't listen to recruiters that say you can strike at any time. You can strike when they let you and only for the rates that are open.