STA-21 a horror story(novel)

[Undertow]

I am an AE with only 1 year and 5 months active duty. The sole reason for my enlistment was to apply for this program. I was 23 and at the time and due to applications process and the amount of time it would take to get back in school I wouldn't have finished my degree in time to make the age cutoff.
Instead of having the A-typical AE training track I went to school with the ET's and FC's in Great Lakes after boot (it was still boot when I went now it's tennis shoe camp). Pensacolla was "Overloaded with students and I would be TAD for 3 months before classing up" I was tasked with completed Advanced Electronics Technical Core School. After completing school in Great Lakes I headed to Pensacolla. I was relieved to be around people in my rate and actually see aircraft (not to mention the Blue Angels practicing stones throw over my head at the AE school house).
I became heavily involved with extra duty and volunteer activities and joined the performing units. After asking questions about getting my package together I was told not to until I arrived at my permanent duty station because I would be wasting my time otherwise.
After graduating A School I received I level orders, but I have another 2 months of FRAMP school. When will schooling end? I figured out at that point that I was a professional student in the Navy. After spending a month TAD checking ID's I finally start FRAMP school. I graduate at the top of my class, participated in some community service and took a CPR C certification course. I left for boot camp Jan. 29th 2002, I was now getting to my permanent duty station April 13th 2003.
I finally arrive at my permanent duty station April 13th. The first thing I do is hunt down the CC who puts my name on a list for interviews. O.K. that's good, now where do I go? Oh, here's a web site address for STA-21 that's good info. Now having regular internet access I can actually do the work on my own. Now all I have to do is get all the paper work together, study and take my SAT's after not being in college for 7 years, and take the ASTB. But first before I can do all of this I have to... do 1 week of indoc., 1 week of Prevent, 1 week of extra training, 1 week of check in, shop OJT (2 weeks approx.), and move into a house for both my wife and I who is also active duty but on deployment with the CAG-11 and has been since March 1st. I also have to get my stuff out of storage and into the house.
Cut to 2nd week of May.. o.k. I have managed to start working on logistics on assembling my package as per Naval Instruction. Friday, message on my phone, "Hey it's your CC have your preliminary package done Monday morning. I finish the entire package on the fly in 4 days. Go to my first interview on 3 hours notice, my second interview on 1 day notice. Meanwhile I have scheduled to finally pull my furniture out of storage take my SAT's and ASTB so I have requested leave to accomplish this. My next interview is tentatively set for the week following all of this. Cut to cramming for SAT's and first day of leave. AFter the SAT test, there's a message on my phone, interview with external board is tomorrow the same day the ASTB is scheduled for. I love how well planned this has been. I reschedule the ASTB, cancel the U-Haul truck and go to the board on leave day 2. Board goes well. I wasted the first 3 days of leave on base in or around my command doing things I could have done not on leave. Cram for ASTB. Score 3's and 4's

with glowing letters of recommendation from an active duty 1 star, a retired Capt., and a retired Col. all aviators. So here we are awaiting SAT results and mailing the package on Tuesday morning. Well, there's always next year. Has anyone else had any problems like this?

 

[robv182]

Welcome to a day in the Navy. Adapt, overcome, and press on.

 

[IFT2O]

Suck it up shipmate! Just kidding, you've already got the preliminaries done so next year all you have to do is your interviews again. You can use your LORs again and let's hope you have saved your application to disk. Use this upcoming year to finely tune your Skipper's endorsement letter and your personal statements and try to get a flag LOR or second endorsement (good luck with that one!). If you know the base skipper or your wing commander a second endorsment would look great! It sounds like you what to do carreer wise, get quals, volunteer, etc. I had one of the smartest guys I know mentor me and help fine tune my letters. GOOD LUCK!

AT1 (AW/NAC) Christopher M. Harrison
VX-20 VP Projects
Bldg 606 RM 16B
harrisoncm@navair.navy.mil

 

[Undertow]

Although I appreciate the words of wisdom I think my point may have been misconstrued in the post. It wasn't intended solely as whining even though it definitely can be interpretted that way, and in that sense I am embarrased. It's more where against all odds, I DID "adapt, overcome, and press on." The question directed towards the audience should have been worded "In your experience is this typical planning, and execution from the CCC's part and what might I have missed that would have aided in the applications process that can help shipmates avoid these problems in the future?" The STA-21 program exists to aid in the career advancement of truly motivated individuals who have what it takes to succeed as a commissioned officer, for some of the jr. enlisted guys that may be interrested in the program there needs to be some sort of guidance that can be given to aid in the applications process. I'm not getting any younger here and I only have 1 or 2 more tries before I hit the age cutoff and the age waiver will not cover me. If there are any shipmates in the future that have the intentions of following a similar career path every second counts and to all out there that are listening, if you know of someone in your command that is applying and you have experience, lend them a helping hand. I'm not telling you to write their personal statement or give them the right answers to some of the typical interview questions but we can all help our shipmates out in offering advice and being available in some form to help them out.

 

[PR1_T]

When I read your post it was like dejavous of my experience in applying here. I decided early on that I would apply this year, but was told to wait on everything until they released the new instruction. So to make a long story short, I ended up scrambling to get an SAT and ASTB and interviews, all combined with 2 weeks TAD out of area. It was fun and I think its all part of the "screening" process, just the sheer madness of getting all that together that quick will weed out the meek. I did not get a whole lot of guidance at my command either, but there again, I think that its all a part of screening you as a potential officer, to see if you can read the instruction, make all the necessary testing and interview arrangements, and get a nice smooth package put together. I guess they figure if you can get all that done basically on your own then you have a good head on your shoulders. Anyway, your not alone in feeling like that, but its all a part of it. Good luck!

 

[Undertow]

yeah I kinda figured the same as you PR1. I got a little bit of a chuckle out of the experience now that everything has been said and done. The sigh of relief once I finished getting the package together was awesome. I have been talking to a retired Capt. who is old school Navy and has flown everything from props to the hornet on it's first inception into active service. We sat down a few weeks ago with a friend of his who was in the Blue Angels back in the 70's and shared a few drinks, they said that the way the interviews had been set up were not typical and were rather disorganized from how they remembered. They said the same thing my mother in law kept saying, "Relax Mike you'll do just fine, just keep plugging away". I'm fairly certain that I wont get picked up this time just because my scores aren't very competitive but next year that will change once I have my EAWS pin, a crow on my sleeve, and I'll have plenty of study time to prepare me for my SAT's and ASTB again next year. I'm planning on taking the ASTB again within the next few months. PR1 your words put a smile on my face and I keep remembering that good old boot camp line we fed to the P-Day divisions "It gets better shipmate" I tell that to my wife whenever things aren't going her way on ship just because it makes her laugh, it goes to show that sometimes we need to take our own advice. Once again, thanks and good luck.

-Mike

 

[ea6bflyr]

Undertow,
Don't get discouraged. You may not be comeptitive on the first go, but keep on trying....I know a few people that made it after several (4 times) attepmts. Good luck and keep the faith.
ea6bflyr

I have had varied experiences with CCCs. I had NO help from my CCC when I applied to the now defunct ECP.

 

[fraz76]

Undertow
I alot of us know how you feel. So now that you feel this way about gudience and leadership to our younger / unexperience shipmate you will one day make an Outstanding Officer willing to look out for their peoples. Thats one of my main reason I am going back. Glad that you are taking this experience as a postive one.

I remember a TM1 Chief Package was being sent up to the Chief Board and the Board was receiving a different TM1 service record for the past three years. He got shafted. When he found that out, the board simplly said if you can't take care of your service record, How are you going to take care of others.

At least you are on active duty. I am here on the cilivan side running around getting stuff taken care also. So I wish you the best of luck and smooth sailing.
Fraz

 

[STA21pilot]

Undertow,
I'm seein you on the same track. I'm not scrambling as much now, but I've been looking at this thing for 3 years now. After some garbage where my CO wouldn't recommend me last year (very long long story). I submitted this year, didn't make it though (check the STA-21 FY05 Hopefull link). But now that the package is pretty much done, I don't have to much other things to do except get the stuff at work cranking and make myself look sparkling.

Hope we all have better luck next year. Besides I'd much rather be a guaranteed lock as a Pilot select than a Core select squeezing by. So hopefully that chance will come up again.

 

[Fatboy]

CCC's that I have run into are worthless. My first CCC was a senior chief. I told him I wanted to go to BOOST, he straight up told me I was the wrong color to go to BOOST. I put a package together anyway with little or no help from him. He sat on it and sat on it. The last day it could of been FED EXed out he lost it .... he lost the whole damn package. So my package was late and had errors becuase I had to do the whole thing over again.

My CCC on the ship was even more worthless. He had no idea how to even apply for BOOST. Luckily I didn't need his help. But the results came in that I was accepted as an alternate. He told me to keep applying and I'll get in eventually. I checked into it and was told that alternates allways go. I told the CCC this and his said it wasn't true. Yeah I went to BOOST 4 months later.