Personally I think one can have an outstanding CO's endorsement applying strictly for the CORE option. A CO's endorsement is a CO's endorsement and as long as you cover all the bases, it's all about how much time and effort you put into it (and your writing ability). But then of course everything you say has to be substantiated with creditable evidence and is ultimately up to the CO to say yay or nay.
I see where et1nuke is coming from and can understand the reasoning. Yes the instruction strongly encourages you if your applying to a Target Option to select CORE as your 2nd option. However if you didn't make the cut for say SWO, I wouldn't think the chances of you getting picked up for CORE would be any better. That being said I have I'm sure there are people out there that have done exactly that.
I would have to see more statistics on who applied for what programs and who ultimately got selected for the programs in which they applied to make an assumption that applying strictly for the CORE option would overly hinder your acceptance into STA-21. Unfortunately the NAVADMIN's don't get that specific.
My stance is either you make the cut or you don't for the FY. If its not your year and not selected, reevaluate, repeat process. Next year I'll be too old for SWO (which baffles me why you have to commissioned prior to 29 and not 31) but I'll try my hand at NFO.
If you couldn't tell I strictly applied for the CORE option.
I see where et1nuke is coming from and can understand the reasoning. Yes the instruction strongly encourages you if your applying to a Target Option to select CORE as your 2nd option. However if you didn't make the cut for say SWO, I wouldn't think the chances of you getting picked up for CORE would be any better. That being said I have I'm sure there are people out there that have done exactly that.
I would have to see more statistics on who applied for what programs and who ultimately got selected for the programs in which they applied to make an assumption that applying strictly for the CORE option would overly hinder your acceptance into STA-21. Unfortunately the NAVADMIN's don't get that specific.
My stance is either you make the cut or you don't for the FY. If its not your year and not selected, reevaluate, repeat process. Next year I'll be too old for SWO (which baffles me why you have to commissioned prior to 29 and not 31) but I'll try my hand at NFO.
If you couldn't tell I strictly applied for the CORE option.