USNA LEAD Program

[TheBear82]

Long story short - I'm looking at orders for my shore tour. I was asked if I would be interested in the USNA LEAD Program. Basically you go to University of Maryland for a year, get a Masters in Leadership, then go over to the academy to become a company officer for 2 years.

This is the first I've heard of this program and know almost nothing about it. Does anyone here have any experience or any opinion? How about just being a company officer at the academy? Any input/thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Schnugg]

PM me. I was staff from '02 - '08. Can speak to what the academy side of things is like.

 

[KBayDog]

PM me. I was staff from '02 - '08.

In other words, they're all your fault.

 

[RadicalDude]

I can safely say I would NEVER want to be a company officer in Annapolis.

 

[Schnugg]

In other words, they're all your fault.

You can't fix stupid you know...


"Would have been a great tour if it weren't for all the damn midshipmen..."

 

[Renegade One]

...you go to University of Maryland for a year, get a Masters in Leadership...

Probably just me…but I'd like to take a peek at "the curriculum" that offers a MA in "Leadership" to an experienced military officer…and how many "life credits" are given for all that "those kind of folks" bring to the game. I'm guessing anything less than 50% is a rip-off. YMMV.

I also wonder how many young, bright-eyed civilian students who just "gotta stay in school!" buy into the perceived value of that degree. Let's not even go into how industry or government or any future employer may value that...

Didn't go to the Academy…know nuthin' about nuthin' about Company Officer life or career creds. But I do think it's "well respected" by "the business we've chosen." If you also get a MA degree out of the deal…I guess it's pretty sweet, assuming that's what you want to do. Seems like 1 year of "NOB" for the good deal, tho…timing being everything. DH Screens and competition and all of that.

 

[Spekkio]

One of my XOs did it, as did a DH. XO was a boat schooler and wanted to be a company officer because that was his thing. As a future "lifer," the Masters set him up for O5+ screening and he got to play golf with influential people. He screened CO and O5. DH was a prior E looking to network with the good ol'e boys club to help secure command screening. Done.

Both spoke highly of the shore duty. Apparently if you're looking for a graduate degree that's useful in CIVLANT, the LEAD program ain't your bag. But if you're looking for an easy Masters check in the box for senior O promotion and a way to get in with the canoe U community, it's a good deal.

So, OP, what are your career goals?

 

[brad_wp]

I'm not sure if this has changed in the last 3 years or not, but it was always preached to us that if you wanted a career you needed to take a flying shore tour job, preferably RAG or Weapons School. With how competitive things are getting I can't see things being all that different than they were 3-4 years ago. The way I understood it was ROTC shore tour=career death, Academy tours were considered neutral as long as your 1st Sea Tour record was strong (double tap #1, #2 then #1). Hell on the NFO side a strong breakout against big numbers on flying shore duty can't make up for not having the strongest record out of your 1st tour. Besides all of that I don't recall running into too many happy company officers at Canue U.

Sent from my Inspire 4G

 

[Spekkio]

but it was always preached to us that if you wanted a career you needed to take a flying shore tour job, preferably RAG or Weapons School.

Yea, didn't think about that different community thing, so apologies for the bad gouge in that regard. Nothing we (submariners) do on shore duty matters except earning a masters or working in a "high visibility" job. The word was that USNA kinda-sorta gives the opportunity to do both, but obviously if staying within flying is more important for NA/NFO it won't get you there.