What do I need to do?

[flyingpixies200]

I'm a 22 year old female who is about to graduate from college at the end of FALL 2008. I have gone to a couple of colleges so my combined GPA is a 3.0 and my degree will be a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology. I'm interested in Public Affairs and I am wondering what should I have in my package to guarantee me a slot in OCS. Also, when should I start. I can't say that the recruiters here in Norfolk are the best at e-mailing information or even simply giving you the address to the office to personally go there. I am a military brat so I am very familiar with the system and have lived overseas half my life. Most of my volunteer work is with the military as well as my paying jobs. If anyone can give me some assistance on what I should be doing, because I would like to have a commissioning spot in December after I graduate, that would be great.

 

[SWCS242]

Frst of all, there is nothing you can do to guarantee you will have a spot in OCS. Secondly, you really need to talk to an officer recruiter because he/she will be the one to help you put together an application.

Good Luck.

 

[Spekkio]

You need to find your local recruiter. For starters, Public Affairs is extremely difficult to get into, so no one can "guaruntee" you an OCS spot (if PA even goes to OCS to begin with) -- not that they could guaruntee you a spot with any other community, anyway. As for having a spot by December, that's not going to happen. The PA board meets once a year in either December or January. If you were to be accepted, you would go to OCS no sooner than a month after that.

 

[Thisguy]

Go ahead and get the ball rolling now. When you apply, you can specify a date as to when you're available.

PAO is difficult to get into, not because of the job, but because it's such a small officer community, they just don't have that many quotas for it year in and year out. Best of luck.

 

[cricket_cricket]

Tough to get into

I'm sure a recruiter will tell you this too, try to get into another field as an officer, then switch over to Public Affairs.

My sister wanted PAO and that's what they told her.

The PAO's I've known have all done it that way, or they were prior enlisted.

PAO is extremely tough to get into off the street. If you say your GPA was week, then you will have an even tougher sell.

 

[Lobster]

There have been a lot of people I've noticed posting on here lately asking what to do, the first step should be to contact an officer recruiter go into the office sit down with them and tell them what you want to do because in the end they're the ones that will make it happen.

 

[julietfoxtrot]

Hi - I also had trouble with the Norfolk recruiting guys. I've got a great guy from Richmond if you want to try there. If you want someone who is willing and ready to help you get to where you want to go, he's great.

 

[awolfinwater]

I have to reiterate what the previous posts have been stating. Getting PAO off the street is most difficult job to obtain in the Navy. I believe only 2 were selected this past year. The best chance to obtain PAO is to start as a SWO and perform a lateral transfer after you received your warfare pin.

In addition, gaining the warfare pin will earn you the respect from fellow officers. No one likes a "slick chest", you can only go so far in the Navy without obtaining a pin. The warfare pin represents all of the leadership and management experience that you are expected to gain by a stint in the service. The Surface Warfare community is the most flexible and will allow you to apply for PAO as well as any other great opportunity that the Navy provides (i.e. JAG, EOD,MBA at Wharton,...).

First and foremost, talk to your local recruiter. He will be able to lay down your best chance of selection as well as answer any question you may have on the life of a Navy Officer.

Good luck.

 

[a-6intruder]

I'm interested in Public Affairs and I am wondering what should I have in my package to guarantee me a slot in OCS.

Pixie:
Please PM me.

The Joint Public Affairs Support Element falls under the umbrella of the Directorate I work for at Joint Forces Command. The new CO is a Navy PAO O-6, the Reserve CO is a Navy PAO O-6. The Joint Forces Command PAO is a Navy O-6. I'm sure I can get you pointed in the right direction to make sure you have a packet that would appeal to the PAO community. You'll need to work the recruiter issue separately, but as others have said, you need an officer recruiter, which I believe means dealing w/ Richmond.

 

[Mumbles]

I have to reiterate what the previous posts have been stating. Getting PAO off the street is most difficult job to obtain in the Navy. I believe only 2 were selected this past year. The best chance to obtain PAO is to start as a SWO and perform a lateral transfer after you received your warfare pin.

In addition, gaining the warfare pin will earn you the respect from fellow officers. No one likes a "slick chest", you can only go so far in the Navy without obtaining a pin. The warfare pin represents all of the leadership and management experience that you are expected to gain by a stint in the service. The Surface Warfare community is the most flexible and will allow you to apply for PAO as well as any other great opportunity that the Navy provides (i.e. JAG, EOD,MBA at Wharton,...).

First and foremost, talk to your local recruiter. He will be able to lay down your best chance of selection as well as answer any question you may have on the life of a Navy Officer.

Good luck.

ditto..I sit next to a mine warfare SWO who just put in his PAO package and got picked up....he goes to school at Ft Meade next month. PM me and I'll get you in touch with him.

 

[ASHWND]

What is your goal? Do you want to serve in the Navy and not have to worry about being put in harms way? Or do you want to be an ambassador to the rest of the world for the Navy?

PAO is extrememly hard to get into, like someone said above, they only meet once or twice a year for selection boards, and I am sure that they only pick up a few people anyways... really really competetive. SWO on the other had is not as competetive, and every SWO I have talked to has had experience infront of the cameras performing similar duties to those of a PAO.

It is a shame about the Norfolk Recruiters, I had the same trouble with NRD San Diego. I have been working with NRD Los Angeles ever since and everything has gone smoothly.

 

[Lola]

The next PAO selection board meets in November. My OR said it is very difficult, as I was looking into PAO when I first began researching Navy Officer opportunities. Like some of the other guys said, lateral transfer from SWO to PAO seems to be the way to go...

just my .2