This depends on many different factors - designation, age issues (if you're pushing an age barrier, you'll get there quicker), positioning of candidates for their post-commissioning assignments, etc. This spring/summer, people were being assigned dates between October 2002 - September 2003. It really varies. I don't know how FY04 is shaping up though. The general idea is the quicker you get your application in, the better date you'll get.