When applying for Navy OCS, how many Desired Designators should I list?

The "gouge" on this one is extensive...and to best of my knowledge, has never been based on any "hard facts". Yes-they were passing that old chestnut around in my day too; "If you're dedicated to one community...why list any others?", and similar rattle-trap. Bottom line, the Navy's going to put warm bodies into the billets they need to fill. I knew guys who didn't get their "first" choice because, believe it or not, they were the "top" performers, and the Navy was looking for the "best" to fill certain slots (there was a rumor going around that many would-be aviators ended up nuke that way). I also knew guys who got their "dream slot" despite being somewhat "bottom rung"...just because those designators happened to be short-manned at the time. The safest bet (in my opinion) is to put your top choice on the top line, pick the next two you can live with...and try like heck to be the best performer you can be. Bear in mind that some communities are looking for different ways to measure just what that means. If you're going for aviation, it "might" be wise to make your top two choices SNA and SNFO...at least it shows you really, really want to be a brown shoe.

I'm not an expert on Navy programs or forms, but, are you interested in getting a commission, or are you only interested if you can serve in a specific community? Every selection program I have ever worked with had the best performers getting their first choice. Once that field was filled and a person whose performance didn't earn him a slot in his desired field was given his second choice. If there was no second choice expressed, he or she went where I didn't have enough volunteers to fill the slot. You have more of an opportunity to get one of three if you fill in three different choices. The top performers will get first chance at the most desired fields.

I'll add to list designators that you'll actually qualify for. Specialty stuff like Civil Engineer Corps, JAG, Medical, HCA, and others have a specific education and degree requirement. I will say several of my peers that went Intel rose up the ranks fairly well and could write their own ticket when they punched out. Amazing the number of think tanks out there.