Do I honestly have a chance at getting approved to attend Naval OCS?

2015-09-06T17:27:49-04:00

I have started talking to a Navy OCS recruiter in Nashville about trying to Commission in the Navy as either an Intelligence Officer or an Information Warfare officer. I meet the Body Composition Requirements. I can pass the Physical Assessment on a day I have had little sleep and a hard workout already. I have a TS/SCI Clearance and 5 years experience in the Intelligence community. And I am extremely intelligent. I am not saying this to brag, but I am laying the pros out to set a full picture.
My detractors (at least in my mind) are that I have a 3.02 GPA after my 4 year degree. My degree is in a non-technical/scientific field (Christian Ministry).
Will my degree and GPA hurt me in getting selected for one of those jobs? Neither have them as a requirement right now, but they are preferred.
What can I do to make myself stand out and overcome these obstacles?

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Sep 6 at 2015 6:10 PM

2015-09-06T18:10:35-04:00

The requirement for a commission is a bachelor's degree. A 3.02 GPA is fine. I got into the Nuclear Power program (officer) with a 2.48 GPA...

As far as getting assigned to one of the Information Dominance Warfare fields, that is up to the needs of the Navy, as well as your previous experience. Since you are an Intel Specialist (equivalent to Navy IS rating), you should be well suited for a career in the InfoDom field.

Any particular reason you want to go Navy rather than stay Army, though?

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 6 at 2015 6:18 PM

2015-09-06T18:18:48-04:00

Your degree and GPA very well may hurt you, but weirder things have happened. They usually want an engineering degree and GPA north of 3.4, but otherwise you would look good on paper. It depends on what other extra information would be going with your package.

To be an intel officer in the Navy, you have to get a SWO pin first. So maybe you could take a systems engineering course or learn the SWO principles and ship-handling as a bonus?

Response by SCPO Joshua I made Sep 6 at 2015 10:05 PM

2015-09-06T22:05:02-04:00

Any chance of going for another BS in one of the engineering disciplines?

I don't know a lot about officer programs, but if you don't have the preferred degree I would think it would put you at a disadvantage. Your experience might make up for it, but that's going to be up to the board to determine.

Response by SFC Joseph James made Sep 6 at 2015 10:07 PM

2015-09-06T22:07:10-04:00

Good luck and remember to take care of your guys. This is a big step and don't forget where you came from...The Backbone of the Army!

Response by CAPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 9 at 2015 1:26 PM

2015-09-09T13:26:24-04:00

The extent to which your GPA and chosen field of study will matter all depends on how competitive the field is right now. It's all about supply and demand. If they need a lot of Intel Officers and there aren't a lot of applicants, then those things will matter little as you have met the minimum requirements. Additionally, your Army Intelligence background will factor. All in all, I'd say you have a fair shot. Worst that can happen, you apply and don't make the cut. Someone below said you need to get a SWO pin. That is not necessarily true. They do have direct accession Intel Officers (Designator 1830). The ones with SWO pins are designator 1160. My knowledge of this specific program is limited. But I do know how Navy accessions work in general. It's all a competition. Sometimes it's heavy, sometimes it isn't.

Response by CAPT Don Bosch, EdD made Sep 9 at 2015 2:33 PM

2015-09-09T14:33:19-04:00

Great to know you're interested in OCS! So far so good - fitness is really important, as is good grades (3.0 and up). Your prior military experience and clearance are also big hurdles to get over. I know this since my son is an Army 35F (hopefully a SGT soon too!).

OCS is competitive, for sure. Break yourself out by:
- Working closely with your recruiter to get your package complete and looking good.
- Strong letters of recommendation from military officers (0-6 and above) and senior NCOs (E-9) who will specifically speak to your leadership abilities are very important. Like any profession, nothing beats a recommendation by somebody who's already doing the job you want, and who says you'd be great at it.
- Even with a "soft" degree, highlight any classes that will help your Navy Intel Officer career (political science, history, languages) especially if these were among your higher grades.
- Spend time on your statement letter - have several friends chop it and get it to where it reads succinctly and has zero errors.
- Keep excelling in your current duties too, since the selection team will consider your current military record. Navy guys understand NCOERs too.

Finally, don't give up. Your success depends not just on the strength of your package, but many other factors like the strength of other applicants and the number of slots available when you apply. That will change month over month. If you miss it the first time, keep hounding your recruiter to get things tuned up and ready again for your next look.

By the way, I was a 3.0, BA in Biology. :-)

So yep - I think you have a great shot at it. Drop me a note on RallyPoint mail if you want me to take a look at your package.

[PS: Proverbs 3:5-6]

Cheers!
Bull

Response by CAPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 9 at 2015 4:08 PM

2015-09-09T16:08:43-04:00

The answer is always "no" if you don't ask. If it is something you want, put in for it. I'm not an IDC guy (Thank you, Jesus!), but I would recommend reviewing your operational experience and highlighting areas of experience that may be attractive to the IDC vice worrying about your degree/GPA. The Navy can grab any schmuck out of college to be an officer. What sets you apart is your experience.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Sep 10 at 2015 5:09 AM

2015-09-10T05:09:27-04:00

CAPT Don Bosch, EdD made a great suggestion. Try to get letters of recommendation from your Army chain of command explaining why you would make a great Naval Officer.

I do believe that your enlisted time will help you qualify for an age waiver should the Navy require one, but your recruiter can give you the straight scoop on that.