Parent's military service question

D

dpt135

5-Year Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2010
Messages
116
On the website application, it asks if your parent has served in the armed forces. On my MOC's app. it say military service. My Mom was in the USPHS and a Lt. Cmdr.with full base privileges and Navy uniforms. I did not know if that counted and asked my BGO. He did not know either and had me call the admissions office. The lady that helped me said it would count but only if she had served for 8 years(she served 5). Has anyone heard that there is a restriction on years of service to include it in the application? If there is, why do they not put a minimum required on the application?
 
My guess is that USNA is asking primarily because they want to see if your child is eligible for a Presidential nomination. The "restriction" is the requirement necessary for him/her to qualify -- it's based on your years of active duty or retirement status. I must admit that I wouldn't have known the answer re PHS eligibility (glad to learn it) but the year requirements are the same for any of the other services -- IOW, nothing unique to PHS.

Your MOC may want to know for other/different reasons, such as whether the applicant has firsthand knowledge of life in the "military."
 
I have heard that you receive points for every llittle thing on your application. Does this question have anything to do with the scoring system? While I am at it, I have another application question. It asks if you live on a farm and the amount of hours per week spent working. My family has a "funny farm" on 11 acres. Since 6th grade I have been responsible for feeding all the animals(you name it we have had it) and helping with maintenance. It is more work than someone that only has a backyard,but does not compare to a family with a real working farm. Put it on the app or not?
 
dpt135 said:
I have heard that you receive points for every llittle thing on your application. Does this question have anything to do with the scoring system? While I am at it, I have another application question. It asks if you live on a farm and the amount of hours per week spent working. My family has a "funny farm" on 11 acres. Since 6th grade I have been responsible for feeding all the animals(you name it we have had it) and helping with maintenance. It is more work than someone that only has a backyard,but does not compare to a family with a real working farm. Put it on the app or not?
Click to expand...

You could be right. You do get a few points for having a parent or sibling in military service b/c it suggests you know more about the rigors of military life. It's not much of a "bump" and rarely, if ever, would make the difference.

As for your second question, I've not seen the form but I believe there is someplace where you can expand, add information not otherwise requested, etc. I would probably put it down and then explain what you do. Don't minimize or embellish -- be accurate. As you say, you're probably doing more than most and less than some. Nothing wrong with that.
 
I am not sure. Does NOAA have commissioned officers? My Mom was a commissioned officer with USPHS. ???
 
There are a few uniformed service entities that people tend to forget/not know about:

NOAA
US Public Health Service
US Maritime Service

All have commissioned officers.

(I may even be missing another one in my list)
 
And of course, the current classic illustration that literally is multi-generational ...
Sen. John McKain. Like the country ballad about Ol' Red, the redbone blueticked coon hound the warden relied on to track down escapees, McKain's "love" happened to be a pair of aces, or at least admirals, one his grandaddy, and the other his pappy. And his mama who was a pal of the Supe got him out despite many many demerits. And it din't stop there, we're told. His son set a new NAPS standard of garunteed admission w/ a 1.8. So there you go. But captains alone don't seem to carry much weight.

"Love got me in, and love got me out."
 
Whistle Pig said:
And of course, the current classic illustration that literally is multi-generational ...
Sen. John McKain. Like the country ballad about Ol' Red, the redbone blueticked coon hound the warden relied on to track down escapees, McKain's "love" happened to be a pair of aces, or at least admirals, one his grandaddy, and the other his pappy. And his mama who was a pal of the Supe got him out despite many many demerits. And it din't stop there, we're told. His son set a new NAPS standard of garunteed admission w/ a 1.8. So there you go. But captains alone don't seem to carry much weight.

"Love got me in, and love got me out."
Click to expand...
This is so far off topic, it should be removed.
Whistle Pig, kindly take your rhetoric elsewhere.
 
What in the world was whistle pig referring to? Did it have anything to do with the question?
 
Nothing at all to do with the question - just his mumbo jumbo. Apparently it's his job to keep tabs on the gpa's of all children who have military parents.
Just a warning to you..... sorry.
 
My Mom was in the USPHS and a Lt. Cmdr.with full base privileges and Navy uniforms. I did not know if that counted and asked my BGO. He did not know either and had me call the admissions office. The lady that helped me said it would count but only if she had served for 8 years(she served 5). Has anyone heard that there is a restriction on years of service to include it in the application? If there is, why do they not put a minimum required on the application?
Click to expand...

Back to your original question.
The law (US Code) states you must be a child of a member of "an armed force" which. However you must be either serving actively for at least 8 years OR retired or deceased while retired.

BTW - Armed forces are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard.
Uniformed services are the above plus USPHS and NOAA.
USPHS wear Navy rank and grade but are not in the Navy.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for your help.Like I said earlier, my mom was only in for 5 years anyway. For what it is worth to whistle pig, my GPA is 3.97. I just wanted to make sure I answered all questions on the application fully and correct.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top