"Stiff competition for academy’s class of 2016

navy14

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From the Navy Times

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/12/navy-academy-stiff-competition-class-of-2016-120511w/

Annapolis is gearing up for a competitive admissions season. While the size of the next freshman class is contracting, the number of applicants is set to break records.

“We think we’re going to have the most applications we’ve ever had this year,” retired Capt. Bruce Latta, the academy’s dean of admissions, told the school’s board of visitors Monday. With 18,651 applicants as of Nov. 29, the academy is 7 percent above last year’s figure, Latta said.

The size of the freshman class will drop by 30 slots, to 1,190.

“We are targeting a little bit smaller class than in the last two or three years,” Latta said. “Part of that is the Navy’s requirements for graduation for the class of 2016 and beyond.”

The academy is also on track to top last year’s record number of female applicants. So far, 4,271 women have applied, up 281 from last year.

The tally of conduct and honor offenses is also sharply lower this year, according to Capt. Robert Clark, commandant of midshipmen. Clark presented statistics showing that there were about 70 conduct cases so far this academic year, compared with about 110 last year. Clark said this was part of a push to send more responsible officers to the fleet.

“Recently we got feedback from Pensacola and [Chief of Naval Air Training]. Apparently, in the past, there’s been some issues with — get to the fleet, down at the training command — alcohol issues. Last year and this year to date, we have had zero.”

Still, members of the board called on the academy administration to release more information about the conduct cases, which can range from missing classes and alcohol abuse to physical and sexual assault.

SERVICE ASSIGNMENT
On Nov. 30, each senior received a wrapped package. Inside, they found a certificate with their service selection, telling them what service and community they would join upon graduation. Of the 1,108 mids in the class of 2012, 272 mids — a quarter — will join the Marine Corps.

“That’s the largest selection for Marines in the history of this school,” Miller said. “The previous largest was 270 back in 2009, and while the Marine Corps continues to consider what their ultimate force structure should look like, the Naval Academy continues to play a significant role in their officer accessions.”

Of the Marine selectees, 73 are slated for aviation and 199 for ground.

On the other side, 836 mids are set to be commissioned into the Navy. Because the graduating class is larger than 2011, many of the communities are set to get more ensigns than the year before. Here’s the breakdown:

• 255 pilots.

• 89 naval flight officers.

• 255 surface warfare officers.

• 28 nuclear-trained surface warfare officers.

• 140 submariners.

• 28 SEALs.

• 16 explosive ordnance disposal officers.

• 15 restricted line officers.

• 10 medical students.
 
The article says that this year 25% will be commissioned in the USMC.
 
The graduation rate for 2012 appears to be pretty much on the advertized mark of 85%; it is 87.86677 att, although it could change between now and graduation, but probably not to a statistically substantial amount.
 
The size of the freshman class will drop by 30 slots, to 1,190.

This is the first official pronouncement that the Class of 2016 would be reduced in size compared to recent classes.

I suspected this was coming but I have not heard it officially until now.

Quite frankly, I'm surprised that they reduced it by only 30 considering all the ways the Navy is trying to get rid of their surplus officers in the various training programs.

I recently heard (and cannot verify) that nearly 100 USNA graduates from the class of 2010 have been separated from the Navy from various training programs (mostly Flight and Nuc School) for failing to attain high enough grades. They have been separating them from the Navy with an honorable discharge and waving their academy service commitment. Very few community changes are being honored as has been customary in the past.

The bottom line is that the Navy simply doesn't need the number of officers that the various commissioning programs are producing.
 
The bottom line is that the Navy simply doesn't need the number of officers that the various commissioning programs are producing.
I find it interesting to compare how the Air Force, Army and Navy deal uniquely with a issue of overage in their commissioning programs.

Air Force: Reduces the # of cadets allowed to progress from Basic Course to Advanced Course after sophomore year of college. If 75% is the norm, when things tighten, it drops to 55% (as in the past spring).

Army: Reduces the # of cadets allowed to go Active Duty (vs. Reserves or Guard). Recently it has been over 60% of MSI's that commission into Active Duty. It is projected that under 50% will earn Active Duty if thing continue over the next two years as they are now

Navy: Since scholarship are not cut mid-stream (Air Force) and all go Active Duty (unlike Army), it appears the cuts are made at Training after so that those separated are done so with the rank of Ensign.

All three Forces' Accession programs are designed to use Officer Candidate School as the relief valve, to open further or close down, but apparently even cutting out OCS entirely in some years leaves too many in the pipeline.
 
The bottom line is that the Navy simply doesn't need the number of officers that the various commissioning programs are producing.
I find it interesting to compare how the Air Force, Army and Navy deal uniquely with a issue of overage in their commissioning programs.

Air Force: Reduces the # of cadets allowed to progress from Basic Course to Advanced Course after sophomore year of college. If 75% is the norm, when things tighten, it drops to 55% (as in the past spring).

Army: Reduces the # of cadets allowed to go Active Duty (vs. Reserves or Guard). Recently it has been over 60% of MSI's that commission into Active Duty. It is projected that under 50%, and perhaps as low as 40% of MSI cadets will earn Active Duty (via OML placement) if force requirements continue over the next two years as they are now. The Army also can cut the # of non-scholarship MSII cadets allowed to progress to Advance Course, but doesn't do this with Scholarship cadets as AF does.

Navy: Since almost all NROTC participants are on scholarship, and scholarship NROTC mids are not cut mid-stream (Air Force) and all go Active Duty (unlike Army), it appears the cuts are made at Training after so that those separated are done so with the rank of Ensign.

All three Forces' Accession programs are designed to use Officer Candidate School as the relief valve, to open further or close down, but apparently even cutting out OCS entirely in some years leaves too many in the pipeline.

Three groups of people suddenly find themselves out in the job market looking -- Army cadets who wanted Active but got Reserve, AF cadets who were cut from the program after sophomore year of college, and Navy commissioned Ensigns who were separated in Training. The most disruptive of those is clearly the Ensigns, who likely had very little advanced warning that they needed to polish up those resumes.
 
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The most disruptive of those is clearly the Ensigns, who likely had very little advanced warning that they needed to polish up those resumes.

I would somewhat disagree. Most MIDN know that if they fail flight school, fail Nuke Power School, or do not attain their SWO qualification, they are likely out-the-door. It is more of an incentive to do well (whether that means studying longer/harder, staying longer to work on qualifications, etc). Word gets back to USNA and NROTC units, especially since they do have officers that keep up with their community's pipeline.
 
^ True, they probably knew they had to perform, but I I'll bet when they open their Envelopes in November they don't have a full appreciation for the fact that they have been assigned a job that is... probationary. I'm sure they know they'll be stack ranked, and that the quality of future opportunities depends of their reviews, but I'll bet they don't realize that the bottom of that stack is discharged from the Navy.
 
^^^
Do they celebrate their Service Assignment Day? Certainly, as they should! They have been immersed in the military 24/7/365 since I-Day, working hard and this is a time to celebrate. However, it is well known inside Bancroft, the repercussions of those who have recently gone before them. My '11 and friends knew as 1/C's and 2/C's about the '08's and '09's who were 'out-processing'. Believe me, it is something they are keenly aware of.....at least all of those that we know.
@ Whistle Pig- Yes! Thank you for providing the announced number. Couldn't recall...old age?
 
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dunninla, trust me, we know.

breadcrumbs: We were sort of allowed to celebrate. :unhappy:
 
So I heard Hurricane. I'm very sorry. Not right.....and they're still blaming '11. Do celebrate with loved ones during your Christmas leave!! Congrats, you're SO close to the end!!
 
What happened?
Admiral's 1stie son got loaded, broke into someone's house, was consequently separated. And another drinking situation w/ an individual. Sad, embarrassing, wasted, and wasteful. But this was not an '11 issue, in any case. That's like saying it's W's fault. Or an uncooperative Congress. :rolleyes: In any case, it was ugly and preventable.
 
For the past ~10 years or so, firsties were allowed out in town (in SDBs) on service selection night as long as they were back in by midnight. Last year, a midshipman was arrested for breaking into someone's house (he got kicked out), and there were some other issues in the past as well.

So we weren't allowed off the yard. They had a beer truck in Dahlgren, but it wasn't the same.
 
What happened?
The three "incidents" that night as I recall that were pretty widely reported in the local newspaper as well as on this Board... check back to posts from December, 2010 and you'll get a good read.
 
but what we did not hear was if the firstie who was dismissed was made to honor the contract. did he have to pay 350,000 and serve as enlisted for 5 years also or was he dismissed with no monetary obligations or service commitment.
 
The three "incidents" that night as I recall that were pretty widely reported in the local newspaper as well as on this Board... check back to posts from December, 2010 and you'll get a good read.

Guess I'm nosey, because I tried to look for this thread but couldn't find it
 
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