Service Selection Question

suddensam

USNA BGO
5-Year Member
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Feb 7, 2012
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Assume for a moment that a firstie lists his/her service assignment preferences as 1) SWO, 2) Aviation, 3) Submarines. The latter two are, generally, highly selective. Is it possible that the firstie could be given Aviation, even if that's not what s/he really wanted? Maybe a better way to ask the question is are mids ever put into one of the "selective" service assignments if they don't want to be there?
 
Assume for a moment that a firstie lists his/her service assignment preferences as 1) SWO, 2) Aviation, 3) Submarines. The latter two are, generally, highly selective. Is it possible that the firstie could be given Aviation, even if that's not what s/he really wanted? Maybe a better way to ask the question is are mids ever put into one of the "selective" service assignments if they don't want to be there?

I heard of someone wanting SWO and getting pilot or NFO this year. Numbers for those wanting to go SWO were also really high this year....as in over the number of slots they had for them. I also know a firstie who had pilot and NFO as his first two choices and got "voluntold" to go subs.....
 
Assume for a moment that a firstie lists his/her service assignment preferences as 1) SWO, 2) Aviation, 3) Submarines. The latter two are, generally, highly selective. Is it possible that the firstie could be given Aviation, even if that's not what s/he really wanted? Maybe a better way to ask the question is are mids ever put into one of the "selective" service assignments if they don't want to be there?

Yes and the reality is that 1/C should be VERY COMFORTABLE with their top 3 choices and COMFORTABLE with anything they put down (I think it is still up to top 6), because once the choices are in, sometimes it is hard to predict how the cookie will crumble. Also remember, the "needs of the Navy" always wins.
 
Assume for a moment that a firstie lists his/her service assignment preferences as 1) SWO, 2) Aviation, 3) Submarines. The latter two are, generally, highly selective. Is it possible that the firstie could be given Aviation, even if that's not what s/he really wanted? Maybe a better way to ask the question is are mids ever put into one of the "selective" service assignments if they don't want to be there?

The standards are relatively high for Submarines but if you meet those standards, it is not a very selective community. In other words, if you meet those standards you are almost certainly going to get assigned to Submarines if that's what you want. In fact, you may get assigned to Submarines even if that's not what you want.

It always varies a bit from year to year. So, you can't always base things 100% on what happened the previous years. The needs of the Navy change - quotas go up and down - and the desires of the graduating class or sometimes different.

I also heard of two instances of somebody wanting SWO and getting aviation. That seems very odd and may be an "Urban Legend" type of thing.

I know this sounds horrible, but if somebody is not all that jazzed about serving in the Navy and is looking for the nearest exit - SWO is an excellent choice because they tend to meet their obligation sooner than everybody. The clock starts ticking for them the moment they throw their cover into the air on Commissioning Day. That may be what is motivating some.
 
Thanks for the replies. DS learned a lot at Summer Seminar, enough to have a preliminary take on what he might like to do if accepted into the Academy. He also learned enough to know what he would NOT like to do. Basically, he would be fine with any assignment other than Marines. He respects anyone making that selection, but is relatively confident its not for him. He just wants to know if he could be selected for Marine even if he didn't list that among his choices.
 
Thanks for the replies. DS learned a lot at Summer Seminar, enough to have a preliminary take on what he might like to do if accepted into the Academy. He also learned enough to know what he would NOT like to do. Basically, he would be fine with any assignment other than Marines. He respects anyone making that selection, but is relatively confident its not for him. He just wants to know if he could be selected for Marine even if he didn't list that among his choices.

If he does not request to do Leatherneck for summer training during his 1/C (i.e. senior) summer - it is highly unlikely that he would be selected for Marine Corps.

Even if he does attend Leatherneck - and does well - if he does not select Marine Corps as his top choice - it is also unlikely he will be assigned.

Marine Corps is just about the easiest of all the service options to avoid because you have to want it. The attitude is basically this, "If you don't want us, we don't want you" ... which is fair enough, I think.
 
If he does not request to do Leatherneck for summer training during his 1/C (i.e. senior) summer - it is highly unlikely that he would be selected for Marine Corps.

Even if he does attend Leatherneck - and does well - if he does not select Marine Corps as his top choice - it is also unlikely he will be assigned.

Marine Corps is just about the easiest of all the service options to avoid because you have to want it. The attitude is basically this, "If you don't want us, we don't want you" ... which is fair enough, I think.

I think that answers his question exactly. Thanks.
 
Marine Corps is just about the easiest of all the service options o avoid because you have to want it. The attitude is basically this, "If you don't want us, we don't want you" ... .

While that attitude is most obvious among Marines, it's increasingly the same, if a bit more subdued, among the other communities, as well. And it becomes more apparent if and when cast-offs from one service selection seek assignments in another community. Doesn't seem to happen too often, especially in an increasingly down-sizing USN/USMC world.
 
While that attitude is most obvious among Marines, it's increasingly the same, if a bit more subdued, among the other communities, as well. And it becomes more apparent if and when cast-offs from one service selection seek assignments in another community. Doesn't seem to happen too often, especially in an increasingly down-sizing USN/USMC world.

I agree. In fact, there are several communities which the midshipmen must place 1st in order to be considered.

SEAL, EOD and MedCorps are three that come to mind. Although, there is one exception for EOD. You can have it as a 2nd choice provided SEAL is your 1st choice. Nearly all those selected for these communities know well before service assignment.

You can't have as a choice anything for which you have been designated as not-physically-qualified. Nor can you select any aviation choices if you have not taken the ASTB (Aviation Selection Test Battery) exam.

The midshipmen are all sent a Powerpoint Presentation explaining all the "rules" for constructing their preferences along with projected quotas for each community.

There are very few surprises - but that doesn't mean there aren't any disappointments.
 
I also heard of two instances of somebody wanting SWO and getting aviation. That seems very odd and may be an "Urban Legend" type of thing.

Surprisingly, it's kind of not.

People who put SWO first but had indicators that SWO might not be a good choice for them because they'd failed navigation or seamanship were "encouraged" via service assignment review boards (SARBs) to go NFO. Obviously if they hadn't taken or passed the ASTB there's not a lot of other options.
 
Surprisingly, it's kind of not.

People who put SWO first but had indicators that SWO might not be a good choice for them because they'd failed navigation or seamanship were "encouraged" via service assignment review boards (SARBs) to go NFO. Obviously if they hadn't taken or passed the ASTB there's not a lot of other options.

Oh, so not Pilot, but NFO? Well, I guess I could understand that.
 
Gotta be smart, no sluggards invited, and upon commissioning, able to consume volumes of complex information in short, lock-step fashion. More group 1 grads/appointment than any other community. All wannabe-submariner Mids must pass a challenging one-on-one interview with the admiral before they are given a thumbs-up for the community. It is demanding preparation for a demanding assignment.
 
The standards are relatively high for Submarines


Could you elaborate on this please?

Cs or below in any STEM courses will make getting submarines difficult, if not impossible. If you have weak spots on your transcript, conduct/honor offenses, etc., then you're either not getting an interview or you're going to have to do some explaining to the Admiral.

According to my friends in nuke school right now, the first couple months are basically all of the terrible tech courses you take over four years at USNA crammed into a matter of weeks.

The interview process is very tough, but there's a prep process and the overwhelming majority of mids who go before it pass.
 
Gotta be smart, no sluggards invited, and upon commissioning, able to consume volumes of complex information in short, lock-step fashion. More group 1 grads/appointment than any other community. All wannabe-submariner Mids must pass a challenging one-on-one interview with the admiral before they are given a thumbs-up for the community. It is demanding preparation for a demanding assignment.
I'm pretty sure you mean, in terms of STEM, laggard, rather than sluggard:

slug·gard [ slúggərd ] 1.lazy person: somebody who avoids work or physical exertion
2.lazy: sluggishly lazy

I know a ton of disciplined, driven, hard working people whose brain just isn't wired for math/science. They can get an A in AP US History, and a C in AP Calculus, with the same effort given to each. They would be STEM laggards, but not in the least sluggards. Unless you are implying that effort alone is sufficient to do well in STEM courses....
 
Yours might be the better word. Still, if you think there aren't sluggard STEM winders, well, you're entitled to your opinion. Your extrapolation here is interesting. :confused:
 
Yours might be the better word. Still, if you think there aren't sluggard STEM winders, well, you're entitled to your opinion. Your extrapolation here is interesting. :confused:

I think more to the point is that there are plenty of "sluggards" actually in the submarine community, if you go by the physical exertion definition.
 
I know this is totally besides the point and off topic, but when you think "sluggish" you just think of laziness is general, or slacking off

Sluggards, pretty much (in general use) means Slackers.

Interesting thread though, I love getting insight from people that have a clue !!
 
Pity you weren't aroiund in the Smoke Boat era. Lots of exertion!!
 
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