Am I reading too much in to this?

[nodiva]

My child's BGO was very responsive early in the year. My kid kept him apprised of the CVW weekend and the NASS experience. But since June there has been no response. The application is complete. I'm thinking way too much about this. Could the BGO know something my candidate does not and therefore the lack of communication/response? He does not answer emails or return phone calls. Initially, candidate was told to wait by the phone in June. Well, now it's August and I'm not sure what to think. I'm a nervous wreck.

 

[kinnem]

My child's BGO was very responsive early in the year. My kid kept him apprised of the CVW weekend and the NASS experience. But since June there has been no response. The application is complete. I'm thinking way too much about this. Could the BGO know something my candidate does not and therefore the lack of communication/response? He does not answer emails or return phone calls. Initially, candidate was told to wait by the phone in June. Well, now it's August and I'm not sure what to think. I'm a nervous wreck.

Quit trying to read the tea leaves. You'll drive yourself nuts. As you said yourself, you're thinking way too much about this.

Just stick to the facts. You haven't heard from the BGO in a while. Nothing more. Nothing less. These folks are volunteers and are generally responsible for large areas. They have day jobs. They have family. It's summer. The BGO could simply be tied up in business travel, vacation, or both. Or there may have been some emergency or something. I would recommend trying to reach them periodically but I certainly wouldn't worry about anything. These folks are trained officers and have no compunction about delivering bad news or good news when they have it. You are very early in the process. You probably won't get a decision on anything until February and in the meantime there is DoDMERB and nominations to pursue. Relax. Take deep breaths. Drink adult beverages.

 

[Dial the gate]

Second Kinnem's advice. This a looooong process. If you start drinking now, the process will seem that much smoother

 

[nodiva]

Funny. My husband keeps making the same suggestion re: Adult beverages. He keeps reminding me of the joke we heard at the CVW: what's the difference between a pit bull and a USNA parent? The pit bull eventually lets go.

 

[MiddyB]

You said your application is done? This is interesting because last year through the whole process mine was very responsive UNTIL I completed my application. After that I didn't hear another word from him.


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[nodiva]

So did you end up interviewing with your BGO?

 

[usna1985]

Folks, with all due respect, please calm down a bit about BGO responsiveness. First, let me say that, when you volunteer to be a BGO, you do assume certain responsibilities, which IMO includes being responsive to calls and emails from candidates. Failing to do so for an extended time period is simply unprofessional.

That said, remember that BGOs are volunteers and this is summer. People do take extended vacations -- sometimes to places where they don't get email or it's very expensive. Or they just want to wait until they return to deal with stuff, including BGO stuff.

Second, BGOs don't need to interview candidates until a decent percentage of their packet is complete -- many go with 50%. That, BTW, is NOT an excuse for failing to respond but may be the reason a BGO isn't excited about setting up an interview if 90% of your packet is incomplete.

Third, USNA doesn't even start reviewing packets until late August so there is plenty of time.

Fourth, if the only thing missing is your BGO interview, the BGO's "boss" will be notified and there will be efforts to get that interview completed expeditiously. If it's not done, USNA will proceed to evaluate your packet without it.

As to your BGO knowing or not knowing anything -- do not fear. At this point, we have a list of candidates who have turned in none, some or all of their stuff. Until we meet the candidate, we don't have a basis for making any real assessment.

If 100% of your packet has been turned in for at least two weeks and you have made numerous unsuccessful efforts to contact your BGO, consider contacting the Area Coordinator (BGO's "boss"). But do so with care for the reasons noted above.