subtitle: NROTC Scholarship Process – the Long Journey
“Very few people have been selected so far” –said DS’s recruiting officer (Petty Officer XXX) on the phone about an hour ago. So NROTC applicants who have the “all materials received – No decision has been made on your application” status are still very much in the running. Also mentioned, “Boards convene approximately once a month, sometimes more, and will continue convening for several more months.” That’s the Reader’s Digest version of the conversation which helps to explain the absence of a giant “NROTC Offers” thread on this forum… I think. It also helps to explain the appearance of DS’s “no decision made” status for months and months. A brief rundown of this particular “long journey” so far.
NROTC Officer Interview and complete application submitted May 2011 – end of DS’s junior year.
DoDMERB “qualified” for USNA – on DoDMERB status page - July 2011.
Updated test scores submitted in the fall 2011.
College acceptance letters begin arriving mid-November.
NROTC Officer interview #2 conducted mid-December.
USNA nomination mid-December.
#1 college acceptance letter arrives early January (Tier 1 Major - in state school).
NROTC Officer interview #3 conducted mid-January.
Explanation for 3 interviews divulged today, Jan. 31. Summary version “It’s the military” and “Hurry up and wait” oh and “Stuff happens”
The first interview, May 2011, was scheduled with Commander XXX at the local recruiting office. Commander XXX was called out suddenly just before DS walked into the interview room. DS waited over an hour before the replacement was ready to begin. Interview took place, but, as was explained today, this interviewer filled the paperwork out incorrectly, not providing enough information in the right format. This didn’t come to light until mid-December when Pensacola called the local recruiting office and said another interview needed to be conducted with DS because although what they had was good, it wasn’t in the proper format and was, therefore, incomplete. So interview #2 is scheduled at a different site with LCDR XXX. A day or two after DS’s mid-December 2nd interview, LCDR (the interviewer) was sent out on temporary assignment and was unable to input DS’s interview before leaving. And so 2011 disappears and in its place is the brand new year – 2012. Back at the local recruiting office someone notices that this kid (my DS) still has no proper interview and seeing that he is “falling through the cracks” (words the Petty Officer XXX used today), a 3rd interview is scheduled. Petty Officer XXX also said this was an “odd scenario and not normal at all.” He did confirm that the 3rd interview conducted on Jan.13 had in fact been properly executed and input – so that’s good news! As mentioned above in the summary version, sprinkled throughout the conversation were the statements, “It’s the military” and “hurry up and wait” and “stuff happens.” And I can confirm “Yes it is” and “yes we are” and “Yes it does!”
So to all those still waiting, that’s good news for now! Good luck to all!
“Very few people have been selected so far” –said DS’s recruiting officer (Petty Officer XXX) on the phone about an hour ago. So NROTC applicants who have the “all materials received – No decision has been made on your application” status are still very much in the running. Also mentioned, “Boards convene approximately once a month, sometimes more, and will continue convening for several more months.” That’s the Reader’s Digest version of the conversation which helps to explain the absence of a giant “NROTC Offers” thread on this forum… I think. It also helps to explain the appearance of DS’s “no decision made” status for months and months. A brief rundown of this particular “long journey” so far.
NROTC Officer Interview and complete application submitted May 2011 – end of DS’s junior year.
DoDMERB “qualified” for USNA – on DoDMERB status page - July 2011.
Updated test scores submitted in the fall 2011.
College acceptance letters begin arriving mid-November.
NROTC Officer interview #2 conducted mid-December.
USNA nomination mid-December.
#1 college acceptance letter arrives early January (Tier 1 Major - in state school).
NROTC Officer interview #3 conducted mid-January.
Explanation for 3 interviews divulged today, Jan. 31. Summary version “It’s the military” and “Hurry up and wait” oh and “Stuff happens”
The first interview, May 2011, was scheduled with Commander XXX at the local recruiting office. Commander XXX was called out suddenly just before DS walked into the interview room. DS waited over an hour before the replacement was ready to begin. Interview took place, but, as was explained today, this interviewer filled the paperwork out incorrectly, not providing enough information in the right format. This didn’t come to light until mid-December when Pensacola called the local recruiting office and said another interview needed to be conducted with DS because although what they had was good, it wasn’t in the proper format and was, therefore, incomplete. So interview #2 is scheduled at a different site with LCDR XXX. A day or two after DS’s mid-December 2nd interview, LCDR (the interviewer) was sent out on temporary assignment and was unable to input DS’s interview before leaving. And so 2011 disappears and in its place is the brand new year – 2012. Back at the local recruiting office someone notices that this kid (my DS) still has no proper interview and seeing that he is “falling through the cracks” (words the Petty Officer XXX used today), a 3rd interview is scheduled. Petty Officer XXX also said this was an “odd scenario and not normal at all.” He did confirm that the 3rd interview conducted on Jan.13 had in fact been properly executed and input – so that’s good news! As mentioned above in the summary version, sprinkled throughout the conversation were the statements, “It’s the military” and “hurry up and wait” and “stuff happens.” And I can confirm “Yes it is” and “yes we are” and “Yes it does!”
So to all those still waiting, that’s good news for now! Good luck to all!
Well, at least they took the college acceptance letters...the sit back and nothing to be done now part of the process has officially commenced...
So, yes, it was middle of May, end of DS's jr. year, when NROTC app. and interview were completed. We thought! Reality? No. The interview part went missing, not once, but twice and what was thought to be a complete, board ready app. in May 2011, is in the "just completed, Johnny Come Lately" pile of January 2012having just now become board ready, ready just before the final deadline came for this year's group. So all that amazing effort last May, that good feeling of having accomplished a difficult task, up against the early clock, for naught, I feel. Sorry for the rant...I'm definitely having one of those dark cloud rolling in moments. I'll snap out of it before DS gets home from school.