blinkus
usna '28 😁😁
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2024
- Messages
- 673
To preface this, I'm sending my best wishes out to those who still haven't heard from their respective SAs. Be it, USAFA, USCGA, USMA, USMMA, or USNA. To those who have been rejected, I send you my best wishes in your Plan Bs, and if you choose to re-apply, your applications next year. To the CO29, and everyone else that's applied already, I applaud you. Applying to an SA is "unconventional", and according to my MoC (if you believe them or not), fewer and fewer people are willing to apply. It's a road that many avoid. It takes courage, sacrificing yourself for the greater good, and knowing that this quality already "makes" you a "better" student than someone else. - a "cat" on the internet (blinkus)
Following is written by multiple authors, edited and reviewed by others as well.
I. Applying Early
To the Co29, apply early. If you’re mixed about SA, attend their summer programs/candidate events! They’re a great place to familiarize yourself with what life will be as a cadet/midshipman. Start your preliminary applications ASAP, let your teachers know that you're applying to SAs, and try to get your recommendation letter and teacher forms done ASAP (before the end of your Junior year; yes that early, beat the rush!). Get your CFA done ASAP. Many people think that doing their CFA last is better than doing it early. And that's where many people fail. From June (apps open) to January (apps close), a lot of things can happen. Most obviously, you can FAIL your CFA. If you fail last minute, you can't redo it. The process is over.
You can also get hurt, the examiner gets too busy or sick, and etc. This almost happened to me. I originally planned for my CFA to be in December, but my examiner caught COVID. We had to reschedule it for Jan. 15th. A little too close for my personal liking, but that was my own fault.
Adding on, for USNA at least, getting a majority of your application done is a NECESSITY for your BGO to schedule an interview. BGOs are VOLUNTEERS. They aren't paid by Annapolis to do your interview or guide you. They choose to do it on their own time. Many are USNA grads who are Active Duty/Reserve or just busy with their own civilian lives. I was able to submit the amount of information needed to conduct my interviews in July. (MAKE CONTACT WITH YOUR BGO IN THE SUMMER.) Introduce yourself to them and ask for some advice on how to be a strong candidate). A majority of my BGO applicants had to cram in their interviews between Nov-Jan. DODMERB and DODMETS processes are also started when a majority of your application is done. If you DQ, you want AS MUCH TIME as possible. Some conditions take around 100-200 days to review. STARTING EARLY AND BEING A STRONG APPLICANT KICK-STARTS THE WAIVER PROCESS!!! If you ask anyone here, the biggest advice is to start early. (DODMERB opens in early July ONLY IF YOU ARE DONE WITH MOST OF YOUR APPLICATION. SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MOST OF YOUR APP DONE BY THEN SO YOU CAN GET DODMERB DONE WITH EARLY. You don’t want to be waiting on DODMERB, beat the rush and get your medical stuff scheduled and done with IN JULY).
II. Nominations
Apply to every single possible nomination source. This is another advice that is echoed, and will likely be echoed, until the end of times. Except for USCGA, every SA needs you to be nominated for a spot. If you have more nominations, it gives the SAs more wiggle room about where and how to appoint you. If you can't receive multiple noms, having one is ok. More doesn't mean you're a stronger candidate. It just means that you've impressed multiple boards (MoC) or have other sources to choose from. (Secretaries, Presidential, etc.) For some SAs, IF THEY WANT YOU HARD ENOUGH THEY WILL GIVE YOU A NOM. Don't bank on it though, but it isn't truly over until they tell you it's over. Prep School offers can also be sent out for applicants without nominations. If a SA is truly your dream, a prep school (be it USMAPS, NAPS, USAFAPS) or their scholarship programs (Falcon, USNA Foundation, WPPSP) is key! Don't take it as an insult to your "intelligence". A prep offer means that a SA wants you, they just want to see you improve in some areas. (Mostly in academics if you're receiving a prep offer.) Take it. Work hard, and come I-Day/R-Day, you'll be leading from the front!
III. Research Research Research
Do you have a question? It's most likely been asked already before. The Service Academy Forums is a godsend. Many people share valuable and priceless information for everyone to see. Personally, usna1985, Capt MJ, Academican, and NavyHoops, just to name a few (there are A LOT more) have helped me tremendously, even if they've never personally answered one of my own questions. Most people, I hope, are open to helping you. Be open to asking questions, but also be sure to SEARCH if the question has been asked before!!
Research the types of questions that will be asked during your nomination interviews. Why do you want to be an officer? What job do you want? (Become as knowledgeable as you can about the job you want, IT WILL MAKE YOU STAND OUT IN A GOOD WAY). For instance, in my MOC interview, I said I wanted to be a submariner, and that by the time I hit the fleet, the new Columbia Class SSBNs would be introduced to the fleet. This made me super interested to be a Submariner. My interviewers said they were very impressed that a high-schooler like me knew about that. Bottom line; BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE AND STAND OUT.
READ MILITARY/FOREIGN POLICY RELATED BOOKS. You might be asked what types of books you read outside of school, so make sure to read something that relates to the military or foreign policy. My junior year I was able to snag Dick Cheney’s “Why The World Needs A Powerful America” and read it. I made sure to take note of the instances in that book where America protected democracy around the world and kept it in my back pocket for my interviews, and it very much helped me.
STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS. Ongoing events in the world will impact your career as an officer in the military, so it would be wise of you to stay up to date with the news. I was asked in all three of my nomination interviews where I get my news from, so be prepared to answer AND KNOW SOME CURRENT EVENTS. Around the time of my interviews, Henry Kissinger had died and the Houthis were launching missiles dangerously close to US Navy vessels in the Red Sea, so I familiarized myself with those events and brought them up in my interviews.
This leads me to my next point: YOU ARE YOUR NUMBER 1 SALESPERSON!
Your nomination interviews will probably be on a time crunch, so utilize your time effectively, respond to questions that reveal the best traits about yourself. For instance, if you are asked why you want to become an officer, try to tie in something from a book you read. For instance I would say “I want to become an officer in the Navy because I believe the Navy to be the most important branch thanks to their role in strategic deterrence, keeping the seas open to trade which is vital to the world economy, and their humanitarian aid missions. I think the world is dependent on America to protect and uphold the ideals of free institutions and democracy around the world. I’ve read “Why The World Needs A Powerful America” by Dick Cheney and he did an excellent job of showcasing instances in history where this holds true, like when the U.S. helped rebuild Germany and Japan after WW2, shaping it into the democratic superpower that it is today”
Notice how you explained your desire to become an officer, while also tying in that you read and are well versed in history? These are all very favorable traits in an officer.
IV. It's not a competition.
If you fail to get in on your first try, it's ok. Every applicant is a diamond, it's just impossible for an SA to buy every single jewel on the block. Always have a Plan B, and Plan C, use the entire alphabet, and more! It's not a competition. Just because someone got in and you didn't doesn't mean that you're a "worse" applicant. It just meant that an SA wanted that person for something in their application. Work now, and present the best possible application that you can!
Also, don’t worry if your area is competitive or not. Who cares!! That shouldn’t dissuade you from putting your best application forward!!
Don’t worry about other candidates. They could potentially have a medical issue you don’t know about, or maybe they didn’t interview well. Who knows and who cares, don’t worry about it. There was this candidate that goes to schools near me, where I thought they might be better than me in every category, and thought for sure they would get in over me. Fast forward a couple of months, I got an LOA to USNA and he didn’t, and now we’re both committed to USNA!
If the academy wants you, they will find a way, damn the competition..
V. Service Academy Forums
This forum brings people together. I started a thread, sending messages there every single day until I heard back, and it kept me going to receive such positivity from others. During the darkest times, when you're stuck in limbo for waivers/nominations/whatever, it's important to have people there to cheer you on! I hope it helped cheer and motivate others as well. Comradery. That's the word that I've been looking for. A bunch of internet people are all waiting to hear back. I consider a lot of people on SAF my "friends" despite never meeting each other once. But, that's the norm now right!??! (Thanks COVID!) Jokes aside, to end a repetitive section, everyone wishes for you to succeed!
And to the high school seniors, ENJOY YOUR SENIOR YEAR. It will go by fast, it might not seem like it now but it will. Get your college stuff done by October and enjoy your last year of high school. Enjoy your time with friends, and make it a point to go and hang out with them, because soon you’ll be shipping off to R-Day/I-Day and be sad to leave behind your friends. Cherish them, hug them a little longer, and tell them you’re grateful for them. Don’t take it for granted. I sincerely miss my sophomore and junior year, when I would go and spend time with the people whose company I enjoyed the most every day at practice and I miss it more than anything right now. I used to think all my problems would be solved if I received an appointment, that I would just always be happy. It’s not true, at least for me. Right now, seeing my friends, for the last 2 months I have been with them makes me happy. To quote Tyler, The Creator, ‘What’s the point of being rich if you wake up alone?”
Best of luck to the ℅ ‘29 and future applicants, you got this!!!
Written by
some "cat" on the internet (blinkus)
some "gas" on the internet (smokey%)
feel free to reply with any questions!!
Following is written by multiple authors, edited and reviewed by others as well.
I. Applying Early
To the Co29, apply early. If you’re mixed about SA, attend their summer programs/candidate events! They’re a great place to familiarize yourself with what life will be as a cadet/midshipman. Start your preliminary applications ASAP, let your teachers know that you're applying to SAs, and try to get your recommendation letter and teacher forms done ASAP (before the end of your Junior year; yes that early, beat the rush!). Get your CFA done ASAP. Many people think that doing their CFA last is better than doing it early. And that's where many people fail. From June (apps open) to January (apps close), a lot of things can happen. Most obviously, you can FAIL your CFA. If you fail last minute, you can't redo it. The process is over.
You can also get hurt, the examiner gets too busy or sick, and etc. This almost happened to me. I originally planned for my CFA to be in December, but my examiner caught COVID. We had to reschedule it for Jan. 15th. A little too close for my personal liking, but that was my own fault.
Adding on, for USNA at least, getting a majority of your application done is a NECESSITY for your BGO to schedule an interview. BGOs are VOLUNTEERS. They aren't paid by Annapolis to do your interview or guide you. They choose to do it on their own time. Many are USNA grads who are Active Duty/Reserve or just busy with their own civilian lives. I was able to submit the amount of information needed to conduct my interviews in July. (MAKE CONTACT WITH YOUR BGO IN THE SUMMER.) Introduce yourself to them and ask for some advice on how to be a strong candidate). A majority of my BGO applicants had to cram in their interviews between Nov-Jan. DODMERB and DODMETS processes are also started when a majority of your application is done. If you DQ, you want AS MUCH TIME as possible. Some conditions take around 100-200 days to review. STARTING EARLY AND BEING A STRONG APPLICANT KICK-STARTS THE WAIVER PROCESS!!! If you ask anyone here, the biggest advice is to start early. (DODMERB opens in early July ONLY IF YOU ARE DONE WITH MOST OF YOUR APPLICATION. SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MOST OF YOUR APP DONE BY THEN SO YOU CAN GET DODMERB DONE WITH EARLY. You don’t want to be waiting on DODMERB, beat the rush and get your medical stuff scheduled and done with IN JULY).
II. Nominations
Apply to every single possible nomination source. This is another advice that is echoed, and will likely be echoed, until the end of times. Except for USCGA, every SA needs you to be nominated for a spot. If you have more nominations, it gives the SAs more wiggle room about where and how to appoint you. If you can't receive multiple noms, having one is ok. More doesn't mean you're a stronger candidate. It just means that you've impressed multiple boards (MoC) or have other sources to choose from. (Secretaries, Presidential, etc.) For some SAs, IF THEY WANT YOU HARD ENOUGH THEY WILL GIVE YOU A NOM. Don't bank on it though, but it isn't truly over until they tell you it's over. Prep School offers can also be sent out for applicants without nominations. If a SA is truly your dream, a prep school (be it USMAPS, NAPS, USAFAPS) or their scholarship programs (Falcon, USNA Foundation, WPPSP) is key! Don't take it as an insult to your "intelligence". A prep offer means that a SA wants you, they just want to see you improve in some areas. (Mostly in academics if you're receiving a prep offer.) Take it. Work hard, and come I-Day/R-Day, you'll be leading from the front!
III. Research Research Research
Do you have a question? It's most likely been asked already before. The Service Academy Forums is a godsend. Many people share valuable and priceless information for everyone to see. Personally, usna1985, Capt MJ, Academican, and NavyHoops, just to name a few (there are A LOT more) have helped me tremendously, even if they've never personally answered one of my own questions. Most people, I hope, are open to helping you. Be open to asking questions, but also be sure to SEARCH if the question has been asked before!!
Research the types of questions that will be asked during your nomination interviews. Why do you want to be an officer? What job do you want? (Become as knowledgeable as you can about the job you want, IT WILL MAKE YOU STAND OUT IN A GOOD WAY). For instance, in my MOC interview, I said I wanted to be a submariner, and that by the time I hit the fleet, the new Columbia Class SSBNs would be introduced to the fleet. This made me super interested to be a Submariner. My interviewers said they were very impressed that a high-schooler like me knew about that. Bottom line; BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE AND STAND OUT.
READ MILITARY/FOREIGN POLICY RELATED BOOKS. You might be asked what types of books you read outside of school, so make sure to read something that relates to the military or foreign policy. My junior year I was able to snag Dick Cheney’s “Why The World Needs A Powerful America” and read it. I made sure to take note of the instances in that book where America protected democracy around the world and kept it in my back pocket for my interviews, and it very much helped me.
STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS. Ongoing events in the world will impact your career as an officer in the military, so it would be wise of you to stay up to date with the news. I was asked in all three of my nomination interviews where I get my news from, so be prepared to answer AND KNOW SOME CURRENT EVENTS. Around the time of my interviews, Henry Kissinger had died and the Houthis were launching missiles dangerously close to US Navy vessels in the Red Sea, so I familiarized myself with those events and brought them up in my interviews.
This leads me to my next point: YOU ARE YOUR NUMBER 1 SALESPERSON!
Your nomination interviews will probably be on a time crunch, so utilize your time effectively, respond to questions that reveal the best traits about yourself. For instance, if you are asked why you want to become an officer, try to tie in something from a book you read. For instance I would say “I want to become an officer in the Navy because I believe the Navy to be the most important branch thanks to their role in strategic deterrence, keeping the seas open to trade which is vital to the world economy, and their humanitarian aid missions. I think the world is dependent on America to protect and uphold the ideals of free institutions and democracy around the world. I’ve read “Why The World Needs A Powerful America” by Dick Cheney and he did an excellent job of showcasing instances in history where this holds true, like when the U.S. helped rebuild Germany and Japan after WW2, shaping it into the democratic superpower that it is today”
Notice how you explained your desire to become an officer, while also tying in that you read and are well versed in history? These are all very favorable traits in an officer.
IV. It's not a competition.
If you fail to get in on your first try, it's ok. Every applicant is a diamond, it's just impossible for an SA to buy every single jewel on the block. Always have a Plan B, and Plan C, use the entire alphabet, and more! It's not a competition. Just because someone got in and you didn't doesn't mean that you're a "worse" applicant. It just meant that an SA wanted that person for something in their application. Work now, and present the best possible application that you can!
Also, don’t worry if your area is competitive or not. Who cares!! That shouldn’t dissuade you from putting your best application forward!!
Don’t worry about other candidates. They could potentially have a medical issue you don’t know about, or maybe they didn’t interview well. Who knows and who cares, don’t worry about it. There was this candidate that goes to schools near me, where I thought they might be better than me in every category, and thought for sure they would get in over me. Fast forward a couple of months, I got an LOA to USNA and he didn’t, and now we’re both committed to USNA!
If the academy wants you, they will find a way, damn the competition..
V. Service Academy Forums
This forum brings people together. I started a thread, sending messages there every single day until I heard back, and it kept me going to receive such positivity from others. During the darkest times, when you're stuck in limbo for waivers/nominations/whatever, it's important to have people there to cheer you on! I hope it helped cheer and motivate others as well. Comradery. That's the word that I've been looking for. A bunch of internet people are all waiting to hear back. I consider a lot of people on SAF my "friends" despite never meeting each other once. But, that's the norm now right!??! (Thanks COVID!) Jokes aside, to end a repetitive section, everyone wishes for you to succeed!
And to the high school seniors, ENJOY YOUR SENIOR YEAR. It will go by fast, it might not seem like it now but it will. Get your college stuff done by October and enjoy your last year of high school. Enjoy your time with friends, and make it a point to go and hang out with them, because soon you’ll be shipping off to R-Day/I-Day and be sad to leave behind your friends. Cherish them, hug them a little longer, and tell them you’re grateful for them. Don’t take it for granted. I sincerely miss my sophomore and junior year, when I would go and spend time with the people whose company I enjoyed the most every day at practice and I miss it more than anything right now. I used to think all my problems would be solved if I received an appointment, that I would just always be happy. It’s not true, at least for me. Right now, seeing my friends, for the last 2 months I have been with them makes me happy. To quote Tyler, The Creator, ‘What’s the point of being rich if you wake up alone?”
Best of luck to the ℅ ‘29 and future applicants, you got this!!!
Written by
some "cat" on the internet (blinkus)
some "gas" on the internet (smokey%)
feel free to reply with any questions!!
What a wonderful document! I’m so impressed! Thank you for taking the time to put it together and for just being such great young people! This is what true leadership and empathy are about! You will make great officers in our great Navy!!! Thank you! Some other books to read maybe too; To Rule the Waves by Bruce Jones (on the Preble Hall podcast), also The End of the World is Just Beginning by Peter Zeihan oh and the whole Ian Toll series on WW2 in the pacific and his Six Frigates (the beginning of our Navy!). Go NAVY!! And when I say that I mean specifically go Blinkus! I might be your biggest fan (other than your own mom of course!
