And so it begins, service selections due tomorrow!

I can actually remember sitting in my room with my room mates entering our service selections! I still vividly remember service assignment and how that all went. We entered our requests later than the current classes and found out mid-late Jan. I am glad it’s done much sooner as it gives Mids who don’t get #1, time to do research and come to terms with it all before selecting dates. Good luck ‘22!
 
AF6872 said:
Daughter and one roommate (prior service Marine) went Marine other roommate SWO. Not moms first choice but all choices they made worked out well.
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I've been on four surface ships and the opportunities for SWOs are immense. Travel, training, sunsets.

One of many good things about being a Marine is when all chaos has broken out and things seem hopeless, at least being a Marine endures. The institution and its foundation will never die or falter. It's only individuals who fail to "Keep Our Honor Clean."
 
Wow. Witnessing the Plebe process and now get to watch the other end of the spectrum in anticipation of my DS going through the same. This is exciting.
 
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justdoit19 said:
I CANNOT believe what he put as his choices. I’m floored. It’s a big day for sure. Cannot imagine what November will feel like.
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Forgive the question....MIDN's select this week and then notification is November?
 
LT360 said:
Forgive the question....MIDN's select this week and then notification is November?
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I believe that is correct. And we can watch the selection if it's anything like last year (Either FB streamed or YT, can't recall).
 
Heatherg21 said:
Me too!!!! But eating a salad. Some well educated Dr. or something said I have work to do on my overall health. Blech.
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I haven't gotten into the flow of eating in this new school year, e.g. the logistics of the fridge, microwave, lunch and planning period. So, I'm eating too much junk, much of it provided by our new administrator.
 
LT360 said:
Forgive the question....MIDN's select this week and then notification is November?
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If like prior years, they are all told their service selection in November. Some are happy. Some are not (didn’t get first choice). So it’s a mixed bag. It’s a company only event. Understandably.

Later in the Spring, those assigned to SWO have their ship selection. That’s the big hoopla night, streamed live. Mids select their own song for the walk up. I’ve watched every year online, and it’s very exciting 😎 from the cheap seats.
 
LT360 said:
Forgive the question....MIDN's select this week and then notification is November?
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More accurate is to say they submit their preferences now, and then are notified of their assignment in November.
The new process is called Service Assignment, not Service Selection.

In the olden days, Midshipman "selected" their assignment, literally going down to Smoke Hall in order of merit, and selections were honored on a first come, first serve basis, without much consideration for proper "fit" for the intended service. I've told the story here before of a complete dirt bag squad leader that went USMC Air because his rank wasn't high enough for USN Air.

Nowadays, the Midshipman submit their preferences (we used to call them Dream Sheets in Pcola), the individual Service Communities have some input , and the Midshipman are notified where they will be assigned in a few months. That's why it is so early in the year. (I think it was February back in the olden days).

Another difference is specific ship and school date selections. Back in the day, we would do it all at once...select Air, select School Date, and select TAD assignment (if any) before first school. I think that is all done at an even later date--by community, now.
 
Heatherg21 said:
I believe that is correct. And we can watch the selection if it's anything like last year (Either FB streamed or YT, can't recall).
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One slight revision here. If you want to watch Ship Selection, it is streamed live. It's sort of like the NFL draft for Midshipmen who commission as Ensigns in The Navy. Someone will probably chime in here if I'm wrong, but I get the idea that "ship selection" is pretty much just all the SWOs.

For others (be it Aviators, NFOs, Subs, Restricted Line, or various Marine Corps assignments) they typically come out of the Ward Room in their Company areas one at a time, displaying their various colored booklets showing which selection on their list they came up with. Immediately following such a reveal, the ones branching Marine Corps have a seat in the P-Way and get their heads shaved right there and then, often by Plebes who are happy to get the honor. This is a great way to spot all the soon-to-be Marines out in the yard between classes, the next day.
 
THParent said:
One slight revision here. If you want to watch Ship Selection, it is streamed live. It's sort of like the NFL draft for Midshipmen who commission as Ensigns in The Navy. Someone will probably chime in here if I'm wrong, but I get the idea that "ship selection" is pretty much just all the SWOs.

For others (be it Aviators, NFOs, Subs, Restricted Line, or various Marine Corps assignments) they typically come out of the Ward Room in their Company areas one at a time, displaying their various colored booklets showing which selection on their list they came up with. Immediately following such a reveal, the ones branching Marine Corps have a seat in the P-Way and get their heads shaved right there and then, often by Plebes who are happy to get the honor. This is a great way to spot all the soon-to-be Marines out in the yard between classes, the next day.
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You are correct that those photos are ship selection. It’s a big night for SWOs. It has grown in its size and reputation over the years. It’s part of trying to add some excitement and welcoming new Ensigns to a community that has mixed outcomes. The part that others don’t see or get fan fare… is Mids who got pilot and Marines and other things… select their dates for schools. It’s not as climatic as ship selection, but it helps solidify what is next after graduation.
 
When are dates selected? How does that work? What kinds of considerations go into selecting your date?

IOW, why wouldn’t everyone go right away?
 
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