Character Review Committee

[NavyHoops]

How exactly did you employ the “going for LOA” strategy?

Sounds like the equivalent of “running the pick six play.”

There isn’t a way to go for an LOA in reality. One can submit a great app and not get one. One can get a great app in early and not get one. You can hope, but there are zero guarantees. Also an LOA is what it is, but every year candidates don’t get in due to Noms, failing CFAs and DoDMERB.

 

[ARMARINE03]

Someone had to bring the p-corn

 

[IronmanDaremo]

I add this to the mix as well

 

[Edmund]

DS had his application and DoDMerb completed with all boxes in the portal checked except for the nomination.

Right, that's what EVERY applicant who completes their application does.

I'm asking specifically about what you called employing the "going for LOA" strategy. What exactly is that?

 

[mike1979]

Right, that's what EVERY applicant who completes their application does.

I'm asking specifically about what you called employing the "going for LOA" strategy. What exactly is that?

Getting it done as early as possible, so that it is ready for review by the first meeting.

 

[Edmund]

Getting it done as early as possible, so that it is ready for review by the first meeting.

Again, that is what is recommended for EVERY applicant.

From USNA.edu

Selection for Appointment​

The Naval Academy uses a “rolling admissions” selection process. The Admissions Board begins meeting in September and evaluates applications as they are completed by candidates. An application is considered “completed” when all candidate forms are submitted, all required documents are received, the candidate fitness assessment results are received, and the Blue and Gold officer interview is received by the Office of Admissions. It is in your interest to complete your application as soon as possible.

So again, I'm asking specifically about what you called employing the "going for LOA" strategy. It’s not simply turning in a completed application early, as if that was the case, most candidates would be receiving LOAs. So again, what exactly is that?

Many parents here are looking for ideas, assistance, experiences, and feedback on how their kids attained an appointment.

If someone comes on here touting a “going for LOA” strategy, but it turns out all it entailed was simply completing an application by summer’s end, that’s the equivalent of “running a pick six play.”

 

[MidCakePa]

Want to go for an LOA? Submit the BEST application you can as EARLY as you can. Which happens to be the EXACT SAME strategy as going for an appointment. They're one and the same.

 

[Edmund]

Want to go for an LOA? Submit the BEST application you can as EARLY as you can. Which happens to be the EXACT SAME strategy as going for an appointment. They're one and the same.

Exactly!

Saying you are employing the “Going for LOA” strategy is the equivalent of saying you are “running the pick six play.”

 

[DanteoftheBloodAngels]

beating a dead horse here

 

[MidCakePa]

beating a dead horse here

One would think. But the seemingly dead horse seems to manage some robust breaths every application cycle. Unlike a cat, this horse has more than nine lives, so for the newbies who arrive and lurk each cycle...

 

[Capt MJ]

One would think. But the seemingly dead horse seems to manage some robust breaths every application cycle. Unlike a cat, this horse has more than nine lives, so for the newbies who arrive and lurk each cycle...

There are a lot of Schrödinger’s fauna on SAF.

 

[doitchie]

my mom tells the story (over and over again) about what happened to her in high school. To show us it’s not just our choices that have consequences, but the choices of others too.

She was at a church function chasing each other around with Super Soaker water guns. I guess before paintball was a thing. After, she needed a ride home so hopped in the back of a truck with friends. They cut through a parking lot and two of the guys in the back of the truck shot a lady with the water guns outside of Kroger putting her groceries in her car. Soaked her. When they got pulled over the dudes who shot the lady told the cop my mom had nothing to do with it but the cop still gave my mom a disorderly conduct ticket too because she “had access to the gun”. No joke. My mom ended up with 25 hours community service.

Point being just because a person has something on their record doesn’t mean they aren’t the best of the best. Sometimes you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m glad there is a character review committee. I’d rather be lead by people who have had to overcome such obstacles and leaders I can relate to (reason diversity is important but that’s a discussion for another thread).

I got pulled over one time for curfew, after my friends called me to come get them and drive them home because they were at a party. Luckily that officer understood I made a good choice that night to be out after curfew and didn’t give me a ticket (or a ticket for having too many friends in the car) but not all officers would and I could be the one in front of a review committee for doing something I believe does make me an upstanding person. I didn’t go to that party and I don’t drink, but I’ll always go pick up my friends, or anyone who needs a ride, if they’ve been drinking. Even if that jeopardizes my chance at a spot in a Service Academy. I can live with a TD but I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to my friends or someone else. Call me “new fashioned”

Yes, of course it's a competition. But why should a person of good moral character now have to compete against someone who is of questionable moral character?

Call me old fashioned, but I am not a fan of lowering the standards.