bfrat,
I am not trying to pick on you at all.
Couple of clarifications needed here for posters and lurkers.
ALO is AF, not Navy. Navy is BGO. Which is why the story now reminds me more of from a friend, who had a friend, who knew someone.
New posters and lurkers will trust that story is fact, and give them ideas, which does no good for them.
Secondly, there may have been on this forum a yr or so ago, I have been here for 5 yrs., and I don't recall it, if you can find the thread please link it.
I personally do not want people buying tickets flying out to any SA thinking that they will make a difference.
The fact is the way the SA board works is incredibly simple. Highest WCS wins. 60% of the WCS is PAR. 20% is ECs, 20% is Recs, etc. You can fly out, but chances are the admissions dept. is going to smile, and wave you off.
The SAs love, love 2nd, 3rd time applicants. MOCs too. The reason why they have a higher chance of an apptmt comes down to their dedication and commitment. They proved that they want it bad enough to spend another yr of applications, nominations, waiting 6 months chance for the chance.
It isn't optimism. It is long term dedication and commitment. They are in the eyes of the SA a better bet regarding BCT and C4C yr than a candidate with the same stats that has never left home, hence for that 20% subjective section, they score higher.
That is the system. In VA, Eric Cantor gives only a principal. For the past few years, he gives it to 2nd time applicants. That is probably because of what I just illustrated.
They proved that the TWE from last yr wouldn't stop him. In the story you talk about the candidate had to be 22. Chances are they were enlisted, and if so, their Wing King/Queen may have had a connection, thus why they did that visit.
You will learn in the military, it is not just about what you know, but who you know too. Many, if not most Squadron Commanders, DOGs, DO or Wing are By Name Request. Someone higher up said: "I want So and So". They interview many people, but the decision was made before the interview that So and So would be offered the job. The interview process was just a dog and pony show to make it on paper up and up.
That is a fact. Sorry if I tainted the illusion of the military in your mind, but it is true.
It is also true after you leave the military, especially if you are a pilot. How do you get an In with FedEx, Continental, SWA or Jet Blue? You call up the guys you flew with that are now employed by them to be your reference. You never stop networking.
It is a small community, and it gets smaller and smaller the higher you go regarding rank. That is why I say, maybe it did happen because as an O6 they all came out of the same yr group as the board, and most likely if they were an AFA grad they have a connection. It is networking.
IMPO it wasn't him flying out, it was he had a name using a connection to get the name, so the part of the 20% WCS scored higher.
Jaded? Maybe. Realistic? probably!
I stay here so posters and lurkers don't buy into hearsay, but facts. Sorry, if that offends you, I don't mean to.