LOR from NROTC CO

A

AZDad2024

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Mar 7, 2020
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First, I would like to express my thanks for the helpful advice being pushed out on this forum every single day. What a great feeling to be supported by a community.
Perhaps folks can offer opinion on this concern: DS is 4/c NROTC and a re-applicant to the USNA. He met with the CO (O-6) about two months ago and and was offered a LOR. His active duty advisor (O-3) met with him this week for a mid-term evaluation and fortunately he performed "Above Expectations" on all areas. DS noted appreciation for the LOR and but was then told "I never sent it actually" and then went into reviewing all of the disadvantages of NROTC vs USNA.
Needless to say, DS was a taken aback by those and plans to write a very clearly worded email explaining that he would like the CO's letter sent to admissions. I don't think it is worth speculating much on why he thought it was his place not to send the letter but none the less wanted to get some thoughts from the community. Does this kind of LOR really matter too much? How is he going to confirm that it arrives to admissions? Is it too late after the deadline to be reviewed? Any other thoughts? T
 
AZDad2024 said:
First, I would like to express my thanks for the helpful advice being pushed out on this forum every single day. What a great feeling to be supported by a community.
Perhaps folks can offer opinion on this concern: DS is 4/c NROTC and a re-applicant to the USNA. He met with the CO (O-6) about two months ago and and was offered a LOR. His active duty advisor (O-3) met with him this week for a mid-term evaluation and fortunately he performed "Above Expectations" on all areas. DS noted appreciation for the LOR and but was then told "I never sent it actually" and then went into reviewing all of the disadvantages of NROTC vs USNA.
Needless to say, DS was a taken aback by those and plans to write a very clearly worded email explaining that he would like the CO's letter sent to admissions. I don't think it is worth speculating much on why he thought it was his place not to send the letter but none the less wanted to get some thoughts from the community. Does this kind of LOR really matter too much? How is he going to confirm that it arrives to admissions? Is it too late after the deadline to be reviewed? Any other thoughts? T
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I was in a similar position as your DS- after my CO offered my nomination, my AO let me send the LOR to her via email but said that she needed me to send the original copies of the nomination and the LOR via snail mail and she would confirm that admissions has received it once it arrives- this was before the deadline tho so if I were you I would have your DS reach out to his AO about the matter

I personally don't know if the LOR is required at this point but if your DS is committed to receiving an offer of appointment at the academy, every LOR helps, especially one that is from is NROTC CO:)
 
AZDad2024 said:
Needless to say, DS was a taken aback by those and plans to write a very clearly worded email explaining that he would like the CO's letter sent to admissions. I don't think it is worth speculating much on why he thought it was his place not to send the letter but none the less wanted to get some thoughts from the community. Does this kind of LOR really matter too much? How is he going to confirm that it arrives to admissions? Is it too late after the deadline to be reviewed? Any other thoughts? T
Click to expand...
Before your DS goes scorched earth in an email, they should first talk with the CO/advisor about why the letter wasn't sent (many CO's have an open door policy, he can use it). It's easy to assume the worst, but in my experience NROTC staff are pretty competent and there's probably a good reason for what happened (or maybe not, but no harm in checking).

It might be satisfying in the moment to rip a Captain apart via email, but long-term it's stupid. O-6's talk to each other and there just happen to be a few O-6's at USNA. Also, if he doesn't get an appointment to USNA, this is the NROTC unit he'll continue to be a part of, so bad impressions are a bad idea.

If the unit staff is unhelpful, reach out to admissions, they may be able to give an assist.
 
did your son receive a nomination from his NROTC unit? if not, then the LOR won't mean much. if he did get the nomination, then it's pretty unusual for the COs LOR not to be sent.

seems to me that if the CO didn't intend for the letter to be sent, then he/she wouldn't have written it. doesn't seem that it's the 0-3s decision to make.

perhaps the first question to ask is "why wasn't the letter sent?" and see who made the a decision. if it wasn't the CO, then perhaps request that the letter be sent, with an explanation of why it is so late.

it may be too late at this point
 
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The LOR is a letter written about you. It’s not a letter that others shouldn’t see and remain hidden away in your drawer.

If he or she wrote the letter about you, then send it to whomever you think should see it.

It doesn’t make sense to HimHaw over why the LOR author did or didn’t send it. You can talk about that at your next coffee table social.
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Dr. Strange Love said:
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The LOR is a letter written about you. It’s not a letter that others shouldn’t see and remain hidden away in your drawer.

If he or she wrote the letter about you, then send it to whomever you think should see it.

It doesn’t make sense to HimHaw over why the LOR author did or didn’t send it. You can talk about that at your next coffee table social.
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I don't think the OP's DS has the letter, but perhaps I'm incorrect.
 
A lot of speculation in this thread. I don't know how application from a NROTC unit works, but would expect that there is some form of Command endorsement on anybody coming from NROTC. Is OP certain that the CO didnt simply tell DS that he would give a positive endorsement, instead of stating a Letter of Recommendation ?

Follow the chain of command, and get all facts before throwing email grenades. Email grenades (like real grenades) tend to have unintended consequences. Keep in mind, DS may be spending the next 3 years in that NROTC unit.
 
kinnem said:
I don't think the OP's DS has the letter, but perhaps I'm incorrect.
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This is a bad dream or something .... Who has the LOR? Surely, the OPs CO wouldn’t have written it, and then shuffled it away to his “dead letter” folder ... only to mention it later to the OP in a personal evaluation discussion where the OP received high marks.

Does anyone find this a little bit odd?
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AZDad2024 said:
First, I would like to express my thanks for the helpful advice being pushed out on this forum every single day. What a great feeling to be supported by a community.
Perhaps folks can offer opinion on this concern: DS is 4/c NROTC and a re-applicant to the USNA. He met with the CO (O-6) about two months ago and and was offered a LOR. His active duty advisor (O-3) met with him this week for a mid-term evaluation and fortunately he performed "Above Expectations" on all areas. DS noted appreciation for the LOR and but was then told "I never sent it actually" and then went into reviewing all of the disadvantages of NROTC vs USNA.
Needless to say, DS was a taken aback by those and plans to write a very clearly worded email explaining that he would like the CO's letter sent to admissions. I don't think it is worth speculating much on why he thought it was his place not to send the letter but none the less wanted to get some thoughts from the community. Does this kind of LOR really matter too much? How is he going to confirm that it arrives to admissions? Is it too late after the deadline to be reviewed? Any other thoughts? T
Click to expand...
In any Navy environment, I you do not get your COs endorsement, your chances of getting ahead - a promo, a special assignment or school, is just about dead.
 
I get the basic ideas which are pretty universal: 1) don't assume 2) no emails that are "grenades" -- that's a great term -- 3) CO endorsement is key.
To clarify this isn't a nom but just a LOR. Nom was from MOC. Last year's application got to April 13-14 before TWE; he had MOC nom, and think 3Q'ed but competitive district (record number of service academy applicants ...) When asked for feedback later on admissions said "well if you lived XYZ state you would have gotten in" Some solace but still disappointing. Anyway, I understand the O-6 wrote LOR but then the O-3 didn't send it "I thought you didn't really want to go" Agree does not make much sense to me. Based on above DS sent polite email request to O-3 to the effect of please send it I still want to go to USNA. Has not heard back but just sent. My feeling is that if no response via email in a few days then get in front of the CO sooner the better, open door policy or not. Don't want any regrets latter that could have done more.
 
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