Ship Selection is Tonight!

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NavyHoops

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Class of 2021 ship selection is tonight at 1830 EST (6:30 PM). They will select their ship & homeport during this time. It will go in Order or Merit. So the top ranked Midshipmen will get first pick and then down the list. Viewers can watch on the USNA PAO channel on You Tube or the Naval Academy Facebook group as USNA will be streaming this. I want to be respective of forum policy, so I cannot post the links, but check out USNA official sites on social media and they have posted the event/links. This is always a fun night for future SWOs or Mids who have selected other communities that require SWO tours first (such as EDO, IP/IW, etc.). I am sure it won't quite have the fanfare as past years due to COVID, but its still a big night as this makes it "real" for those 1/C. Some of these Mids will be on these ships even as early as the first week of June this year leading Sailors. Good luck 2021!
 
Any insights on how different this one will be? Virtual like ROTC is, or still in person? Do non-Firsties have any involvement (like they do during service assignment night), other than watching in support for their friends?
 
This is all new to me. I get the feeling it's like watching the NFL draft. Except the Mids get to make the selection. Am I wrong? This sounds so exciting (and intense).
 
It’s the first step to becoming a part of the team of a U.S. Navy commissioned warship, to sow the seeds of identifying with that particular ship and her mission, history and culture.
 
Skipper07 said:
SWO selects will be in Alumni. All others will be watching virtually. Many companies are putting on watch parties. I suspect some of the usual energy will be missing, but it will be an exciting night nonetheless. @justme
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Great, thanks... Looking forward to watching.
 
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The Science of Gate Picks and Selection:

In Track/XC, Cycling, 2/4-wheel Motor-racing, etc .... there is strategy (Science) behind Qualifying and the impact that it has on Gate selection .... the layout of course, 1st couple of arced turns, psychologically based on who you are starting next to.

There are a lot of advantages to Not qualify 1st, or in the Top tier so you can see where your close competition is “Off-the-Start”.

Likewise, what if during Ship Selection, you choose not to be in the vicinity of one of your classmates, for whatever reason? Can you pass on the order of your selection and move farther down in the order after someone else that is at latter round of selections ... to see what they select? Then you can make a more informed decision.
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For a SWO this is like the NFL draft. Ships try to court high performers. Certain ports, especially overseas, Hawaii, San Diego tend to go very high. Some Mids really want Amphibs and others want CG/DD or LCS. Each community, just like in aviation, has its own nuances, culture and traditions. Other are maybe getting married or in serious relationships and trying to co-locate. Some want to go on deployment immediately so they are targeting specific ships for that. Going to a ship in dry dock immediately (especially if it just went there) doesn't make the quals go very far and your ship isn't going where. Some want to pick a ship with a buddy or one they had on summer cruise. Every Mid will have their reasons they are picking "that" ship. Those at the bottom know Italy won't be on the board. They tend to know if San Diego is left I will take whatever or I really want a DDG so I will go anywhere. They have had months to research, look at deployment schedules, talk to officers.

I have never seen a Mid not take their pick when its their turn. Not sure why they would. A top performer will rise to the top regardless, plus you have zero control of who is already on that ship or coming from other commissioning sources. A good officer is a good officer and that will eventually be noticed in terms of qualifying quickly for the key watch standing positions and ultimately earning their pin.
 
Skipper07 said:
SWO selects will be in Alumni. All others will be watching virtually. Many companies are putting on watch parties. I suspect some of the usual energy will be missing, but it will be an exciting night nonetheless. @justme
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Are other Firsties selecting Flight school dates, nuke school dates and TBS dates tonight? I know its not necessarily as big as picking a ship, as that day comes later for the rest of them.
 
I am watching the livestream and this is awesome! Question - what is the reason for certain ships being colored yellow?
 
ALF648 said:
I am watching the livestream and this is awesome! Question - what is the reason for certain ships being colored yellow?
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Who can choose them.

Based on last year,
white was basic swo,
red was nuke swo
Yellow was either.
Green was intel swo
 
I can remember ‘back in the day’ being on road trips for these days. We found our service assignment in Jan on a Wednesday and then picked ships or school dates that Friday. So if you didn’t get your first pick you had to suck it up quick and figure out what you got and what ship or date you wanted. Firsties would coordinate with O Reps and Company Officers to pass word on what they got. When I was a 3/C we had a firstie not get their first pick. I remember watching that devastation and then back to the court we went. Firsties would coordinate with a list with their best buds with a long list of ships or school dates hoping to cover any option possible. Usually an O Rep had a cell phone (back when you got 30 free minutes) that someone could call as a ‘just in case’ as we practiced on the road.

It’s sucks that some 1/C missed this moment. But so thankful for modern technology and how it can help with all these situations!
 
DW and I have watched some of the ship selection in the past. This is DD's year which made it a little more special, knowing a number of the Mids in her class. Good luck to all the SWO from the Class of 21'.
 
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