Since STA-21 means I would be a full time student, could I go to The Citadel and be a part of the Corps of Cadets and do the whole 4 years like a normal high school graduate would and then go back to the fleet as an officer?
If I remember the sta program is seaman to admiral. I believe that is only for enlisted sailors who are pursuing a college degree to become an officer. Mostly these enlisted men and woman are hand selected from the fleet to be part of the program.
Officer candidates (STA personel) on campus attend classes as day students and participate in ROTC labs. They are not part of the corps nor do they partake in cadet activities. In addition STA's receive different Citadel rings but are still part of the alumni association.
If you want to follow that route you'll be passing up the most important year that separates The Citadel and VMI from any federal service academy and senior military college;Knob/Rat Year.
Then again having a prior enlisted experience makes you a valuable and respected officer.
