USMMA Questions

[Usnavy2019]

Hello all,

I have a few questions about the nominations and grad career opportunities.

So let's say I am the only candidate nominated to the USMMA. If I am the only one, will I get an appointment if I am 3Q or will I have to compete for one still?

How is the Navy and CG presence at USMMA? I know I would like to commission into either branch, but I keep going back and forth. Is there a way to get an idea of which branch is the best for you while attending KP?

Also for the internship, can you intern with the Armed Forces? If so, does anyone know what opportunities exist for the Navy and Coast Guard?

My ultimate goal would to become a fixed-wing pilot. Does anyone know how competitive flight spots are for the Navy and Coast Guard?

For part of your second sea term, I know you can request to go on a Navy warship or Coast Guard Cutter. How common is it to do this?

 

[AMF]

Hello all,

I have a few questions about the nominations and grad career opportunities.

So let's say I am the only candidate nominated to the USMMA. If I am the only one, will I get an appointment if I am 3Q or will I have to compete for one still?

How is the Navy and CG presence at USMMA? I know I would like to commission into either branch, but I keep going back and forth. Is there a way to get an idea of which branch is the best for you while attending KP?

Also for the internship, can you intern with the Armed Forces? If so, does anyone know what opportunities exist for the Navy and Coast Guard?

My ultimate goal would to become a fixed-wing pilot. Does anyone know how competitive flight spots are for the Navy and Coast Guard?

For part of your second sea term, I know you can request to go on a Navy warship or Coast Guard Cutter. How common is it to do this?

First off, good luck.
Many will tell you "Going to KP with pre disposed intent to go armed forces is not maximizing what KP can offer". Typically you would find your sweet spot as you moved through the 4 years. Approximately 25% of the grads go active duty, but maybe someone who knows better can weigh in on specific numbers for N and CG.
In addition, you will not be serving a branch of armed forces while at KP, you will do this only after you graduate.
I have heard the flight programs are ultra competitive, but here too I am not qualified to tell you exactly how competitive.

 

[kdbax]

Also for the internship, can you intern with the Armed Forces? If so, does anyone know what opportunities exist for the Navy and Coast Guard?

DS did his internship aboard USS Wasp in July last year. Some of the overhead shots of USS Boxer in the current movie "Captain Phillips" are actually USS Wasp, her sister ship, filmed while DS was aboard.

 

[beyond]

Hello all,

I have a few questions about the nominations and grad career opportunities.

So let's say I am the only candidate nominated to the USMMA. If I am the only one, will I get an appointment if I am 3Q or will I have to compete for one still?

No, it depends on the sate. There are more members of congress than the size of the average incoming class.

How is the Navy and CG presence at USMMA? I know I would like to commission into either branch, but I keep going back and forth. Is there a way to get an idea of which branch is the best for you while attending KP?

Also for the internship, can you intern with the Armed Forces? If so, does anyone know what opportunities exist for the Navy and Coast Guard?

Yes. Whatever you want. Big Navy presence, one Coast Guard officer. You can do whatever you want in the Navy, but with the Coast Guard you'll probably wind up doing Inspection or maybe Law Enforcement.


My ultimate goal would to become a fixed-wing pilot. Does anyone know how competitive flight spots are for the Navy and Coast Guard?

If your ultimate goal is be a fixed wing pilot you're applying to the wrong place. The only goal of pilotage you should have here is to become a state or federal bar pilot. Nothing is promised, we get the left over active duty slots from the ROTC programs and other academies. You might not even be able to go active duty. Some years we get 10 flight slots some years we get none, hell, we've commissioned no more then 4 SWOs a year as long as I've been here, and we're getting a 4 year maritime education. The four years of class are about driving boats, not airplanes, and if you don't love it, you won't make it. Or maybe you do make it, but if you don't get a flight slot, hope you really learn to love going to sea because you'll be doing it for at least five years. You get my point here? This isn't the plan B to USNA, it's the plan A for becoming a professional mariner.


For part of your second sea term, I know you can request to go on a Navy warship or Coast Guard Cutter. How common is it to do this?
Yeah you can, but due to the fact that a lot about our surface combatants is classified it makes doing project difficult. At most you'll be able to do 60 days on board, you'll have to do it during the summer, and you probably won't get projects done. I don't know of anyone doing it for more then 2 or 3 weeks, and they weren't doing it as sea time, they were doing it as an internship.

...

 

[KPEngineer]

For part of your second sea term, I know you can request to go on a Navy warship or Coast Guard Cutter. How common is it to do this?
Yeah you can, but due to the fact that a lot about our surface combatants is classified it makes doing project difficult. At most you'll be able to do 60 days on board, you'll have to do it during the summer, and you probably won't get projects done. I don't know of anyone doing it for more then 2 or 3 weeks, and they weren't doing it as sea time, they were doing it as an internship.

You used to be able to do it for 30 days max. You could only do it second sea year and you would only get approved with no gltches on your record. And like he said, you could not do a sea project on board.

... ditto everything else Beyond said.

 

[Rideon400]

About 25% of the class of 2013 was commissioned active duty, while almost everyone else was commissioned into the U.S. Navy Reserve Strategic Sealift Officers Program. It does make for an interesting graduation ceremony as you watch every branch of the Military, one after the other, administer their oath to their newly commissioned officers.

Of those going active duty, about half were commissioned into the Navy. I found it interesting that the next most popular branch of service was the Army. This was followed by the Coast Guard, the Air Force and the Marines.

 

[LineInTheSand]

What were the actual numbers for the services?