USNA Service Assignment 2022

[CrewDad]

Big picture numbers have been presented to the Class of 2022. Based on the stats, you can guess the chance and where people stand. I will only share the Key Stats here. Individual assignments will be communicated on Nov 18. It appears, Sub community is running short so will be drafting some good men/women from other communities 1st and 2nd choice. But those with high STEM grades. SWO is over-subscribed this year so less likely to go SWO if not your 1st or 2nd choice. SWO candidates had to do interviews this year due to high demand.

Good luck to all the Midshipmen Class of 2022!

Top 75% of Class
- 1st Choice 87%
- 2nd Choice 9%
- Combined 96%

Bottom 25% of Class
- 1st Choice 70%
- 2nd Choice 22%
- Combined 92%

Overall Class
- 1st choice 83%
- 2nd Choice 12%
- Combined 95%

 

[justdoit19]

Whoa That makes it real. Here are my initial reactions to your post:

What is a SWO interview? Are you saying everyone who wanted SWO had to interview? That seems like a tall task!

I also wonder what ‘good stem grades’ are.

Praying fervently that all are at peace with their outcome!! And the friends and families have the right words of support for those that initiall are not

 

[justme]

I wonder what would cause SWO to be so wanted this year? Is it the covid-reduced exposure to other areas?

And how often do folks fail at sub career due to being drafted and not handling the unique psychological environment? That community seems like it would be either first or last choice for folks. (at least from my non-military perspective.)

 

[Skipper07]

The sub draft this year is particularly brutal.

 

[justdoit19]

The sub draft this year is particularly brutal.

Do sub draftees already know? Or how do you know it’s particularly brutal?

 

[ders_dad]

If you are a non-STEM major, are you likely immune from sub draft? Asking for a friend.

 

[MidCakePa]

SWO is over-subscribed this year so less likely to go SWO if not your 1st or 2nd choice.

What is a SWO interview? Are you saying everyone who wanted SWO had to interview?

Here’s the word from DD (it’s one mid’s perspective, but a fairly well-informed one):

Because of 2022’s wonky, weird USNA experience caused by covid — that is, many feeling shortchanged by the experience — there’s a disproportionate number of jaded/cynical firsties who’ve declared “five and dive.” They see SWO as the quickest/easiest way of achieving said F&D. Hence, the unusually high level of interest that’s led to interviews.

Now, as numerous informed veterans here have said: Many of the most adamant five-and-divers end up doing 20, and many of the most gung-ho careerists end up doing five. So, as usual, we’ll see how it all shakes out.

 

[dddad]

Big picture numbers have been presented to the Class of 2022. Based on the stats, you can guess the chance and where people stand. I will only share the Key Stats here. Individual assignments will be communicated on Nov 18. It appears, Sub community is running short so will be drafting some good men/women from other communities 1st and 2nd choice. But those with high STEM grades. SWO is over-subscribed this year so less likely to go SWO if not your 1st or 2nd choice. SWO candidates had to do interviews this year due to high demand.

Good luck to all the Midshipmen Class of 2022!

Top 75% of Class
- 1st Choice 87%
- 2nd Choice 9%
- Combined 96%

Bottom 25% of Class
- 1st Choice 70%
- 2nd Choice 22%
- Combined 92%

Overall Class
- 1st choice 83%
- 2nd Choice 12%
- Combined 95%

How do these numbers compare to the last few years in terms of percentages who were awarded 1st and 2nd choices?

 

[Skipper07]

Or how do you know it’s particularly brutal?

My submarine officer instructor told me :/

And no, non-stem majors are not immune @ders_dad

 

[justdoit19]

Oh boy. I got a feeling I’m Going to have a baby bubblehead….

 

[SRR04]

Sorry for the newbie question - is the sub draft where you are basically told you are going subs because you meet the requirements? Even though it is not your first choice and you might be ranked high, they send you to subs anyway?

 

[justdoit19]

How woukd

Here’s the word from DD (it’s one mid’s perspective, but a fairly well-informed one given her roles on the Yard):

Because of 2022’s wonky, weird USNA experience caused by covid — that is, many feeling shortchanged by the experience — there’s a disproportionate number of jaded/cynical firsties who’ve declared “five and dive.” They see SWO as the quickest/easiest way of achieving said F&D. Hence, the unusually high level of interest that’s led to interviews.

Now, as numerous informed veterans here have said: Many of the most adamant five-and-divers end up doing 20, and many of the most gung-ho careerists end up doing five. So, as usual, we’ll see how it all shakes out.

How would they know a ‘5 and dive?’ That doesn’t make sense to me…

 

[MidCakePa]

How would they know a ‘5 and dive?’

Not sure I understand your question. But as I understand it, every class has a group that very adamantly says “Five years and I’m out.” This year’s is larger than usual.

 

[justdoit19]

Sorry for the newbie question - is the sub draft where you are basically told you are going subs because you meet the requirements? Even though it is not your first choice and you might be ranked high, they send you to subs anyway?

Yep…when you sign your selection choices, you have to list all that you qualify for. Including subs (if you qualify). That’s how my Mid explained to me. So if you qualify, you can get “drafted”. I have read here that there hasnt been a TRUE draft (where you are assigned subs despite saying ‘absolutely not’) in a long time. Idk about all that.

Not sure I understand your question. But as I understand it, every class has a group that very adamantly says “Five years and I’m out.” This year’s is larger than usual.

I was referring to the “declared” piece. As in some sort of official declaration (and in my mind that did t make sense). Re-reading, I believe it to be, that more are internally thinking that way (5 and dive), and therefore externally putting SWO as #1. Increasing SWO numbers.

Still curious what the interview would be? “Are you dive and dive SWO” as a question? Who would answer that affirmatively? Doesn’t matter in the long run. It’s going to be what it’s going to be. But that piece wasn’t making sense to me.

 

[WT Door]

I wonder what would cause SWO to be so wanted this year? Is it the covid-reduced exposure to other areas?

And how often do folks fail at sub career due to being drafted and not handling the unique psychological environment? That community seems like it would be either first or last choice for folks. (at least from my non-military perspective.)

There is a host of reasons that SWO may “be the way to go” for some. Among those is that a baby SWO will hit the fleet sooner. Some want to get into the “real world” early and could conceivably report to their ship shortly after graduation. Their submarine and aviation classmates will require longer training periods, perhaps a year and half to two years, before reporting to their first boat or squadron. Another reason SWO may be popular may be other career intentions outside the military. Obligated service time starts ticking once reporting to the ship. The earlier one starts; the earlier one can get out if that’s the intention.

Regarding sub failures due to being drafted, I read an interesting article awhile back in Shipmate about an officer that was drafted back in the day. He was dejected given that his goal was to fly. When he got to submarine prototype an LDO took him aside and told him he’d better apply himself or he’d get booted really quick. He eventually reported to his sub and at EAOS, he put in his resignation papers. A former Battalion Officer (if I remember the piece correctly) that was at the Academy during the draft and was now at the Navy Military Personnel Command (NMPC). He arranged a for the submarine officer to go to flight school. It was a dream deferred. The fellow eventually retired from the Navy after flying P-3s and then went on to fly for a major airline.

I hope everyone gets what they want. If you don't get what you want, do your best! One never knows what the "future" holds.

 

[MidCakePa]

Re-reading, I believe it to be, that more are internally thinking that way (5 and dive), and therefore externally putting SWO as #1. Increasing SWO numbers.

Yes, that’s precisely how DD explained it. What’s in their head (and maybe heart) but not on paper.

“Declared ‘five and five’ to roommates, shipmates, family, friends — but not to the service-assignment powers that be,” is how to think of it.

 

[justdoit19]

Well, in about 50 hours, this thread will explode !!

Thinking of all of ‘22. And ‘22 moms and dads…wasn’t too long ago we joined up here almost CLUELESS….and now look at us !! About to be Navy/Marine moms and dads.

 

[MidCakePa]

And ‘22 moms and dads…wasn’t too long ago we joined up here almost CLUELESS

Speak for yourself, @justdoit19.

As our mids have advanced through USNA and approached AD, the info we need to know becomes more copious and complex. But if your mid is like mine, they share even less of it with their parents. Hence, here we are. Sigh.

 

[justme]

There is a host of reasons that SWO may “be the way to go” for some. Among those is that a baby SWO will hit the fleet sooner. Some want to get into the “real world” early and could conceivably report to their ship shortly after graduation. Their submarine and aviation classmates will require longer training periods, perhaps a year and half to two years, before reporting to their first boat or squadron. Another reason SWO may be popular may be other career intentions outside the military. Obligated service time starts ticking once reporting to the ship. The earlier one starts; the earlier one can get out if that’s the intention.

That makes sense as to why SWO is someone's first choice, but not really why the supposed massive increase this year. Unless it is the increase in cynical 5/dive as stated, which is sad though understandable.

I keep thinking of last year (or the one before?) where ROTA was not the first port taken off the board during SWO ship selection, which defied logic until someone explained that the ships there at time were scheduled to relocate soon and lose Rota as home. So, I was wondering if something similar was floating around that was driving a particular one year blip.

 

[ders_dad]

I wonder how many sub draftees in 2022 never got to set foot in a sub because of COVID. That would be tough.