USNA Service Selection

[parkhurst89]

Below is a nice, high-level overview CGO published on the service selection process:

On May 22, 2009 the Class of 2009 graduated and earned their commissions in either the Navy or Marine Corps. Following their basket leave they will report to various positions around the Yard, Flight School, a first ship, Nuclear Power School, etc. The service selection process began in the first semester of their First Class year. Each midshipman selected their top five preferences for service selection.

The process continues in different ways depending on the specific warfare community. Most include formal interviews and a selection board. The midshipmen are notified in the end of January of their service selection.
Some communities are more competitive than others but approximately 90% of First Class midshipmen will receive their first choice. The number of billets available in each community is based on the needs of the Navy and Marine Corps. In addition, starting with the Class of 2010 up to 25 graduates may be commissioned in the Medical/Dental Corps.

Following service selection each midshipman chooses their first ship, flight school date or other school date. This selection is done based on Overall Order of Merit (combination of academic class rank and military performance). Each midshipmen will then attend one credit practicum class during the final semester to help prepare them for warfare community. Pilots will get a head start on flight school, Surface Warfare Officers will receive advanced navigation training and so on.

 

[America's Finest]

So before now nobody could commission into the Medical/Dencal Corps? Why?

 

[usnabgo08]

No, they have had it. They increased the billets from 15 to 25 (at least it was 15 two years ago).

 

[SteveHolt243]

The reason why it's such a small number is because, in general, the goal is to comission as many unrestriced line officers as possible. Med corps is restricted line.

 

[Capt MJ]

To expand on good comments above, USNA and other SAs are in the business of producing warriors, and their academic and professional courses reflect that. Healthcare providers and other staff corps such as JAG are usually effectively and more inexpensively obtained via Health Professional scholarships and direct commissioning programs, or via enlisted commissioning programs. Ditto for restricted line. The number of med/dental slots made available has risen because the class sizes have increased by 100-200 since the late 90's and, as with all decisions on manpower, due to the needs of the Navy and Marine Corps.
Search elsewhere on here for more detailed discussions on the service selection process, staff corps, restricted line and unrestricted line. usna1985's overview on service selection is a great pocket version of the process.

 

[usnabgo08]

USNA, NROTC, and STA-21 are now offering option programs, which allow accession to a restricted line (now called special duty officer) community upon completion of their warfare qualification. Right now the only warfare community through which this accession is being offered is Surface Warfare.

With the importance of C4I/C5I, the Navy needs knowledgeable officers to run and oversee the communications and networks gear.

Cyberdefense, NETCENTRIC warfare, and Information Operations have and are increasingly becoming more important and will be just as important as AAW, ASW/USW, and ASUW.

If you are thinking about majoring in CompSci, IT, or have an interest in Intel, this program might be for you.

 

[Capt MJ]

jadler03, good to expand on the opportunities to go special duty option some years after commissioning while still within the initial obligation window. Nice compromise between the immediate goal of USNA producing warfare officers and allowing a percentage to leave the SWO track a few years later.

We've had several surface warfare sons and daughters who have had the options for the oceanography, intel, and information communities. Out of 16 with options over the last 7 years, only 1 has taken the option -- the rest were having too much fun as a SWO and had the bit in their teeth for department head and XO/CO at sea opportunities. It's good to have those options there, though, because the need for technical expertise in those areas is critical.

There are also opportunities later in a warfare officer's career to request lateral transfer and redesignation to another community via application to boards which regularly meet. All, of course, subject to the needs of the Navy!