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I posted over on the resource mega-thread, but I was wondering if someone here might be able to help. I'm working on my motivational statement for an OCS application, but I wasn't sure how long it should be. The guys over on AirWarriors tend to say 400 words, but I noticed there is a poo poo ton of room on the APSR and some practice statements fill the whole page. My recruiter also mentioned to show as much experience as possible. Is there a recommended length, or should I just write till I feel satisfied and/or run out of room?
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Aug 22, 2016 21:40
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Wingnut Ninja posted:I'll preface this with I Am Not A Recruiter, but I wouldn't worry about length. There are other parts of your application that detail your work and leadership experience; the personal statement is your chance to show aspects that aren't captured elsewhere. My advice would be to write something heartfelt, direct, and well-written. My personal statement was fairly simple and boiled down to "I think I'm pretty capable, and I think I would be a good asset to the Navy, please give me the chance to prove it." Some combination of that and my ASTB score seems to have worked, because it sure as poo poo wasn't an impressive college transcript. That's good to know! I've shot you a PM as well, I appreciate the offer! vulturesrow posted:Agreed. Another piece of advice for those types of statements in general, OCS app or otherwise, is to use it as an opportunity to address what might be perceived as a weakness in your application. Otherwise, 3 pages of bullshit is 3 pages of bullshit and it's pretty glaringly obvious it's bullshit. I've not spent much time on AirWarriors, seems like a lot of dudes taking themselves a little too seriously. On the other hand, I think I know a few guys who post there who I know to be solid dudes. Yeah, I'm trying to avoid relying on one source, sadly I don't have much actual experience with the military, so I've had some difficulties in diving which resources to use and those to look at with a skeptical eye. With statements especially I've spent my entire professional career in academia and business, which tends to look at things differently.
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Aug 23, 2016 07:40
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Null Integer posted:Do it for the hats. You get more as an O. Null Integer posted:Why do you think there was a large spike in manning in 2008, the same year as the Hat update in TF2. The signs are all there!  Are snazzy bicorns still an option if you hit level, er I mean O-8? Tokyo Sexwhale posted:Dont join the military unless you really have a patriotic hard-on. Even as an O. I've wanted to join since I was pretty young, I actually wanted to enlist out of high school, but a combination of family and just not having my poo poo together at 18 gave me pause. Now I'm out of school and I thought things out I want this, even after hearing some of my friends who were in the service give me the great list of reasons not to do it, I still want to do it.
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Aug 23, 2016 16:12
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Octopode posted:I'll add to the above advice: if your writing background is in academia and business, you can likely give yourself a leg up by finding and emulating good examples of military-style writing. Conciseness and directness tend to be emphasized more than for most other writing applications, and the people reading your statement will likely be conditioned to expect that, and will judge accordingly, even if they don't do so consciously. Good to know, I found some samples here, and I've been searching around for others. In general I've been trying to be as succinct as possible. Also just got a call from my recruiter, I've got MEPS next week, after that then I can take my ASTB!
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Aug 23, 2016 17:49
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Red Crown posted:Just understand that what you sign isn't a true guarantee you'll make it to flight school. Aviation is very medically restrictive, and there might be something wrong with your body that they frown upon - even if it doesn't effect your day to day life in any way. The real medical screening will happen while you're actually at OCS, and you may be disqualified from flying but still obligated to serve as an officer in another designator. (You can quit, but the discharge you receive is an eyebrow-raiser when applying for government jobs. It's not bad, just something that'll raise questions) Definitely, while aviation is my first choice, I heard about a lot of people getting DQ'd at OCS and NAMI. I don't think I have anything that'd medically DQ me, but I understand between that and needs of the Navy I could end up somewhere else or just booted.
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Aug 25, 2016 07:42
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So, looks like the Pilot/NFO board got pushed back a month, sucks for the guys waiting hear back, but now I have enough time to finish my packet sooner instead of submitting in January! 
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Sep 2, 2016 06:46
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DinosaurWarfare posted:I did this. This was me. OCS NPQ and became a SWO 2 years ago. Definitely, from what I understand SWO can mean a posting on a huge number of platforms with a broad array of duties, I'm not sure how we'll I'd do in ship life, but I'm always open to it if that's where the chips fall. Which kind of ship were you on? I did MEPS the other day and didn't do well on the depth perception, just couldn't differentiate the circles even when I was pulling 20/15 vision  Fortunately, it looks like NFO doesn't require that so I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that. And yes the GI Bill is pretty tempting since if I can swing it, I'd love to get a masters and teach later in life. Hoping to get the last bit of my application squared away soon to make the upcoming board!
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Sep 5, 2016 03:32
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Tokyo Sexwhale posted:The trick for the depth perception is to twitch your eyes left and right and look for the one that doesn't move as much. Took me a minute to figure out how to game it. Good to know for the future!
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Sep 7, 2016 07:39
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Whelp, recruiter just called and said my blood pressure was too high at MEPS so now I gotta go do the three day range of tests to show that I don't have hypertension. I thought I'd be good at 133/90, but it looks like that 90 put me a tad over. Time to start cutting out the salt and caffeine.
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Sep 7, 2016 21:25
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Mr. Nice! posted:Also lose some weight, fatty. I've already lost the 70 lbs (used to be 260, I'm 190 now, 6'4 male). So I think I'm good there, I just get really uncomfortable in doctors offices... On the other-hand more PT is always good right?
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Sep 7, 2016 21:45
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Laranzu posted:I walked in to my PHA all jacked up on coffee and having just finished an excruciating 3 hour test. Think I dialed in at 140/93. ButtDoktor posted:"White coat hypertension" is a real thing. Your BP might be fine normally and raised when you're getting checked at MEPS. So skipping the caffeine might help you, but this: Thanks for the tips! I have a home blood pressure test and so far I've been clocking in around 125/80ish so yeah I think thinking calm thoughts and skipping the coffee and the pre-workout for a few days might do some good. My recruiter mentioned that I needed to be 130/80 or lower, but looking at a number of NAMI forms it just says I need to be lower than 140/90. I wan't sure which to go by.
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Sep 8, 2016 02:23
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DustyNuts posted:No posts in the Navy thread for 6 days. Everyone got out. Too busy cramming for the ASTB, figuring out which wingy bits make the airplane fly.
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Sep 25, 2016 03:24
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Just got my ASTB results back. 6/6/6/49. At this point I don't know if I'm good or if I'm a dumb-rear end.
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Sep 29, 2016 17:27
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Got my packet submitted for the November Pilot/NFO board, now I've just gotta hurry up and wait for December to hear the results! 
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Oct 11, 2016 21:35
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Wingnut Ninja posted:Pilot/NFO is awesome, in case anybody was wondering. vulturesrow posted:Not empty quoting. Seeing these posts makes me all the happier that's what I applied for. 
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Oct 12, 2016 07:09
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vulturesrow posted:You were only eligible for NFO, correct? If that is the case, stay the hell away from P3/P8/E6. Everything that flies off of a boat is cool and good though. Correct, technically not qualified for pilot since I didn't know how to do the depth perception test, but since NFO is the route I wanted to go anyways, I'm not too torn up about that. And is maritime patrol not a good option? Because I actually was hoping to qualify for work on a P8 if I got accepted. I grew up in the PNW and spent a lot of time around Whidbey Island so I got to watch the P3 patrols go out, and since the P8s are the new and improved version of that I was hoping to have that as my plane. no bones about it posted:On the other hand, being in a P3/P8 squadron means a hell of a lot of per diem dolla. Like our P3 and P8 crews when I was in Japan made a loving poo poo ton in per diem. How does the per diem work exactly? Is it every day your deployed outside CONUS?
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Oct 12, 2016 17:03
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Wonder Free posted:I did my first tour as a P-3 NFO and then transitioned to P-8 on my shore tour, both in FL, before I got out and transferred over to NOAA. I liked it - it's kind of unique since you have huge squadron and you fly with a crew of like 10 people. You definitely can make some decent cash from per diem depending on deployment site (I made $3.50 extra a day in the desert for 7 months, but also $93 a day for 7 months in El Salvador flying counter drug ops). And you can drink when you aren't flying instead of doing whatever it is boat guys do in their free time. Good to know! I've always been really interested in VP and one of my family friends whose in a squadron has lots of good things to say, but being a family friend I was always wondering if it might just be a bias on their side. Glad to hear others have good stories in those squadrons.
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Oct 13, 2016 16:35
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Thronde posted:Grats on your freedom. Is the Montgomery the most unlucky of the littorals?
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Nov 3, 2016 01:06
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Vriess posted:and probably still a Ford-Class. Maybe they'll do what they did with the George H.W. Bush and have it be some transition class.... Or they'll just slap a bunch of gold pant on it and call it a win.
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Nov 18, 2016 05:51
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Got a call from my recruiter, I got accepted for NFO! Now I just have hurry up and wait for another couple months to find out when they want me to leave for training then wait for that!
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Nov 29, 2016 00:55
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Null Integer posted:Congratulations! Thank you! Godholio posted:This is dead serious advice, even though it sounds throwaway: That's really good advice, it's something I fully intend to do. I've heard enough horror stories from a couple of my buddies who were in the Army about what clerical gently caress ups can do to you. I'll make sure to have a nice rolodex of info.
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Nov 29, 2016 01:38
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LingcodKilla posted:Aspiring to be a Flesh Light seems weird but follow you dreams I always say. They said I could be anything, so I followed my dreams! maffew buildings posted:A close friend of myself and Mr. Nice! is assigned to OCS. See if you can't figure out who it is, your clue is they are a white male officer! That's pretty rare in Rhode Island from what I hear. Wingnut Ninja posted:Awesome, congrats! And good luck, I hope you like it. Thanks Wingnut! And thank you again for answering all my questions and going over my letter a few months back, it really helped me out a ton, much appreciated!
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Nov 29, 2016 06:07
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SquirrelyPSU posted:I'm concerned what you, new, bright eyed military person, read is keep copies of many things that you receive. Godholio posted:This is correct.  drat, I've hear stories, but...wow. Okay, I'll make sure to keep a google doc/sheet/drive and a store of hard copies. So keep an ordered record of receipts, awards, moves, commendations, disciplinary issues, equipment, orders, payroll and a lot of other things I probably haven't listed. My current job has me do a lot of record keeping and backtracking so I have some practice there. Any other self-record-keeping advice? I'd like to snag as much info as I can beforehand so I don't make rookie mistakes and gently caress myself later on.
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Nov 29, 2016 17:56
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Mr. Nice! posted:Unless he ends up a P3 NFO then I'm keeping my fingers crossed I end up on a P-8! Boon posted:One of my favorite things about NFOs is just how much they've made Top Gun a part of there every day life, whether they've done it willingly or not. Looks up at Top Gun poster in room Oh goddammit....
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Nov 29, 2016 19:25
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Godholio posted:Anything that requires a signature (digital or wet), anything that comes from a personnelist, finance person, flag officer or other g-series command billet, etc. You've got the right idea, I think. If it's questionable, keep it. You're not losing anything by doing so. SquirrelyPSU posted:If an argument could be developed between you, and another service member, DFAS, VA, or the DoD, and you have the capability to record that information or receipt in a permanent record? It would be in your interest to do so. So copy everything except the stuff that could land me in jail if I copy it! Gotcha! Null Integer posted:I wish more people would take this advice. I know there are leaks, but is that actually really common? maffew buildings posted:Learn to read the regulations. If it is in black and white it is a go. There are times when someone may try gently caress gently caress games about something and if you can back up this is how it is in the print it'll make getting what you want a lot easier. Any particular regs that come up a lot or just know my poo poo inside and out?
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Nov 30, 2016 02:11
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KetTarma posted:I feel like telling you that once I had my chief literally shred my entire transfer package for a hot fill billet in Japan because he didn't want to lose me before ORSE. He told me he'd immediately approved it and would handle routing it for me. By the time I figured it out, the billet was closed. He laughed it off as no big deal. drat, that sucks man Okay message received, hoard all my non-classified personal information and keep it organized and safe.
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Nov 30, 2016 23:03
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Holy crap, just found out they want me at OCS next month, I'm not even age critical for the position I'm applying for or anything. Is it normal for the government/military to move that quickly, no complaints, but now I've gotta scramble a little bit faster to get ready.
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Dec 2, 2016 18:32
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So random question as well, for getting to OCS should I fly or drive? I've read that having a car in Newport can be advantageous, but I've also heard it can be a pain in the rear end, especially if they want you somewhere on the other side of CONUS right after you graduate. *Edit* I live in Portland, Oregon so OCS is literally on the other end of the country for me.
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Dec 2, 2016 19:00
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M_Gargantua posted:Do your orders allow you to ship a car from your home of record to your permanent duty station? If so leave it in Oregon and when you finally transfer have it shipped to wherever you're stationed. If its a beater sell it and buy a base beater wherever you end up, or just buy a new car with that fancy officer paycheck. Leasing a new car when you have a guaranteed income is not as bad of a deal as people make it out to be. I'll have to check once I get my orders. I'd like to hang on to the car if I can, its already fully paid off and is fairly nice (dad left it to me in the will ), but I'll check shipping options. Godholio posted:I'll just chime in that buying an O-3mobile is way more rewarding than O-1mobile. Is O-Mobile code for kick rear end Mustangs?
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Dec 3, 2016 00:35
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So I go in to do processing and swearing in tomorrow, and I have a dumb question. Does family usually come for that? I only just realized "hey that's something my mom might want to see/take a picture of."
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Dec 7, 2016 06:07
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Got sworn in, mom was able to come and snap a couple nice pictures for herself! Super pumped to go freeze my rear end off in Rhode Island next month! If we're talking about MEPS probings, I got the cool old doc who just gave me a quick glance, then talked about football for twenty minutes, not much probing in the end.
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Dec 7, 2016 23:51
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So dumb question, but for OCS is it boxers or briefs? The packing list in the survival guide says briefs but recent graduates have been saying they dont care there. Also anything people reccomend bringing? So far I have lots of socks and underwear, mess laundry bag, wristwatch, cash and clear nail polish.
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Dec 11, 2016 17:31
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buttplug posted:Packing list says briefs, but nobody will give a gently caress. TBH, you will find briefs to be more comfortable based on the amount of time you will spend soaked in sweat, running around, and generally in awkward contorted positions. That is, unless you have those $40-per-pair boxer briefs that promise not to ride up. In which case, they will ride up, you will get mudd-butt, and you will end up throwing them away. Thanks for the advice, I got some briefs and your right, they are comfortable enough for what I need. Also there are rumors my class at OCS might be a guinea pig class to try a ten week schedule on. I'm starting to wonder if thats the reason my class is huge and got so many non-age critical dudes in on it.
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Dec 13, 2016 17:08
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Godholio posted:New thread title please. DownByTheWooter posted:lol yeah it really captures the essence of so many of my experiences in the service I've got no military experience or edjumacation, but I'm already inspring!  LingcodKilla posted:Remember you can trade a box of mint floss (gum) for one pair of shoes shined. Why does that make me think of that prison economy video from the Onion?
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Dec 13, 2016 18:18
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LingcodKilla posted:Because it was? Qtips and floss hold value, good to know. Anything else i might want to stockpile/bring for trading?
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Dec 13, 2016 18:41
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LingcodKilla posted:Isnt he becoming a noble? I think they assign you those after the course. A noble you say... .png)
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Dec 13, 2016 19:35
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maffew buildings posted:Yes a bacehlors degree from a real university qualifies you Got my poly sci degree and they took me in the help fly planes! 
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Dec 17, 2016 22:04
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Sir Lucius posted:Overheard a rumor today from some chiefs that ratings migt be coming back. The reasoning: "officers had no idea enlisted were so attached to their ratings." So basically some bullshit excuse, we'll blame Mabus, and then set everything back to normal. Note to self for after OCS. Don't try and take their jerbs.
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Dec 20, 2016 00:51
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