Officer reality?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Troy Baker on November 5, 2013 at 8:37am

 Not very likely, and there is no test that makes you an officer, there are programs like ST21 and Naval Academy.  There is a whole packet you have to put together and all the nukes are told about it.  Last year about 30 nukes made it to ST21 but that included those already serving.  I do know of students being picked up but in total out of about 500 qualified applicants 50 spots were filled.

Permalink Reply by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on November 5, 2013 at 8:53am

STA-21 and OCS opportunities are available for to all ratings...

Permalink Reply by Ken Brown on November 5, 2013 at 11:02am

There are several programs through which an enlisted sailor may become an officer. However, the needs of the Navy will prevail for choosing career fields. The newly minted ensigns requesting assignment to aircraft carriers from ROTC and the Naval Academy were all required to qualify as Surface Warfare Officers before going to Nuke School. The submariners were not. My son's OIC is an example of a former CPO becoming a Limited Duty Officer (LDO) in the nuclear program.   

Permalink Reply by Chris B. on November 6, 2013 at 7:54am

Never heard of a mandatory "Office test" for enlisted sailors.  Becoming an officer either through OCS (people with degrees, both active duty and civilians) or STA-21 (enlisted sailors without degrees) is an arduous process that can take years to accomplish.  It can be done with much hard work.  Candidates in both programs apply for the designators (jobs) they want.  In STA-21, candidates apply for designators for which they are qualified, once accepted, the candidate knows what he/she will be doing after commissioning and graduation.  Qualified OCS candidates are offered a designator that they have the option to accept.

My son successfully completed STA-21.  He was an enlisted nuke; he is now an Ensign in flight school (pilot).  I'm more familiar with STA-21 than OCS.  I started a STA-21 group on this site.  The best on line resources I've found are:

http://www.sta-21.navy.mil/  See the fleet brief.

http://nukeworker.com/

http://www.airwarriors.com/community/index.php

Good luck!