USNA Info Request

[Hoot R. Hunter]

Gents (and gentettes),

Several questions for any of you naval aviators out there who graduated from Annapolis:

1. I’ve seen a 90% success rate quoted for requested first choice of service assignment following graduation. Is this success rate accurate and is it higher or lower for those who are requesting a pilot slot?

2. Are pilot and NFO jobs bid separately or is the choice simply naval aviation. If the answer is the latter, how are pilot and NFO slots then awarded: preference, merit, or luck of the draw? (I know the standard disclaimer…needs of the service always prevail)

3. I understand the pre-commissioning physical is what ultimately determines medical qualification for flight training. How much more in-depth is this than the DoDMERB medical examination that takes place prior to being accepted for academy admission?

4. Is the USMC career option following graduation completely on a voluntary basis?

5. I would imagine on a scale of 1-10, the first year $uck factor is about a 12. How about for the following years?

6. With regards to varsity sports, are all the players essentially recruited athletes or are there realistic “walk-on” or try-out opportunities?

Thanks,

 

[elcid]

Since no one else has replied yet, Ill tell you what I know. I went the ROTC route and flew Navy for 9 years. Lots of my compadres were academy of course.

1. 90% sounds high. Couldn't say for sure. Aviation is pretty competitive to get into. It's all based on your class standing.

2. Pilot and NFO are separate. Again, class standing. You take an aviation pre-screen physical toward the end of your junior year if you have expressed interest in the aviation pipeline. Some find out there that they can only go NFO. Passing that physical is a step, but when you report to flight training you will take the "NAMI whami" and that's the final say. Some folks NPQ (not physically qualified) on the whami.

3. Dodmerb seems like the same physical overall. Pretty thorough. Doesn't have any bearing on flight qualification though.

4. USMC voluntary.

5. It's a great place to be from but it's not the typical college experience (even after plebe year). That being said I'd say most people are glad they went the Academy route. Life long friendships, somewhat elite status. The best quote I ever heard was from a blue and gold officer I did an academy interview with. He said, "Some of the best officers in the Nav are from Annapolis... and some of the worst officers in the Nav are from Annapolis." I'll vouch for that. It's like anywhere else as far as that goes. Can't beat the price though!

Good luck. In the end it doesn't matter where you go (Academy, ROTC, or OCS). You're all the same out in the fleet.

 

[MercuryPilot]

I graduated 10 years ago but here's the way things worked then:

Service assignement went down in January of the year you would graduate. Factors that went into your overall ranking and assignement were:

1. medical qualification
2. academic ranking
3. professional ranking (military stuff, conduct, etc.)
4. scores from an interview conducted by aviators, swos, submariners, etc.(depended on what you were interviewing for)

Pilot/NFO spots were separate.

You submitted a dream sheet prior to selection. Also, the USMC gig is voluntary. If you really wanted aviation, you might put the following down for your dream sheet:

USN Pilot
USMC Pilot
USN NFO
USMC NFO

After you found out what you were selected for, you would go choose your API class date based on your overall class ranking. Or if you were going to a ship you would choose the ship/port.

During your Second Class (3rd) year, you would undergo an extensive pre-commissioning physical that would determine your medical status for service selection.

Plebe year isn't a lot of fun.

You do not have to be recruited to play varsity sports. Everyone plays a sport be it varsity, JV, club, or intramural.-No exceptions, none. It's just part of the package.

To sum it up, it's a great place to from, not always a great place to be at...

BEAT ARMY!
MP

 

[coho92]

grad 13 yrs ago - assignments based on class standing - plenty of pilot slots but I wanted to learn how to land in a x-wind so went AF. Great place to be from - lousy place to be (3 academic boards) made some good friends - had some great summers beat army and whenever a few shall meet....

 

[Hoot R. Hunter]

Thanks for the responses!!

Regards,

 

[SupaFly]

Graduated 10 yrs ago too. Latest numbers show more aviation slots (pilots and NFOs) than ship slots (not counting nukes) -- I'm not sure USAFA can has that same kind of flying ratio. Pre-commissioning medical tough too. I almost lost my pilot slot for eyes and and a low blood count, believe it or not.


AF -- Flare to land, squat to pee.
Go Navy!