Expert: Rod Powers - 10/22/2009

Question
Hello,

Please bear with me as I explain my situation. I am in the process of applying to Navy O.C.S.(as Supply Corps or Surface Warfare), which is a life long dream. However, I do not know how competitive I am. I received a full sports scholarship to play quarterback in college and graduated with a B.A. in political science with a cumulative 2.7 G.P.A. (I know, not very competitive). Unfortunately, I have a few things on my record, all class A misdemeanors; under the influence of a controlled substance at 16, which is sealed. A d.u.i. at 18, which is in the process of being expunged, and resisting arrest at 23. I am currently 26. I know on paper these incidents make me look extremely bad, but they do not represent who I am. I have great letters of recommendations. One from a Two Star Intelligence Admiral, a LT. CDR, and a couple of football coaches.

Having said that, here are my questions:

1)I am exploring the option of enlisting and going in as an E-3, will that make me more competitive to apply for O.C.S. as an enlistee?

2)I have heard through research that it is not easy to go from enlisted to Officer in the Navy (especially if you already have a degree)this true?

3)What do you think are my chances of getting into O.C.S.?

4)Every time I mention that I might enlist to someone, they look at me like I am crazy. Is life as an Enlisted person bad?

5) I know most people enlist right after high school, so is 26 a late age to enlist?

I know I have a lot of questions, but I sincerely appreciate any knowledge you may be able to provide. There is only so much the recruiters will tell you.
Thank you very much and I look forward to your response.

Answer
Hi Michael,

OCS is very competitive, whether you are applying as a civilian with a degree, or an enlisted member with a degree. Each year, there are so-many OCS slots and so-many people (both civilian and enlisted) who are applying. Almost always, the number of applicants exceeds the number of slots by a factor of 3 to 1, or more.

The biggest factors considered by the board are (1) GPA, (2) Degree discipline, and (4) scores on the OCS test. Your GPA is not very competitive. Most selectees boast a GPA of 3.2 or above. "Hard Science" degrees (such as chemestry, electronics, math, physics, ect.) are more competitive than "soft" degrees, such as English, political science, art, or history.

In short, I don't think your chances for OCS acceptance is very good, whether as a civilian applicant, or an enlisted applicant.

Your criminal history is a separate matter, and would likely (whether for commission or enlisting) require a criminal history waiver. For details about the process, see: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/moralwaivers.htm I should mention here that whether or not an offense is "expunged" or not, doesn't matter to the military. Your letters of recommendation *may* help with the waiver process.

Life as an enlisted person isn't that bad. I spent 23 years as an enlisted member. Officers make more money, have more responsibility, and more authority than enlisted members. Lot's of (uneducated) people think that anyone who has a college degree will get accepted for OCS, so they think it's crazy to enlist. They're wrong.

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my US Military information site at: http://usmilitary.about.com

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
About.com US Military Guide
http://usmilitary.about.com