20111107

Waiting for Selection Results of OCC 209

This post provides a status update regarding my application to OCS for OCC 209, including the results of my final PFT for the application.

PFT Results

On Friday, 04 November 2011, I had an opportunity to run one final PFT to boost my score from the 243 I earned on the day I contracted up to something that would actually be competitive. Based on my performance during the month it had been since I contracted, I anticipated scoring approximately 274 on maximum points in pull-ups and crunches with a 3-mile time between 22:00 and 22:30. To great excitement, I was able to run 3 miles in 20:30, which, combined with maximum points from pull-ups and crunches, placed my PFT score at 285. Outstanding.

Selection Outlook

Months ago, Captain Kline (my OSO) gave me 285 as the score I should hit for my PFT for good reason. The selection process is very competitive these days, and a good PFT score does a lot. The fact that my PFT improved so much from my OCC 208 application, as well as from the time that I contracted for 209, looks good, too. I'm not sure that these aspects will be directly apparent to the Selection Board, but they are apparent to my OSO which translates into a great OSO recommendation letter1 being included with the application. At this point, OSO has said repeatedly that he can tell that I committed myself to improving my score, and he has indicated that I would be getting a good OSO letter from him for my application.

After I finished up my PFT last Friday, Captain Kline pulled up the results from the last board—the one to which I previously applied and was not selected—so that we could compare PFT scores. The average score of those who were selected for NFO slots was 283. Of course, for the OCC 208 board, I had applied for a pilot slot instead of an NFO slot, and the average for those was 289; there was no way my 252 was getting me in. But, now my 285 is better than the average of those selected last time for the slots for which I have applied this time.

Captain Kline told me today that he is confident about me for this board, and to be honest, I'm feeling pretty confident myself. I think that my academic record, although it has mediocre GPA, is a "sturdy" aspect of my packet because of how esteemed Rose-Hulman is; my 285 PFT is pretty darn solid; and with a good OSO recommendation, I just feel good about my odds this time. Sparing some details for now of how I learned this, I'll state that today I was speaking with Captain Kline and a Marine pilot, Captain Clark, who was actually on the 208 board and who has reviewed the packets for the 209 board even though he is not voting on the applicants for it; and I learned that I got memorably positive responses on my Personal Information Questionnaires (PIQs) from some important figures at Rose-Hulman, including the Director of Residence Life, Erik Z. Hayes.

I can't help but feel good about it this time!

Selection Results Notification

The selection board meets on 14 November and continues reviewing the candidates for about a week, according to my OSO. Based on his previous experiences, somebody from the board will call the OSOs to let them know which applicants have been tentatively selected and to ask if there is anything else that needs to be considered before selecting those applicants. This is a completely unofficial notification, but Captain Kline usually turns around and calls his applicants to give them a heads-up to start preparing mentally. The official results are expected within about a week after that. So, in my case, I should have unofficial notification one way or the other by 21 November 2011, and I should know for sure by the end of November.

Review of OCC Timeline

As a reminder, OCC 209 begins on 20 January 2012. So, if I am selected, that is when I'll begin Officer Candidates School.

If selected, I will notify my current employer that I will be leaving when they close for the week of Christmas and will not be returning when they reopen. (I mentioned this to my manager today to make sure he had plenty of lead time even though it isn't certain that it will matter since I haven't been selected yet.) This allows me to have about a month to wrap up final preparations for OCS. I don't know everything that will need to be addressed, but a month should be enough time to get it done.


1. The three main components of the application to OCC are your PFT score, your academic record, and the OSO recommendation letter. Of course, other things remain important, as well, such as extracurricular activities.

10 comments:

  1. Caleb, You've done good! You have done your part! You have proved to your unbelieving mother that you "could do it"! I am proud of you! You worked hard for this score! No matter what happenes you have proved to yourself that you can do put your mind and determination behind something to accomplish a goal with an outstanding outcome.I always knew you could, just had not seen you want something bad enough.

    You know that we have always lived by the idea that God can not guide a stationary object. We must move in the direction we believe He wants us to go and He will direct your path. No matter the outcome, you will know for sure it is God who has selected you or not selected you! You are constantly in my prayers!

    Man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

    Love you,
    Mom

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do you know when the last date to submit your packet is? I haven't been able to get a hold of anyone from the office due to the Marine Corps's birthday and Veteran's Day. I'm waiting on a BUMED waiver that was supposed to come back already and haven't contracted yet. I think I might miss the boards this time around and heard there won't be an OCC summer 2012.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey,
    My name is Sam Killen and I am in a similar situation. I've also applied for OCC 209 (Ground) and I'm thinking about being a NFO. I have a similar PFT score (281), some solid reference letters, a good GPA but I'm still really nervous. This is my first time applying so I have no idea what to expect; i'm not sure if I should be confident or worried. Any words of wisdom?

    ReplyDelete
  4. @Anonymous
    I hate to break it to you, but you already missed the OCC 209 Selection Board. In order to have been up for review on it, you needed to have been under contract by early November, about when I ran my final PFT. If I don't get selected, we'll be in the same boat; I have also heard that they will only be taking females for summer 2012, so we'd have to wait until October.

    @Sam Killen
    I know what you are feeling. At this point, we have to just hang tight until the results come out, which should be on Wednesday, 23 November. I had sent a text to OSO asking about the Board, and his reply was "Don't worry about the things you can't control." Whether we are selected or not, this is not the end of the road.

    Good luck to both of you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. @Caleb and Sam Killen

    My OSO has informed me that orders should be issued tomorrow. Fingers crossed fellas!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Go get em hard charger. So did you get selected for OCC 209? If you did, see you there. If you did not, never quit be like water and come back that much stronger.

    SSgt Gonzalez, JY

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks, SSgt Gonzalez! I haven't heard anything official, yet.

    Has anybody else heard something official?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Official: DC Candidates have been issued their orders.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sam Killen here...Reveived my orders a week ago..I'm going to OCS leaving january 20th!!!!! see you there SSgt Gonzalez; look for me!

    @ Caleb...good luck bro hopefully you made it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. @Anonymous
    Thanks for the tip! I'd already heard my results, but I'm sure others benefited from seeing you post that here, so thank you for helping us all out.

    @Sam Killen
    Good to go! I was also selected, and I even posted a new entry about it. Congratulations to you. We'll have to share notes about preparations. I will be posting an entry about my preparations within 1-2 weeks. But feel free to contact me directly about it before then. Click my name at the top of this comment, then click My Web Page to see ways to contact me.

    ReplyDelete

Due to the number of spam comments that were being posted, users are now required to be logged in before leaving a comment.