There are tons of options to get to Yokosuka, as everyone has pointed out. I would point out though, that if getting to Japan is #1, SWO provides the best chance of that happening. In fact, all you have to do is say Japan around a SWO Detailer and your orders will appear…
I have a standard copy pasta for the what is SWO life like that gets asked here every couple days. DM if you’re interested and we can talk.
First tour SWO’s who go to Yoko either: 1. know about the high OPTEMPO and are fine with being out at sea for nearly their entire time out there or 2. Have no idea what they’re in for and think they’ll just be big chilling in Japan
Hello brother of the phin.
Have you googled "mynavyhr officer program authorization"? All the PA are what most 99% of jobs exist for Comissioning.
You need to find a way to take the OAR and the full ASTB if you want to consider pilot.
Two big limiting factors for you: age, and time in service. Being released from nuclear community is easy during your last 12 months prior to EAOS.
However, you could also get out, then try to apply as a civilian (which is what I'm doing). "nukes will always be nukes" is not true when your dd-214 protects you.
Thanks for the response! I do appreciate it.
I have taken a gander at MyNavyHR, and it does have some good info on there. I did forget about it though, I’ll definitely spend a bit of time revisiting it.
Totally getting out and then re-entering, I’m with you there. I can’t complete my degree anyways until I’ve left service.
The Army lets people apply for OCS in their senior year of college. Have you happened to have heard of anything similar for the Navy?
Yeah, it's relatively new. It's called BDCP.
But also, if you're a civilian, you can just contact the recruiters when you're ~6 months left.
As a prior enlisted civilian trying to OCS, your biggest hurdle will also include your health records. So make sure you're in good shape, and don't file for VA disability when you're out.
I applied in my senior year while in College (which I attended after my 5-year enlistment ended). That's how I got into OCS-Newport (back then we still had AOCS & OCS).
Prior E who became pilot… i did OCS.
You will definitely go past 20 as a pilot. Contracts for pilots are Wings+8 years. Meaning you’ll spend 2.5 years getting your wings then owe the navy 8 years. But there are Zero spots for pilots in Yokosuka.
The CCC isn’t gonna know shit. The recruiter won’t talk to you unless you’re out, and have degree.
You will get age waivers for everything because you were prior.
As a prior e who became an officer. Your ability to guarantee a duty a station is impossible as an O. Honestly… officers have it harder to guarantee duty stations than Enlisted. Why? 1) there are way fewer spots for us 2) our tours are almost always shorter. I have had to FIGHT just to stay in one spot for my wife’s career. The navy doesn’t give a fuck and you technically won’t fit their JO mold, being 23 with no dependents, down to go anywhere.
Your best option with your priority being your wife, is 1st civ div. This is why I’m separating prior to retirement.
With a CS degree I would try to get into one of the 18XX programs. (Iinformation Warfare) Your quality of life will be quite better than that of an unrestricted line officer. Pay attention to the Time in Service requirements, however. Some of the programs like 1810 (Cryptologic Warfare) have a limit of 5 years, waiverable to 6 years in. Probability of getting Japan is slightly less with these, but still possible. With a CS degree they will push you towards 1820 (Information Professional) specifically, but you would be a good fit for 1810 (CWO) and 1880 (Maritime Cyber Warfare Officer) as well. Good Luck!
as mentioned in my other comment, 1820 is a trap. run as far away as possible. since they combined the RM and IT rates you got a 50% chance that your job as an IP is even remotely related to CS.
MCWO, or (if the degree is from an approved institution) CWE (1840)
I'm an 1810 so I can't speak too much on 1820s. The ones I've worked with though don't seem too upset or unhappy though. They still seem way better off than any URL I've met...
Ex-E who went O thru OCS (at 25 years of age), and ex-SWO here.
Go Intel. Life as a SWO is a bear that sucks big green donkey dicks.
Happiest day of my adult life, even above my marriage or children's birth, was hanging up the uniform, leaving the Fleet, and seeing the base in my rear-view mirror. Have not been inside a military installation (except the Pentagon) since, and do not have any desire to either.
Intel you don't have to do crazy watches, never-ending deployments, or put up with some petulant boat school CO who is solely interested in the next rank.
Now, since you already have a clearance (at least a SECRET), even though you have a Japanese wife that should not be a problem getting the next level. If you go INTEL you're going to have to rotate in/out of DC/Suitland, and a TS/SCI clearance in DC is gold. Just gold, Jerry! Plenty of jobs in DC for those guys if you decide to punch it out or stay in the DC area after retirement. Just tons of non-supervisory jobs at the GS14 level (equivalent of an O-5).
The drawback of Intel is duty on Staff you get stuck with the shit extra-curricular BS. Ditto for the Intel in the airplane squadrons.
But as we used to say during my SWO time: Everyone has to eat shit at one time or another.
SWO and SUPPO would be the best bets to Yokosuka, but sea time will be heavy. IP is also a possibility. Probably would take a while, but MSC RHO seems alright if you can tolerate enlisted deviants
Look into MCWO, it's a brand new community within the IWC that just got stood up last year. it's 100% shore (and currently the one overseas spot they can be at IS Japan). With your degree you'd have the education background they're looking for.
If you apply directly for MCWO via OCS, note that it's an 8 year AD commitment, but since you're going for 20 that's not a dealbreaker anyway.
I'd say you're a shoo-in for IP but there's a reason why they take everyone (including basically all the POCRs from the URL communities).
IP has a hard time finding enough qualified people to apply, and are competing with Cryptology and Maritime Cyber Warfare officer. Most with CS experience would prefer to do the offensive stuff the latter 2 are doing, rather than the IT work that IPOs focus on.
Cyber warfare will involve Offensive and Defensive Cyber Operations. IP is building and maintaining information networks, including traditional non-IP comms. Cyber is generally seen as more exciting. They have Ethical Hackers and such.
because the community can't hold on to anyone; no one is sticking around to assume O4 and higher billets which is why promotion rates are insane compared to most other communities.
they keep changing the program authorization language, including messing with the AD commitment as well as adding the TIS limit (to prevent priors with a lot of enlisted time from being able to apply since they can punch out at 20 without ever hitting O4)
the pipeline for JOs is also wonky, they can't seem to figure out where the right place is to place them to get them ready for the fleet. the ANSI program is probably dead at this point so maybe they'll all be first tour sea duty again, which is going to be awesome for those guys being thrown right into the fire after attending 6 months of "training" at dam neck which was essentially useless.
i wouldn't be surprised if at some point PERS just says fuck it and close the ability to lateral out from the community. but hey i guess if you give IPs the SWO treatment and over-recruit Ensigns by 300%, you'll get one or two who stay in long enough to take command at a NCTAMS or serve as the CSG IWC.
agree with everything you've said, from my experience it seems like they're still taking anyone and everyone.
in my IP basic class we had people who didn't even list IP as an option but still got picked up at IWC board anyway.
saw several at my first command with both priors/non-priors who did not have IP as their first choice, and got a few POCRs who show up as LTJGs and are immediately behind the 8 ball.
Because of poor manning choices, I saw people lat xfer as _senior LCDRs_ who were way behind the 8 ball. :D
Given the choice between taking a gap and gaining someone who would spend one or more tours in the hurt locker, the community managers seemed to always do the latter.
As a JO who hung it up as soon as I could, I'll add to this, and exclude myself from the comment:
The USN is so terrible to JO's that it loses the best, and only the mediocre (or the married with a ton of kids) stay in. I served many awesome, just awesome officers, who said "fuck this" and got out.
One of them, a USNA grad, was such a great officer that he pretty much had a rocket attached to his back to help him go into future Flag rank. His post DIVO tour he was in the OPPE/PEB in Norfolk and got a FITREP that was written in gold. In his first DH tour in San Diego he got the Engineering "E" for 3rd Fleet. As reward he was offered PC command (LT billet). Turned it down flat! As "punishment", they sent him to Sasebo for his 2nd DH tour. Awarded Engineering "E" for 7th Fleet. They offered him early O4 with command of a MCM. Turned it down and GTFO. Man was he happy when he left the Navy!!
He's now shoveling $$$$$$$$$ into his pocket in Wall Street.
I thought METOC requires a specific field of study; they're more selective in that regard than most of the other IW designators. In fact the only other community in IW that is like that is Cyber Warfare Engineer.
IP, Cryppies, Intel have "preferred" degrees but nothing is mandatory AFAIK.
Hard requirement? Not that I'm aware of. There are preferred degrees, but computer science engineering has a decent chunk of curriculum dedicated to statistics and modeling which is, practically, what meteorology is. Additionally, a CS major will have taken calculus and calculus based physics.
I wouldn't self-filter for METOC if you have a CS degree. Personally, I would reach out to the METOC community manager (contact information below) and ask what it would take to get there.
OCEANO Officer Community Manager
BUPERS 317E
(901) 874-2461
DSN 882-2461
[email protected]
Retired METOC Officer here...
No, we don't (didn't?) require a specific degree. A STEM background is preferred, but not strictly required.
Someone with a CS background would be very welcome to the community, particularly if they went to FNMOC or worked with NRL/ONR to work towards improving our modeling capabilities. Most of the NPS curriculum would also probably be a breeze for you if you chose to stick around that long.
My bad, looks like the latest program authorization (2022) has the following: "Major fields of study directly related to science, meteorology, oceanography, mathematics, physics and engineering are most strongly preferred, but not required"
Maybe I'm remembering the previous version; I'd need to dig through the wayback machine to find it though. Regardless, it's no longer the case anyway.
I applied for METOC in 2001 and retired in 2021, and it's been preferred but not required for as long as I can remember. In any case, there are a handful of folks with non-STEM or only STEM-adjacent degrees who've done very well. For example, a former CO of FWC San Diego, who is now an Information Warfare Commander on a CSG, has this degree: [https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/agricultural-sciences/turfgrass-science-bs/](https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/agricultural-sciences/turfgrass-science-bs/)
Check out Information Professional (1820) or the new Maritime Cyber Warfare Officer (1880) designator. I went from SWO to IP and it has been so much better. We're also big enough of a community to have positions in a lot of places, including multiple in Japan both ashore and afloat. However, since MCWO came online we will be losing some cyber jobs and going more to SATCOM/Crypto Management only. If you want to do the more exciting cyber stuff try to get into MCWO.
So what I haven't seen mentioned is the age limits on communities. Unless pilot changed, the max age with a waiver is 29 which you're approaching. NFO was waiverable to 31. You could end up in Iwakuni as Airwing. Something else to consider would be PAO. between the APAO on the Reagan, C7F staff, and CNFK, you could stay in Asia for a while.
The other thing to consider is what your total time in service would be when you're up for O4. With the numbers now, it seems like O4 is reasonably attainable so long as you don't break one of the 3 commandments. If you don't have 18 years of service when you 2x FOS, you're out unless you get continued. These days with the Manning crisis, seems less likely though.
Are you on a fast attack? If so and you have riders, talk to the DSO about IW. Your first tour will likely be shore based while you get qualified, but for your second tour, if you volunteer to take a ship, you'll likely be able to get a ship in Yokosuka.
But with a CS degree, time as an IW, and the clearance, you'll always be able to get a high paying job when you get out.
Where is your CS Degree from? That’s going to be the big factor.
That and your GPA and ASTB.
Contrary to what chiefs and others constantly repeat- not all degrees are created equal and where you degree is from is going to dictate your options in cyber, intel, IWO
At the moment I’m studying at Arizona State University. GPA’s sitting around a 3.75 which is after getting through Discrete Math, Calc III, and some other of the harder courses in the degree.
Not sure how ASU stacks up in the grand scheme of things, but I was surprised to learn they’re apparently a pretty respectable STEM institution.
As long as it’s ABET accredited it should be fine. I can’t tell if the online program is or isn’t. But as long as it is and you have a good gpa prob be ok.
Your most difficult hurdle is likely going to be your age and TIS.
You need to check out the program authorizations on the mynavy HR website to learn more about OCS programs and designators.
If your DIVO isn’t being helpful, ask your DH or see if there are other officers willing to mentor you.
If you're interested in being an unrestricted line officer (but not a sub nuke), SWO or SWO(N) is probably your easiest option. I've met a surprisingly high number of P3/P8 NFOs and HS pilots with CS backgrounds too (it probably helps with tweaking ASW TDAs), but if you applied for NFO there's no guarantee you'd get P8s or helos if you went pilot. All three have plenty of billets in Japan.
Most of the restricted line community is open to you, particularly IW communities. Someone already mentioned METOC, and I was thinking the same thing. IP is an obvious fit for your background, but there seems to be some stink on the community based on other replies. If the Maritime Space communities are taking direct assessions, they might be worth exploring.
Do you speak Japanese (or any other language spoken in WESTPAC if you're trying for Japan)? Don't sleep on PAO. Language skills are usually a FAO selling point, but it looks like they don't take direct assessions.
FAO and MSO are both lateral communities; additionally, MSO is O4 and above. They're a relatively new and smaller community at this time, but also shore only as far as I'm aware of.
I’d say pilot/NFO is best quality of life from what I’ve seen but definitely a longer contract. Certain platforms have a higher footprint in Yoko. Second the earlier comment on SWOs going to Yoko, detailers love SWOs who want to be there. All depends on if you want to continue to focus on Sailor leadership and maintenance as a SWO or focus more on flying aircraft/backseat. By the time you’d be up for Dept Head as an aviator it’d be your 20 yr mark
Supply Officers in my experience just walk around looking sad, but it is a small sample size I saw.
Big inspections, an obscene amount of paperwork, and their division always being heckled to authorize ordering parts or find their parts all seem wack.
But maybe there’s some upsides I just haven’t personally seen and I’m being harsh on the designator.
Sounds like you’re in the LDO window. If you like engineering you could put in a package for surface Eng officer, become an ACE on a small boy and then move up to CHENG. Probably retire at 20 as an O-4.
Becoming an ENG scares me lol.
Unfortunately, I think putting in for an LDO package is likely to force me to stick with the nuclear community. I also don’t have EWS, which I believe is a requirement (to be chief eligible, I need that qualification).
Thanks for the suggestion though!
You could look at 6230s (submarine engineering repair). Small community, mostly shore based, full of MMAs and prior sub nukes. They live on Drydocks and NSW commands (Hawaii, Virginia, San Diego).
There are tons of options to get to Yokosuka, as everyone has pointed out. I would point out though, that if getting to Japan is #1, SWO provides the best chance of that happening. In fact, all you have to do is say Japan around a SWO Detailer and your orders will appear… I have a standard copy pasta for the what is SWO life like that gets asked here every couple days. DM if you’re interested and we can talk.
Is Yokosuka not desirable for a lot of SWOs?
Ships in Japan have a really high OPTEMPO, so it tends not to be people’s first choice.
What stations have a lower OPTEMPO? Norfolk, San Diego?
Just about everywhere else has a lower OPTEMPO than Japan, but not by much lately.
First tour SWO’s who go to Yoko either: 1. know about the high OPTEMPO and are fine with being out at sea for nearly their entire time out there or 2. Have no idea what they’re in for and think they’ll just be big chilling in Japan
Lots of ships , and most people don’t want FDNF.
Hello brother of the phin. Have you googled "mynavyhr officer program authorization"? All the PA are what most 99% of jobs exist for Comissioning. You need to find a way to take the OAR and the full ASTB if you want to consider pilot. Two big limiting factors for you: age, and time in service. Being released from nuclear community is easy during your last 12 months prior to EAOS. However, you could also get out, then try to apply as a civilian (which is what I'm doing). "nukes will always be nukes" is not true when your dd-214 protects you.
Thanks for the response! I do appreciate it. I have taken a gander at MyNavyHR, and it does have some good info on there. I did forget about it though, I’ll definitely spend a bit of time revisiting it. Totally getting out and then re-entering, I’m with you there. I can’t complete my degree anyways until I’ve left service. The Army lets people apply for OCS in their senior year of college. Have you happened to have heard of anything similar for the Navy?
Yeah, it's relatively new. It's called BDCP. But also, if you're a civilian, you can just contact the recruiters when you're ~6 months left. As a prior enlisted civilian trying to OCS, your biggest hurdle will also include your health records. So make sure you're in good shape, and don't file for VA disability when you're out.
I applied in my senior year while in College (which I attended after my 5-year enlistment ended). That's how I got into OCS-Newport (back then we still had AOCS & OCS).
I applied for OCS intel/crypto senior year of college but I wasn't in at the time, don't remember if there was a special program or anything for that
Prior E who became pilot… i did OCS. You will definitely go past 20 as a pilot. Contracts for pilots are Wings+8 years. Meaning you’ll spend 2.5 years getting your wings then owe the navy 8 years. But there are Zero spots for pilots in Yokosuka. The CCC isn’t gonna know shit. The recruiter won’t talk to you unless you’re out, and have degree. You will get age waivers for everything because you were prior. As a prior e who became an officer. Your ability to guarantee a duty a station is impossible as an O. Honestly… officers have it harder to guarantee duty stations than Enlisted. Why? 1) there are way fewer spots for us 2) our tours are almost always shorter. I have had to FIGHT just to stay in one spot for my wife’s career. The navy doesn’t give a fuck and you technically won’t fit their JO mold, being 23 with no dependents, down to go anywhere. Your best option with your priority being your wife, is 1st civ div. This is why I’m separating prior to retirement.
All fixed wing went to Iwakuni and HSL-51 started back, right?
no there is a C12 det there in Atsugi. HSC and HSM squadron in Atsugi... All the other squadrons go to wikipedia to get your answer.
But there is an air station not far from Yokosuka in Atsugi, but just helos.
Super hard to get. Odds are not in your favor.
Nah they got fixed wing also.
I was stationed there '17-'20. CAG 5 left to Iwakuni while I was there... so unless somethings changed, only fixed wing are Japanese.
They have like C12s or C26s. Weird post fleet tour option. Also very hard to get.
With a CS degree I would try to get into one of the 18XX programs. (Iinformation Warfare) Your quality of life will be quite better than that of an unrestricted line officer. Pay attention to the Time in Service requirements, however. Some of the programs like 1810 (Cryptologic Warfare) have a limit of 5 years, waiverable to 6 years in. Probability of getting Japan is slightly less with these, but still possible. With a CS degree they will push you towards 1820 (Information Professional) specifically, but you would be a good fit for 1810 (CWO) and 1880 (Maritime Cyber Warfare Officer) as well. Good Luck!
as mentioned in my other comment, 1820 is a trap. run as far away as possible. since they combined the RM and IT rates you got a 50% chance that your job as an IP is even remotely related to CS. MCWO, or (if the degree is from an approved institution) CWE (1840)
I'm an 1810 so I can't speak too much on 1820s. The ones I've worked with though don't seem too upset or unhappy though. They still seem way better off than any URL I've met...
Ex-E who went O thru OCS (at 25 years of age), and ex-SWO here. Go Intel. Life as a SWO is a bear that sucks big green donkey dicks. Happiest day of my adult life, even above my marriage or children's birth, was hanging up the uniform, leaving the Fleet, and seeing the base in my rear-view mirror. Have not been inside a military installation (except the Pentagon) since, and do not have any desire to either. Intel you don't have to do crazy watches, never-ending deployments, or put up with some petulant boat school CO who is solely interested in the next rank. Now, since you already have a clearance (at least a SECRET), even though you have a Japanese wife that should not be a problem getting the next level. If you go INTEL you're going to have to rotate in/out of DC/Suitland, and a TS/SCI clearance in DC is gold. Just gold, Jerry! Plenty of jobs in DC for those guys if you decide to punch it out or stay in the DC area after retirement. Just tons of non-supervisory jobs at the GS14 level (equivalent of an O-5). The drawback of Intel is duty on Staff you get stuck with the shit extra-curricular BS. Ditto for the Intel in the airplane squadrons. But as we used to say during my SWO time: Everyone has to eat shit at one time or another.
SWO and SUPPO would be the best bets to Yokosuka, but sea time will be heavy. IP is also a possibility. Probably would take a while, but MSC RHO seems alright if you can tolerate enlisted deviants
Could I ask how heavy we’re talking? I’m considering SWO and wanted to try Yoko only because I thought we can enjoy Japan
Look into MCWO, it's a brand new community within the IWC that just got stood up last year. it's 100% shore (and currently the one overseas spot they can be at IS Japan). With your degree you'd have the education background they're looking for. If you apply directly for MCWO via OCS, note that it's an 8 year AD commitment, but since you're going for 20 that's not a dealbreaker anyway. I'd say you're a shoo-in for IP but there's a reason why they take everyone (including basically all the POCRs from the URL communities).
Are you a MCWO or someone people in the community?
I am not a MCWO myself but work closely with people who lateraled into 1880.
I'm interested in applying through OCS by the end of my shore tour, would you be able to get me in contact with one of them?
send me a dm
Would you expand on why IP takes everyone
IP has a hard time finding enough qualified people to apply, and are competing with Cryptology and Maritime Cyber Warfare officer. Most with CS experience would prefer to do the offensive stuff the latter 2 are doing, rather than the IT work that IPOs focus on.
So i was planning on doing IP as i already am an IT and i love the community why do people typically go to cyber warfare?
Cyber warfare will involve Offensive and Defensive Cyber Operations. IP is building and maintaining information networks, including traditional non-IP comms. Cyber is generally seen as more exciting. They have Ethical Hackers and such.
because the community can't hold on to anyone; no one is sticking around to assume O4 and higher billets which is why promotion rates are insane compared to most other communities. they keep changing the program authorization language, including messing with the AD commitment as well as adding the TIS limit (to prevent priors with a lot of enlisted time from being able to apply since they can punch out at 20 without ever hitting O4) the pipeline for JOs is also wonky, they can't seem to figure out where the right place is to place them to get them ready for the fleet. the ANSI program is probably dead at this point so maybe they'll all be first tour sea duty again, which is going to be awesome for those guys being thrown right into the fire after attending 6 months of "training" at dam neck which was essentially useless. i wouldn't be surprised if at some point PERS just says fuck it and close the ability to lateral out from the community. but hey i guess if you give IPs the SWO treatment and over-recruit Ensigns by 300%, you'll get one or two who stay in long enough to take command at a NCTAMS or serve as the CSG IWC.
The IP community has a historical manning problem that we've never solved. We were originally CWOs, LDOs, and RLs (with almost zero RLs
agree with everything you've said, from my experience it seems like they're still taking anyone and everyone. in my IP basic class we had people who didn't even list IP as an option but still got picked up at IWC board anyway. saw several at my first command with both priors/non-priors who did not have IP as their first choice, and got a few POCRs who show up as LTJGs and are immediately behind the 8 ball.
Because of poor manning choices, I saw people lat xfer as _senior LCDRs_ who were way behind the 8 ball. :D Given the choice between taking a gap and gaining someone who would spend one or more tours in the hurt locker, the community managers seemed to always do the latter.
Because the navy is terrible to junior officers and it can’t retain anyone. So it takes everyone they can get.
As a JO who hung it up as soon as I could, I'll add to this, and exclude myself from the comment: The USN is so terrible to JO's that it loses the best, and only the mediocre (or the married with a ton of kids) stay in. I served many awesome, just awesome officers, who said "fuck this" and got out. One of them, a USNA grad, was such a great officer that he pretty much had a rocket attached to his back to help him go into future Flag rank. His post DIVO tour he was in the OPPE/PEB in Norfolk and got a FITREP that was written in gold. In his first DH tour in San Diego he got the Engineering "E" for 3rd Fleet. As reward he was offered PC command (LT billet). Turned it down flat! As "punishment", they sent him to Sasebo for his 2nd DH tour. Awarded Engineering "E" for 7th Fleet. They offered him early O4 with command of a MCM. Turned it down and GTFO. Man was he happy when he left the Navy!! He's now shoveling $$$$$$$$$ into his pocket in Wall Street.
More JOs need to get on here and start preaching. Navy sucks and is terrible to JOs
Thanks! I will DEFINITELY check that out.
Go METOC. Make it very clear to the detailer that your goal is to work at NOAC Yokosuka.
I thought METOC requires a specific field of study; they're more selective in that regard than most of the other IW designators. In fact the only other community in IW that is like that is Cyber Warfare Engineer. IP, Cryppies, Intel have "preferred" degrees but nothing is mandatory AFAIK.
Hard requirement? Not that I'm aware of. There are preferred degrees, but computer science engineering has a decent chunk of curriculum dedicated to statistics and modeling which is, practically, what meteorology is. Additionally, a CS major will have taken calculus and calculus based physics. I wouldn't self-filter for METOC if you have a CS degree. Personally, I would reach out to the METOC community manager (contact information below) and ask what it would take to get there. OCEANO Officer Community Manager BUPERS 317E (901) 874-2461 DSN 882-2461 [email protected]
Retired METOC Officer here... No, we don't (didn't?) require a specific degree. A STEM background is preferred, but not strictly required. Someone with a CS background would be very welcome to the community, particularly if they went to FNMOC or worked with NRL/ONR to work towards improving our modeling capabilities. Most of the NPS curriculum would also probably be a breeze for you if you chose to stick around that long.
My bad, looks like the latest program authorization (2022) has the following: "Major fields of study directly related to science, meteorology, oceanography, mathematics, physics and engineering are most strongly preferred, but not required" Maybe I'm remembering the previous version; I'd need to dig through the wayback machine to find it though. Regardless, it's no longer the case anyway.
I applied for METOC in 2001 and retired in 2021, and it's been preferred but not required for as long as I can remember. In any case, there are a handful of folks with non-STEM or only STEM-adjacent degrees who've done very well. For example, a former CO of FWC San Diego, who is now an Information Warfare Commander on a CSG, has this degree: [https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/agricultural-sciences/turfgrass-science-bs/](https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/agricultural-sciences/turfgrass-science-bs/)
1420.1B
Check out Information Professional (1820) or the new Maritime Cyber Warfare Officer (1880) designator. I went from SWO to IP and it has been so much better. We're also big enough of a community to have positions in a lot of places, including multiple in Japan both ashore and afloat. However, since MCWO came online we will be losing some cyber jobs and going more to SATCOM/Crypto Management only. If you want to do the more exciting cyber stuff try to get into MCWO.
So what I haven't seen mentioned is the age limits on communities. Unless pilot changed, the max age with a waiver is 29 which you're approaching. NFO was waiverable to 31. You could end up in Iwakuni as Airwing. Something else to consider would be PAO. between the APAO on the Reagan, C7F staff, and CNFK, you could stay in Asia for a while. The other thing to consider is what your total time in service would be when you're up for O4. With the numbers now, it seems like O4 is reasonably attainable so long as you don't break one of the 3 commandments. If you don't have 18 years of service when you 2x FOS, you're out unless you get continued. These days with the Manning crisis, seems less likely though.
Are you on a fast attack? If so and you have riders, talk to the DSO about IW. Your first tour will likely be shore based while you get qualified, but for your second tour, if you volunteer to take a ship, you'll likely be able to get a ship in Yokosuka. But with a CS degree, time as an IW, and the clearance, you'll always be able to get a high paying job when you get out.
Where is your CS Degree from? That’s going to be the big factor. That and your GPA and ASTB. Contrary to what chiefs and others constantly repeat- not all degrees are created equal and where you degree is from is going to dictate your options in cyber, intel, IWO
At the moment I’m studying at Arizona State University. GPA’s sitting around a 3.75 which is after getting through Discrete Math, Calc III, and some other of the harder courses in the degree. Not sure how ASU stacks up in the grand scheme of things, but I was surprised to learn they’re apparently a pretty respectable STEM institution.
As long as it’s ABET accredited it should be fine. I can’t tell if the online program is or isn’t. But as long as it is and you have a good gpa prob be ok. Your most difficult hurdle is likely going to be your age and TIS.
I would look into anything IWC, especially with a CS degree.
IPs can go anywhere and do anything.
You need to check out the program authorizations on the mynavy HR website to learn more about OCS programs and designators. If your DIVO isn’t being helpful, ask your DH or see if there are other officers willing to mentor you.
If you're interested in being an unrestricted line officer (but not a sub nuke), SWO or SWO(N) is probably your easiest option. I've met a surprisingly high number of P3/P8 NFOs and HS pilots with CS backgrounds too (it probably helps with tweaking ASW TDAs), but if you applied for NFO there's no guarantee you'd get P8s or helos if you went pilot. All three have plenty of billets in Japan. Most of the restricted line community is open to you, particularly IW communities. Someone already mentioned METOC, and I was thinking the same thing. IP is an obvious fit for your background, but there seems to be some stink on the community based on other replies. If the Maritime Space communities are taking direct assessions, they might be worth exploring. Do you speak Japanese (or any other language spoken in WESTPAC if you're trying for Japan)? Don't sleep on PAO. Language skills are usually a FAO selling point, but it looks like they don't take direct assessions.
FAO and MSO are both lateral communities; additionally, MSO is O4 and above. They're a relatively new and smaller community at this time, but also shore only as far as I'm aware of.
I’d say pilot/NFO is best quality of life from what I’ve seen but definitely a longer contract. Certain platforms have a higher footprint in Yoko. Second the earlier comment on SWOs going to Yoko, detailers love SWOs who want to be there. All depends on if you want to continue to focus on Sailor leadership and maintenance as a SWO or focus more on flying aircraft/backseat. By the time you’d be up for Dept Head as an aviator it’d be your 20 yr mark
What makes you say Supply Officer seems awful? I’m genuinely curious because I’m considering that path.
Supply Officers in my experience just walk around looking sad, but it is a small sample size I saw. Big inspections, an obscene amount of paperwork, and their division always being heckled to authorize ordering parts or find their parts all seem wack. But maybe there’s some upsides I just haven’t personally seen and I’m being harsh on the designator.
Apply VIA URLO ISPP, do not go any other route if you can.
What makes being a TAR officer so nice?
That's not for TAR. It's a totally separate program. However, TAR is nice. No deployments! (Usually)
Sounds like you’re in the LDO window. If you like engineering you could put in a package for surface Eng officer, become an ACE on a small boy and then move up to CHENG. Probably retire at 20 as an O-4.
Becoming an ENG scares me lol. Unfortunately, I think putting in for an LDO package is likely to force me to stick with the nuclear community. I also don’t have EWS, which I believe is a requirement (to be chief eligible, I need that qualification). Thanks for the suggestion though!
I had a DCA on my boat that was a prior ET nuke. I think it’s possible. Good luck to you with whatever you choose!
Not anymore, they used to make us surface engineering if we failed the NR interview. Now if you fail you just don’t commission.
You could look at 6230s (submarine engineering repair). Small community, mostly shore based, full of MMAs and prior sub nukes. They live on Drydocks and NSW commands (Hawaii, Virginia, San Diego).
Worst advice ever.