Qualifications to be a Naval Surface Warfare officer or Information Warfare officer? (AFR, Navy)

[HurricaneDC]

I'm currently a college student studying information systems, going in to my second year in the fall. I've got a very high GPA so far and I plan on keeping it that way (or at least close to it). I'm interested in joining the Navy as a commissioned officer, and I'm especially interested in either surface warfare or information warfare.

Does the Navy look for specific degrees for either field? The Navy website just says you need a four-year degree, but surely they would rather take a person who majored in ocean engineering over a sociology major, at least for the fields I'm interested in. If not specific degrees, do you at least need to have taken some specific courses?

For those who want to suggest NROTC - I'm afraid I can't. My university doesn't offer it on-campus, and it would be rather difficult to get to the host campus without a car. I'm also not a U.S. citizen, so I can't contract in for the last two years of ROTC (and same with all of the other branches' ROTC). I'll become a citizen around my senior year, so I'll definitely be good to go on that front by the time I graduate.

[Poncho_NM]

I'm interested in joining the Navy as a commissioned officer, and I'm especially interested in either surface warfare or information warfare.

There is a commissioning process, who knows what they will need in the next three (?) years.

but surely they would rather take a person who majored in ocean engineering over a sociology major,

Don't assume too much about the military. It's a big machine crunching along at it's own pace which is subject to change.


You have to be a U.S. Citizen to be commissioned as an officer.

I would start finding out what the process is for becoming commisioned.




Rich

[HurricaneDC]

Well I was doing some research and now I don't think I'll be able to join. All because of a vision condition that I don't even have any control over. Just great.

Unless anyone here has ever heard of a person getting a waiver for keratoconus?

[Submariner]

The needs of the Navy change.

Generally Engineering and Math are preferred over Liberal Arts, Psych, Soc, Theo, or Poli-Sci majors.

I recommend that you locate and talk with an officer recruiter. There are less officer recruiters than there are enlisted recruiters. You will need to locate your regional recruiting headquarters, that should be the location where the officer recruiter has an office. Start by getting all of the phone numbers for that office. People individually will only be serving there for limited tours of duty, but usually the office phone numbers do not change.

Have a conversation and take notes.

Then save the phone numbers and notes; and call back in a year. A simple 10-minute conversation with the personnel in that office, should keep you up to date on which college majors are preferred each year.

I have known a number of enlisted men who put in 'packages' for officer selection. Your degree is one factor, but so is your motivation.
1. Why, exactly, you feel that you should be a Naval officer?
2. How do you think that your background and degree would benefit the Navy?
These need to be answered in essay form.

Also each region has a Naval Reserve Command. You may need to go there once a year. Make contact with any officer, introduce yourself and ask for an interview. Tell them about yourself and your desire to one day be an officer. Ask them for their advice, and finally ask them for a written recommendation. If you end up submitting a 'package' you will need three written recommendations from Naval officers.

As for your eyes, so long as it is corrected with glasses your fine.

Good luck

[North Beach Person]

You could look into other government employment with your educational background, which could easily see you end up working with the Navy in a civilian capacity.

With the unpredictability of your syndrome I doubt that a waiver would be granted, although stranger things have happened.

[dorado0359]

go to http://www.airwarriors.com/

[totsuka]

Go into Intel or Supply. SWO's get ate up.

[looktowindward]

keratoconus is actually a big deal and disqualifying, BUT be sure you have it. If you have serious astigmatism, they assume you have it until you go to an eye doc and prove you don't. I had this happen to me.

"resubmit with evaluation for keratoconus" is not deal breaker. Just go to the eye doc.