Ok, I figured I would see something like this eventually. If there is anything you should read, you should read this. I am currently enlisted in the Navy, and have been for roughly Two years now. As I'm sure you know, I'm underway and assigned to my ship. I've talked to many of the officers onboard, and many in fact did the ROTC program through college. Do not get discouraged by one decline from the Naval Academy. One thing that strikes me, you must not have been enlisted very long, or are still in DEP status, because me seeing you put down "I'm already enlisted as AECF" gives me that indication. There are two rates you can go into being classed in the general AECF field, and that is either ET, or FC. Barring that you actually got AECF makes me believe you scored rather well on your ASVAB test. I am an FC3 in the navy, and am up for FC2 in two months. I am a CIWS tech onboard a FFG class ship, working on the 1B mount. (If you don't know what I am talking about, you will once you get to your ship) Either way, I can tell you now, if you havent already gotten out of boot camp, expect a -long- time in school. Especially if you end up being an ET. I want to tell you now though, be aware that you cannot CHOOSE what rate you get. You will be issued orders in boot camp telling you that you are either an FC, or an ET. At a later time in school however, you can choose to strike for the opposite rate, or you may in fact be told to crossrate. I know when I was leaving "A" school, they had so many ET's that they started making the exceptional students convert to FC. As a Fire Controllmen, I was in school for a good... year and five months before I saw a ship. I can't exactly say that's a good thing, since I enjoy life on the ship, but I cannot say it's bad either. Now that those details are out of the way...
As far as your officer package goes, the catch is to keep trying. When they tell you that you are not competitive enough, it basically means that the whole 300 people they choose per year to attend OCS at the Naval Academy out qualified you. Since you are already Enlisted, my best advice to you is to wait until you get to your ship, get qualified in everything you possibly can (unfortunately, the way the Navy works doesnt exactly warrant that you can just slide into any position, to become an officer, you need to work for it, at least if you were enlisted first). If you don't know what I mean yet, you will son, you will. I would also prepare yourself physically as well, since you mentioned that in one of your posts. OCS is no joke, you need to be in tip top physical shape, because it is basically three months of getting your ass kicked, with weekends off. Basically my best advice to you is to keep grinding along, and to -always- keep a positive disposition in your job and your rate. I'd be interested to see where you end up. As far as my own package goes, I had plans on submitting a package for NSI for quite a while (Seaman to Admiral Program), but later decided I would have more of a chance to get in if I first became more competitive, IE, took a command PRT (I work my ass off in the gym every night hehe..), had a chance to get at least two eval's, and to get a sterling reputation with the command. It's not all bells and whistles man, it takes some work. I know your hopes were high, but stick with it, you'll eventually get where you want. If you want to make the Navy a career, becoming an officer is the way to do it.
As far as the ROTC program goes, I spoke with one of my officers onboard about it, who did the program. Basically, you do the ROTC and they pay your tuition and books, at the cost of one day a week you do ROTC activities, and two weeks every summer where you do a short cruise on a naval vessel at any given location. There is a huge downside to doing this however, because in his exact words, doing this ROTC -> Navy Officer program is going to land you some very stressful times. You do not learn about the ship before you go there, and I can tell you, it's going to be a huge shock to your system if you don't. As soon as you graduate and get your deploma, you owe the Navy 4 years, or as long as you chose to sign on for. Not only that, but among us enlisted men, it is common knowledge that most officers that come to the ship acting like badass Ensigns are really just kids out of college without a clue as to how the navy really works. You are basically thrust into a job that has nothing to do with your college degree, and into an environment you know nothing about. You know why he did it? Because it payed his way through college. Which is probably the case in about 90% of the officers that do that program. If you are truly intent on becoming an officer, make sure it's to better your career and your life in the navy, because I will tell you, it does not and will not lessen your work load. It will only mean you don't become a professional janitor at 0800-0830 every morning. That's about it, that and you get paid more, without the stress of the standard Enlisted Multiple Choice Rank Exams. If you want more details, or have more questions, post again, and I'll answer the best I can.
