Q's about Naval Academy

[bryant808]

If a student gets into the Naval Academy and wants to be a SEAL when he gets out of college, will that person be able to keep the elite fitness needed to be a SEAL during his four years.

[bigv123]

The selection process for billets at the USNA is very different than it is for civilians entering into the military, either as enlisted or as officers. If you're interested in going to the USNA, make SURE that you kick @ss from day one in everything you do...academics, fitness, military. Everything. Merit is a major factor in the determination of these billets as well as the "Needs of the Navy" of course.

Fitness to the level necessary will be your responsibility. This is true now, as a civilian, just as it would be if you were active duty out in the fleet. YOU will have to make the time to train. Your schedule will most certainly be exceptionally busy. Remember, time management is a skill just like running a 5:00 mile or cranking out 50 pull-ups on the PST.

Just my $0.02 from my limited knowledge...
V

[matt d]

Hello, my name is Matt, and i have the same questions, and now have them answered, but wanted to know what class bryant808 is at the Academy, because i just got accepted into the class of 2012 and want to go SEALs

[bryant808]

im not accepted or nothing yet im starting my junior year next year. well good luck man i hope you have a good college career. Im still figuring out if i want to enlist or go to the academy i have time though, im just going to take it slow and make a whole hearted decision.

[matt d]

thats cool man, hopefully if you choose the academy you get in, then we could link up and train, good luck otherwise. I wanted to go to college, i felt it was the best decision for me, hopefully i become a SEAL......

[bryant808]

i guess i would be like class of 2014 if i got accepted.

[sealwife256]

My Brother-in-law graduated from the Naval Academy a couple years ago, he said that about 2.5% of the men in each class are slotted for BUD/s, about 4 out of every 160. He said that they have to show a great amount of leadership as well have the resume to prove it. Not to discourage anyone, just letting you know :)

[mmaakuma]

i guess i would be like class of 2014 if i got accepted.
When are you graduating high school? If you're 18, you should be graduating HS in 2008, 2009 at the latest. You plan on taking a break after HS?

[xfleetguy]

If a student gets into the Naval Academy and wants to be a SEAL when he gets out of college, will that person be able to keep the elite fitness needed to be a SEAL during his four years.

I don't know if this answers all you questions but it is a good read about how NSW prospects are selected when graduatin the acadamy.


Dear Parents of the Class of 2006:


CAPT Jacobsen
Photo courtesy of Trident newspaper
At long last graduation day for your sons and daughters is almost here. The spring semester of a Midshipman’s First Class year flies by almost too quickly. Sometime in late April, reality sets in midshipmen begin to understand that their four year stay on the Severn River is nearly over. The good news for your sons and daughters is that the Naval Academy, along with the other service academies, has a unique job placement program. We hire all our graduates. How our graduates are employed within the great organization known as the Naval Service is the result of what we call our Service Assignment Process.

Service assignment night is arguably the highlight of a Midshipman’s four years at USNA. A graduating Midshipman can expect to be assigned to Surface Warfare, Naval Aviation, the submarine community, Special Warfare/Operations, or the United States Marine Corps.

During a Midshipman’s four years at USNA, they are exposed to each of these communities. This is done by formal career briefings and forums, summer training experiences, fleet cruises, social events, warfare community clubs or groups, or simply meeting officers from these communities in the classroom or on the athletic field. As such, young minds are shaped and midshipmen begin to formulate career decisions and aspirations.

By October of First Class year, each Midshipman in class of ’06 was asked to input into a data base their “final warfare community preferences” regarding service assignment. This final input included listing up to six warfare communities in order of preference.

Once all this information was gathered, communities such as Naval aviation, Special Warfare/Special Operations (commonly known as SEALs and Explosive Ordnance), and the Marine Corps had higher midshipmen interest (1 st choicers) than available billets. The Naval Academy receives a certain number of quotas from each warfare community that must be filled. The communities listed above then held community selection boards to pick the “best qualified” Midshipmen for their communities.

Those Midshipmen who did not get selected to their first choice community were notified via their Company Officers that their records had been passed to their second choice communities. This process continues until all Midshipmen had a community assignment. The results of this process were briefed to the Commandant of Midshipmen and then subsequently approved by the Superintendent.

Approximately 82% of the class received their first choice and about 94% received their first or second choice. Class rank (Order of Merit) played a large role in service assignment but was not the only metric considered by community selection boards.

Congratulations to all the parents for the highly impressive achievements of your children. You have so much to be proud of as your children graduate and go off to serve this great nation. No matter what happened in their personal service selection, the fact is there are no bad choices, and all Naval Academy graduates will have the opportunity to make a major contribution to the Global War on Terrorism!

Sincerely,

CAPT Michael Jacobsen
Director of Professional Development

[irighti]

My son just graduated from USNA May, 2008, and is reporting to Coronado soon. He will be undertaking BUDS in early 2009. I understand that the 27 selected to go Special Warfare from the class of 2008 are a very good group with great fitness/toughness. 27/1037 selected for Spec/War about 2.6%. I was able to meet many of them during Graduation/Commissioning Week.

There is time to both get in and remain in a top fitness level. Time management is the key. MOM, GPA, Interviews, Passing the Screening, Leadership are all important.

You must be absolutely positive that the USNA is for you and that you will not fail at any cost in preparation for Special Warfare. Some very smart,fit young men were not selected for these slots. I met these guys also. Not a lot seperates the two groups.

irighti

[jgl1974]

Out of curiosity could a midshipmen bent on BUD/S decline his commission and fulfill his obligation by going to BUD/S as an enlisted sailor? I know you incur an enlisted obligation if you drop from USNA after a certain point.

[sealwife256]

My son just graduated from USNA May 23, 2008, and is reporting to Coronado June 23. He will be undertaking BUDS in early 2009. I understand that the 27 selected to go Special Warfare from the class of 2008 are a very good group with graet fitness/toughness. 27/1037 selected for Spec/War about 2.6%. I was able to meet many of them during Graduation/Commissioning Week.

There is time to both get in and remain in a top fitness level. Time management is the key. MOM, GPA, Interviews, Passing the Screening, Leadership are all important.

You must be absolutely positive that the USNA is for you and that you will not fail at any cost in preparation for Special Warfare. Some very smart,fit young men were not selected for these slots. I met these guys also. Not a lot seperates the two groups.

irighti

Congrats to your son, that's great!

[imddrummer]

From what I hear, the Naval Academy has a pretty good record at buds. So if you work hard and get the slot, the odds are in your favor!