SEALS from college.

[Laycock1]

Hello,

could I go to a civilian college, then attend BUDS? would it be better to join as an officer, or to join as enlisted and take the officer program later? what all does this involve? thanx

jonathan

[Grant]

Yeah, you could go to a civilian college and go to BUD/s. There are a couple of ways you could do it. 1) Go to college, then after college sign a SEAL challenge contract. You would be enlisted, not an officer, but it gives you the best possibility to get to BUD/s, because with the SEAL challenge while in basic training, if you pass the PT test, you are guaranteed a place in BUD/s. 2) Go to college, do ROTC, then apply for BUD/s. As an officer, there are no guarantees, so this is a tougher way to go. 3) Go to college, after college, enlist and apply for OCS, then after OCS, apply for BUD/s.........Overall, it seems that getting into BUD/s as an officer is alot harder, because there is no guarantee that you will get into BUD/s.

[Grant]

Yeah, you could go to a civilian college and go to BUD/s. There are a couple of ways you could do it. 1) Go to college, then after college sign a SEAL challenge contract. You would be enlisted, not an officer, but it gives you the best possibility to get to BUD/s, because with the SEAL challenge while in basic training, if you pass the PT test, you are guaranteed a place in BUD/s. 2) Go to college, do ROTC, then apply for BUD/s. As an officer, there are no guarantees, so this is a tougher way to go. 3) Go to college, after college, enlist and apply for OCS, then after OCS, apply for BUD/s.........Overall, it seems that getting into BUD/s as an officer is alot harder, because there is no guarantee that you will get into BUD/s.

[pomofo]

There's actually another option, one for which I am currently applying. It's called the Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program (BDCP). The Navy will pay you $1600 a month for the last two years of college (last three years for technical majors) and send you to OCS after you graduate. In the meantime you're considered active duty with active duty benefits but don't have to wear a uniform or anything like that. After you get your commission you have to serve 4 years active duty, 4 reserve. Talk to an officer recruiter for more details, but it sure sounded good to me.

[Daredevil]

After college you can apply for OCS with a guaranteed assignment to BUD/S. That's what I've been trying to get. But as I said under the "Colleg or no" board, it's extremely competitive. But you will take the dive physical and the PFT before you're ever in the Navy.

From what I've been able to understand talking to some SEALs, if you enlist with a degree you can still become an officer, but officer slots in the SEALs being as coveted as they are there is no guarantee you will be a SEAL officer. You may get commissioned and not even be part of the Teams anymore.

[Razor]

Pomofo,

Does the 'B' in BDCP stand for baccalaureate, or bachelor? I've never heard of a baccalaureate degree, but there's plenty I've never heard of, so please feel free to educate me.

[pomofo]

Razor,

The recruiter and most of the recruiting websites I've been to refer to it as 'Baccalaureate' others call it 'Bachelor.' They both mean the same thing. B.A. means Baccalaurei in Artibus in Latin, Bachelor of Arts in English. It's just a question of whether you want to use the Latinized version or the English version, either one's correct.

[Razor]

Thanks, Pomofo. That might come in handy next time I play "You Don't Know Jack". 8^)

[Scout]

Daredevil,

How is it possible to get a guaranteed assignment to BUD/S with OCS? Also, don't you have to go to basic before OCS?

Scout

[Bullfrog]

Scout,
You don't have to go to boot before OCS in the Navy. You're thinking of the Army. About the guarantee...if you qualify(based on PFT, grades, interview) you'll be designated a "SEAL Officer Candidate" just like future aviators are designated "Aviation Officer Candidites". Then upon completion of OCS, you'll be comissioned then sent to BUD/S.
The good thing about this system is that you know what you're going to be before hand. The bad thing is that the SEAL slots(and Aviation for that matter) are still hard as hell to get.
-Bully

[Scout]

Bullfrog,

thanks for the information. So you can just walk off the street and go to OCS? interesting. I'd think the prior service guys would have a bit of an advantage. How do with work prior service guys from other branches?

[Bullfrog]

Scout,
Well, you can't really just "walk off the street". Of course, you have to have a college degree with good grades...just to be considered for OCS. But, like I said, if you're considering one of the more highly sought after billets(i.e. SEAL, pilot, Nuke,etc.), you have to have a VERY competitive packet. For SEAL you need to have good grades, a kick-ass PFT (swim=7-8 minutes, pushups=100-120, situps=100-120, pullups=20-30, run=8:30-10:00*), and some sports related extracurricular activities. And try not to get into any legal trouble! They DO NOT like that!!
* PFT numbers are from Lt. Stew Smith-SEAL officer reruiter at USNA. He has a kick-ass book...If you're considering becoming a SEAL, get that book! www.getfitnow.com (http://www.getfitnow.com)
**Disclaimer** This is info I've collected over the past year or so in pursuit of a career as a Naval Officer...It is not official, but to my knowledge, it is accurate. HOWEVER, DO NOT base what you do on info I have provided. CALL an Officer recruiter...they are usually very helpful...
-Bully

[Bullfrog]

Scout,
I forgot to address the prior service question.
This is what I've heard. Yes, they will have a slight advantage at first when you're learning all the basic military stuff(i.e. uniforms, general orders, etc.) But, that stuff will be covered like in the first week or so. If you're smart enough to get into OCS, you're smart enough to catch-up with the prior-service guys fairly quickly. That said, I'll tell you what my Brother-in-law(a former enlisted Marine) told me. He said, "Find a prior-service guy and do everything he does." They do know the tricks of the trade.
If you want to get a jump on the memorization go here: http://www.cnet.navy.mil/nascweb/ocs/ocs.htm

*Note*-My disclaimer from above goes for this too.

[sax]

Actually, BDCP is an officer program in the Navy. One of the best from what i read about it...sounds a hell of a lot better than ROTC

[PY]

I have a buddy in BDCP...He gets paid as an E-4 every month just for going to college, but he does not have to participate in any ROTC activities...When he graduates he will go to OCS...sounds like a helluva deal

[pn]

BDCP and some of the other enlist-and-do-nothing-in-college programs are better than ROTC and the Academy in a financial sense, but your preparation as a future officer will suffer (obviously). I've been an OC1 since August, and while the financial benefits are sweet (E-6 pay is like an infinite amount of money for a college student w/ financial support), I sometimes wish that I knew what the hell people are talking about during conversations with military folks. Reading and talking with others can help, but you still miss a lot.

-pn

Unless you're one of those freaks who read Sun Tzu and Clausewitz for fun on Friday nights. Then things should be cool.