The Recruiting Process

After coming to the realization that teaching just wasn't going to work for me, I started to look for new opportunities. This search took me in many different directions but ended up with me sitting down in front of a Navy Officer Recruiter. I had no idea what I was in for from the very start. The first real step in the process to become a Naval Officer involves taking an test called the Officer Aptitude Rating Exam (OAR). If you want to become a pilot or go into intelligence the exam has twice as many sections to complete. As I had no interest in either designation, I took the easier portion. My questions were based on three core areas; Math, Reading and Mechanical Comprehension. If anyone reading this is contemplating taking the OAR at some point in the near future, spend some time studying and taking practice sets. You want a high score as that is one of the major factors in deciding whether you are officer material.

After I took the OAR and submitted all my paperwork (there was a lot of paperwork) all I could do was sit back and wait. The officer selection boards meet on average once a month at different times for different designations. My three choices included supply, surface warfare (SWO) and oceanography. Sometimes, as in my case, the boards only review a certain number of applications, so you are tabled for the next month. This was probably the hardest time in the whole application process because nothing I did was going to make a difference at this point. I used my free time to lift weights and run since the next big step after being selected was a physical readiness test (PRT) also known as a physical readiness assessment (PRA). I am still not sure why the same test goes by two different names.

Upon being selected as an officer, I underwent an intensive medical screening, which was not fun but definitely necessary. After the screening, I reported for the PRT and actually ended up having to complete it twice before reporting for Officer Candidate School (OCS) in October. My recruiter was there for me through the whole process, he was a tremendous help in guiding me through each of the steps.