RTAUZOVW RHHMDBY8481 0911723-UUUU--RHMFIUU. ZNR UUUUU R 011610Z APR 05 PSN 718383H30 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN ZEN/NAVADMIN @ AL NAVADMIN(UC) INFO ZEN/CNO CNO BT UNCLAS ***THIS IS A 2 SECTION MESSAGE COLLATED BY DMDS*** SUBJ: FY06 SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL-21 PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT PASS TO OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00T// TO NAVADMIN UNCLAS //N01530// NAVADMIN 063/05 MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00T/APR// SUBJ/FY06 SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL-21 PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT// REF/A/DOC/OPNAV/02MAY2003// AMPN/REF A IS OPNAVINST 1420.1A, ENLISTED TO OFFICER COMMISSIONING PROGRAMS APPLICATION ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL.// POC/M. PAROS/CIV/NSTC OD213/LOC:PENSACOLA, FL/TEL:(850) 452-9563 /TEL:DSN 922-9563/EMAIL:MICHAEL.PAROS@NAVY.MIL// PAGE 02 RUEWMFU8481 UNCLAS RMKS/1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS NAVADMIN IS TO SOLICIT APPLICATIONS AND PROVIDE APPLICATION GUIDANCE FOR THE FY06 SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL-21 (STA-21) COMMISSIONING PROGRAM. STA-21 REPLACED THE ENLISTED COMMISSIONING PROGRAM (ECP), BROADENED OPPORTUNITY FOR OFFICER SELECTION AND TRAINING PROGRAM (BOOST), SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL (STA) PROGRAM, AND FLEET ACCESSIONS TO THE NAVAL RESERVE OFFICERS TRAINING CORPS (NROTC) SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. PARTICIPANTS IN THESE LEGACY PROGRAMS CANNOT TRANSITION TO STA-21. CHANGES TO THE FY06 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE OUTLINED IN PARA 9. 2. STA-21 CONSISTS OF THE STA-21 CORE OPTION AND STA-21 TARGET OPTION PROGRAMS. THE CORE OPTION ALLOWS OFFICER COMMUNITY ASSIGNMENT TO AN UNRESTRICTED LINE DESIGNATOR WITHIN THE FINAL YEAR OF COLLEGE, BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE NAVY, INDIVIDUAL QUALIFICATIONS, APTITUDE, EXPERIENCE, AND PREFERENCES. A LIMITED NUMBER OF STA-21 TARGET OPTION BILLETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN JOINING THE FOLLOWING COMMUNITIES UPON ENTRY INTO STA-21: NUCLEAR (SURFACE OR SUBMARINE), AVIATION (PILOT), AVIATION (NAVAL FLIGHT OFFICER), SURFACE WARFARE (SWO), SPECIAL OPERATIONS (SPECOPS), SPECIAL WARFARE (SPECWAR), NURSE CORPS (NC), SUPPLY CORPS (SC), SPECIAL DUTY OFFICER (INTELLIGENCE), SPECIAL DUTY PAGE 03 RUEWMFU8481 UNCLAS OFFICER (INFORMATION WARFARE (FORMERLY CRYPTOLOGY)), AND CIVIL ENGINEER CORPS (CEC). THOSE WHO ARE NOT SELECTED FOR THESE TARGET OPTIONS WILL, IF DESIRED, BE CONSIDERED FOR THE STA-21 CORE OPTION. EXCEPT FOR SUBMARINES AND SPECIAL WARFARE, STA-21 IS OPEN TO BOTH GENDERS. DETAILS OF ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES CAN BE FOUND IN REF A. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS FOR THE FY06 STA-21 PROGRAM IS 1 JUL 2005. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION TO AN APPLICANT'S PACKAGE IS 1 AUG 2005. NO ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS CAN BE ADDED AFTER THIS DATE. THE SELECTION BOARD WILL MEET DURING SEP 2005 AND NAMES OF SELECTEES WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY NAVADMIN IN OCT 2005. 3. STA-21 IS A FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION AND COMMISSIONING PROGRAM OPEN TO ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF ALL PAYGRADES AND RATINGS WHO MEET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN REF A AND PARA 9 OF THIS MESSAGE. SELECTEES ARE PROVIDED A MAXIMUM OF 36 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND STUDY TO COMPLETE A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE. STA-21 IS INTENDED FOR SAILORS INTERESTED IN EARNING A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE AND A COMMISSION AS A NAVAL OFFICER. PARTICIPANTS WILL REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY WHILE ATTENDING COLLEGE AND RECEIVE UP TO $10,000 PER YEAR TO COVER TUITION, FEES, AND PAGE 04 RUEWMFU8481 UNCLAS BOOK COSTS. WHILE ATTENDING COLLEGE, STA-21 PARTICIPANTS WILL BECOME MEMBERS OF, AND DRILL WITH, AN NROTC UNIT. 4. A LIMITED NUMBER OF SELECTEES WILL BE CHOSEN TO ATTEND A THREE OR SIX MONTH INDIVIDUALIZED PROGRAM OF STUDY AT BOOST SCHOOL IN NEWPORT, RI, TO ASSIST IN TRANSITION TO COLLEGE. 5. EN ROUTE TO THEIR UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENT, ALL STA-21 OFFICER CANDIDATES WILL ATTEND NAVAL SCIENCE INSTITUTE (NSI), THE EIGHT WEEK COURSE OF INTENSIVE OFFICER PREPARATION AND INDOCTRINATION, PRIOR TO BEGINNING COLLEGE STUDIES AT AN NROTC-AFFILIATED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. NSI WILL BE CONDUCTED PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND TIMED TO ALLOW COLLEGE ENTRANCE DURING FALL, SPRING, OR SUMMER SEMESTERS/QUARTERS. FOLLOWING DEGREE COMPLETION, STA-21 PARTICIPANTS WILL BE APPOINTED AS AN ENSIGN, USN, ACTIVE-DUTY LIST. 6. COMMANDING OFFICERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO IDENTIFY THEIR BEST AND BRIGHTEST SAILORS NOW AND COUNSEL THEM TO BEGIN PREPARATIONS FOR STA-21. FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY SAILORS SHOULD BE URGED TO EXCEL AS NAVAL PROFESSIONALS. THEY SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO EARN COLLEGE CREDITS THROUGH THE NAVY COLLEGE PROGRAM AND SHOULD TAKE COLLEGE COURSES, ESPECIALLY MATHEMATICS THAT WILL PREPARE THEM FOR CALCULUS AND CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS. COMMANDS SHOULD ENSURE EACH PAGE 05 RUEWMFU8481 UNCLAS SAILOR IS THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND IS PERSONALLY COUNSELED ON THE TOPICS OF TUITION COST, SELECTIVE REENLISTMENT BONUS (SRB) ENTITLEMENTS AND SPECIAL PAY REQUIREMENTS. SAILORS WHO REENLIST/EXECUTE EXTENSIONS FOR SRB PRIOR TO APPLYING FOR THE PROGRAM WILL HAVE REMAINING INSTALLMENTS SUSPENDED AS OF THEIR CLASS CONVENING DATE IN EITHER BOOST OR NSI, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. SRB ENTITLEMENTS FOR ELIGIBLE MEMBERS WHO REENLIST/EXTEND AFTER APPLYING FOR THE PROGRAM (COMMAND ENDORSEMENT DATE) WILL BE HELD PENDING SELECTION RESULTS. MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT SELECTED FOR THE PROGRAM MAY THEN RECEIVE SRB. MEMBERS WHO ARE SELECTED FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM OR WHO WITHDRAW FROM THE PROGRAM AFTER STARTING WILL LOSE ALL SRB ENTITLEMENT. MEMBERS WHO ARE DROPPED FROM THE PROGRAM AND RETURN TO ENLISTED STATUS WILL RECEIVE THE REMAINING SRB INSTALLMENTS PER REF A (PARA 5B). FINALLY, AS IT USUALLY TAKES AT LEAST FOUR TO SIX WEEKS TO OBTAIN SAT/ACT TEST RESULTS, EARLY REGISTRATION AND TESTING IS ESSENTIAL. SAILORS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF STUDY MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST THEM IN OBTAINING COMPETITIVE TEST SCORES. ALTHOUGH SCORES ARE ACCEPTED FROM TESTS UP TO THREE YEARS PRIOR TO THE 1 JUL DEADLINE, IF ADVANTAGEOUS, RETAKING TESTS TO ACHIEVE HIGHER SCORES IS RECOMMENDED. PAGE 06 RUEWMFU8481 UNCLAS 7. OUTSTANDING POTENTIAL IS PARAMOUNT FOR SELECTION TO STA-21. IT IS EXPECTED THAT EXPERIENCED SAILORS WHO APPLY TO STA-21 WILL HAVE A RECORD OF SUPERB FLEET PERFORMANCE. HOWEVER, EVEN THE MOST JUNIOR SAILORS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR SELECTION BASED UPON THEIR PERFORMANCE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE, INCLUDING THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS OUTSIDE OF THE NAVY THAT INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS AS OFFICERS. APPLICANTS MUST ALSO DEMONSTRATE ACADEMIC POTENTIAL TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE. 8. AS THE NAVY CONTINUES TO INCORPORATE CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY INTO ITS SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES, MORE TECHNICALLY SKILLED OFFICERS WILL BE REQUIRED. PURSUIT OF A TECHNICAL MAJOR BY STA-21 PARTICIPANTS IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO ENHANCE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. ALL STA-21 OFFICER CANDIDATES, EXCEPT NC OPTION, WILL COMPLETE TWO SEMESTERS EACH OF CALCULUS AND CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS. APPLICANTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT SAT OR ACT UNCLAS SUBJ: FY06 SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL-21 PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT ASSESSMENT SCORES AND ALL HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS WITH THEIR APPLICATIONS. MINIMUM SAT SCORE FOR STA-21 ELIGIBILITY IS 1,000 (MATH - 500 AND VERBAL - 500) OR 41 ON THE ACT ASSESSMENT (MATH - 21 AND ENGLISH - 20). THE NEW SAT TEST CHANGED THE VERBAL SECTION TO CRITICAL READING AND ADDED A SECTION ON WRITING. MINIMUM SCORES FROM THE NEW SAT FOR ELIGIBILITY ARE 500-MATH AND 500-CRITICAL READING. NUCLEAR OPTION APPLICANTS MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF 1,140 SAT (COMBINED) OR 50 ACT (COMBINED). APPLICATION PACKAGES RECEIVED WITHOUT THE PROPER SAT OR ACT ASSESSMENT SCORES WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED UNLESS THE COMMANDING OFFICER'S ENDORSEMENT PROVIDES A COMPELLING REASON AND JUSTIFICATION FOR THE LATE SUBMISSION. APPROVAL OF EACH PAGE 02 RUEWMFU8482 UNCLAS INDIVIDUAL'S ACADEMIC MAJOR AND DEGREE PLAN WILL BE MADE BY NAVAL SERVICE TRAINING COMMAND (NSTC/OD2) FOLLOWING SELECTION NOTIFICATION AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENT. 9. CHANGES FOR THE FY06 STA-21 APPLICATION ARE AS FOLLOWS: A. APPLICATION PACKAGE MUST INCLUDE APPLICANT'S LAST THREE PFA RESULTS. RESULTS WILL INCLUDE RAW SCORES FOR EACH PORTION OF THE TEST AS WELL AS HEIGHT/WEIGHT AND/OR BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT. RECOMMEND INFORMATION BE PRINTED OUT OF PHYSICAL READINESS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (PRIMS). B. CORE OPTION APPLICANTS MUST BE 18 YEARS OLD AND MUST BE ABLE TO COMPLETE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS AND BE COMMISSIONED PRIOR TO AGE 27. WAIVERS MAY BE GRANTED UP TO AGE 29 OR AS SPECIFIC OPTION PROGRAM AUTHORIZATIONS ALLOW. C. PILOT APPLICANTS MUST ACHIEVE A MINIMUM SCORE OF FOUR ON ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION RATING (AQR) AND FIVE ON THE PILOT FLIGHT APTITUDE RATING (PFAR) PORTIONS OF THE AVIATION SELECTION TEST BATTERY (ASTB). PILOT OPTION APPLICANTS MUST BE AT LEAST 19 YEARS OLD, ABLE TO COMPLETE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS, AND WILL NOT HAVE PASSED THEIR 27TH BIRTHDAY ON COMMISSIONING. FOR APPLICANTS WITH PRIOR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY SERVICE, WAIVERS MAY BE GRANTED ON A MONTH- PAGE 03 RUEWMFU8482 UNCLAS FOR-MONTH BASIS UP TO 24 MONTHS FOR ACTIVE DUTY SERVED PRIOR TO THEIR 27TH BIRTHDAY, TO A MAXIMUM AGE OF 29. FOR APPLICANTS WHO WILL BE OLDER THAN 27 AT COMMISSIONING, A FORMAL WAIVER REQUEST MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THE APPLICANT'S PACKAGE. NSTC WILL FORWARD ALL FORMAL WAIVER REQUESTS TO PERS-435A FOR REVIEW. D. NFO OPTION APPLICANTS MUST ACHIEVE A MINIMUM SCORE OF FOUR ON AQR AND FIVE ON THE NAVAL FLIGHT OFFICER FLIGHT APTITUDE RATING (FOFAR) PORTIONS OF THE ASTB. NFO OPTION APPLICANTS MUST BE AT LEAST 19 YEARS OLD, ABLE TO COMPLETE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS, AND WILL NOT HAVE PASSED THEIR 27TH BIRTHDAY ON COMMISSIONING. FOR APPLICANTS WITH PRIOR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY SERVICE, WAIVERS MAY BE GRANTED ON A MONTH-FOR-MONTH BASIS UP TO 48 MONTHS FOR ACTIVE DUTY SERVED PRIOR TO THEIR 27TH BIRTHDAY, TO A MAXIMUM AGE OF 31. FOR APPLICANTS WHO WILL BE OLDER THAN 27 AT COMMISSIONING, A FORMAL WAIVER REQUEST MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THE APPLICANT'S PACKAGE. NSTC WILL FORWARD ALL FORMAL WAIVER REQUESTS TO PERS-435A. E. SWO OPTION APPLICANTS MUST NOT HAVE PASSED THEIR 28TH BIRTHDAY AT COMMISSIONING. WAIVERS BEYOND AGE 28 WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. F. PRIOR TO SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION, NC OPTION APPLICANTS PAGE 04 RUEWMFU8482 UNCLAS MUST HAVE COMPLETED REQUIRED UNDERGRADUATE NURSING PREREQUISITE COURSES WITH A MINIMUM OF 45 QUARTERS (OR 30 SEMESTER HOURS) AND POSSESS A CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) OF 2.5 ON A 4.0 SCALE. CREDIT HOURS MAY BE A COMBINATION OF TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM COURSES, COLLEGE LEVEL ENTRY PROGRAM (CLEP) CREDIT, ON-LINE OR DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS, OR MILITARY TRAINING CREDITS, PROVIDED THE SCHOOL TO WHICH THE APPLICATION IS MADE ACCEPTS THE NON-TRADITIONAL CREDITS. G. SC OPTION APPLICANTS MUST BE ABLE TO COMPLETE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS AND BE COMMISSIONED PRIOR TO AGE 27. H. SPECOPS OPTION APPLICANTS MUST HAVE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING NECS: 5332, 5333, 5334, 5335, 5336, 5337, 5342, OR 5343 TO BE ELIGIBLE. I. INFORMATION WARFARE OPTION (FORMERLY CRYPTOLOGY) IS OPEN TO ALL RATINGS FOR CANDIDATES POSSESSING INFORMATION WARFARE SKILLS IN THE AREAS OF SIGNALS, FOREIGN LANGUAGES (EMPHASIS ON MIDDLE AND FAR EASTERN LANGUAGES) AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES AND NETWORKS. J. ALL OTHER TARGET OPTIONS ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS REMAIN AS LISTED IN REF A. STA-21 GRADUATES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE IMMEDIATE GRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAM (IGEP). PAGE 05 RUEWMFU8482 UNCLAS 10. SAILORS WHO HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE AND DESIRE A COMMISSION SHOULD APPLY TO OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL (OCS). THE MEDICAL ENLISTED COMMISSIONING PROGRAM (MECP) IS NOT IMPACTED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF STA-21, AND WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE TO INTERESTED PERSONNEL. 11. LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE FY05 STA-21 SELECTION PROCESS AND BOARD ARE PROVIDED BELOW TO HELP AVOID ERRORS. ALTHOUGH OVER 1,188 APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED, ONLY 1,031 WERE BOARD ELIGIBLE. OF THOSE, A TOTAL OF 186 WERE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FY05 STA-21 PROGRAM. WHILE IT IS APPARENT THAT COMMANDS ARE TAKING A MORE THOROUGH APPROACH TO PACKAGE PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION PROCEDURES, EACH YEAR PACKAGES ARE STILL NOT CONSIDERED DUE TO NON-QUALIFYING SAT/ACT TEST SCORES, NON-SUBMISSION OF SAT/ACT TEST SCORES, OMISSION OF CO'S ENDORSEMENT, RECENT OCCURRENCE OF NON-JUDICIAL PUNISHMENT (NJP), OR INELIGIBLY SUBMITTED OR MISSING DOCUMENTS. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT APPLICANTS MEET MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. THE SELECTION PROCESS IS EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE AND APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE MAILED ONLY WHEN FULLY COMPLETE. OFFICER INTERVIEW BOARDS AND THE COMMANDING OFFICER'S PERSONAL INTERVIEW SHOULD BE CONDUCTED ONCE THE APPLICATION PACKAGE PAGE 06 RUEWMFU8482 UNCLAS IS COMPLETELY ASSEMBLED. THE FULL PICTURE OF AN APPLICANT'S ACADEMIC POTENTIAL CAN ONLY BE DETERMINED BY REVIEWING THE SAT/ACT SCORES AND HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS. SAILORS SHOULD ADDRESS ANY HARDSHIPS OR UNIQUE EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE SHAPED THEIR CHARACTER. SAILORS SHOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE THAT MAY NOT APPEAR ON THEIR HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS SUCH AS INVOLVEMENT IN SPORTS, CLUBS, VOLUNTEER WORK, ETC. THE CO'S ENDORSEMENT AND RECOMMENDATION WEIGHS HEAVILY IN THE SELECTION BOARD'S DECISION PROCESS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CO'S ENDORSEMENT AND RECOMMENDATION ADDRESS ANY KNOWN DISCREPANCIES IN THE APPLICATION, (I.E., LACK OF TRANSCRIPTS, MISSING OR GAPS IN EVALUATIONS, PRIOR ATTEMPTS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS OR COMMISSIONING PROGRAMS). CO'S ENDORSEMENTS SHOULD PROVIDE THOROUGH DETAILS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR JUNIOR SAILORS WITH ONLY SCHOOLHOUSE EVALUATIONS. 12. I CHALLENGE ALL COMMANDING OFFICERS, COMMAND CAREER COUNSELORS AND SENIOR ENLISTED MEMBERS TO ENCOURAGE ALL QUALIFIED SAILORS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS GREAT PROGRAM. 13. QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO COMMAND CAREER COUNSELORS OR TO MR. M. PAROS, NSTC (OD2), AT (850) PAGE 07 RUEWMFU8482 UNCLAS 452-9563/9388; DSN 922-9563/9388 OR EMAIL: MICHAEL.PAROS@NAVY.MIL. 14. APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE MAILED TO: COMMANDER NAVAL SERVICE TRAINING COMMAND (OD2/STA-21) 250 DALLAS STREET, STE A PENSACOLA, FL 32508-5268 15. RELEASED BY VADM J. K. MORAN, DIRECTOR OF NAVAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING.// BT #8482 NNNN