Can you get an Officers Commision

[os4185]

Can you still get an officers commission with a BS in Liberal Arts from Excelsior or Thomas Edison State College?

[johnjaxs]

Possibly Yes (I'm in the army, I see your Navy), my Lt has a BA in Liberal Arts, not sure the school. My only remark to you is that PT score seems to matter more then the actually degree. As I have seen people with Masters in Engineering (various disciplines) get passed over because their PT score is low, still qualifying but low. Not sure how the Navy is, but the Army bends over backwards for you if you have a high PT score.

[gingerbeefE]

Notice that you are Navy, maybe prior Navy. All the information I know is for Air Force, but short answer is Yes.

However there is limited slots for prior enlisted to OTS, they typically get their officers from the Academy--> then ROTC --> then rest of the slots though OTS with some slots reserved for prior enlisted.

To be eligible you need any baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally ( both Excelsior and TESC) or nationally accredited school


AFI36-20 there is some more info in this section that is not really applicable

Eligibility Requirements for Officer Training School (OTS). OTS applicants must:
3.2.1. Meet eligibility requirements in Chapter 1 of this AFI; Chapter 2, AFI 36-2005; and AFRS Program Announcements posted on the HQ AFRS page on the Air Force Portal website.
3.2.1.1. Have an approved Financial Eligibility Determination. Active duty Air Force applicants who have ever filed for bankruptcy should refer to the HQ AFRS page on the Air Force Portal website and the annual Active Duty BOT Announcement for further instructions.
3.2.2. Have earned a baccalaureate degree or higher or must meet one of the following conditions:
3.2.2.1. Is within 365 days of graduation from a college or university that is regionally or nationally accredited and is listed in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System located on the website College Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics, maintained by the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.
3.2.2.2. Has a degree from an institution that is both accredited and appears in either the latest edition of the Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education Directory, published annually by the American Council on Education (http://www.acenet.edu//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home), or the latest edition of the Higher Education Directory, published by Higher Education Publications, Inc. (Home | Higher Education Publications, Inc.), or any other education publication which clearly indicates regional or national accreditation.
3.4.4.1. Be between 18 and 34 years of age at the time of commissioning.

[gingerbeefE]

Also, I forgot to mention that there are a bunch of jobs where your degree does not matter. I worked at the training squadron running simulations for officer students trying to be 14B (Air battle Managers). All their majors varied from Arts to Accounting to Space studies..

[hightecrebel]

14B (Air battle Managers)

ABM's are actually 13B. Also, they are constantly undermanned. Not a bad gig if you can get it.


Hate to be that guy, but they made my life a living hell for a number of years on AWACS, to the point that 13B has become an epithet amongst my group of friends.

[purajenae]

You can get commissioned via OCS with a liberal arts degree. While certain degrees and courses may be preferred, there's no strict guidance that states possessing any particular degree type precludes you from eligibility. Read the OPNAVINST 1420.1B, and it'll give you all of the information you need.

[gingerbeefE]

ABM's are actually 13B. Also, they are constantly undermanned. Not a bad gig if you can get it.


Hate to be that guy, but they made my life a living hell for a number of years on AWACS, to the point that 13B has become an epithet amongst my group of friends.

Oops typo. my bad. All I meet is ABMs, right now I work under the RICO for Japan. Were you an ABM? It is not too large of a career field, I am sure we know some of the same people

[hightecrebel]

Oops typo. my bad. All I meet is ABMs, right now I work under the RICO for Japan. Were you an ABM? It is not too large of a career field, I am sure we know some of the same people

I was enlisted, 1A4 then 1A3 for a few months after they merged. Course, when I enlisted the 1A4 career field WAS Airborne Battle Management and we had enlisted Weapons Directors doing the same thing the 13B's did on AWACS. At some point it changed to Airborne Operations, but I have no idea when.

[gingerbeefE]

I was enlisted, 1A4 then 1A3 for a few months after they merged. Course, when I enlisted the 1A4 career field WAS Airborne Battle Management and we had enlisted Weapons Directors doing the same thing the 13B's did on AWACS. At some point it changed to Airborne Operations, but I have no idea when.

Oh, I am 1C5 Command and Control Battle Managment, I suppose same thing as you but on ground, we too have WDs. something I have no intrest in becoming.

[jramus]

I have been enlisted now for 5 years. Every single package for OCS, Academy, LDO, STA21, and a few of the other special ones for like PA, have ALL gotten picked up. Seems like a lot of people run around "saying" they will put in a package, but most do not. The package itself is a lot of work, but seems like its a slam dunk if you actually just do it.

I would say about half the designations for naval officer doesn't matter what your degree is in. Just don't pick the one that says SWO. haha