How To Create a Great
LDO or CWO Application Package

In 1998, as a senior First Class Petty Officer in charge of a base supply department in San Diego, I had the pleasure of talking with a young Boatswain Mate Second Class Petty Officer who absolutely amazed me.  Here was this hard-charging sailor who had no idea what she wanted out of life, and chose to join the Navy to work out a path to take.

This BM2, to my surprise, had two Bachelor Degrees and, unsurprisingly, was our #1 ranked PO2 at the command. 

Then, on overnight base security duty one day, she found a web site online.  It talked about all the details to apply for Officer Candidate School (OCS) and immediately she printed out the instruction and came to my office.

Asking for advice, and assistance with creating her application package, I was happy to oblige.  Not long after, I was enormously proud to be standing at the commissioning ceremony of the Navy’s newest Ensign within the Intelligence Community. 

Stories like this happen to great enlisted sailors every year.  And no matter the officer program – OCS, STA-21 or Limited Duty Officer (LDO) – Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) – there are things you can be aware of which will create that great application package for either program, and put you on your own path of life.

Recently, I attended an open briefing given by an officer who personally sat on the most recent LDO/CWO Selection Board.  So what follows are some recommended items to be aware for what a selection board reviews, how they review it, and how you can possibly improve your chances for selection.  Candidates wishing to apply for OCS or STA-21 programs could heed this same advice:

LDO/CWO PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS –

Limited Duty Officer: Open to E6 through E9 personnel; 8-16 years of service; and must be CPO Selection Board Eligible for E6s.

Chief Warrant Officer:  Open to E7 through E9 personnel; including E6 frocked to E7; and 12-24 years of service.

YOUR SERVICE RECORD REVIEW -

PERFORMANCE -

• Take a hard look at your Promotion Rankings and Strength of the Written Portion of your Evaluation(s).  Be honest if you think you have what it takes.or need to accomplish further training and effort.

• "Initiative" was a big item for both boards.  Meaning: do other things at your command(s), not just your job.  And if you take Department or Command Collateral Duties...take the hard duties and participate in the hard command functions that need dedicated sailors.  Then ensure it is documented and mentioned in your evaluations.

• Take challenging assignments...recruiting duty, instructor, independent duty, etc.  No matter if the duty is out-of-rate, if it is challenging and you perform extremely well, that looks good to the board(s).

• Warfare Qualifications - enough known and expected on this.  If you have been assigned to a CG and a CVN, and only have a ESWS pin...the board will wonder why.

POTENTIAL -

• The strength of your Commanding Officer's Endorsement on your Application Package is a huge key to your success to have your record make the final selection process of either program.  The board can see through "fluff".  Your CO can even make remarks and mention tidbits about your record and previous commands...this was highly recommended!....as the board wishes to see the CO's opinion on a sailors' career as a whole.

• The Interview Board of 3 naval officers for inclusion in your application packages is also looked at in detail.  Biggest item: have at least one officer from the designator you are applying for on the board.  If not, request the officers mention this point, with opinion, in their appraisals.

• Community Involvement - not a huge point-getter...rather small, actually.  But better to have some than a "0" marked on this. Should be mentioned in short sentences on your evaluations. 

AWARDS -

• Always do a review of your Personal Summary Record (PSR) and Electronic Training Jacket (ETJ) to ensure all the awards you have earned are listed in your record.  This should be done at least 6 months prior to the application due date.  Review the BUPERS web site for procedure on how to update your Service Record, if required.

EDUCATION -

• Both LDO and CWO are programs for enlisted personnel that DO NOT require a college degree.  And this is true, even when you see the averages presented at the briefing on how personnel DID have a degree that were selected.  In most designators, the average was SOME college education...mostly around the 1 year mark.  And this you can accumulate, after 8-12 years in the Navy by College ACE Credits that you qualify for under your particular rating.  Plus: continue to take whatever courses are available for your rating throughout your career....including the online Navy Knowledge Online (NKO) Correspondence Courses.

OTHER ITEMS & POINTS MENTIONED -

• Remember when putting together your package, your CO's Endorsement, and choosing a particular designator:  LDOs are chosen as the "Leaders" for the Navy's future, and CWOs are chosen as the "Technical Experts".  Formulate your own statement for the package by knowing this.
• Take a good look at your entire career's evaluations (PSR or ETJ shows all in detail) and see where your final evaluation marks compare with the particular "Reporting Seniors' Cumulative Trait Average" for that rank.  This is a tell-tale sign if you have what it takes to be selected in the next group of LDOs and CWOs.
• Hard Break-outs of Rankings were also important.  Meaning at Large Commands, the board liked to see mentions in evaluations on who were the real performers, no matter if marked EPs or MPs.  Now this does mean that if you are at a Small Command that the board may not see a Hard Break-out for you....but your Commanding Officer can make mention of this in his/her endorsement.  Also: when transfering with a "1 of 1", and NOT getting a good ranking evaluation in your record, it is good for your Reporting Senior to mention something like: "if ranked against all other E-7s at this command, would be 2 of 10".
• Don't make it look, on your evaluations, that you have developed a "comfort zone"....meaning, happy to do the same types of jobs at every command you are assigned to.  Do other things.
• Big Sellers:  Sea Duty and Multi-Warfare Qualifications.
• Apply ONLY for LDO or CWO Designators that you "qualify for".  Meaning: that you have U.S. Navy Experience in.  For example, you may be a YN but were in Criminal Justice prior to joining the Navy...and may even have a Criminal Justice Degree…doesn't matter. Boards want to see what Navy experience you have gathered over your Navy career.
• The Boards look at mis-matches of application package information and your Evaluation/Fitrep rankings.  Such as:  You were ranked 1 of 8 of E-7s on your last evaluation period, but for command candiates applying for LDO/CWO, your CO ranked you 6 of 7.
• Your service record and evaluations should show "leadership-type" of job positions....LPO, LCPO, etc. 
• Points gathered by the Number Of Correspondence Courses completed over your career, including Number of Training Schools.
• The Board looks at comparison of Number of Duty Stations in your career, to the Number of Sea or Overseas Duty Completed.  Most designators at percentage was HALF...i.e. 6 duty stations and 3 were sea/overseas.

Officer Programs Open to Qualified Enlisted Personnel – Web Sites:

OPNAVINST 1420.1:  Click Here

Seaman to Admiral – 21 Program: Click Here

Officer Candidate School (OCS): Click Here
U.S. Navy OCS Foundation Forum: http://www.usnavyocs.com

Limited Duty Officer / Chief Warrant Officer: Click Here
Navy Mustangs.com:  http://navymustangs.com/