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The deadline for submitting application packages is July 1. STA-21 applicants must attend the Naval Science Institute (NSI) course at Officer Training Command (OTC), Naval Station Newport Rhode Island, prior to beginning college studies at a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) affiliated college or university. NSI is an eight-week course of intense officer preparation and indoctrination. Course enrollment is timed to allow college entrance during summer or fall semesters/quarters after selection. The STA-21 program benefits Sailors as well as the Navy. The average candidate has at least two years and in most cases more than four years of observed performance which assists in the process of selecting the most qualified Sailors to receive a commission. Additionally, STA-21 candidates are on average older than most midshipmen, bringing a maturity directly reflected in the more than 90 percent completion rate STA-21 program candidates boast. Additionally, many Sailors involved in the STA-21 program already have some college credit and some candidates finish ahead of the three years allotted to earn a degree. All of these factors - proven performance for better selection, maturity for higher completion rates, and previous college credit - save the Navy money while producing top-quality experienced Naval officers.
According to NAVADMIN 094/21, the following target options and core are open for application for the FY-22 selection board: Surface Warfare (SWO), Surface Warfare Engineering Duty (SWO/ED), Nuclear (Surface/Sub), Special Warfare, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Naval Flight Officer, Pilot, Civil Engineering Corps, Nurse Corps and Information Professional.
The following target options have zero select opportunity for FY-22: Human Resources, Intelligence, Information Warfare, Medical Corps, Supply Corps, Surface Warfare Officer/Information Professional (SWO/IP), Oceanography (OCEANO) and SWO/OCEANO.
The Nuclear (Surface/Sub) target option is now open to Sailors who are serving in the Fleet and hold an active nuclear Navy enlisted classification (NEC) (N1XO, N1XS, N2XO, N2XS) and to those Sailors who are in the nuclear training pipeline with the N91T NEC. Applicants holding a nuclear NEC must receive conditional release, in line with reference (b), if applying for an option outside the nuclear community, from the Nuclear Enlisted Community Manager (OPNAV N133D). All applicants for STA-21 nuclear option (STA-21(N)) must be able to begin their first day of class in the first semester of their course work prior to commencing their eighth year of service.
In many competitive selection processes, it is often a candidate’s extra efforts that can result in selection for the STA-21 program, Reporting seniors who feel they have a sailor with the potential to be selected by STA-21 should comment on their leadership skills and potential in their performance evaluations early in their career. These comments are highly regarded by the boards, even in junior Sailors.
All Sailors that are applying for STA-21 should have an endorsing letter from their commanding officers and include their Scholastic Aptitude Test/American College Test (SAT/ACT) scores in their packages.
This year’s NAVADMIN includes numbers from last year. It states of the 339 applications received for FY-21, only 318 were board eligible. Fifty-five were selected to participate in the FY-21 STA-21 program. Each year, packages are not considered due to non-qualifying SAT/ACT test scores, missing commanding officer (CO) endorsement/recommendation, recent non-judicial punishment, missing PFA cycles, missing or illegible submission of documents, and not meeting program age or PFA requirements.
According to NAVADMIN 094/21, minimum eligibility requirements must be met before submitting an application. Applications should be mailed only when fully completed.
Officer interview boards shall consist of three officers. The applicant’s commanding officer may not be a board member and should not submit an interview appraisal sheet. The commanding officer’s personal interview should be conducted only after the application is complete and the officer interview board has submitted their appraisals. The full picture of an applicant’s academic and officer potential can only be determined by reviewing the SAT/ACT scores, high school/college transcripts, and a completed application package.
According to NAVADMIN 094/21, the commanding officer’s endorsement is extremely important, especially the ranking of the individual among his/her peers. The endorsement should contain specifics about the individual’s academic potential, commitment, leadership, service above self, and potential as a naval officer. Commanding officer comments should specify the primary option to which the individual is applying and address how the individual meets qualifications for that option. For junior Sailors with only schoolhouse evaluations, the CO must address this issue in his or her endorsement.
Application packages must be postmarked on or before the July 1 deadline date. The deadline for submission of additional documentation to an applicant’s package is August 1. Selectees will be announced by NAVADMIN in the fall.
Due to the coronavirus disease 2019, (COVID-19) pandemic impacting Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT) availability and physical fitness assessment (PFA) testing, an exception to policy is approved for both the SAT/ACT and PFA requirements. Supplemental information for applicant submission is provided in subparagraphs 7.g and 7.h of NAVADMIN 094/21.
For questions, specific details, eligibility criteria, application requirements, and selection procedures, refer to reference (a) in NAVADMIN 094/21, contact your career counselor, or visit the MyNavy Portal at https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/career-planning link for the most up-to-date STA-21 information.
The STA-21 point of contact is Naval Service Training Command, STA-21 Program Office, at (847) 688-4607 extension 124, DSN 792 or via e-mail at pnsc_sta21@navy.mil. The point of contact for the nuclear target-option policy change is the Nuclear Enlisted Community Manager, OPNAV N133D at (703) 604-5491/DSN 664 or via e-mail at bullnuke@navy.mil.
For more information about the STA-21 program, visit https://www.sta-21.navy.mil. Applicants can find NAVADMIN 094/21 on the Navy Personnel Command website at (https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/)
For more information about NSTC, visit http://www.netc.navy.mil/nstc/. For more information on the STA-21 program, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Commnd/STA-21/.
MCC (SW/AW) Byron Linder
Naval Service Training Command Public Affairs