# Post choice night at the Service Academies



## Teufel (Nov 23, 2017)

When does service selection go? Any Semper Fi society types on here? I’m looking for an event schedule.


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## AWP (Nov 23, 2017)

For the record, your unintentional typo amuses me.


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## Teufel (Nov 24, 2017)

AWP said:


> For the record, your unintentional typo amuses me.


Marines!!!


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## AWP (Nov 24, 2017)

Crayon doesn't spell check well on a monitor. You get a pass.


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## Teufel (Nov 24, 2017)

AWP said:


> Crayon doesn't spell check well on a monitor. You get a pass.


I tried to lick the typo off the screen but I’m not sure that worked.


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## Marauder06 (Nov 24, 2017)

Is this the the official military ceremony where they literally pass out cupcakes to you guys?


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## Teufel (Nov 24, 2017)

Marauder06 said:


> Is this the the official military ceremony where they literally pass out cupcakes to you guys?



They don’t pass them out, you have to bob for them blindfolded in a tub filled with frosting. The color of the cupcake determines what branch you get.


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## Marauder06 (Nov 24, 2017)

lol

Navy football seniors receive service assignments, prepare for Notre Dame


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## Teufel (Nov 24, 2017)

Marauder06 said:


> lol
> 
> Navy football seniors receive service assignments, prepare for Notre Dame



Wait what?


Dammit. Real world duffelblog. It wasn’t like that when I was there. They posted a list and then the Marine Corps selectees went off to drink beer with Marine Corps alumni like Senator James Webb, Col John Ripley, and General Christmas from the battle of Hue City. This is how I feel now:


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## Teufel (Nov 24, 2017)

USNA Class of 2018 Receives Service Assignments

Looks like each company does it a little differently. 12th Company hands out color coded cupcakes with a side of frosted embarrassment. Everyone gets a color coded t shirt and certificate.


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## Gunz (Nov 24, 2017)

_"Another member of Palmore's company, one of just 34 seniors out of 1,053 to be assigned to the Navy SEALs, cried_" with joy at his future marketing and revenue potential.


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## Teufel (Nov 24, 2017)

Ocoka said:


> _"Another member of Palmore's company, one of just 34 seniors out of 1,053 to be assigned to the Navy SEALs, cried_" with joy at his future marketing and revenue potential.


They have pumped those numbers way up. I think we only had ten or twelve SEAL quotas in my class. Barnes and Noble must be putting out a pretty strong demand signal.


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## amlove21 (Nov 24, 2017)

Teufel said:


> They have pumped those numbers way up. I think we only had ten or twelve SEAL quotas in my class. Barnes and Noble must be putting out a pretty strong demand signal.


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## jackmick (Nov 27, 2017)

Service selection is always right before Thanksgiving Break. This year it was the 16th. Many companies just gather everyone in the company wardroom and announce assignments individually, but some do some unique things like the 12th with the cupcakes @Teufel mentioned. I know one that plays music associated with the respective branches (Highway to the Danger Zone for Naval Aviation for example). Most companies have facebook pages that livestream it in case anyone here is interested in watching. 

Ship selection for future SWOs is towards the end of January. That'll be livestreamed too.


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## AWP (Nov 27, 2017)

jackmick said:


> Ship selection for future SWOs is towards the end of January. That'll be livestreamed too.



How do they do that? Bring everyone together and announce who is relieved of command? Boom, future SWO?

(I kid somewhat. As we discuss here, the Navy will sack a skipper in a heartbeat.)


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## Ooh-Rah (Nov 27, 2017)

jackmick said:


> Service selection is always right before Thanksgiving Break. This year it was the 16th. Many companies just gather everyone in the company wardroom and announce assignments individually, but some do some unique things like the 12th with the cupcakes @Teufel mentioned. I know one that plays music associated with the respective branches (Highway to the Danger Zone for Naval Aviation for example). Most companies have facebook pages that livestream it in case anyone here is interested in watching.
> 
> Ship selection for future SWOs is towards the end of January. That'll be livestreamed too.


Your bio says you are just 16. How do you know all this?  I’m genuinely curious.


<whispering to myself....>
Please don’t say “from the internet”
Please don’t say “from the internet”
Please don’t say “from the internet”
Please don’t say “from the internet”


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## Teufel (Nov 27, 2017)

jackmick said:


> Service selection is always right before Thanksgiving Break. This year it was the 16th. Many companies just gather everyone in the company wardroom and announce assignments individually, but some do some unique things like the 12th with the cupcakes @Teufel mentioned. I know one that plays music associated with the respective branches (Highway to the Danger Zone for Naval Aviation for example). Most companies have facebook pages that livestream it in case anyone here is interested in watching.
> 
> Ship selection for future SWOs is towards the end of January. That'll be livestreamed too.


How do you know? Aren’t you still in high school? My service selection night was in January of my senior year so it hasn’t “always been before Thanksgiving”.


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## jackmick (Nov 27, 2017)

Teufel said:


> How do you know? Aren’t you still in high school? My service selection night was in January of my senior year so it hasn’t “always been before Thanksgiving”.


Sorry for not clarifying on that one. It has been around Thanksgiving/before break since at least 2009. 



Ooh-Rah said:


> Your bio says you are just 16. How do you know all this?  I’m genuinely curious.


I will be applying in just a few months and I am friends with several current Midshipmen. I was on campus when service selection was ramping up and got to see into the process. My apologies if I am out of place here but I figured I could add some insight into the process.


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## AWP (Nov 27, 2017)

jackmick said:


> Sorry for not clarifying on that one. It has been around Thanksgiving/before break since at least 2009.
> 
> 
> I will be applying in just a few months and I am friends with several current Midshipmen. I was on campus when service selection was ramping up and got to see into the process. My apologies if I am out of place here but I figured I could add some insight into the process.



The Marine officer/ NA grad in this thread wasn't doing enough? 

Don't answer. Chalk all of this up as a learning point and move on.


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## Marauder06 (Nov 28, 2017)

jackmick said:


> Most companies have facebook pages that livestream it in case anyone here is interested in watching.
> 
> Ship selection for future SWOs is towards the end of January. That'll be livestreamed too.



I think I have one of the videos you mention.  @Teufel it's even better than cupcakes!


Meanwhile in the Navy Graduation Ceremony...watch our new officer coming through! - The Grand Report


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## Gunz (Nov 28, 2017)

Marauder06 said:


> I think I have one of the videos you mention.  @Teufel it's even better than cupcakes!
> 
> 
> Meanwhile in the Navy Graduation Ceremony...watch our new officer coming through! - The Grand Report




Sweet Christ Jesus...somebody give me frag. Pull the pin first, let the spoon fly, count to three and drop it right the fuck in my lap.


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## SaintKP (Nov 28, 2017)

A joke about seaman and sailors come to mind


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## Red Flag 1 (Nov 28, 2017)

[QUOT.


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## Teufel (Nov 28, 2017)

Hey it’s not gay underway. It’s also authorized now!


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## NFB19 (Nov 29, 2017)

Late to the game on this one. Yes, service selection night was before Thanksgiving break. Different from other years, there was a Marine Air draft. As you mention, sir @Teufel, the numbers for SEAL selects have gone up. I've been told because the Academy selects have better success rates, but even in the past few years our success rate has gone down and those of ROTC/OCS selects have gone up.


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## Ooh-Rah (Jun 2, 2018)

Thought I'd put this here.  Kinda cool, I had no idea.


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## Teufel (Jun 2, 2018)

I heard there is no drinking at 2 for 7 or for service selection night. I drank with Jim Webb, Col Ripley from Dong Ha, and General Christmas from Hue City on my service selection night.


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## NFB19 (Jun 3, 2018)

No drinking for 2 for 7. The firsties are authorized town liberty to celebrate on service selection night though.


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## CDG (Jun 3, 2018)

They have to wait until they're on the bridge of a ship, e.g. USS Fitzgerald, to start drinking.


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## AWP (Jun 3, 2018)

CDG said:


> They have to wait until they're on the bridge of a ship, e.g. USS Fitzgerald, to start drinking.


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## Teufel (Jun 3, 2018)

NFB19 said:


> No drinking for 2 for 7. The firsties are authorized town liberty to celebrate on service selection night though.


We had an event on the yard with free beer and Marine Corps alumni.


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## digrar (Jun 3, 2018)

Ooh-Rah said:


> Thought I'd put this here.  Kinda cool, I had no idea.




I feel for number 256, walking up last with one ship left on the board.


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## Ooh-Rah (Jun 3, 2018)

digrar said:


> I feel for number 256, walking up last with one ship left on the board.



In the NFL the last pick is called "Mr. Irrelevant" and it's kind of a big deal. (in a positive way).  Guessing that being Mr. Irrelevant at the Academy would be a drastically different type of recognition.


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## AWP (Jun 3, 2018)

Ooh-Rah said:


> In the NFL the last pick is called "Mr. Irrelevant" and it's kind of a big deal. (in a positive way).  Guessing that being Mr. Irrelevant at the Academy would be a drastically different type of recognition.



Still an Ensign, just like an NFL player is in the NFL. The odds may be long, but "time to put in that work."

What's the worst case for an Academy graduate, minus being a SWO in INDOPACOM or whatever? You have the NA on your resume, the degree, and whatever you did repaying your obligation? There are tens of thousands of Americans who would kill to be in that situation.


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## Ooh-Rah (Jun 3, 2018)

digrar said:


> I feel for number 256, walking up last with one ship left on the board.



I think I feel more for the ship captain who is last to be chosen.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 3, 2018)

Ooh-Rah said:


> I think I feel more for the ship captain who is last to be chosen.



Meh, he probably won't have the job long enough to worry about it anyway.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 3, 2018)

For the first time in the five years I've been here, West Point did "draft style" post selection.  "Here's a list of all the slots by branch, here's the OML.  Go."

Cadets had the list of slots well in advance and they all know their position on the OML, and they are allowed to negotiate with each other in advance, so there weren't a whole lot of surprises.  But I heard there were a few spoilers...


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## BloodStripe (Jun 3, 2018)

AWP said:


> Still an Ensign, just like an NFL player is in the NFL. The odds may be long, but "time to put in that work."
> 
> What's the worst case for an Academy graduate, minus being a SWO in INDOPACOM or whatever? You have the NA on your resume, the degree, and whatever you did repaying your obligation? There are tens of thousands of Americans who would kill to be in that situation.



I think of CAPT Mike Abrahshoff. Graduated near bottom of his class and ended up becoming the junior most CO in the Pacific Fleet at the time.


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## DA SWO (Jun 3, 2018)

Marauder06 said:


> For the first time in the five years I've been here, West Point did "draft style" post selection.  "Here's a list of all the slots by branch, here's the OML.  Go."
> 
> Cadets had the list of slots well in advance and they all know their position on the OML, and they are allowed to negotiate with each other in advance, so there weren't a whole lot of surprises.  But I heard there were a few spoilers...


That might be a good way to run it.
What gets offered as trade material?


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## Ooh-Rah (Jun 3, 2018)

DA SWO said:


> What gets offered as trade material?


Don’t ask don’t tell.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 3, 2018)

DA SWO said:


> That might be a good way to run it.
> What gets offered as trade material?



I'm not sure that any goods or services actually change hands, they all indicate preferences and then if there are situations where someone really wants a particular assignment, either because their fiancee is there / is going there or for other reasons, they talk it out and sometimes make changes.


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## Devildoc (Jun 3, 2018)

NavyBuyer said:


> I think of CAPT Mike Abrahshoff. Graduated near bottom of his class and ended up becoming the junior most CO in the Pacific Fleet at the time.



He turned out all right. He was a great captain, and an exceptional officer.

That said, the young Ensign McCain of Vietnam notoriety graduated not at the bottom but close to it, and he was a shity officer.


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## Teufel (Jun 3, 2018)

AWP said:


> Still an Ensign, just like an NFL player is in the NFL. The odds may be long, but "time to put in that work."
> 
> What's the worst case for an Academy graduate, minus being a SWO in INDOPACOM or whatever? You have the NA on your resume, the degree, and whatever you did repaying your obligation? There are tens of thousands of Americans who would kill to be in that situation.


It probably just means overseas assignment on a smaller vessel. Lots of Mids want to get assigned to the big decks because it sounds cool, until they realize that carrier life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.


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## Teufel (Jun 3, 2018)

Devildoc said:


> He turned out all right. He was a great captain, and an exceptional officer.
> 
> That said, the young Ensign McCain of Vietnam notoriety graduated not at the bottom but close to it, and he was a shity officer.


I graduated in the bottom third of my class. I think the government got a decent return on investment.


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## Devildoc (Jun 3, 2018)

Teufel said:


> I graduated in the bottom third of my class. I think the government got a decent return on investment.



I would consider Abrahshoff and McCain to be on the opposite extremes of military success. I figured most people would be in the middle. That ol' bell curve strikes again.  Most people are excellent officers and are right in the middle of two extremes.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 3, 2018)

Teufel said:


> I graduated in the bottom third of my class. I think the government got a decent return on investment.



Yeah I think you did OK.  ;)

Some people who make good students don't make such good leaders.  That's one of the reasons I have mixed feelings about allowing Academy grads to run off to do scholarships before they start doing their service time.


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## digrar (Jun 3, 2018)

Ooh-Rah said:


> I think I feel more for the ship captain who is last to be chosen.



At what point do you think he sends his orderly off to put the sword and hat back in the car?


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## Teufel (Jun 3, 2018)

Marauder06 said:


> Yeah I think you did OK.  ;)
> 
> Some people who make good students don't make such good leaders.  That's one of the reasons I have mixed feelings about allowing Academy grads to run off to do scholarships before they start doing their service time.


Some of my classmates did extremely well at the academy and not so well at war. They were so talented that the academy didn’t really challenge them in the same way it did me, and they never failed at anything in their lives...until they went to war. Everyone fails in war, at some level, and you have to learn to get back up and keep going no matter what. I learned that lesson at the academy, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to do so in an academic setting and not a life or death situation.


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