'06 Cwo

[DCCS Todd Holcomb]

Alright I'll get this started. Got my CWO profile today, The EVAL PRE_BOARD SCORE, I'm not sure how it's derived. Mine is about 30 lower points than it was in 04 when I applied for CWO. My TOTAL PRE-BOARD score is 214.39, for all the DC's looking.

I didn't apply last year and was honestly expecting a higher number this time. My actual TOTAL PRE-BOARD score is only about 25 points higher than 2 years ago. My TIG, TIS and all that jazz is correct so I don't get it. My marks are higher.

I'm not exactly sure which career path I want to take, I'm taking the SWE for 8. Ideally it would be great to be above the cut for both and have to decide, but it'll come down to jobs. But with my TOTAL PRE-BOARD score I may not have to worry about CWO being an option this year.

Please chime in, especially any DC's who also are applying for CWO.

IT'S ALL ABOUT OPTIONS!!!!!!!!!! :D


Todd

[ETCM Joseph Harold]

I'm not exactly sure which career path I want to take, I'm taking the SWE for 8. Ideally it would be great to be above the cut for both and have to decide, but it'll come down to jobs. But with my TOTAL PRE-BOARD score I may not have to worry about CWO being an option this year.

Also a good position to be in is above the cut for E8 and within the predictor for CWO. That way, it is feasible to make E8 first and then get offered the commission down the line. You can make that decision when it comes.

For me, I choose to take the path less traveled and have not regretted it a bit. I think this is my last year of being banned from CWO competition, not that I would even consider going for CWO now.

Good luck,

[DCCS Brett Wickett]

Well mine was 203.81, not as ood as I wanted it to be. So good thing I am taking the 8 test again.....Todd, I am like you, would like to be above on both, but don't see it happening. I didn't apply last year, but did 2 years ago. Came up quite a bit but not enough I am sure. I think last year it took 219 to make the primary and 161 for the alternate. Good luck to all.

[ETC Beavers]

I had a Plan "A" and Plan "B" last year. Plan "A" was the CWO panel and Plan "B" was the SWE for E-8. Once I received my package from the sector and started on my OER, I decided plan "B" was for me. I'm not knocking anyones decision to take the CWO path, but for me the OER made me feel dirty. I'm making E-8 so it all worked out. :D

[DCCS Todd Holcomb]

ETC, Need a shower did ya? :D Yeah I have a plan A and Plan B but we'll see how it all shakes out. Above on both would be ideal. Since the MSS speciality Our CWO #'s have shrank a lot. so now either path I try will be very competitive, congrats on 8.
Todd

[CMC Bruce Bradley]

Be careful what you ask for Todd. Being above the cut for both does give you a choice. But one you have little time to make, only 60 days from the date of the list.

This past year the CWO list came out around the beginning of July. If you are above the cut for CWO and don't declare which way you are going you are automatically removed from the SWE list after day 60. It's a crap shoot if the SWE cut is set by then and a sure bet that oderes are only a pipe dream for help with that decision. Being in the predictor group close to the cut at least give you time to wait and see how everything falls.

#1 BOSN on the 06 list and staying enlisted sends

[DCCS Brett Wickett]

Bruce, although I agree with you. I think maybe we as DC's may have a slight advantage. The SWE list will come out or should come out prior to having to make that descision. with that, as a DC we can pretty much guarantee that if we are not in the top say 5-6 on the 8 list, it don't matter when the cut comes out. But I totally agree that it is a fast descision. As long as you are ok with yourself prior to making a descision. You can never look back no matter how it turns out.

[CMC Bruce Bradley]

True, I guess you DC type might have a better idea based just on numbers and past years. Wish my rate could. The one other little tidbet of fun I forgot to mention was that email from the Detailer on Monday following the Friday list release.

"Congrats on your promotion and let me know by the end of this week if you are accepting or not. I will be advertising you job after that and if you later decline promotion you can compete in next years assignment cycle with no regard for your current rotation date".

And the hits just kept on coming, good luck.

[DCCS Todd Holcomb]

Bruce,

I agree it is a fast decision, one I hope to have to make (again, it's all about options). Brett is on the money. For us if your not in the top five forget about even worrying about it.

Was that email you received across the board is was that just your detailer? That's pretty brutal so the 60 day thing doesn't really mean anything anyway!!!!

Todd

[CMC Bruce Bradley]

Todd,

I can attest to the BM side last year and know of some MK issues over the past couple of years too. Like most the first question I sent back to the Detailer was "thanks, but what is the cut going to be on the SWE". To which the standard company line of we have no idea and that doesn't mater in this decision process was the reply.

Like I said above I like the positon of being just below the CWO cut and high in the predictor. There is no pressure to do anything for at least 60 days. Let the dust settle and see what the advancement vs. promotion playing field looks like. That's if you like to play on off against the other.

But if your dead set on going the CWO route then you want to be high in the cut field. But the old wisdom of "it's all about the money" doesn't quite play like it did before. the difference between CWO4 and MCPO is only a couple of hundred bucks.

[BMCS Jim Madsen]

Talk about options... There is always next year. Maybe I was lucky, but I took the SWE a few days after turning down CWO becuase I was only given 1 option and I didn't like it, and came out above the cut for 8. I was beyond the predictor for CWO but there were others that chose the same option I did when offered THAT JOB. Besides, I love where I am at and hope to milk it out for an additional year as an 8.

[DCCS Keith Wilbee]

Heres my two cents worth.
I am a Primary for third year in a row. Now that we DC's have to make a decision, MAT or MSS it makes it more difficult. I would compete alot better as a MAT, with my experience and pre board score of 270. But that is not truely what I want to do. After looking at the results of last years MSS list, it became pretty frustrating. Knowing how it played out means alot to us DC's. The first I guess is that the next few years advancements either way, MSS or MAT is going to be very tight, not to mention a slow down in E-8/E-9 because of no warrants being made. I have based my decision to keep applying for MSS on the following info. This is what I have wanted to do since making the decision to stay in. I will have a path to LT, if desired. More Billets which means, better chance of being happy and staying in longer. And of course a little more money, couple hundred is a couple of hundred. The billets for E-8/E-9 DC's arent that great in my opinion, but will take one if I make it. And will also keep applying for MSS. I am on my way to MSO St Louis. and have already passed the IIMS course and have orders to ELPOC. Maybe not this time, but next time I will be qualified and a better competer.

[DCCS Brett Wickett]

I share your same thoughts Keith, I have always wanted to go M but have never had the oportunity. Therefore I am competeing for MAT. Although now that I am heading to the Strike Team I figure to change to MSS (if I find that I like it) in the next couple years. I think we as DC's were hurt by the seperation of MAT/MSS. And after looking at all the DC's that did not come close to making the last list....well I will leave it at that. It get frustrating to say the least. Like you, if an 8 comes about I will take it and the job, but the CWO list for jobs is much much more desireable.

[DCCS Keith Wilbee]

Just heard through a reliable grapevine that CWO's are getting a 18% payraise. Because they didnt get the mid level management raise E-5 - E-7's got a couple of years ago.

[BMCS Jim Madsen]

I think the most anyone else got was about 10%. If CWO's get 18%, I think monkeys are going to fly out of my @$$. :mad:

[BMC Chris Gempp]

There goes one now :)

[DCCS Brett Wickett]

Thanks Jim, there's a mental image I didn't need. But hey if monkey's do fly out of your a#$%$# please take a pic, it aint everyday anyone of us has seen something like that.

[CMC Bruce Bradley]

Okay who started that BS runmor? If they did authorize an 18% CWO pay raise I suspect that the sky would be filled with monkeys. Kind of like in Oz where I suspect this idea was originally hatched. Or it might be closer to a dropped deuce.

[PACS Steve Carleton]

Seems to me it would have been published in the new pay tables -- didn't read anything about targeted pay raises either