Navy Enlisted - Commission Program STA-21

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

By Rod Powers, About.com


Like the other services, the Navy offers a chance for qualified enlisted sailors to finish college and earn a commission as a Naval Officer. Until a few years ago, the Navy had a large variety of enlisted commissioning programs, including:

Seaman to Admiral
Enlisted Commissioning Program (ECP)
Aviation Enlisted Commissioning Program (AECP)
Nuclear Enlisted Commissioning Program (NECP)
Civil Engineer Corps Enlisted Commissioning Program (CECECP)
Fleet Accession to Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) (Includes Nurse Option)
Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST)
This wide array of programs lacked uniformity in benefits, selection procedures, educational opportunities, and program requirements. This created a very confusing web of program applications, deadlines, and choices for fleet applicants and, quite frankly, was very cumbersome for the Navy to manage and administer.

So, the Navy consolidated their enlisted commissioning programs into one system, which they call Seaman to Admiral-21, or STA-21. The STA-21 Commissioning Program is designed to meet the goals of the Navy in the 21st Century, while at the same time creating a fair and equitable system for outstanding active duty Sailors to receive a top-notch college education and become commissioned officers in the Unrestricted Line (URL), Special Duty Officer (Intelligence), Special Duty Officer (Cryptologic), Nurse Corps (NC), Supply Corps (SC), or Civil Engineer Corps (CEC).

What makes the STA-21 Program so different from most of the other commissioning programs is its fairness to the Sailor. Some of the previous enlisted commissioning programs required Sailors to pay their college tuition by themselves. Others removed the student from active duty status, thus taking away any source of income. The STA-21 Program will keep all participants on active duty at their current enlisted pay grade. This means they will receive all the pay, allowances, benefits, and privileges they currently enjoy and will still be eligible for enlisted advancement while in the program. In addition, the Sailors will receive up to $10,000 per year to cover tuition, books, and fees. The Sailor will pay any costs above $10,000 per year. Participants attending inexpensive universities that do not require use of the entire $10,000 for any year do not get to keep the difference, however.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply to the STA-21 Commissioning Program, a Sailor must:

Be a citizen of the United States. No waivers.

Be recommended by the Commanding Officer. Applicants must have good moral character, officer potential, and unquestionable loyalty to the United States.

Be serving on active duty in the U.S. Navy or Full Time Support (FTS), or Selected Reserve (SELRES), and Navy Reservists on active duty except for those on Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) to include Annual Training (AT) and initial Active Duty for Training (I-ACDUTRA). Individual Program Options may have additional requirements and specific restrictions.

Be a high school graduate. High school diploma or equivalency certificates based upon military education experience and General Equivalency Diploma (GED) test results are acceptable to meet the educational requirements if issued by the Department of Education of a state, commonwealth, or territory of the United States of America or the District of Columbia.

Be able to complete requirements for a baccalaureate degree in 36 months or less.

Be able to complete degree requirements and be commissioned prior to the 27th birthday with possible waivers to 29. Waivers of this requirement may be considered understanding that specific age requirements for certain STA-21 option programs differ.

Maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale while enrolled in STA-21. Certain Program Options may have different requirements.

Qualifying ACT and SAT scores MUST come from the same test. If you take multiple tests, the Navy will take your BEST scores within three (3) years of application deadline (i.e., applicants for 2005 must submit scores from a test taken after 01 July 2002). After 5 April 2005, the NEW SAT will be in three sectons. The Navy looks at the Math and the Critical Reading sections of the test. To be eligible, the Navy requires a minimum of 1000 SAT, (500 Math and 500 Critical reading). Older test was 500 Math, 500 Verbal. The Navy will still accept the scores from earlier tests if they are within three years of the yearly application due date. ACT minimum score of 41 (21 Math, 20 English) is required. Applicants for the Nuclear Option must have a minimum of 1140 SAT (combined Math/Verb or Critical Reading) or 50 ACT (combined Math/English). No waivers.

Meet physical commissioning standards for appointment in the Unrestricted Line (URL), Special Duty Officer (Intelligence), Special Duty Officer (Cryptologic), Civil Engineer Corps (CEC), Supply Corps (SC), or Nurse Corps (NC) as prescribed in the Manual of the Medical Department, NAVMED P-117 (submitted upon notification of selection), and the physical fitness standards as prescribed in OPNAVINST 6110.1F.

Have no record of courts-martial convictions or civilian felony convictions.

Have no record of driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI) within the three (3) years preceding 01 July of application year. Substantiated alcohol or drug-related incidents while in an enlisted status are considered an aspect of an individual's performance and judgment and will be considered when assessing future leadership potential. Applicants who are alcohol dependent must have successfully completed the appropriate regimen of treatment and education in accordance with OPNAVINST 5350.4C and have remained alcohol free for the period of three (3) years preceding 01 July of application year.

Have no record of disciplinary action under Article 15, Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), or conviction by civil court for misdemeanors (except minor offenses that impose a fine of $300 or less, exclusive of court charges) during the three (3) years preceding 01 July of application year.

Have passed a Personal Fitness Assessment (PFA) Test taken within 1 year of the 01 July application deadline. The last 3 PRT/PFA's must be submitted (Spring and Fall of previous year and spring of the application year), printed from PRIMS which provides raw scores and body composition. Command should administer special PFA if needed to meet this requirement. A failing PFA is disqualifying for this program.

Have submitted all documentation listed in OPNAVINST 1420.1A, (Chapter 8) paragraph 7 (Application Procedures). Omission of documentation may be disqualifying for this program.

Maintain eligibility requirements during the application period and during participation in the program.
Note:

Students presently enrolled in other officer accession programs are not eligible for the STA-21 Program.
Individuals who have already obtained their baccalaureate degree are not eligible for STA-21 and should apply directly for Officer Candidate School (OCS). OCS application procedures can be found in OPNAVINST 1420.1A, (Chapter 4).
Program Options

The STA-21 Commissioning Program allows Sailors to apply to the Core Program or a Target group option. The Core Program allows participants the most flexibility in selecting a major and requesting schools to attend. STA-21 students in the Core Program will be assigned an Unrestricted Line (URL) navy officer designator upon commissioning. (Students will request which officer community they desire during their final year of academic study, but assignment is controlled by NSTC in accordance with annual community goals set by BUPERS). Sailors selected into a Target group option will, upon commissioning, be assigned to that option's officer community. These Target group options each have specific requirements related to them.

When applying to the STA-21 Program, a Sailor may select from the following alternatives:

Apply for the STA-21 Core Program only,
Apply for one Target group option only, or
Apply for one Target group option plus STA-21 Core Program.
Applicants may not apply for more than one Target group option.
Sailors desiring selection to a Target group option program are advised to also apply to the Core Program as an alternative that offers selection to other URL officer communities.

While all STA-21 participants must meet the eligibility requirements of the Core Program, Sailors desiring to participate in an STA-21 Target group option must also meet the requirements of that particular program.