ROUTINE
R 131538Z MAY 10
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TO NAVADMIN
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NAVADMIN 170/10

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/MAY//

SUBJ/FY-11 SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL-21 PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT//

REF/A/DOC/OPNAV/14 DEC 09//

AMPN/REF A IS OPNAVINST 1420.1B, ENLISTED TO OFFICER COMMISSIONING 
PROGRAMS APPLICATION ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL.//

RMKS/1.  THE PURPOSE OF THIS NAVADMIN IS TO SOLICIT APPLICATIONS AND 
PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR THE FY-11 SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL-21 (STA-21) 
COMMISSIONING PROGRAM.

2.  STA-21 IS A FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION AND COMMISSIONING 
PROGRAM OPEN TO ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF ALL PAYGRADES AND RATINGS WHO 
MEET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN REF A AND ON THE STA-21 
WEBSITE UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION LINK.  SELECTEES ARE PROVIDED A 
MAXIMUM OF 36 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND STUDY TO COMPLETE A 
BACCALAUREATE DEGREE.  PARTICIPANTS WILL REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY WHILE 
ATTENDING COLLEGE AND RECEIVE PAY, ALLOWANCES, BENEFITS, AND PRIVILEGES 
OF CURRENT PAYGRADE.  ADDITIONALLY, SELECTEES WILL RECEIVE AN EDUCATION 
VOUCHER FOR UP TO $10,000 PER YEAR TO COVER TUITION, FEES, AND BOOK 
COSTS.

3.  DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS FOR THE FY-11 STA-21 
PROGRAM IS 1 JULY 2010.  APPLICATION PACKAGES MUST BE POSTMARKED ON OR 
BEFORE THE DEADLINE DATE.  DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ADDITIONAL 
DOCUMENTATION TO AN APPLICANT'S PACKAGE IS 1 AUGUST 2010.
NO ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS WILL BE ADDED AFTER THIS DATE.  THE SELECTION 
BOARD WILL MEET IN SEPTEMBER 2010.  NAMES OF SELECTEES WILL BE 
ANNOUNCED BY NAVADMIN IN OCTOBER 2010.

4.  THE FOLLOWING LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE FY-10 STA-21 SELECTION 
PROCESS AND BOARD ARE PROVIDED TO PREVENT COMMON ERRORS.
    A.  OF 838 STA-21 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR, ONLY
715 WERE BOARD ELIGIBLE.
    B.  EACH YEAR, PACKAGES ARE STILL NOT CONSIDERED DUE TO NON-
QUALIFYING SAT/ACT TEST SCORES, NO SAT/ACT TEST SCORES SUBMITTED, NO 
COMMANDING OFFICER ENDORSEMENT, RECENT NJP, AND MISSING OR ILLEGIBLE 
SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS.
    C.  MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BEFORE SUBMITTING 
AN APPLICATION.  THE SELECTION PROCESS IS EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE.  
APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE MAILED ONLY WHEN FULLY COMPLETE.  OFFICER 
INTERVIEW BOARDS AND THE CO'S PERSONAL INTERVIEW SHOULD ONLY BE 
CONDUCTED AFTER THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE.  THE FULL PICTURE OF AN 
APPLICANT'S ACADEMIC POTENTIAL CAN ONLY BE DETERMINED BY REVIEWING THE 
SAT/ACT SCORES AND HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS.
    D.  AN INTERVIEW BOARD AND NOMINATION REVIEW BOARD SHALL BE 
CONDUCTED IAW REF A.  IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT OFFICERS OF THE 
APPLICANT'S DESIGNATOR CHOICE, IF AVAILABLE AT A BASE OR COMMAND, BE 
ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVIEW/NOMINATION REVIEW BOARD TO ASSESS 
THE APPLICANT FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.  NOMINATION REVIEW BOARDS SHOULD BE 
EXTERNAL TO THE COMMAND.  IN THE EVENT THAT A NOMINATION REVIEW BOARD 
OUTSIDE THE COMMAND CANNOT BE CONVENED, THE COMMAND SHOULD PRESENT 
THREE ADDITIONAL INTERVIEW APPRAISALS TO ADD TO THE PACKAGE OR AN 
EXPLANATION OF WHY THE DIRECTED PROCESS COULD NOT BE FOLLOWED.  HOW 
OTHER OFFICERS VIEW THE APPLICANT CARRIES SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT.  FOR 
JUNIOR SAILORS WITH ONLY SCHOOLHOUSE EVALUATIONS, THE CO MUST ADDRESS 
THIS ISSUE IN HIS OR HER ENDORSEMENT.  SAILORS MUST ADDRESS ANY 
HARDSHIPS OR UNIQUE EXPERIENCES THAT SHAPED THEIR CHARACTER, AND JUNIOR 
SAILORS SHOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THEIR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES, AS 
HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS RARELY PROVIDE IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ON 
INVOLVEMENT IN SPORTS, CLUBS, VOLUNTEER WORK, ETC. EACH CANDIDATE 
SHOULD BE INSTRUCTED TO INCLUDE IN THEIR PERSONAL STATEMENT REASON(S) 
FOR THEIR INTEREST IN THE STA-21 PROGRAM, AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO WITH 
THE OPPORTUNITY, IF SELECTED.  ADDITIONALLY, APPLICANTS SHOULD EXPLAIN 
ANY MITIGATING ISSUES THE BOARD NEEDS TO CONSIDER (E.G. POOR HIGH 
SCHOOL OR COLLEGE GRADES, AND UNEXPLAINED GAPS).

5.  DIVERSITY WITHIN THE NAVY'S OFFICER COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR 
FUTURE SUCCESS.  THE NAVY NEEDS LEADERS FROM AND FOR EVERY PART OF OUR 
NAVY.  I REQUEST ALL COMMANDING OFFICERS, COMMAND CAREER COUNSELORS, 
AND SENIOR ENLISTED MEMBERS TO ENCOURAGE QUALIFIED SAILORS TO 
PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.

6.  APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE MAILED TO:
    COMMANDER
    NAVAL SERVICE TRAINING COMMAND (OD2/STA-21)
    250 DALLAS STREET, STE A
    PENSACOLA, FL 32508-5268

7.  SPECIFIC DETAILS, ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS, 
AND SELECTION PROCEDURES CAN BE FOUND IN REF A AND AT THE STA-21 
WEBSITE UNDER PROGRAM OPTIONS AT HTTPS://WWW.STA-21.NAVY.MIL.

8.  QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS PROGRAM SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO COMMAND 
CAREER COUNSELORS OR TO NAVAL SERVICE TRAINING COMMAND, OFFICER 
DEVELOPMENT DIVISION (OD2) AT (850) 452-9563 OR  E-MAIL 
pnsc_sta21@navy.mil.

9.  RELEASED BY VADM MARK FERGUSON, N1.  MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.//

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