What WOFT Boards Are Looking For

[stearmann4]

This may be somewhat generic, but it is direct from the most recent CCWO (Command Chief WO) briefing. Maybe it will help focus your efforts on the parts of your packets that matter most.

 

Its been mentioned several times before, but it warrants another shot across the bow; you can't control the drawdown, or individual board selection criteria's, but you are in full control over things like your PFT scores, SIFT, etc. These are the first discriminators a board will resort to thin the herd, don't let these be the reasons your packet never even made it to the board.

 

1. Packet Theme: The overall message of your packet (i.e.resume, essay, and LORs should indicate evidence of, or potential for Solder 1st, WO 2nd, and Aviator 3rd. This should give you an indication on how much emphasis to place on awards, prior flight time, or combat experience.

 

2. Professionalism: packet is neat, organized, attention to detail, no incorrect grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc.

 

3. LORs: Specific, quantifiable comments on leadership potential, character, technical and tactical competence. This means eliminate flowery words that take up space and distract the reader from pulling this from your LORs.

 

4. Resume: This is how you appear to the board. Fewer notable accomplishments and experiences will trump loading up the document with everything. Highlight the key points of each bullet you want the board to focus on.

 

5. Photo: This is your very first impression and the "handshake" to the reviewing board member.

 

Have several qualified people review your packet before submission, to include someone skilled at proof reading if you're not. You will get tired of looking at the same documents for several weeks or months and miss discrepancies.

 

When you're reviewing your LORs and resume, start a two minute stop watch; this is about how long we have to look at a given packet, and assign it a numerical score. As a rule, I scan the first and last couple of sentences of an LOR, and assume the author placed his/her most important accomplishments at the top of the resume in descending order.

 

If you can't pull out the important points that will shape the board member's opinion of your potential as a WO in two minutes, then we can't either. This technique will help you decide what and how much should be written, and what to highlight.

 

Mike-

[WolfPAC]

This is great information, your timing couldn't have been better.

[Creep0321]

Damn good post, thank you.

[StockTrader]

Great insight right here. Thank you for writing it up. Echo's what was told to me earlier in the process. Its critical to have someone else look at your essay and resume. Simple changes in wording can make all the difference and make accomplishments really "pop" off the page.

 

Mike, I was out your way a few weeks ago for work. Being stuck in I-5 traffic was interesting to say the least. Never thought I could combine the feeling of a traffic jam and being stuck in the middle of a forest into one experience.

[Lindsey]

Mike, I was out your way a few weeks ago for work. Being stuck in I-5 traffic was interesting to say the least. Never thought I could combine the feeling of a traffic jam and being stuck in the middle of a forest into one experience.

 

I-5 Seattle/Tacoma traffic is something I definitely do not miss about home.