4-yr Army and Navy accepted. Delays with Navy

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pitttooth

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Hello,

I have applied to the Army and Navy branches of the military for the HPSP. To my excitement, I was called by both my Army and Navy recruiters (late February) to say that I was selected for both 4-year programs. The issue that I'm experiencing now is that the Army paperwork has gone through much faster than the Navy, and they want tonc mmission me ASAP. My preference is to take the Navy, but I would be screwed if I didn't commission with the Army and then lost the Navy (somehow - even though I have verbal confirmation from my recruiter that we are solely waiting on the final select letter). There is no formal documentation that I have been given on my selection for either, however, if the Army wants me to come and swear in, I assume they have everything that they need.

Should I follow: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - or would you suggest I take commission with the Army and never look back?

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I know you're in a difficult situation, but I would wait. You were selected for the Navy and I know waiting sucks, but you will eventually receive that final select letter.
 
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I know you're in a difficult situation, but I would wait. You were selected for the Navy and I know waiting sucks, but you will eventually receive that final select letter.
I was professionally recommended, but that does not mean 100% confirmed to get a final select letter, right?
 
Hello,

I have applied to the Army and Navy branches of the military for the HPSP. To my excitement, I was called by both my Army and Navy recruiters (beginning of March) to say that I was selected for both 4-year programs. The issue that I'm experiencing now is that the Army paperwork has gone through much faster than the Navy, and they want me commission me ASAP. My preference is to take the Navy, but I would be screwed if I didn't commission with the Army and then lost the Navy (somehow - even though I have verbal confirmation from my recruiter that we are solely waiting on the final select letter). There is no formal documentation that I have been given on my selection for either, however, if the Army wants me to come and swear in, I assume they have everything that they need.

Should I follow: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - or would you suggest I take commission with the Army and never look back?


NAVY
 
Many of my peers have commissioned over the past two months

Which has no bearing on your specific situation. Contact your recruiter and ask for an update, but it is typical not to commission until fairly close to the start of the academic year.

A few days or weeks is negligible compared to a decision that will affect at the very least eight years of your life.
 
Which has no bearing on your specific situation. Contact your recruiter and ask for an update, but it is typical not to commission until fairly close to the start of the academic year.

A few days or weeks is negligible compared to a decision that will affect at the very least eight years of your life.
I’ve been in touch with him quite a few times over the past month or so, and, unfortunately, he has been unable to give me any updates. I very much prefer the Navy, but I have to say it makes me uneasy thinking of denying th Army and then possibly losing the Navy (unlikely from what each of you have said).
 
If you are professionally recommended that means you got it. It is just a mater of time

No, I don't believe this is true. If you are professionally recommended, you can be selected as a 4 year, 3 year or an alternate HPSP recipient...at least, this is what my recruiter told me. I was also professionally recommended, but was an alternate for a while (meaning I was waiting for someone to either drop their 4 year scholarship, or for selection for the 3 year) bf I was recently notified that I was selected for the 3 year HPSP. Currently, we are waiting for scroll approval. However, since the Navy fiscal year doesn't start until October, commissioning will also have to wait until then.
 
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The Army did something like that to me intentionally. I had an early acceptance to dental school so I was literally years ahead of the curve with my application packet. They knew I was a strong applicant so they boarded me with a nurse selection panel months before the HPSP opened up. I was put in the position of waiting on Air Force and Navy while risking the Army offer expiring. I couldn’t risk the half million so I went with Army. Navy and Air Force really do have better quality of life, that is if you can deal with maybe being deployed to sea. They actually like their branches and retention is way higher - Army is insanely beuracratic and wastes so much time/resources. However it is what you make of it. If you want to do an oral surgery residency or even a 1yr then I wouldn’t turn down the Army. If I went civilian I would have crushing debt and probably wouldn’t have made it into a civilian program. Now I have no debt, my family lives very comfortably, I drive a nice car and wear a Rolex every day to work as an oral surgery resident. I don’t have the stones to roll the dice on this life just to avoid the Army’s inevitable nonsense and crummy bases. And who knows, with DHA rolling in and taking over life may very well start to suck a lot more for Navy and Air Force folks.
 
The Army did something like that to me intentionally. I had an early acceptance to dental school so I was literally years ahead of the curve with my application packet. They knew I was a strong applicant so they boarded me with a nurse selection panel months before the HPSP opened up. I was put in the position of waiting on Air Force and Navy while risking the Army offer expiring. I couldn’t risk the half million so I went with Army. Navy and Air Force really do have better quality of life, that is if you can deal with maybe being deployed to sea. They actually like their branches and retention is way higher - Army is insanely beuracratic and wastes so much time/resources. However it is what you make of it. If you want to do an oral surgery residency or even a 1yr then I wouldn’t turn down the Army. If I went civilian I would have crushing debt and probably wouldn’t have made it into a civilian program. Now I have no debt, my family lives very comfortably, I drive a nice car and wear a Rolex every day to work as an oral surgery resident. I don’t have the stones to roll the dice on this life just to avoid the Army’s inevitable nonsense and crummy bases. And who knows, with DHA rolling in and taking over life may very well start to suck a lot more for Navy and Air Force folks.
Did you ever hear back from the Navy and/or Air Force? I'm in a predicament because I hear that the quality of life is better in the Navy, and I want to make sure that my fiance is going to be taken care of. In that sense, I have read that the Navy and Air Force are much more family-friendly. Being on a boat does not bother me. Were you engaged during your dental schooling, or did you marry later down the road?

No, I don't believe this is true. If you are professionally recommended, you can be selected as a 4 year, 3 year or an alternate HPSP recipient...at least, this is what my recruiter told me. I was also professionally recommended, but was an alternate for a while (meaning I was waiting for someone to either drop their 4 year scholarship, or for selection for the 3 year) bf I was recently notified that I was selected for the 3 year HPSP. Currently, we are waiting for scroll approval. However, since the Navy fiscal year doesn't start until October, commissioning will also have to wait until then.
That is what I suspected. When were you notified that you were professionally recommended? I was informed on 2/28/2018, so you would think after 4 months I would know where my specific application is.. Have you just taken loans out for the first semester? My recruiter said that I was professionally recommended for the 4-year only, none of the other ones listed.
 
I got married in school. All the services do a good job of taking care of family I think. Tricare is actually really good and the benefits are equal between branches, the Army may actually excel there with its EFMP program being so well developed if you have a special needs child or your spouse gets sick with something rare. It’s really just the locations and the administrative nonsense that make people want to leave the Army. The scholarships not guaranteed until you swear in though.
 
It's like you think we don't have the same ****ty bureaucracy. We probably have more.
That's what has gotten me into this mess in the first place! I really wish the Navy would pull through soon. Contacting my recruiter again tomorrow.
 
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I got married in school. All the services do a good job of taking care of family I think. Tricare is actually really good and the benefits are equal between branches, the Army may actually excel there with its EFMP program being so well developed if you have a special needs child or your spouse gets sick with something rare. It’s really just the locations and the administrative nonsense that make people want to leave the Army. The scholarships not guaranteed until you swear in though.
I’m scheduled to swear in this Thursday, but I wish I could ask for more time without sounding flaky.
 
That is what I suspected. When were you notified that you were professionally recommended? I was informed on 2/28/2018, so you would think after 4 months I would know where my specific application is.. Have you just taken loans out for the first semester? My recruiter said that I was professionally recommended for the 4-year only, none of the other ones listed.

I submitted for the February board and was notified that I was professionally recommended on March 6th. I didn't go to MEPS until March 29th tho and received my selection status May 2nd stating that I was an alternate. According to my recruiter, the Navy will be reimbursing what I spend on tuition first semester once the fiscal year, so I haven't taken out any loans yet. This is making me kind of nervous tho, bc I also don't have any formal paperwork stating that I have received the scholarship. Maybe I'll get some formal documents once the scroll is back...?

Nice prof pic btw.
 
To those of you who are already on the HPSP, did you have to give your dental school anything to let them know that you are on the scholarship?
 
I’m scheduled to swear in this Thursday, but I wish I could ask for more time without sounding flaky.

maybe you could say you'll be out of town lol, but it's kinda too late if it's this Thurs
 
To those of you who are already on the HPSP, did you have to give your dental school anything to let them know that you are on the scholarship?
Yes, there is an AYS (Academic Year Statement) form that you will send to your school after you receive your FINSEL. I think that form is only relevant for commissioning purposes though because the Navy will contract directly with your school.
 
Yes, there is an AYS (Academic Year Statement) form that you will send to your school after you receive your FINSEL. I think that form is only relevant for commissioning purposes though because the Navy will contract directly with your school.
I sent my recruiter a filled-out AYS from my school's registrar once I received the call saying I got the scholarship. This was immediately after getting my acceptance letter.
 
I sent my recruiter a filled-out AYS from my school's registrar once I received the call saying I got the scholarship. This was immediately after getting my acceptance letter.
Ah, yeah you're right. I just went back and did some detective work in my emails - my LOA and AYS were uploaded on 2/5/2018 and I received my FINSEL on 2/13/2018
 
Update from my Navy recruiter: "They pro-recommended too many applicants for the 4-year scholarship. They are going to try to give me the 3-year scholarship (still not 100% certain). If they can commission me in the first semester of school, they will pay for all 4 years tuition."

What a *****y situation.
 
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Update from my Navy recruiter: "They pro-recommended too many applicants for the 4-year scholarship. They are going to try to give me the 3-year scholarship (still not 100% certain). If they can commission me in the first semester of school, they will pay for all 4 years tuition."

What a *****y situation.

Hang in there
 
Well one way of looking at it is this makes your decision a lot easier, unless you really don’t want to go Army it’s a pretty clear winner here
 
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Yes, there is an AYS (Academic Year Statement) form that you will send to your school after you receive your FINSEL. I think that form is only relevant for commissioning purposes though because the Navy will contract directly with your school.

Yep, I remember submitting the AYS. But to clarify, there's nothing that we have to do to let the school know that we are officially on the scholarship---the Navy will take care of it? Also, I haven't signed anything to say that I formally accept the scholarship offer...heck, I never even saw the FINSEL with the offer. I was only verbally told that they were offering a 3 year, and then verbally responded that I would like to accept the offer and to proceed with the commissioning process. Did you guys go through something similar?

Update from my Navy recruiter: "They pro-recommended too many applicants for the 4-year scholarship. They are going to try to give me the 3-year scholarship (still not 100% certain). If they can commission me in the first semester of school, they will pay for all 4 years tuition."

Ahh yes, I remember my recruiter telling me that they'd selected all the 4 years bf the Feb board even occurred. Ofc, neither of us found out about this until he received my FINSEL. (They even passed on a dude w a 26 DAT O_O). Why isn't your 3 year 100% yet? Should I be worried too?
 
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Yep, I remember submitting the AYS. But to clarify, there's nothing that we have to do to let the school know that we are officially on the scholarship---the Navy will take care of it? Also, I haven't signed anything to say that I formally accept the scholarship offer...heck, I never even saw the FINSEL with the offer. I was only verbally told that they were offering a 3 year, and then verbally responded that I would like to accept the offer and to proceed with the commissioning process. Did you guys go through something similar?



Ahh yes, I remember my recruiter telling me that they'd selected all the 4 years bf the Feb board even occurred. Ofc, neither of us found out about this until he received my FINSEL. (They even passed on a dude w a 26 DAT O_O). Why isn't your 3 year 100% yet? Should I be worried too?
I just kept contacting my recruiter to see where my FINSEL letter was. He was obviously uninformed about all of the 4 years being gone before the Feb boards even occurred. If that was the case, I might be a little bit nervous simply because so many people here were offered the 4-year but have been waiting for the FINSEL. Not sure how much weight it holds, but he said that, for the 3-year scholarships, the scholarship status was “quota pending”.. he said that they haven’t determined how much funding they’ll allocate for the 3-year scholarships yet. I’ll keep you posted if he contacts me. I’m going to commission for the Army 4-year tomorrow, though.
 
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Yep, I remember submitting the AYS. But to clarify, there's nothing that we have to do to let the school know that we are officially on the scholarship---the Navy will take care of it? Also, I haven't signed anything to say that I formally accept the scholarship offer...heck, I never even saw the FINSEL with the offer. I was only verbally told that they were offering a 3 year, and then verbally responded that I would like to accept the offer and to proceed with the commissioning process. Did you guys go through something similar?



Ahh yes, I remember my recruiter telling me that they'd selected all the 4 years bf the Feb board even occurred. Ofc, neither of us found out about this until he received my FINSEL. (They even passed on a dude w a 26 DAT O_O). Why isn't your 3 year 100% yet? Should I be worried too?
My recruiter called me to break the news on February 2nd, my AYS and LOA were uploaded on the 5th, and I had the official FINSEL pdf emailed to me on the 13th. If you have already submitted your AYS and LOA, you won’t sign anything again until you prepare to commission. You won’t have to do anything else with your school either (besides haggling reimbursements with the dean if there is something you want but the Navy is cautious about paying for)
 
Thats a real tough situation to be in. But I guess if I were you I would defiantly take the Army HPSP at this point. I would have waited for the Navy, but with that new update it would be very hard to pass up the Army 4 year hpsp. My cousin is currently in his second year of payback to the Army and he loves it if that helps!
 
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My recruiter called me to break the news on February 2nd, my AYS and LOA were uploaded on the 5th, and I had the official FINSEL pdf emailed to me on the 13th. If you have already submitted your AYS and LOA, you won’t sign anything again until you prepare to commission. You won’t have to do anything else with your school either (besides haggling reimbursements with the dean if there is something you want but the Navy is cautious about paying for)

Ok, cool. Thanks for replying!

I just kept contacting my recruiter to see where my FINSEL letter was. He was obviously uninformed about all of the 4 years being gone before the Feb boards even occurred. If that was the case, I might be a little bit nervous simply because so many people here were offered the 4-year but have been waiting for the FINSEL. Not sure how much weight it holds, but he said that, for the 3-year scholarships, the scholarship status was “quota pending”.. he said that they haven’t determined how much funding they’ll allocate for the 3-year scholarships yet. I’ll keep you posted if he contacts me. I’m going to commission for the Army 4-year tomorrow, though.

We also weren't informed about the 4 years being gone bf the Feb boards until months later. My recruiter only found out bc they put another one of his recruits (the one w a 26 AA on the DAT) in an alternate status---he thought for sure that guy would be a shoo-in. Thanks for your help though and congrats on joining the Army!
 
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