Publication:Sea Talk Spring 2008/Transferring to officer
By Billie Peresin, Staff Officer for DSCM
There are many sailors and warrant officers (WO) in every category who possess the ability and motivation to achieve commissioned rank.
To be eligible for appointment, officer candidates must be of an age such that they are able to complete any standard initial minimum period of service (IMPS) on appointment, return of service obligation (ROSO) and undertaking for further service, prior to reaching compulsory retiring age (CRA).
There are several avenues of entry that sailors and WO may be appointed into the Permanent Navy (PN) through:
- Sailor entry (SE);
- Engineer officer scheme (EOS);
- Undergraduate entry (UE); and
- SE to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) or Defence Academy entry – Naval officer year one (DAE NOYO) schemes or the Naval Reserve (NR) through the SE scheme.
SE allows eligible candidates for non-degree entry to be appointed to commissioned rank and undertake officer training and application prior to position posting.
Following appointment and new entry officer course (NEOC) training, EOS allows eligible candidates to undertake engineering degree studies at RMIT, AMC or ADFA.
UE allows candidates to be appointed to commissioned rank in the PN, whilst continuing with degree studies at an approved tertiary institution other than ADFA.
ADFA entry allows candidates at the rank of LS and above to undertake full-time degree studies at ADFA as a member of the advanced student squadron prior to undertaking application courses.
To qualify educationally for commissioned rank, an officer candidate is required to hold passes in English, mathematics and two other subjects at a suitable level determined by the Naval Personnel Training Centre-Canberra.
Nominees are to be medically fit and psychologically assessed prior to nomination to Directorate of Naval Officers Postings (DNOP). Applicants must also be eligible for a secret/top secret security clearance.
All applicants will be required to sit an officer selection board (OSB) which is tailored to meet the individual needs of the candidate on a case by case basis. If you are thinking of transferring to officer have a chat with your divisional officer and career manager.
Please refer to ABR 10 Chapter 10 - Nomination and Selection of Sailors for Commissioned Rank - for details on eligibility and nomination.
