WHEN IS the next Naval Officer Assessment Board (NOAB) ?

[DIESEL 007]

So I finished my CFRC application and was merit listed pending the NOAB, unfortunately no one can tell me when that will be.  Im going for MARS by way of CEOTP see that there are alot of university grads i will be competing with, are there any people out there in my situation?? also, it seems as though you dont get your invitation until a week before the NOAB, is this the usual situation?? Doesnt give me alot of time to get it off work!

 

[Otis]

We don't have the dates until Navy Command (I think they own and schedule it) tells us they're scheduling a NOAB ... they do a few a year, based upon when they have courses available to load (take the course date, subtract time for BMOQ, subtract time for selection and processing ... tah dah! NOAB dates!) hopefully we will give you more notice than a week (but I'm not promising anything!)

 

[MSEng314]

Update: NOAB 0902A completed in Halifax on the 29th of July, all 10 candidates (myself included) received an offer, so hopefully we will all meet up again in St. Jean on August 31st!

This NOAB was for NTO candidates only, and given that training should begin August 31st, we may see some of you from the May NOAB as well, here's hoping!

 

[rob1972]

Hi everyone,

I am looking to see who else out there is hoping to attend the Sept/Oct NOAB and who is hoping to start BMOQ at the first offering after the NOAB (probably Jan 2010).

I myself have completed my application, CFAT, medical, interview and am just waiting to hear that they are done with my background check.  I live in Sudbury and my recruiting centre has been fantastic.  I am hoping (fingers crossed) that I get a call from the CO telling me that I have been merit listed any day now.

So naturally I am very excited about the possibility that I could be going to the next NOAB and barring any complications there, I could be doing BMOQ starting in January.

Who else out there is in a similar situation?  Has your application taken a long time?  Do you have any information about the upcoming NOAB?  What are you doing to get prepared?  Have you been searching wildly for information about life in the NAVY in general and MARS in particular?  Why don't we start a discussion here for anyone who is in a similar situation or for any MARS Officers who might want to share their knowledge and experience with some eager newbies wanting to follow in their footsteps (err,, should I say wake lol).

I for one think that MARS seems like one of the best careers in the CF.  From what I can see so far, the NAVY is in need of strong individuals who want to commit themselves and work hard.  In return, we get all the adventure, opportunity and responsibility we can handle.

I have read many of the other MARS and NAVY related posts and there are some very fine people who have served or are serving in all branches of the CF and who regularly offer encouragement, advice and information freely for the asking.  It makes me feel that the CF is a mostly welcoming and supportive place if you have the right attitude.

I haven't even been sworn in yet, and already I feel proud just to be considered as a candidate for MARS.

I would love to hear from others who have thoughts on all this.

Thanks.
Rob

 

[FDO]

Next NOAB will be October to prepare for the January BMOQ.

 

[MSEng314]

Most of the staff who did our board will be there: Sept 28th in Esquimalt to be precise.

Best of Luck!

 

[rob1972]

Well, its been a couple of days and so far no posters.  I wonder if I should have posted this thread in the Recruiting section instead of the NAVY section?  I am quite new to this so if someone knows whether I should have put this under Recruiting and knows how I could move it over there, I would welcome that.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Rob

 

[MSEng314]

Have a look in this thread:
NOAB Dates for 2009

Good Luck!

 

[rob1972]

Thanks MSEng!  Good luck to you too.  I would love to hear more about you experiences too.  How did you enjoy the NOAB?  Any advice on how to prepare oneself to maximize the expereince and also ones chances of a positive outcome?  You must be excited to start you BMOQ.  I wish you the very best.

 

[MSEng314]

Thanks Rob, I am looking forward to BMOQ. I had a great time at NOAB, and the staff who ran it were fantastic, and you will meet most of them in September when you go. You basically do tours, presentations on the navy, what to expect with training, basically everything you need to know about what your future in the navy will be like. I found it very informative, and it gives you a perspective you otherwise wouldn't get. You get to talk to guys in the dockyard, at the schools, on the ships, everywhere you go, so ask as many questions as you can.

The best advice I can give is just be yourself, you are there because they want you to join the navy, and they want to make sure you know what you are getting into and if it is the right choice for you.

Our course was a little different because it was only for engineers, so we didn't do as many things (tests included) as usual, but yours should be very similar to the one posted in this section, I'll put in the link as soon as I find it.

Edit: link to the previous post on NOAB 0902

 

[jerieln]

Rob.

I'm in the same boat.  CFRC Vancouver says i will likely be taking NOAB in September as well.  I'm curious to know what NOAB is all about and what kind of preparations one would have to do for the written tests (if any).  Anyhow we'll likely see each other there.  Should be fun. 

cheers,
Jerry

 

[rob1972]

I love it!  What a good NAVY way to start off......telling me we're in the same boat lol.

Hi Jerry.  That's great.  I can't wait.  We should keep in touch and share info.

Take a good look at the post that MSEng314 referred to.  It is very thorough in explaining what NOAB is all about.  Plus, there are links to photos that romeokilo (I think it was him) took of his NOAB from May this year.  Plus you should not have too difficult a time finding a link to photos from another NOAB from last year or a couple of years ago (I forget when it was) and it has lots of good descriptions written for each photo.  Go check it out!

Cheers
Rob

 

[rob1972]

Oh yeah!  I forgot..... one more thing....

I stopped in to the CFRC here in Sudbury just to check in about my application and the friendly Navy PO told me that my file is now complete (my background check and credit check came back ok).  He told me that they sent my file up for consideration for the next NOAB.  So now I start crossing my fingers and praying that the fine people at Naval Command decide to bless me with a NOAB invitation.  :nod:         

 

[Steve_D]

Hi.  I am also in the "same boat".  My application is in and I write the CFAT on Aug 17.  I was a Captain in the Air Force (Log), but got out in 1994 and am trying to get back in as MARS.  I do know that the date for the Sept NOAB is Sept 28.  Before anyone asks how I can be certain of this; it is because one of the individuals who is scheduling the events is my brother and he received the notification of dates 2 weeks ago.

I am truely hoping that there will be no delays in my application and that I will be joining you in Victoria in Sept and BMOQ in Jan 2010.

Good Luck

Steve

 

[rob1972]

Thanks Steve!

 

[Jolly Roger]

Rob.

I'm in the same boat.  CFRC Vancouver says i will likely be taking NOAB in September as well.  I'm curious to know what NOAB is all about and what kind of preparations one would have to do for the written tests (if any).  Anyhow we'll likely see each other there.  Should be fun. 

cheers,
Jerry

Hey All,


I think the best prep for the MOST test is the same prep you would have done for the CFAT. The best thing about the NOAB is that there is no secret about what they are looking for in potential Naval Officer, they tell you on your first day. 

To quote a current student at NOTC Venture when I asked him about his experience on the MOST : "I've never had a test that made me feel that stupid in my whole life" and after I took the test I felt exactly the same way. But I made it. That being said, one of the staff told me that the test was a way to see how much work it would take to develop you into a MARS Officer.

Enjoy the experience, I definiately did!

Best Of Luck.

 

[DIESEL 007]

Hey guys,

glad to finally find some people In our boat!! Ive been merit listed since June this year.  My CFRC has absolutely no answers for me, the date of the NOAB was all i was given on my interview date in May.  Since ive been merit listed ive been trying to find others waiting around like me, If i dont hear anything from CFRC by sept ill be calling to find out! Is anyone else entering CEOTP? or do you all have degrees already?  Heres hoping i can get into the sept NOAB and get this ball rolling, it has been a long wait cuz ive already watched two or three courses go by without an invite. Heres hoping, good luck to all!

 

[Steve_D]

Diesel

I have a BSc with combined majors in Physics and Oceanography.  Sounds like it might help me get in, but I graduated in 1990; so I really don't remember a whole lot of it today.

What degree are you working towards?
Let us know what your RC tells you.

Steve

 

[jerieln]

Thanks for the link direction there Rob - much appreciated. 
Thanks Jolly Roger for the tip on CFAT i'll practice it as best i can. 
Steve you're a shoe in man -> if i was a commander i'd hire you.  hahaha
Diesel007 - best of luck buddy.  you know what they say third times a charm.  keep your head up, get ready!  - i'm going CEOTP as well

Here's hoping we'll see each other in the near future and help each other out where necessary.  Chillaxin together in esquimalt,

I'm also going in CEOTP - so anybody else doin so, feel free to contact me and we can perhaps look into some distance ed. and other shiz (jeriel.n@gmail.com)

Anyhow best of luck to all of you.

 

[rob1972]

This is great, I am happy to see there are a few of us that are making contact and sharing info like this.

Myself, I am 37, married, two sons, (14 and 10).  I graduated with a 4 year honours B.A. in Economics in 1995 so like Steve said, I have forgotten a lot of it.  I am looking forward to the challenges ahead....but I am also looking forward to the camaraderie that helps you through difficult times.  I know BMOQ and MARS training will be physically and mentally challenging, but I think one of the most difficult parts for me will be the separation from my family for such a long time.  There is a special sacrifice that people my age who are well established in life have to make that is different than a 23 year old single person right out of university.  I am glad that I will at least have others who are going through the same thing.  I was afraid that I would be the oldest one in my class.

Hey Diesel, I don't think you've missed anything yet, since you were probably too late to get on the May NOAB and the next one isn't until September.  The NOAB that just finished last week was for the guys who are going into engineering type jobs, not the straight MARS guys like us.  So I think you'll definitely be on the Sept NOAB.  I'll start sending you some positive energy hoping you get invited.

Jolly Roger, what's your situation?  Are you done BMOQ?  It almost sounds like you are into the MARS phases already.  That was good insight you gave about the MOST.

And guys....if you haven't already seen the thread I posted in the Recruiting section....you absolutely have to find someone with Bell Expressvu HD who has the Equator HD channel and look for the show "Warships".  It is SO good at showing many of the trades on board a Canadian Navy ship.  You'll see the bridge officers in action, a boarding crew coming alongside a foreign fishing vessel, a replenishment at sea, the SeaKing helicopter doing its thing and on and on....6 full hour episodes in glorious HD!  Check it out.

Cheers,

Rob