Originally Posted by
rickair7777
I recall it does still exist, or did a few years ago. But that commissions line officers, who have to get the degree and career-progress like anyone else. They are indistinguishable from someone commissioned from another source except the Navy granted some flexibility on when/how they get the degree.
The Coast Guard had something similar to this too, not sure if it still exists. If I remember right, prior enlisted Coasties who had a certain number of years and their crows could go to OCS, get a regular commission as an O-1E and then theoretically to flight school and become naval aviators as long as they had 60 college credits and got their bachelors degree by a certain point. I also met a few CG pilots who were prior Army warrants who came in with 60 credits or an associates degree. Then again, the Coast Guard used to have NFO's too but those went away in the 90's after that E-2 crash in Puerto Rico.