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AD or former aviators: dislikes?
- Thread starter dividebyzero
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EA6B1, well, that is really a community specific question. I will let Gatordev and Bunk answer that with regards to helos and jets respectively. As for the P3 community there is a 12 month (now, soon to be 18) Inter Deployment Readiness Cycle (IDRC) that the squadron goes through to prepare for the next deployment. The process involves both ground and air training to bring the aircrews and maintenance up to the level needed to deploy. I am just going to speak to the training, there is more that goes into getting a squadron ready such as maintenance, medical, etc... Aircrews are identified, and consolidate into specific Combat Air Crews (CAC) that go through the training process together. Each squadron has 10-11 of them, and they go through a Tactical Proficiency Course (TPC) and evaluation process, spaced out across the IDRC. This involves class room training in the warfare specialties, testing, Weapons Systems Trainers (WST) and Operational Flight Trainers (OFTs) that are coupled, so you have an effective sim that encompassed both the tube personal and their equipment (the WST), and a flight station simulator (the OFT). You practice a number of scenarios that increase in difficulty and complexity (Battle Group Support, ISR, MIO, ASW, ASUW...), with some as practice sessions, finally to the graded events that give your crew the qualification to operate tactically at a certain readiness stance. Then you transition to actual flights on the range, or with other participants (helos, ships, subs), and hone your skills to maintain your qualifications.
Once you have achieved your quals as a crew, depending on the timing, and the next exercise, you are then involved in any upcoming events, such as JTFEX, COMPTUEX, RIMPAC, Wing workups at places like Fallon, etc... In many cases, you are helping a specific battlegroup or wing in their workup process, while perfecting your own skill set and quals. During the last 3 months or so before deployment, the squadron will go into their final workup phase, in preparation for deployment, and other assets (ships, subs, etc) will be on hand to help US go on deployment for that final readiness stamp by the Wing to release us for deployment. For us, we have to have X number of crews at a certain readiness level of qualification. Qualifications are not something you get once and don't have to do again, they drop dead after a certain time period, so you have to continue to hone them, and get evaluated, both in squadron and from higher authority.
Some of these dets and workups involve leaving homeport, and going on det for 3 weeks at a time, but generally speaking, we rotate crews for half the dets, so you don't spend too long away, and also, we get more crews through in the training. For us it is a chance to go train at what we do and spend some time on the road. By this time we have been home for a while, so that week long period or so is not that arduous. We go stay at the BOQ and do our flights, and hit the restaurants in the local area and have a good time. Not at all like going to the boat for a couple weeks to work on your quals like the pointy nose types and those weird vehicles that are so ugly that the earth repels them... jk guys...
For us, it is a good time, that is stressful at times, but helps to bring a crew together during that year long period, and helps make us into an effective team for deployment. The only downside I have, is the frustration that comes sometimes when you have worked with some people on a crew, and gotten to know them, then for some reason or another, OPS switches you to another crew.....
Once you have achieved your quals as a crew, depending on the timing, and the next exercise, you are then involved in any upcoming events, such as JTFEX, COMPTUEX, RIMPAC, Wing workups at places like Fallon, etc... In many cases, you are helping a specific battlegroup or wing in their workup process, while perfecting your own skill set and quals. During the last 3 months or so before deployment, the squadron will go into their final workup phase, in preparation for deployment, and other assets (ships, subs, etc) will be on hand to help US go on deployment for that final readiness stamp by the Wing to release us for deployment. For us, we have to have X number of crews at a certain readiness level of qualification. Qualifications are not something you get once and don't have to do again, they drop dead after a certain time period, so you have to continue to hone them, and get evaluated, both in squadron and from higher authority.
Some of these dets and workups involve leaving homeport, and going on det for 3 weeks at a time, but generally speaking, we rotate crews for half the dets, so you don't spend too long away, and also, we get more crews through in the training. For us it is a chance to go train at what we do and spend some time on the road. By this time we have been home for a while, so that week long period or so is not that arduous. We go stay at the BOQ and do our flights, and hit the restaurants in the local area and have a good time. Not at all like going to the boat for a couple weeks to work on your quals like the pointy nose types and those weird vehicles that are so ugly that the earth repels them... jk guys...
For us, it is a good time, that is stressful at times, but helps to bring a crew together during that year long period, and helps make us into an effective team for deployment. The only downside I have, is the frustration that comes sometimes when you have worked with some people on a crew, and gotten to know them, then for some reason or another, OPS switches you to another crew.....
Ouch, that is some harsh treatment. The quality O4s end up having a much closer rapport with the JOs, while the others get more of the pratical jokes and cold shoulder played on them.Originally posted by bunk22
I've been ousted from JOPA at my squadron. Just the other day, I finally came to recognize my position as I sat down in the ready room with 3 JO's. I'm known as being a laid back dude, easy to get along with. The moment I sat down, they got up and left without saying so much as a word
We had a new O4 check in, seemed to be a good guy, but you never can tell until they have been in the squadron for awhile. Well, he was socializing with us one night on deployment outside the BOQ, and decided to go off with some of the other O4s for dinner. In the process of which, he forgot and left his room door wide open. Well, when we found the door open, the JOPA JIHAD just had to strike. Every single piece of furniture was moved outside and arranged just like in his room. About 30 sandbags were placed in his shower tub. His laptop got a new password and a screensaver. And to top it off, we locked the chain on his door, and climbed out the window. We left some beer in his fridge for him, and the password on the second page of his notepad. He came back, found all his furniture outside, and laughed his ass off, had some more beer with us, and moved all his crap back without pitching a fit or trying to put together a "working party"... All I had to say, was that he had class. We played other practical jokes, and some other O4s in question whined like stuck pigs.....
The Marines have the "field grade lobotomy/spinectomy" as well. Pin on the oak leaves, and you're no longer part of the solution, but part of the problem! Honestly though, people are people--rank just amplifies everything. As Bill Cosby said about cocaine,"It intensifies your personality...Well, what if you're an asshole?" Same thing with rank.
And just to further the comments that "they" aren't all "bad..." Our squadron has two inspections coming up, one from the wing and the other from AIRPAC (read: huge deal). Over the last week or so, there has been numerous times when several of the O-4s have been playing pool in the wardroom (usually an activity performed by the senior JOPA) while the O-3s were busy doing a bunch of work and doing productive things. Most of those O-4s are OICs of dets, and the O-3s were the Det maintenance officers. Sound unfair? Actually, it's pretty cool, because the O-4s were letting their JOs take care of business because they trusted us, and showed it.
One thing that has helped or perhaps hindered me through my not so glorious career was I have never cared what someone said about me on a piece of paper (FITREPS). I came in the Navy to fly and the Navy really didn't promise me anything else. If I get the #1 EP, fine, good on me. If not, as long as I'm still flying, great, I'm a happy camper. I lead by example, do my job, and never stab anyone in the back. As an O-4 and new department head, my job among other things is to keep the heat off my guys. At my current squadron, we DH's take a beating. The CO believe's DH's are there to be abused and we are. It ends there as far as I'm concerned. The JO's should enjoy their shore tour and not have to constantly worry about the front office.
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