Are stories of the SWO community valid?

[CommodoreMid]

What's the eye issue? Are you just blind, or are there depth perception/other issues there too? Look around this site more for specifics, but you still could be medically qualified for being an NFO if you're still interested in aviation. I'm blind as hell and they let me fly.

 

[jameskalder]

What's the eye issue? Are you just blind, or are there depth perception/other issues there too? Look around this site more for specifics, but you still could be medically qualified for being an NFO if you're still interested in aviation. I'm blind as hell and they let me fly.

lol i hope you're joking. or maybe you're not as blind as you think you are. My contact prescription is for -7.0d in both eyes, which is a 20/800. It is correctable to 20/20, but why would aviation take someone who needs a medical waiver over someone else who's already at perfect vision? That's the gist of my question.

 

[CommodoreMid]

Lots of people have medical waivers, and the application for a waiver is separate from applying for the slot. Don't worry about that. I'm about -5.00 in both eyes. If you're correctable to 20/20 that's what they care about, as long as there are no other issues. Use the search function, lots of threads on how you can be a blind NFO.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Mrs Fester was 20/400 and got an NFO slot. That's legally blind. Navy doesn't care, as long as you're correctable to 20/20 and no other vision issues (color vision, depth perception, etc).

My opinions on the SWO community are nearly 10 years time-late now in terms of actually being one, as opposed to what I saw of the Shoes on the Boat. Nothing I saw then or since has given me any cause to change my opinion, but that's not the point. Some of our visiting current Shoes here tell me I'm wrong and I have no current info to contradict them, so I'll yield the floor on this particular issue. Suffice to say, I hope to G-d the community has changed for the better since ENS Fester was getting flame-sprayed on his trusty Left Coast battle frigate.

 

[scoolbubba]

I'm 20/400 in both eyes and have single anchor wings. Whether that's still possible or not, I don't know, but I lucked in under the contact lens waiver they had a few years ago. Hopefully I can convince the command that it's worth it for me to get lasik when we get home. While I'm bumbling around looking for my glasses after I take my contacts out for the day my wife usually mocks me with "you sure you aren't a FO?" It can be humiliating, but not impossible to fly with terrible vision.

 

[Gatordev]

I'm 20/400 in both eyes and have single anchor wings. ...It can be humiliating, but not impossible to fly with terrible vision.

This explains so much about the NIP pattern...

 

[scoolbubba]

yuck yuck yuck....20/15 thru the powers of Science!

 

[bdhurwitz]

I was a SWO on USS Gary (FFG-51) from 2006-2008. Every "SWO story" that you have ever heard, no matter how outrageous or unbelievable it sounds... is probably 99% true

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

I was a SWO on USS Gary (FFG-51) from 2006-2008. Every "SWO story" that you have ever heard, no matter how outrageous or unbelievable it sounds... is probably 99% true

That's because you were on a frigate.

 

[Wudgles]

That's because you were on a frigate.

Translation: "Watch as I flaunt my two screws infront of you, peasant."

 

[BigRed389]

Translation: "Watch as I flaunt my two screws infront of you, peasant."

There's a LOT more wrong with FFGs than that. FFGs suck. Their only purpose in life is to do all the shit more valuable ships shouldn't waste their time on.

If we're lucky, we'll find some suckers to buy them off us.

 

[SynixMan]

That's because you were on a frigate.

Haterz gonna hate.

 

[Wudgles]

Haterz gonna hate.

 

[CAMike]

That's because you were on a frigate.

Only about 50% true. At least from 20 year aged experience that is.

FFG's were Jimmy Carter budget cuts productions. So lot's of mis-engineered stuff like SSDG's, XO's pway bulkhead cracks, rudder seal leaks etc.. (Ever been a JO 15 feet into an 18" tall void next to a leaking rudder seal with an E-4 holding crazy glue yelling "I'll f____n fix it?)

In the end we also frequented countries and ports that would RARELY be visited by any other type of ship. Experiences in those countries were sometimes quite noteworthy. So the post above is roughly 50% correct. In fact SWO PQS sign offs can be had in a very timely manner due to it's diverse and often aggressive (abusive) optempo. So is the glass half empty? Yes- sometimes.

Your CO/XO combo has more to do with your SWO experience than any other mitigating factor. They can make it or break it. Believe it!

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Only about 50% true. At least from 20 year aged experience that is.

FFG's were Jimmy Carter budget cuts productions. So lot's of mis-engineered stuff like SSDG's, XO's pway bulkhead cracks, rudder seal leaks etc.. (Ever been a JO 15 feet into an 18" tall void next to a leaking rudder seal with an E-4 holding crazy glue yelling "I'll f____n fix it?)

In the end we also frequented countries and ports that would RARELY be visited by any other type of ship. Experiences in those countries were sometimes quite noteworthy. So the post above is roughly 50% correct. In fact SWO PQS sign offs can be had in a very timely manner due to it's diverse and often aggressive (abusive) optempo. So is the glass half empty? Yes- sometimes.

Your CO/XO combo has more to do with your SWO experience than any other mitigating factor. They can make it or break it. Believe it!

This is huge. I definitely got on a ship with a good combo and am happy with where I'm at right now. But I also think the going into with a can do positive attitude has helped me adapt quickly. I think too many come on board with whiny bitch attitudes especially when someone expects them to do actual work. But I've definitely been fortunate since my transition. STRIKE! is where it's at.