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AW (Aviation Warfare Systems Operator) Questions
- Thread starter fpdesignco
- Start date
AW is the best rate teh navy offers.
Fp,
I am an AW senior chief and I have flown in the SH-2f, SH-60B and the P-3. Each platform has it's perks but if I had it to do all over I would always be a Helo Bubba. I'm not sure why you're hung up on the pilot thing because the bus driver only goes where the AW tells him or her to go.:icon_tong We use to have to do some of the work on the aircraft but that has changed alot from when I first came in. As some of the bus drivers have stated the rate itself is very demanding, you need to be able to get a secret clearance due to almost everything you do being classified. Being really good in math is huge as it is a big part of how you do your job. Writing has become more and more important due to the officers needing to get more sleep than the average hard working AW.
Now P-3 AW's are not rescue swimmers but I can tell you that they do get to play with some really cool stuff when they go flying and they actually make really good money when they go to certian spots in the world and they rarely ever see a ship. That means they don't ever get to know what it really means to be a SAILOR which is what you are first and formost...even if you are an officer. Now as far as the HS HSL thing goes it will all be changing shortly and either one is full of really cool stuff. I fired M-60 machine guns which have been replaced by the 240 and i fired the 50 cal from my 60b. I also fired a hellfire missle and had a blast doing everything. I'll say this i poked fun at the officers but it's part of being an AW those men and women keep us up and flying and when we are in the air we are a team like no other out there. AW's are treated differently than any other rate out there....the skipper is going to expect you to be more like an officer than his maintenance guys and those maintenance guys are going to give you a hard time because of it. But because that is what is expected of us I can tell you that 27 AW's that i have worked with or that have worked for me now wear the bars of an officer and they are some of the best officers the Navy has known. Come on in to the family let us teach you to be an AW and groom you to movce into the ward room if you really want that. If you change your mind and want to stay enlisted we'll welcome you into the chiefs mess eventually because we alway need a good sailor to help us train the officers. GO NAVY BEAT ARMY!
Fp,
I am an AW senior chief and I have flown in the SH-2f, SH-60B and the P-3. Each platform has it's perks but if I had it to do all over I would always be a Helo Bubba. I'm not sure why you're hung up on the pilot thing because the bus driver only goes where the AW tells him or her to go.:icon_tong We use to have to do some of the work on the aircraft but that has changed alot from when I first came in. As some of the bus drivers have stated the rate itself is very demanding, you need to be able to get a secret clearance due to almost everything you do being classified. Being really good in math is huge as it is a big part of how you do your job. Writing has become more and more important due to the officers needing to get more sleep than the average hard working AW.
Now P-3 AW's are not rescue swimmers but I can tell you that they do get to play with some really cool stuff when they go flying and they actually make really good money when they go to certian spots in the world and they rarely ever see a ship. That means they don't ever get to know what it really means to be a SAILOR which is what you are first and formost...even if you are an officer. Now as far as the HS HSL thing goes it will all be changing shortly and either one is full of really cool stuff. I fired M-60 machine guns which have been replaced by the 240 and i fired the 50 cal from my 60b. I also fired a hellfire missle and had a blast doing everything. I'll say this i poked fun at the officers but it's part of being an AW those men and women keep us up and flying and when we are in the air we are a team like no other out there. AW's are treated differently than any other rate out there....the skipper is going to expect you to be more like an officer than his maintenance guys and those maintenance guys are going to give you a hard time because of it. But because that is what is expected of us I can tell you that 27 AW's that i have worked with or that have worked for me now wear the bars of an officer and they are some of the best officers the Navy has known. Come on in to the family let us teach you to be an AW and groom you to movce into the ward room if you really want that. If you change your mind and want to stay enlisted we'll welcome you into the chiefs mess eventually because we alway need a good sailor to help us train the officers. GO NAVY BEAT ARMY!This is exactly what I did. I did the FASFA forms and spent a year and a half at a community college. With the government aid it was only like a few hundred dollars per semester. I got most of my gen. eds out of the way and came out with a 3.96 on 40-something credits. From there I walked into the NROTC program as a "freshman" in the college program. After a some more good grades in the first summer and fall at the university, I got a 3.5-year CO scholarship. And what's more? My ACT scores sucked.
Apply outright for the NROTC scholarship, but if that falls through, community college can be a really good way to go, especially if you can live for free at your parents' house. You might even be able to start the college classes before you finish high school.
FP,
Don't be discouarged from NROTC completely. I don't know if they offer it in your district but I tested into a college program at my High School and am now going to both College and High School. My college GPA is in the 3.4 area.
My HS GPA is lower than yours but I had some serious family issues the year before I started high school and reflected on that in my NROTC personal statements. I have all A's this year (both college and high school) and plan on keeping it that way. I spoke with my recruiter and he recommended I apply for the NROTC scholarship, despite the low high school GPA. My application is out right now and if I'm not chosen, I'll at least know that I tried and won't ponder what "could have been".
Just work your butt of this year and next and try to take advantage of programs like the one I did because they can really demonstrate self-discipline.
(PM me if you want to know anything more)
Matt
EDIT: Just now realized this thread is 9 months old.
Don't be discouarged from NROTC completely. I don't know if they offer it in your district but I tested into a college program at my High School and am now going to both College and High School. My college GPA is in the 3.4 area.
My HS GPA is lower than yours but I had some serious family issues the year before I started high school and reflected on that in my NROTC personal statements. I have all A's this year (both college and high school) and plan on keeping it that way. I spoke with my recruiter and he recommended I apply for the NROTC scholarship, despite the low high school GPA. My application is out right now and if I'm not chosen, I'll at least know that I tried and won't ponder what "could have been".
Just work your butt of this year and next and try to take advantage of programs like the one I did because they can really demonstrate self-discipline.
(PM me if you want to know anything more)
Matt
EDIT: Just now realized this thread is 9 months old.
fudog50
Registered User
AW Rating
Heres one for you,,,,
Guess what the AW rate just grew!
All Enlisted Aircrew will be AW's from here on out.
(Our former AMC (AW/NAC) is now an AW!)
Apparently, this includes AT EWO's an IFT's. (not sure about FE's)
(currently trying to network with the detailers for more info, will post when available)
If anyone else knows the skinny on this latest and greatest, please share....
Heres one for you,,,,
Guess what the AW rate just grew!
All Enlisted Aircrew will be AW's from here on out.
(Our former AMC (AW/NAC) is now an AW!)
Apparently, this includes AT EWO's an IFT's. (not sure about FE's)
(currently trying to network with the detailers for more info, will post when available)
If anyone else knows the skinny on this latest and greatest, please share....
FE's too. They will have the designator AWF
AWF = FE's (E-6, P-3, C-130), (C-130,C-2) Loadmasters, C-12, C-40, C-20 Utility Crewman
AWV = IFT's
AWR/AWS = Helo AW's
AWO = P-3 AW's(both accoustic and non accoustic)