AW's?

[chiefwhitehorse]

Hey everyone, I just had a few questions for anyone who is or is going for AW's I just signed up for it on 2/20 and i am way excited! I was just wondering what i should expect once i get out of basic and into "A" school. Any insight that i could start prepping for now would be awesome. And if you know the qualifications for the SAR let me know i think i need to work more on that(im a good swimmer, but not the best). Thanks-

 

[DAN MOFFETT]

Aw

Hi
Go to the Navy website and put in Aviation Warfare Specialist and it will bring up info.

IT IS NOT A WALK IN THE PARK.

I have several letters from the fleet that I can send that will fill you in.One thing you have to do is 1.5 miles in 12 min.................oh and swim
You can email me at campfour@centurytel.net .
Your recruiter should have given you all this.My son is going in Sept as AWSO and his recruiter has been great.Your eyesight better be real good.
Dan Moffett
H34 SAR Crewchief
1970-73
Pacific

 

[MIDNJAC]

FYI, there may be prior-enlisted folks here who know something about your specialty. Welcome and good luck!

 

[DAN MOFFETT]

Old Age....................takes it's toll....

Well I don't think any of them are still living................
:sleep_125

 

[S.O.B.]

Obviously get in shape. Boot camp will help with that but you will need to go above and beyond. Start swimming with fins. Other than that stay our of trouble, have a good attitude and you'll do just fine. Good luck!

 

[H60Gunner]

Aw

If you are in DEP you should be able to access Navy Knowledge Online, an excellent source of information. Talk to your recruiter about gaining access to that web site.

To answer your other question (If I may)- After Boot Camp you will go to:

Naval Aircrew Candidate School
Aviation Rescue Swimmer School (If you are going helos)
AW "A" School
SERE School
Then off to your aircraft specific schools....

It's about two years total before you hit the fleet.

You don't have to be a great swimmer before you get to ARSS (SAR), just make sure you are very comfortable in the water, and in good shape. If you have any fear of the water, being under water, getting blasted by rotor-wash, or being pulled underwater by someone who does not want to be rescued, the instructors will find out in a big hurry and you will be gone.
For prep.- Swim, run, do flutter kicks, push ups (wide arm, regular, and bicep), sit ups, side crunches, chin ups.... Towards the end of ARSS you will be doing 110 4 count flutter kicks, waay over 100 push ups and sit ups a day.
When you leave ARSS, you will be a great swimmer!
It is only a 5 week school, just get 'er done the first time.

 

[Cyclic]

Do your best but consider that H-53 AW's are not required to be Rescue Swimmers, they don't get the $250 a month either though...

 

[fudog50]

AW...what a screwed up rate that has become! what frickin beancounter thought this one up? For example, a former AM Chief that was a P-3 FE is now an AWC on ships company at AIMD on a carrier. WTF is that?

 

[H60Gunner]

Only Helo crewmen merged into the rate. All fixed wing crewmen retain their original rates.

 

[Schnugg]

Congrats. Get physically fit now. Be ready and do well!!

 

[HeloBubba]

Naval Aircrew Candidate School
Aviation Rescue Swimmer School (If you are going helos)
AW "A" School

I find it interesting that in the single-site for training era (all three of the above listed schools are aboard NASP), they do ARSS right after NACCS. How does that affect the AW when he/she makes his/her platform choice? When do they make that choice? During NACCS?

In my day it was NACCS then AW "A" School. During AW "A" school is when you made your platform choice. Of course one of your choices HAD to be helos if you had 20/20 and good depth perception. Once your platform was assigned, you then went on to ARSS (one per coast at that time) if you got helos. Straight to SERE for the fixed-wing pogues.

 

[H60Gunner]

I find it interesting that in the single-site for training era (all three of the above listed schools are aboard NASP), they do ARSS right after NACCS. How does that affect the AW when he/she makes his/her platform choice? When do they make that choice? During NACCS?

If they make it through ARSS, they will most likely have follow on orders to a helo squadron, not a choice. If they attrite out of ARSS, fixed wing orders if there are enough billets. I have seen exceptions to this also, ie. SAR qualified Maintainers going to a P-3 squadron into a non-flying billet. Needs of the Navy, that was before the merge.

In my day it was NACCS then AW "A" School. During AW "A" school is when you made your platform choice. Of course one of your choices HAD to be helos if you had 20/20 and good depth perception. Once your platform was assigned, you then went on to ARSS (one per coast at that time) if you got helos. Straight to SERE for the fixed-wing pogues.

I went to NACCS in '83, then back to ARSS in '93.

 

[HeloBubba]

I went to NACCS in '83,

Same here. What class? When?

Jan - Feb 1983 for me.

 

[Hozer]

Only Helo crewmen merged into the rate. All fixed wing crewmen retain their original rates.

The AW HIPR was here a couple of weeks ago and that's not entirely accurate.
If you're a flying AT or mech in P-3's, you've got to switch.

AW...what a screwed up rate that has become! what frickin beancounter thought this one up? For example, a former AM Chief that was a P-3 FE is now an AWC on ships company at AIMD on a carrier. WTF is that?

Yeah, the plan to assign more subspecialties to the generic AW does dillute the "elite-ness" of the rate. But looking at it philosophically, the typical overweight tube slug vs a SAR bubba already provided a stark dichotomy in the rate.
Ultimately, it's going to attrite some good "tactical" trons who could really had talent with ISAR and EO.

btw, the HU2K golf was the best f-ing helo ever.

 

[BourneID]

First off, AW is the best enlisted job to have in the Navy short of going SEAL or EOD, as for being a swimmer, that is a preference. Getting into shape is a great place to start though. Aircrew school isn't easy, but it is a ton of fun, if you really want to be a swimmer, fly in a vibrating helo all the time, and live on a ship while you are on deployment, than that is you perogative, but if you want to be on land every night, be able to drink some beer, don't be a swimmer. What you trade for that though is 3+ hour preflights and 10 hour flights possibly sitting sideways in crappy weather. Again its all a choice, but I would rather be a tube rat any day.