AW's?

[Flugelman]

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

Partial threadjack and not to start a pissing contest, but I saw this over on the P3 FE Forum Centerseat...

http://www.centerseat.net/forums/showthread.php?t=49

As an OLD tuberat (R/O and IFT) in P-2's and P-3's, I always thought it was kinda neat that we usually got liberty the first day of deployment. :icon_tong

 

[BourneID]

Partial threadjack and not to start a pissing contest, but I saw this over on the P3 FE Forum Centerseat...

http://www.centerseat.net/forums/showthread.php?t=49

As an OLD tuberat (R/O and IFT) in P-2's and P-3's, I always thought it was kinda neat that we usually got liberty the first day of deployment. :icon_tong

Change is coming, and they will eventually all be AW's, but they keep pushing the date back. If they keep pushing, it will never happen, no FE's in the P-8, and I am not so sure about the IFT's.
I personally think the merger is a BS way to take the elite few out of the Maintenance ratings, and it will only take the Maintenance experience away from the aircrew.

 

[Flugelman]

, and it will only take the Maintenance experience away from the aircrew.

Agreed, without the hands-on experience of fixin' what's broke, all the book learnin' in the world won't help when the chips are down and the mission success is on the line. Knowing just where to kick the ASA-16 to unstick the markers saved a sub-time attack more than once, with the added fun of seeing the TACCO's mouth drop open...

 

[H60Gunner]

Same here. What class? When?

Jan - Feb 1983 for me.

Just dug out my old NATOPS jacket, it was actually Oct - Nov '82.