Close to wings but thinking about switching communities

[Hair Warrior]

From a reservist’s point of view, if you don’t want to do 20 years active, you can go SELRES after your initial service obligation, live wherever you want, have whatever civilian job you want, and continue in the Navy. Stating the obvious, there is no involuntary PCS in the reserves.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

From a reservist’s point of view, if you don’t want to do 20 years active, you can go SELRES after your initial service obligation, live wherever you want, have whatever civilian job you want, and continue in the Navy. Stating the obvious, there is no involuntary PCS in the reserves.

+1 to this. At my last reserve unit we had a 1315 type who was living in Europe.

 

[Odominable]

PB doesn’t get old, brother; we do.

 

[Roger_Waveoff]

I honestly don't know the politics and decison making behind the Navy giving up Miramar in the BRAC of the mid 90's. Would El Centro be preferable to Lemoore though?

I guess it's close to the Salton Sea.

If El Centro were funded and expanded to the level of a legit NAS, I’d argue its proximity to San Diego would make it more desirable in terms of weekend/holiday activities. And it doesn’t get that much hotter, either. 110 high in El Centro today versus 108 in Lemoore.

 

[Odominable]

If El Centro were funded and expanded to the level of a legit NAS, I’d argue its proximity to San Diego would make it more desirable in terms of weekend/holiday activities. And it doesn’t get that much hotter, either. 110 high in El Centro today versus 108 in Lemoore.

Having spent time in both, even with improvements to the base (speaking of which, NASL Ops side, inexcusably, has about the equivalent facilities as NJK and an inferior gym) Lemoore is still a much better option.

Lemoore gets very hot but nothing like El Centro - even in the middle of the summer it’s still quite tolerable in the morning - you can comfortably run until like 8am even in August, for instance. And while it’s obviously not SoCal, the surrounding area is much better from an activities selection (Paso, Sequoia, Yosemite, wine country etc) and crucially living option perspective. Hanford is really a nice little town and Visalia has a lot going on, certainly more so than El Centro, and there’s way better schools and a much better job market for spouses (again, it’s not awesome, but El Centro is a particularly low bar in this regard)

 

[SynixMan]

To the OP, I think you’re being overly dramatic. It’s normal to wonder if you picked right, but the job has plenty of great times ahead. As @croakerfish said, transitions in flight school are very rare. You’re likely to get laughed out of the room if you ask for one based on duty station locations. Especially from IPs doing 3 Xs a day in Meridian or Kingsville.

The places you go as a JO will be what you make them. You’re going to be so fucking busy as a JO it won’t really matter that much anyway. If you’re worried about the dating scene, I know plenty of folks (Guys and girls) who found their someone after they got out. Better that than knocking up some rando PB influencer who leaves your ass when you get orders to Pensacola (true story).

 

[Fallonflyr]

Have you been to VA Beach? Oceana used to be a XC hot spot back in the day but of course this was when strippers were happy hour entertainment. I would say the beach scene rivals anything in CA. Plus you get the added bonus of being a fighter pilot.

 

[taxi1]

I hadn’t pictured you as the cow-tipping type.

When in Rome…

 

[JTS11]

When in Rome…

Cow-tipping is a myth. I've tried it. They just run away.

 

[MIDNJAC]

This thread gives me an extreme appreciation for getting to spend two years at VMFAT-101 in San Diego as a Navy guy.

haha you and me both.....22 months in my case. First 6 months were basically "show your face in ops once a week and otherwise enjoy the spring/summer, see you in the fall"

Not to mention the mx issues they had in our era there......very slow roll, though the clock was already ticking by then, fortunately (or unfortunately in some other respects)

 

[Griz882]

Cow-tipping is a myth. I've tried it. They just run away.

Did you shower first?

 

[gparks1989]

All valid comments and I appreciate the logical responses. I will say I am leaning towards finishing. Not sure what the process would be to switch, but I know people have done it.

Yes, I may regret the jet thing but I think living in places I don't enjoy until I am in my mid 30s getting out is something my 20 year old self didn't think about. Yes, I signed up to do this and yea I dreamed about it, but priorities can shift.

Like I said the flying is just meh to me at this point. I enjoy some of it, but don't enjoy other parts. My helo friends seem to have a blast all the time, but they may just be talking it up, I am not sure. At the end of the day they live in an amazing area and can likely stay there. Ill add that if I got anything other than SD after going through helo advance I probably would be salty. So that's how I am telling myself I am not being logical.

Are there any shore tour opportunities for jet guys in SD, for jet guys (flying/non flying)?

Nothing original to add but you're definitely not looking at all of the angles. A few things: you'll barely be home during your JO tour so where your based actually doesn't impact your life that much. Yes, Lemoore sucks, no bones about it. I guarantee you are getting only half the message from your helo buddies. The grass is greener and all of that. There are also lots of mediocre locations to be stationed as a helo bubba, and the communities (HSC especially from what I've heard) have some serious issues that can make life/career pretty frustrating.

When I was going through Kingsville (a shithole location just like Meridian, and I generally like Texas) I was recently single (not by my choice) and would often go back to NYC to see family and meet up with my friends. I was hugely envious of their lives and really questioning my choices. It is completely normal. But you have to recognize that you aren't looking at this reasonably and risk making a very bad decision based off of vibes.

There are shore tour opportunities just about everywhere. Whether those are available on your slate is another question.

 

[Ralph]

How is Japan? Lemoore is only 2 hours to the central coast which is amazing. Comparing VB to San Diego is laughable. Not sure why the Navy gives the fighter peeps such terrible bases compared to the AF.

 

[Python]

Lemoore is only 2 hours to the central coast which is amazing. Not sure why the Navy gives the fighter peeps such terrible bases compared to the AF.

I'll respectfully eyeroll the first part of this. However, I couldn't agree more with the second part. It is definitely frustrating.

 

[Brett327]

How is Japan? Lemoore is only 2 hours to the central coast which is amazing. Comparing VB to San Diego is laughable. Not sure why the Navy gives the fighter peeps such terrible bases compared to the AF.

Where do you think quality of life factors into the decision on where to build a base, or to base aircraft?