CORTRAMID West 2006

[HighDimension]

Well, I decided I would write up a little review of CORTRAMID since I am just that motivated. Maybe the old folks can see how much stayed the same or changed. I'm only gonna write one week at a time cuz they're too long.

Week 1: Aviation

Well, we were warned ahead of time that with the exception of the flights, this would be a boring week. We started off with aviation water survival school at MCAS Miramar which was a lot of fun. I found swimming in all the gear to not be as challenging as I anticipated, although a few mids couldn't do it.

The next day came the T-34 ride. I can't remember the LT's name, but it was an awesome flight. Did all sorts of aerobatics and low-flying stuff. Definitely gave me motivation for going aviation. ( That rhymes... )

Wednesday our group of mids was like the plague. We got dropped off at NAS North Island at HSL-49 with instructions to report to -41 at 1400. We got a tour and all that good stuff and then realized we didn't know where the galley was. The SDO from -41 was awesome. She got a van to take us to the galley (free food) and cart us around until 1400. Later than afternoon was the helo ride which was probably one of the coolest things ever.

Friday we had a tour of the Ronald Reagan. It was awesome until they discovered a sailor had Tuberculosis. Next monday we all got stuck with needles and a rumor went around that one mid actually had contracted it.

Those were the highlights, everything else consisted of sitting in a wardroom. It was still a good week though, I mean for goodness sake, we were in San Diego, how could it be bad?

 

[Fly Navy]

Anyone get a Rhino ride? -122 had a jet or two down there for you fools.

 

[Shakey]

Rhinos are sooooo coool - soooooooo cooool....But don't you have to go through a bunch of other quals just to ride in one (ie. ejection seat training, medical/get x-rays taken of your back/spine)? A friend of mine went up with VFA-41 about a year and a half ago, and he had to go though all kinds of extra stuff, despite being a pilot.

 

[HighDimension]

Anyone get a Rhino ride? -122 had a jet or two down there for you fools.

Yep, 10 mids per week got one. One of the guys from our school got to ride and said it was amazing.

 

[Shakey]

JG, right? How'd he work that out?

 

[MIDNJAC]

word from one of the IP's at 122 was that they based the Hornet ride selection on the mid's PFT scores. The story was that one mid (after getting all strapped into the jet, with the engines turning) indicated that he had no interest in going into aviation, and wasn't even considering it as a 2nd/3rd choice.....apparently the pilot shut-down and made the kid get out. Perhaps next year they should choose backseaters based on actual interest in aviation just a thought....

either way, it sounds like CORTRAMID was pretty good this year from everything that I have been hearing. I know that our class didn't have it nearly as good

 

[Shakey]

That's awesome! Guess that pilot didn't appreciate this ungratefulness. I don't have a scholarship yet, so I didn't get to do CORTRAMID this time - hopefully next summer.

 

[Fly Navy]

word from one of the IP's at 122 was that they based the Hornet ride selection on the mid's PFT scores. The story was that one mid (after getting all strapped into the jet, with the engines turning) indicated that he had no interest in going into aviation, and wasn't even considering it as a 2nd/3rd choice.....apparently the pilot shut-down and made the kid get out. Perhaps next year they should choose backseaters based on actual interest in aviation just a thought....

How is PFT and interest in aviation even related?

 

[Brett327]

word from one of the IP's at 122 was that they based the Hornet ride selection on the mid's PFT scores. The story was that one mid (after getting all strapped into the jet, with the engines turning) indicated that he had no interest in going into aviation, and wasn't even considering it as a 2nd/3rd choice.....apparently the pilot shut-down and made the kid get out. Perhaps next year they should choose backseaters based on actual interest in aviation just a thought....

either way, it sounds like CORTRAMID was pretty good this year from everything that I have been hearing. I know that our class didn't have it nearly as good

That story sounds pretty far fetched to me. Nevertheless, contrary to what you might think, the purpose of flying the mids isn't so that you can get your panties all moist and brag about your mad flying skillz to your friends later at the Club. The whole point of the exercise is to expose people to aviation so that they can make an informed decision - whether they think they want aviation or not. One could make a sound argument that the people who already know they want aviation should be the LAST priority for flights.

@ Fly: Sounds like the Corps insanity creeping in to me.

Brett

 

[Shakey]

Very true, sir. But if you really want to fly jets, it's soooo hard to sit on the ground and watch someone else have all the fun.

 

[HighDimension]

We did have a mid that gave up his slot of his own free accord because another midshipman's ride had fallen through due to a paperwork glitch. The guy had the highest PT score in the company and wants to be a pilot, but still gave it up for the other mid. I was impressed. Dunno about that other story though, I know of a couple of guys that didn't want aviation that went for a hornet ride, but anything is possible!

 

[Shakey]

Very admiralble of him to give up his slot. So they base selection strictly on PT scores. Man, then I'm gonna be ready for the freakin' Olympics next summer.

 

[Fly Navy]

@ Fly: Sounds like the Corps insanity creeping in to me.

Brett

Has to be, I haven't heard anything so ridiculous.

Might as well have been GPA, or aptitude, or the shine on their shoes.

 

[MIDNJAC]

That story sounds pretty far fetched to me. Nevertheless, contrary to what you might think, the purpose of flying the mids isn't so that you can get your panties all moist and brag about your mad flying skillz to your friends later at the Club. The whole point of the exercise is to expose people to aviation so that they can make an informed decision - whether they think they want aviation or not. One could make a sound argument that the people who already know they want aviation should be the LAST priority for flights.

@ Fly: Sounds like the Corps insanity creeping in to me.

Brett

you have a point, but also there are a lot of kids who want to fly and have never been in an aircraft (other than a commercial airliner)....making them almost equally uninformed/experienced. For example, I wasn't sure how I would like the experience of flying in a high performance jet (my only flying experience has been in light civilian aircraft) but I knew that I wanted to fly something. I found out in the back seat of a Rhino that I love this kind of flying, and enjoy the thrill that comes with the pain. Would that experience have been equally valuable for someone who doesn't want to fly? Maybe, or maybe not.....there is a good chance he/she would just think, "oh, that was pretty cool.....once in a life-time experience" but it didn't really contribute to any decision making since they already are set on being a SEAL or SWO or something. I on the other hand can say with some certainty that flying jets is absolutely what I want to do (as opposed to helos or props, etc) which may make a difference on my end in any future pipeline selection. I do see your point though. Either way, that was the story straight from the IP's mouth, so unless he was taking "poetic license" with it, I am going to assume that it was true.....

 

[HighDimension]

Here are a couple pics I took from CORTRAMID. Enjoy! Everyone has seen enough F/A-18 pictures so I'm not going to post those. They get too much attention anyhow! :icon_wink