How often are is the E6 available for selection?

[Misfits2192]

Sorry if this is the incorrect place to post those. I looked through the forums, but could not find an answer. How often is the E6 available as your dream selection? I understand their are limited spots because of how few we fly so i am curious how many people who have been through the pipeline saw it as an option. Thanks!

 

[Meyerkord]

There were 9 or 10 slots during the 7 months I was in primary last year. Usually 1 every few weeks.

 

[Ozarky]

I’d like to first offer upfront that what I’m about to say is purely anecdotal, so take it with a grain of salt.
Like anything else in the selection process, it appears to ebb and flow. I selected E-6 back in May, and in the 6 or so weeks leading up to my selection there had only been one person get picked up. However, in the 2 weeks oafter me there were 3 or 4 that got picked up. Honestly the common denominator that I see is that the people who got it had at least decent grades and put it first on their selection sheet. Whether that’s because it’s a platform that most people don’t even think about putting down, or something else, I just don’t know. Obviously there is a finite number of people that can be taken for E-6 over a given time period, but there’s no way to know when that limit has been reached. Bottom line: if you like cheap land, good hunting and fishing, and living in the heartland, then roll the dice and put it first!

 

[FinkUFreaky]

42%. That's the go-to answer around here. Used to bug me... But the longer I've been here the more I understand it. The question has been asked and answered so many times. The person winging now will have a different percentage than you when you get there. It is always changing. Be prepared to accept any platform given, and do your best, and hope to get what you want! I didn't, but if I could go back I wouldn't change it. It's cliche but true that you will end up where you belong and like it (enough)

 

[Waveoff]

For the FO side if it matters, about 6 to 8 a year. Seemed like there was a hard quota for the quarter that they would fill. They can't really teach us in flight school what the E6 does vice talking to instructors, so if someone in primary wants it as their first choice, they would usually force delays and time off into their flight schedule so they could start VT4 in a timeframe where selection would line up with an opening.

 

[FinkUFreaky]

For the FO side if it matters, about 6 to 8 a year. Seemed like there was a hard quota for the quarter that they would fill. They can't really teach us in flight school what the E6 does vice talking to instructors, so if someone in primary wants it as their first choice, they would usually force delays and time off into their flight schedule so they could start VT4 in a timeframe where selection would line up with an opening.

This is pretty bad gouge overall. Not on the number taken per year, which I actually have no idea (nor care to know). But on the process, which I do. Sometimes things perceived aren't reality as a flight stud. This I know as fact, both as a stud and IP

 

[jollygreen07]

Yeah, I’m not delaying anyone for selection purposes. I really wish people would stop putting bad gouge out re: NFO primary selections.

All wanna-be double anchors (and single anchors, for that matter) take note: the needs of the Navy are first. Always. The best way to ensure your selection is to be #1 in your class.

 

[Jim123]

This is probably not good timing but what about the EC-130?

 

[zippy]

This is probably not good timing but what about the EC-130?

The Guard is hiring...

 

[Jim123]

The Guard is hiring...

They fly the passive aggressive jammer C-130. I meant the passive aggressive nookyoolar C-130.

 

[FinkUFreaky]

This is pretty bad gouge overall. Not on the number taken per year, which I actually have no idea (nor care to know). But on the process, which I do. Sometimes things perceived aren't reality as a flight stud. This I know as fact, both as a stud and IP

In order to somewhat correct myself, I never saw this as a thing at VT-10. I did actually hear the other day however, now that I've been spending some time with a couple of the instructors over there, that once you select VT-4, if you make it known in advance that you want E-6s, it might actually be a thing. Probably still timing dependent. Sorry @Waveoff , I may have misunderstood your point. Don't expect any scheduling shenanigans at 10 though; if three people in the same class wanted E-6s (not super likely), they aren't going to slow some of them down to spread them out.

VT-4 also has a lot more leeway, as they can roughly hard-schedule your grad date when you start, with only things like hurricanes and government shut-downs slowing you down (maybe Covid quarantines as well). Don't have to worry as much about weather cancels, or plane availability, or even most med-downs.

 

[Waveoff]

All I can say for VT10 shenanigans is that myself and 4 others in the same class were in a position to finish primary at the same time. Problem is, all of us were anthroed out of jets and after a week and a half of perfect weather, we had a strange number of blank days and found ourselves spaced out 2 or 3 weeks apart for selection. Seemed to us like they didn't want to wreck the quotas and turn "needs of the navy" into "needs of the doc" and spaced us out and other people that started behind us were pushed ahead.

Just my experience. Definitely not the norm and I cant see it happening again where half or more of the selection class of 10 was down a pipeline.

 

[Hair Warrior]

Just curious, is the E-6 Mercury a highly desirable/coveted choice among students in the pipeline? Is there some perceived silver lining (e.g. work-life balance, location stability, per diem, etc.) that makes the E-6 more desirable than other options?

 

[Pags]

Just curious, is the E-6 Mercury a highly desirable/coveted choice among students in the pipeline? Is there some perceived silver lining (e.g. work-life balance, location stability, per diem, etc.) that makes the E-6 more desirable than other options?

There's always one guy who really wants it.

It's generally seen as the more family friendly option as it doesn't deploy in a traditional USN sense and it gets you big wing jet engine time. My perception was that the one guy who really wants it has come to realize that the USN and deployments aren't his jam. Often times this individual also has a young bride who may happen to be from Oklahoma or nearby.

 

[FinkUFreaky]

Yeah most that I've known are from the rough geographic area and want to be closer to home (or spouses home) on the NFO side. From the pilot side, it's certainly good hours in a large aircraft. P-8s also desireable for similar reasons (although they do deploy to foreign countries unlike the E-6, they don't spend time on the boat and it's good hours for the pilots and the airlines).

It is entirely possible, if VT-4 had a backlog and 86 was begging for students that they would slow down those that are guaranteed to go to 4 (due to anthro, or possibly even NSS although I'd doubt it) and prioritize the guys and gals that could go jets. Never got high enough the Ops or STUCON chain to see it happen but I buy that it's certainly possible. But that really has nothing to do with preferences... I guess my take-away from this story would be if you wanted to help guarantee E-6s, to find a way to get taller or shorter in whatever measurement would DQ you from jets haha. That said if I were in a young SNFO's body I'd be trying to sit in the back of an F-18... They can at least see the boat when sitting in the back coming aboard at night! I've never taken a night trap in the back of an E-2 and I can't say I'm too upset about that haha! water water "POWER!" water "easy with it" steel idle.... BOLTER!!!