If not Pilot, NFO?

[BigRed389]

Maybe not today...but tomorrow?

I guess it was pretty cold when they took that picture.

 

[Blutonski816]

I guess it was pretty cold when they took that picture.

Let's see you stay warm duing BUD/S

 

[FLYMARINES]

I think she's just really happy to see me.

 

[Harrier Dude]

Let's see you stay warm duing BUD/S

From what I've seen, the cold would be the worst part. Looks good on her, though.

 

[pdx]

The NSI instructors here at OTC Newport can't say enough about being SWO. Not sure if it's something they put in the water here or what.

Pure politics & self-preservation. If they knock their own community, their leaders will find out and kill them......

There is SWO Kool-Aid too

Me: "How do you like the SWO community, Sir?"
My Class Officer: "Its great, and really the true Navy experience. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Me: "Didn't you say that you put in for an Intel transfer?"
Class Officer: "Oh ... I forgot I told you guys about that."

 

[eddie]

How could a URL community (the most important community? you kinda need boats for a navy) be THAT bad? About a year ago, I read a paper (I think it was by an LCDR) that was complaining about how the community was having really bad retention because DIVOs were hating it so much.

I've also read that it varies from ship to ship, and that it depends a lot on the DHs.

Granted, this is the aviator's forum, but this has baffled me for a long time. What gives?

 

[A4sForever]

I guess it's all personal preference. Outside of good-natured ribbing, some guys herein think it's "cool" to bash the surface Navy -- I never could understand it, either. It's short-sighted. Or perhaps a sign of poor potty training as a child ???

I've spent time at sea --- brown and black shoe time (granted --- the black shoe time may have not been "relevant") and I liked it all. If you look around, you can find plenty of sh!tty squadrons as well .... Believe it.

I'd RATHER Aviate ... but if not, Black-shoe or Marines are just fine. I'm such a Pollyanna, yes ???

 

[FMRAM]

To go along with what Bunk said, if you won't be happy unless you are the pilot, think long and hard before going NFO. The last thing anybody needs is another 'shoulda, woulda, coulda been a pilot' running around blathering about how they 'settled' for NFO until they can do a pilot transition.

I am simply stating the obvious here but both Pilots and NFO's are lucky enough to be part of a squadron...
Thats huge all in itself.

 

[TurnandBurn55]

I've also read that it varies from ship to ship, and that it depends a lot on the DHs.

That's exactly the problem. We can sit here and make fun of other squadrons, but virtually every nugget who shows up thinks his squadron is the greatest thing in the world.

There's standardization in the aviation world. Every single F/A-18 WSO got his wings at VT-86. They either got patched at VFA-106 or VFA-122. The Prowler guys all went through VAQ-129. When you show up to your first squadron, the others know what kind of product they're getting and have more or less direct feedback to the RAGs and TRACOM to affect that.

SWO-land? You get your water wings on some ship, somewhere, somehow. You've had no active duty training. You're completely at the mercy of your DH and your Chief as to how your bread-and-butter warfare training goes.

 

[Brett327]

That's exactly the problem. We can sit here and make fun of other squadrons, but virtually every nugget who shows up thinks his squadron is the greatest thing in the world.

There's standardization in the aviation world. Every single F/A-18 WSO got his wings at VT-86. They either got patched at VFA-106 or VFA-122. The Prowler guys all went through VAQ-129. When you show up to your first squadron, the others know what kind of product they're getting and have more or less direct feedback to the RAGs and TRACOM to affect that.

SWO-land? You get your water wings on some ship, somewhere, somehow. You've had no active duty training. You're completely at the mercy of your DH and your Chief as to how your bread-and-butter warfare training goes.

That's a great point.

Brett

 

[S.O.B.]

Granted I’m just a helo guy, but I think that some junior NFOs have an identity confliction. It starts at wingings, they say ENS Schmuckately will be flying the Tomcat out of Norfolk. Is he really flying the Tomcat? When Crewman wing they don't say AWAN Stanley will be flying the H-60. I think it would be annoying to have to explain to people what you actually do in the Navy. Similar for helo guys, I make it a point when someone asks me what I do to say “I’m a helicopter pilot” not “I’m pilot” if you say "I'm a pilot in the Navy" people will naturaly assume you are flying jets off of a carrier.

 

[phrogdriver]

Isn't there some SWO course where they pilot YPs around Rhode Island or something?

SOB--why say "helicopter pilot" unless you're going to truly give details and say "SH-60 pilot?" If someone's ignorant enough to think everyone in the Navy is like Maverick and practices borderline homoeroticism in the locker room, so be it.

 

[Brett327]

Granted I’m just a helo guy, but I think that some junior NFOs have an identity confliction. It starts at wingings, they say ENS Schmuckately will be flying the Tomcat out of Norfolk. Is he really flying the Tomcat? When Crewman wing they don't say AWAN Stanley will be flying the H-60. I think it would be annoying to have to explain to people what you actually do in the Navy. Similar for helo guys, I make it a point when someone asks me what I do to say “I’m a helicopter pilot” not “I’m pilot” if you say "I'm a pilot in the Navy" people will naturaly assume you are flying jets off of a carrier.

A common misunderstanding among pilots who don't have the opportunity to fly with FOs. Trust me, with some of the flying I've done, I'm doing more of it than the nugget pilot. I know some may quibble with semantics and terminology, but I don't ride in my jet, I fly it.

Brett

 

[HeyJoe]

I thought about going SNFO and then SNA when I appied, but changed my mind. I noticed when I fly my little Cessna I get easily distracted looking outside at the ground and sky, I figured....I don't like flying...I just like to look at sh!t on the ground. Not that this means jack squat or is based on any Naval experience its just something I noticed.

Sounds like you should be a RECCE pilot then (even though there no longer dedicated RECCE squadrons, the mission is there with Marine and Navy Hornets with ATARS and SHARP respectively).

 

[Thisguy]

Isn't there some SWO course where they pilot YPs around Rhode Island or something?

SWOS is no more. The Navy took a 6 month course and made it something like a 5-week course you go to after you get your SWO pin.