I just signed the dotted line, raised my hand and swore in. I was 2 points away from from getting in the AM AD fields to be an aircrewman, but i have a waiver to complete the AIRR PFT to get in. My question is it worth getting in now days? I have heard from a retired navy gentleman from this field and he said "GET OUT OF IT NOW!" 1. only a few are selected to be aircrewman, 2. i will only end up just replacing revits, sheet metal, and piss bottles. I have CS placement right now as backup. I need feedback on this please!
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Just signed up to be an AW...am I on right path to Naval Aviation?
- Thread starter Chris2008
- Start date
Can you explain this better? I don't really follow your situation."Is it worth getting in now days?" If you swore in, aren't you already "in"? Specifically, do you want to be an AM, AW, or AD? My first choice would be NOT to have CS anywhere around my name, unless you really love to cook. Stay with aviation jobs, they build character.
And cooking isn't a skill you can use on the outside world? Idiot.
It really depends on what your goals are, most people on this forum are either pilots, NFO's or are trying to become one of these. The aspect of Naval Aviation that you are getting into is completely different. If you really want to serve as an enlisted aircrewman trying to get that school and achieve that once you are already in is possible but highly unlikely regardless of what any recruiter told you. I was an "AM" and had a lot of fun and learned a lot, but at the end of the day I wanted to be the guy flying the plane not the one fixing it. If your goal is to fly I suggest getting your degree and going in as a pilot/NFO. All of this is for nothing however if you have already enlisted. If you already made that commitment then my suggestion is just make the best of it and work towards your goal and if you are a superstar STA-21 is always an option but like aircrew school it is very competitive.
...oh and one more thing STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM BECOMING A CS AS YOU CAN, YOU WILL REGRET IT!!!
...oh and one more thing STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM BECOMING A CS AS YOU CAN, YOU WILL REGRET IT!!!
FWIW, many CSs go to an actual civilian cooking school and get accreditation (or whatever you call it when you're a cook).
Unless you want to learn how to make airplanes out of carrots....
That looks like a penis with wings.
I have no regrets about being a SAR swimmer/Helo AW for 8 years before I got picked up. "Difficult" doesn't begin to describe the reality of earning a commission once you've enlisted, much less being a success as an enlisted man. The problem I've seen w/ folks who come in as blue shirts thinking of it only as a stepping stone often get crushed by the demands of the rate they are in.
I'll leave it at that.
AW's have one of the highest rates of accession to Officer, and it's the only rate I would consider.
But if you can scratch your way through college, that's definitely the path of least resistance.
I'll leave it at that.
AW's have one of the highest rates of accession to Officer, and it's the only rate I would consider.
But if you can scratch your way through college, that's definitely the path of least resistance.
I can't speak to the specifics of what you are considering, but I can tell you that I have ran into my fair share of embittered former military types. They either got a raw deal and are bitter or feel that the military of today has gone soft and we're a bunch of pussies who wouldn't pass muster in the good ol' days (oh hey A4s when did you get here? I kid
) Either way there are plenty of sour grapes. Quite frankly, screw that. No matter what you do you are serving your country and that is noble and valuable, even if your service is say, CS or worse yet, in the AF. Do what you want to do and don't let some old salt's vinegar turn you off. And yeah, if you want to be commissioned, I would look at going straight to college and getting your commission vice using enlisted service as a stepping stone. Nothing wrong with that, but there are age limits on getting into aviation billets (if that's what you want) so you need to take into account whether you can get your degree and get commissioned and do an enlisted tour in time to not be age DQ'd for aviation. It's doable, but you need to know that going in.
I'd say...like anything, it has its big advantages and disadvantages, which you should think hard about. Obviously it's a lot of work and sucks sometimes, but on the other hand there are those good days...I got cat-called today by some hot chicks in a benz; nice.
Anyway, my point is, think it over compared to other jobs out there that you could be doing.
Anyway, my point is, think it over compared to other jobs out there that you could be doing.
Tickle
Member
If you are already in, my only suggestion is to just give a crap about your job no matter what it is. I can't debate the merits of one rate over another (I was a former corpsman so we didn't do much work anyway). I only know that if you work hard and avoid bouts of stupidity you will excel. Figure out what your goal is and don't take no for an answer. There is an instruction for everything you want to do in the Navy. Find the instruction, understand it and then talk to your chief or Div-O about pursuing it. I think most of the people who don't "get what they hoped for" in the Navy probably didn't do the appropriate leg work to make the CO's decision easy. If you bring a request to the skipper with all the i's dotted and t's crossed, it will probably be approved.
If NFO/Pilot is what you truly want to do then easiest way is not through the enlisted ranks (although there are paths). Go get a degree and either to ROTC or OCS.
If NFO/Pilot is what you truly want to do then easiest way is not through the enlisted ranks (although there are paths). Go get a degree and either to ROTC or OCS.