So what the heck is ACEs, and what happens there? Well, Vicki Wildman, another member of the Forum who is currently at OCS right now, took the time a while back to help answer some of those questions, here is what she had to say on the subject:
quote:I went to Pensacola for the ACES program of May 14th through May 19th, 2000. There were only nine of us which we were told was unusual. There are usually about thirty people per session. Things were a little more laid back and we were able to pick some of our own scheduling since there were fewer people to coordinate. I'll try to highlight what we did and answer questions that I know I had about the program.
Sunday - I flew to Pensacola via US Air (not a military plane - one of my initial thoughts). My Naval Recruiting District picked up the tab for the ticket. I was met at the airport by an LT who was our tour guide / chauffeur / facilitator/ nanny. We rounded up the rest of the crew who came from all over the US, got in a van and drove to NAS Pensacola. We checked into BEQ (tab also picked up by recruiting). BEQ was much, much nicer than I thought it would be - kind of like a moderately priced one bedroom apartment. We met up with another candidate who was local (Jacksonville) and had decided to drive in. We also met up with a "stash" ensign whose job it was to show us around and answer questions. (A "stash" job is a temporary duty given to pass time between phases in training. In this case, between OCS and API). Anyway, our "stash" was a great resource about OCS questions as he had just graduated last week. We stuffed ourselves with pizza and got to know each other. No food or water after 1800 to prepare for fasted bloodwork tomorrow morning as part of our class I flight physical.
Monday - We reported to the lobby of the BEQ at 0530 because we were told we had to be at NAMI at 0600 for our physicals. There was nobody there to even let us in until 0700. The rest of the day was spent getting every part of your body inspected (like the MEPs physical only more thorough and less humiliating - you aren't left feeling like an animal pushed through meat inspection prior to slaughter). Things that were different from MEPs included a more thorough series of eye exams, a chest x-ray, a dental exam (including X-rays) and measurement of various body parts by a machine that looks like a medieval torture device. These measurements or anthropometrics were the same ones taken by your recruiter when you submitted your original package only they are more precise. The whole morning was spent starving (no food in 18 hours) and needing to pee (nobody went because they were afraid that they wouldn't be able to pee in the cup later if thay did). Finally, it was lunch time. We had bagged lunches that we ate on a Navy-owned beach. We sunbathed for an hour or so which would have been great except that our eyes were dilated (direct Florida sun not recommended). After lunch we finished up our physicals, met with the flight docs and found out whether or not we were PQ to fly. Almost everybody was considered NPQ because of needed wisdom teeth pulling or teeth cleaning. You get a form that you have to have your dentist sign after pulling teeth, cleaning etc, than you are ok. We were assured that although we were all NPQ we would still get a T-34 ride on Thursday. Wheew! We went to bed early, exhausted, after the obligatory viewing of Top Gun in someones's room.
Tuesday - We drove out to the flight line. Some of us (myself and one other person) needed fit checks in the cockpits of various training aircraft. We both were cleared and our next stop was a big warehouse. There we were given flightsuits, boots and gloves. The rest of the program was completed in flight suits. This is a very effective method of psychological warfare. If you weren't convinced before strut around NAS Pensacola in a flight suit for a few days and you know you're the sh**!
Back out at the flightline we watched the Blues practice - awe inspiring. We toured the Naval Aviation Museum. All the little kids there are staring at us in our flight suits - this is somewhat embarrassing and somewhat fun. Next we toured a flight deck mockup. There we took each others' picture in a decommissioned Tomcat and played with ejection seats and human sized and weighted dummies that are used for rescue training. We also got to tour the OCS facilities. We ate lunch in OCS chow. This had to be seen to be believed! Let's just say I can tell why all the dishes are plastic there. After lunch we met with the OCS director who told us about the program. After he left, a DI came over and "introduced" himself to us. LT was with us at the time and he only half-kiddingly told us afterwards that he was terrified. Actually, the hard part was keeping a straight face because this guy was dead serious even though he sounded hilarious. That night we went out in Pensacola. We went to this place on the beach. There was a guy sitting on the beach playing a guitar that I will go to my grave believing was Jimmy Buffet.
Wednesday - We had our PRT first thing in the morning. The standards they hold us to our those required to begin API, not just the ones to start OCS. They are a little bit tougher, but still very doable. We did pushups and situps in the gym and then the 1.5 mile run is three laps around a cross-country course. After that we went to the pool. We practiced the four survival strokes, traeding water and drownproofing. We all got to do the tower jump and see people do the helo hoist, Dilbert dunker and multi-place (helo) egress dunker. After lunch we went to the sims where we went over things like the five point harness and cockpit communications. We then were talked through a start up, takeoff and basics, including trim etc., we landed (most of us successfully) and talked about our sim flight with our instructors. We were all pretty keyed up for our flight tomorrow. We had steak and lobster at the O-Club and a drink in the "Ready Room" - the bar at the O-Club. One of the neatest things there is a wooden case with all the NFO in training's wings inside. NFOs are actually winged in Pensacola (NAs are not), so there sit their Wings of Gold, gleaming in the display case, a tangible reminder of what their sweat and sacrifice will bring. Nobody did too much drinking lest the airsickness gods be angered tomorrow.
Thursday - The day we had all been waiting for. We went to the training wing's headquarters and received a lecture on aviation physiology. We talked about airsickness and G-LOC (G induced loss of consciousness). We were taught an anti-G manuever (hook manuever) and went over T-34 bailout procedures. Next we practiced said bailout in a T-34 parked on the flightline. Finally the moment of truth was upon us. The nine of us in the ready room were as keyed up as long-tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs. We went downstairs and were given helmets, survival vests and oxygen masks. Much joking and laughter and instructions not to puke in the oxygen masks. Next stop the T-34C Turbo-Mentor (or Tormentor, depending on how you looked at it). We were told that it was pretty turbulent that day and the SNFOs sitting around were telling us stories about how everybody pukes in the T-34. Therefore, it was decided that anybody who yaks buys a round of shots. It seems like we sat around forever, but my first experience with the T-34 was well worth the wait. Prior to this my only flight hours were coach class in a 737. I thought we'd just go up, sight-see and come back down, but such was not the case.
We got to do as much as we wanted. We took off and did do some sight-seeing. All the landmarks were pointed out to me and then I was given the controls. We started with straight and level flight, precticed some turns, climbs and descents. Then the IP took the stick and gave me my first taste of PA. I can't describe what a thrill it was to feel the oncoming G's, look up (or I guess down) through the canopy and see the ground. As irrational as it sounds, all I could think was what a tragedy it is that 99% of the population lives their entire lives and dies having never felt this exhilaration, this incredible magic, this inexplicable feeling that is flying in a high performance aircraft (obviously high performance is relative here). What happened next blew my mind. After we had gone through the usual moves (loop over, split S, barrel roll, aileron roll etc.), the IP asked me if I wanted to try. So there he was, cool as a cucumber, talking someone who now has a half hour flight time through a loop over. Next we did a couple stall spins and flew out to another airfield (Sauffley -Sp?) and did some touch and goes. Time was up and we headed for home. It didn't occur to me to feel airsick until we were back on terra firma heading back to our spot on the tarmac. I felt less than fabulous, but didn't have to whip out the airsick bag. Some of my comrades were less fortunate. Two of nine bought drinks that might. We debriefed and went back to BEQ. That night we went to McGuire's (the place to go in Pcola apparently) and then Seville Quarter (good music and dancing, but the only place I've ever seen a girl slash another girl with a beer bottle - talk about a cat fight). Many hurricanes etc. later we crawled home at 0400.
Friday - We met with the people in charge of the ACEs program to wrap up paperwork, have questions answered etc. Went shopping at the Navy Exchange and then back to the airport and home.
There you have it folks, ACES in five hundred words or less. My impression is that your experience can vary tremendously depending on the people in the group, your LT, your stash Ensign and certainly on your instructor pilot. I was very nervous about it before I went down because I thought of it as some kind of a test you had to pass, but it actually was a great deal of fun. The only thing you have to "pass" is the flight physical, but there's nothing you can do to change that anyway. So my take on it is to go down, get the physical overwith, enjoy meeting people who love flying as much as you do, party your butt off, have the greatest thrill of your life flying the T-34 (unless you already have hours in a Hornet or something) and leave completely psyched up for OCS and proud and thrilled that you're being given the opportunity to serve as a Naval Officer, and better yet, the chance to earn your "Wings of Gold".
Hope this helps. Keep in touch. FLY NAVY!
Vicki
So, how was it?