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Married Pilots, need some advice...
- Thread starter FlybyWired06
- Start date
FlybyWired06
New Member
Goldilocks,
Thanks for the post. The wives' perspective on this all is quite interesting. In talking to another P-3 wife out of Whidbey, it sounds like Whidbey might be the worst of all the P-3 bases as far as family life goes...Interestingly enough, if you look at the poll results, more than 50% of the 15 or so responders believe that P-3's provide more time at home...but really, it sounds like the only family life "advantage" of being a P-3 pilot is that while deployed you have better access to communications back home (i.e. P-3 pilots call home several times a week, while guys at sea have that opportunity maybe 2 or 3 times a month...)
Any jet or helo pilots or wives out there that care to chime in on this subject?
Why do you say that? Do you think that the squadrons in Brunswick, Jax & Hawaii don't have the same pressures and challenges wrt squadron/family life?
FlybyWired06
New Member
I only say that because of what I heard from one of the P-3 wives in Whidbey. Debunk if it's not true...
If I was flyin' P-3's and a family guy ... NUW would make the most sense for a family w/kids, a dog, and -- if you must -- the cat.
If I was single and flyin' P-3's or it was just me and the wife -- P-3's and NGF would be the choice.
Brunswick's just too damn cold ....
The only thing that REALLY used to tick me off on cruise was when the P-3 wives showed up in Subic after we'd been on cruise on the ship for months --- they had to be some of the best lookin' women in the world. Truly ... not just 'cause we'd been .... "deprived".
Actually -- they still looked pretty good when we had a port call in Hong Kong and they showed up there as well to say "hello" to the Air Wing boys while their hubbies, or S/O's if you prefer -- were boring holes in the sky somewhere in the I/O or were safely ensconced in Diego Garcia.
If I was single and flyin' P-3's or it was just me and the wife -- P-3's and NGF would be the choice.
Brunswick's just too damn cold ....
The only thing that REALLY used to tick me off on cruise was when the P-3 wives showed up in Subic after we'd been on cruise on the ship for months --- they had to be some of the best lookin' women in the world. Truly ... not just 'cause we'd been .... "deprived".
Actually -- they still looked pretty good when we had a port call in Hong Kong and they showed up there as well to say "hello" to the Air Wing boys while their hubbies, or S/O's if you prefer -- were boring holes in the sky somewhere in the I/O or were safely ensconced in Diego Garcia.
When I was on the the JFK the CO (O-6) was a single guy. My last squadron's XO was single, so it is possible to make command being single.
Lt Gen Mattis has remained single. Given he can be a very abrasive character and would never had made commandant anyways, he still held several major commands including First MarDiv in combat. Somewhat hypocritical for a single guy to say this but I can see the writing on the wall. Having an amiable wife is pretty important. Not only for hosting parties, but if she is able to make friends with the other wives the idle hands tend not to do the devils work. In addition, wives tend to gossip about other people to their husbands, so if the COs wife says "so and so JOs wife is nice," it cannot hurt.
I would also like to note that google ads is doing a great job. As I am writing this the advertisement immediately above this box says "Life is short, have an affair (www.ashleymadison.com)"
I would also like to note that google ads is doing a great job. As I am writing this the advertisement immediately above this box says "Life is short, have an affair (www.ashleymadison.com)"
Debunk if not true ??? YGTBSM "One of the wives in Whidbey?" Yes, Naval Aviation is difficult and challenging in any location in every platform. Enough of the "knives club input."
FlybyWired06
New Member
Fair enough...thanks for the kind hearted post...
Tired of the "ready" huh? 10, 14, 16 hours a day working huh? You sound like someone who has no actual experience in Naval Aviation yet you freely give advice to flight school students? I realize the war this country finds itself in probably interferes with your lifestyle, but pre-flighting and actually standing the ready is both necessary and vital to our countries maritime security. Before you offer all the "good things" you can say, earn some wings, go to sea, and stand the watch. Until then, stop talking about things you have no experience in.
Looks like a lot of things have already been covered here.
I will add some P-3 observations though- People who chose the community thinking it was the "best" and "easiest" choice for their home life have mentioned that they were greatly mistaken, and many of them are jaded- more so then the norm. The previous point about long working hours was spot on. 6 day work weeks (and sometimes 7 depending on Mx, plane availability and readiness/training requirements) seem to be normal.
Members of the wardroom look forward to deployment as a break from the grind of the last six months of homecycle (where they are getting hit with surge, ORE and ARP on top of everything else). On paper we have a 18month homecycle. However when you throw in a surge period (or more when your squadron has to pick up the slack for another squadron) you will be gone a lot more (each surge period brings most crewsone or two 6-8 week trips to augment deployed squadrons). That also doesnt include normal dets that squadrons have to provide crews for (RIMPAC, Valient Shield, CSG workups etc).
I don't think that our community has it harder then any other community- just don't look at P-3s as an easy answer for what you want. I advise you to pick a platform/community because it is what YOU want for yourself and not anyone else. If you do that and are happy where you work then the other pieces should fall into place.
I will add some P-3 observations though- People who chose the community thinking it was the "best" and "easiest" choice for their home life have mentioned that they were greatly mistaken, and many of them are jaded- more so then the norm. The previous point about long working hours was spot on. 6 day work weeks (and sometimes 7 depending on Mx, plane availability and readiness/training requirements) seem to be normal.
Members of the wardroom look forward to deployment as a break from the grind of the last six months of homecycle (where they are getting hit with surge, ORE and ARP on top of everything else). On paper we have a 18month homecycle. However when you throw in a surge period (or more when your squadron has to pick up the slack for another squadron) you will be gone a lot more (each surge period brings most crewsone or two 6-8 week trips to augment deployed squadrons). That also doesnt include normal dets that squadrons have to provide crews for (RIMPAC, Valient Shield, CSG workups etc).
I don't think that our community has it harder then any other community- just don't look at P-3s as an easy answer for what you want. I advise you to pick a platform/community because it is what YOU want for yourself and not anyone else. If you do that and are happy where you work then the other pieces should fall into place.
I will give you the advice my CAG used to give us:
You can always get another wife, but you will never get another Navy career.
He had been married 4 times.
You can always get another wife, but you will never get another Navy career.
He had been married 4 times.