jmetx07, there are two answers to that question:
1) Hard fill first shore tour: Each VP/VQ squadron offers up so many sacrificial lambs to fill community JO shore tours, these involve overseas TSC, CTF positions. These are community jobs that don't involve flying, and are generally not sought after by those in the community. The CTF leaders put pressure on the COs to ensure that they get sent only EPs or top performers out of their first tour. Doing well in your first tour, and timing can get you identified for these tours. Flip side, do well in that tour, and you can generally write your ticket for follow ons.
2) Hard job: WRT to a second shore tour in Sky-pig's post involves those that have sufficient "slop time" prior to YG+11 (back for DH) to complete another shore tour job that can get you another "check in the box". Depending on how fast you made it through flight school, extra time for each person varies. Examples of hard/career enhancing second shore jobs would include going off to War College/PG School, Admiral's Aide (leg shaver), VP30 PRE-DH (if you didn't go to the FRS as an IP after your first shore tour), or going to one of the VX/VPU squadrons.
WRT success during your first tour as a Pilot: Know your shit and be a good stick. Tubing a board, or progressing poorly through the upgrading syllabus will do you no favors. Granted, based on timing there are those that get selected to be IPs that you may scratch your head over, but by and large we as a community do well to select those that should be the IPs and have the most experience and proficiency in the aircraft. A skipper once said to me, that he was leery of any pilot in his squadron that did not want to be an IP, and become a better pilot. I think this is more important than ever with the decrease in real experience (flight hours) and more reliance on systems knowledge, HAZREP review and Pilot training/wardroom discussions. Bottom line, don't drop the pack, get in the Job Aid, NATOPs, and be proactive in engaging the senior pilots in your squadron on your JQR/P3PQS, don't fall off the curve!
WRT to the community: I am completing my disassociated tour now, with 3 community tours under my belt, and I can honestly say that I am happy with the direction we are going in. Sure, there are items that can be improved, but the rest of the Fleet values our services and our diverse mission sets. Nothing is better than getting to that final qual as aircraft commander, and taking a crew. That is what all the pain, sweat, and tears is for. Enjoy it while it lasts, there is nothing like it.
John
