Pilot to NFO

[MasterBates]

Nice guys all --- just not cut out for the job. It was the same in the airlines. That's the tough part for me ... knowing who's "right" and who is "not" .... and getting rid of "good guys" who aren't "right" ...

That was the deal with the one I was involved with.. Nice guy, great officer, but just a matter of time before he put one in at the boat, and took a crew with him. I forget the code, but they let him keep his wings, and I believe he is now a supply guy.

 

[HH-60H]

Soorry to interrupt the FNAEB talk...wanted to chime in about the wings.
i am not allowed to wear both sets, but I am asked that question at least twice a week...per the regs, but I am fairly certain that you can wear your eaws and esws pins as an aviator/nfo or SWO since they are not listed as being of the same designator..

Sorry...continue...

According to the regs you could wear ESWS with NA/NFO wings and EAWS with SWO pin, but not ESWS with SWO pin and not EAWS with NA/NFO wings.

But a trivia question for everyone: Can you wear EAWS with NAC wings? Why or why not?

Qual'd NAC cannot answer.....

 

[phrogpilot73]

But a trivia question for everyone: Can you wear EAWS with NAC wings? Why or why not?

OK, being from the green side with no clue about Navy uniform regs... I would guess "yes, you may wear them". The reason is because of the difference in the qualification method required to get them... I'm way off base here, so I probably should have stuck with "cause they're different colors..."

 

[HH-60H]

OK, being from the green side with no clue about Navy uniform regs... I would guess "yes, you may wear them". The reason is because of the difference in the qualification method required to get them... I'm way off base here, so I probably should have stuck with "cause they're different colors..."

You are half right.

 

[phrogpilot73]

You are half right.

They're different colors? Actually that would only be 1/3...

I'm guessing the half I got right is that you can wear both...

 

[HH-60H]

They're different colors? Actually that would only be 1/3...

I'm guessing the half I got right is that you can wear both...

That's correct, you can wear both.

 

[HH-60H]

Yes you can...why, because they are 2 totally different quals..EAWS is optional, and NAC is your "job"?
How do I know you can wear both? because practically every PO1 in my squadron who is aircrew has them both and wears them both.

You are close.

EAWS is a warfare qualification and NAC is not.

The regs say you can wear one warfare pin per "group" EAWS, NA, and NFO wings are obviously in the aviation group. That is why you cannot wear EAWS with NA/NFO wings or even NA and NFO wings together.

Equally interesting is that even though NAC wings are gold and we usually think those are "higher" (because they are usually officer quals), they are actually subordinate to EAWS wings because NAC is not a warfare pin.

This really gets under the skin of a lot of aircrew. Earning the NAC wings was much harder than their EAWS (atleast HS AW's), but they have to wear EAWS above NAC.

 

[FMRAM]

According to the regs you could wear ESWS with NA/NFO wings and EAWS with SWO pin, but not ESWS with SWO pin and not EAWS with NA/NFO wings.

But a trivia question for everyone: Can you wear EAWS with NAC wings? Why or why not?

Qual'd NAC cannot answer.....

Yes, EAWS and NAC is kosher...

 

[Goober]

The regs say you can wear one warfare pin per "group" EAWS, NA, and NFO wings are obviously in the aviation group. That is why you cannot wear EAWS with NA/NFO wings or even NA and NFO wings together.

Equally interesting is that even though NAC wings are gold and we usually think those are "higher" (because they are usually officer quals), they are actually subordinate to EAWS wings because NAC is not a warfare pin.

This really gets under the skin of a lot of aircrew. Earning the NAC wings was much harder than their EAWS (atleast HS AW's), but they have to wear EAWS above NAC.

And also why some of us can wear NAC w/ NA/NFO wings. FWIW, it's not just the HS AW's it irks - it's the same for VP/VQ and old VS types as well. It actually took longer to get my aircrew wings than it did my NFO wings. For those who aren't familiar with the process, the AW training pipeline is similar to that of the NFO world (minus the primary/intermediate portion). The time not spent in VT-land is balanced against acoustic analysis and electronic warfare schools. Just a smaller paycheck.

 

[HH-60H]

FWIW, it's not just the HS AW's it irks - it's the same for VP/VQ and old VS types as well. It actually took longer to get my aircrew wings than it did my NFO wings. For those who aren't familiar with the process, the AW training pipeline is similar to that of the NFO world (minus the primary/intermediate portion).

I thought it might, but I hadn't ever talked with any aircrew other than HS about it.

 

[East]

Dual Wings

Yes you can...why, because they are 2 totally different quals..EAWS is optional, and NAC is your "job"?
How do I know you can wear both? because practically every PO1 in my squadron who is aircrew has them both and wears them both.

Even Officers can wear NAC/EAWS wings and dual wings when earned...

 

[Flash]

Even Officers can wear NAC/EAWS wings and dual wings when earned...

What the Marine is wearing is not authorized in the Navy.

 

[phrogpilot73]

What the Marine is wearing is not authorized in the Navy.

But it's authorized in the Marine Corps (not saying that you weren't saying that). I think that it should be allowed, since it is something that they've duly earned. Interesting note - if you're a Marine pilot who transitions to NFO at some point, you would still wear the pilot wings on the top, and FO wings on the bottom, per uniform regs...

 

[East]

Usaf

I once met a JSTARS pilot sporting 3 wings (enlisted aircrew/officer aircrew/pilot wings) on a HUGE Fridays nametag. When asked, he turned out to be an AWACS airborne battle assistent prior to battle control Officer who got picked up for flight training...

Too much spare time on duty for studying, I guess on those big planes. Always having the utmost respect for any form of wings this nametag looked really gay to me, nevertheless I have a great respect for his achievements.

 

[Flash]

But it's authorized in the Marine Corps (not saying that you weren't saying that). I think that it should be allowed, since it is something that they've duly earned. Interesting note - if you're a Marine pilot who transitions to NFO at some point, you would still wear the pilot wings on the top, and FO wings on the bottom, per uniform regs...

I agree, but the Navy rules are different......

I do remember the Marine who DQ'd at the boat in the Prowler RAG wearing his pilot wings when he came back through as an ECMO, some instructors were not happy about that.