Sending newly winged aviators to reserve squadrons...

[wink]

Back in the mid '80s there was a program called OSAM (officer, seaman, airman, mariner. there was an enlisted program called SAM). We recruited for it right out of the active duty officer programs office. If selected you were guaranteed OCS and either pilot or NFO. It was restricted to VP and Helos, but you only did two years active after wings and then went selected reserve for 6 years. Sound familier? In the OSAM program though you went to a fleet squadron and then to a reserve unit for the 6 years of drilling. They restricted it to VP and Helos because of the extra complications and time in getting a TACAIR guy competent around the boat before he was cut loose to the reserves. In the case of a TACAIR guy he could hit his squadron in such a way as he would not get a full deployment and just a few traps. Didn't want to send a guy to the reserves with a handful of traps. I suspect the reserves needed VP and Helo guys at the time too. So what happened to the program? Flash in the pan. Lasted less then 2 years. It was considered a failure, why I am not quite sure. But then, I didn't know thier goals either.

 

[ben]

Here's something else I'm curious about. Am I the only one here who DOES NOT want to fly for the airlines? The pay and chances of hiring are starting to suck, as 46driver pointed out, plus I can't imagine having any fun at all.

I'm still pre-OCS so my opinion may be a little bit undecuated, but I am not planning on going into an airline job. It would be nice to have that as an available option, but I am not going to plan my entire military career around it. Commercial airliners are NOT my goal. That makes at least two of us here .

 

[nittany03]

Make that four. I thought about it in high school when I heard how you could make six figures as a senior pilot, but those days are long gone. I would, however, love to do some bush flying in Alaska or the Adirondacks before I die.

 

[Fly Navy]

If I end up at the airlines at the end of my career, then ok. But it's not a goal. Military flying is much more interesting.

 

[McNamara]

Man, who wants to fly the same ILS approach day in day out for the airlines? Most of the time you're on autopilot anyway. My mom said all the former military pilots she flew with were bored to tears after "withdrawing" from fighters.

Bush flying would be fun, though. My dad used to work with a pilot (who later joined the ANG to fly F-16s) who took a month off every year to fly in Alaska. He made more in that month than he did the rest of the year as a business consultant. Bush pilots have thrice the death rate of all other pilots combined (usually due to CFIT in bad wx), but that's some fun flying.

So any more news about the reserve deal? I have a feeling they'll be asking for volunteers again, or possibly forcing people into it. And in typical Navy fashion, they'll wait until we've almost forgot about it, then spring it at the last minute.

 

[McNamara]

That's the ideal way to do it, I suppose. But then if all you need is the military flying to keep you sane, you can forgo the airline job and find something that's either (a) more fun, (b) pays better, or (c) both.

Ahh, I can remember the days when a certain friend of ours not only made Delta captain's pay (which was much more then), but he was able to spend it on his own personal airplane collection. Life doesn't get much better, except when they paid him a huge lump sum to retire early.

Looks like that won't be happening for many in our generation. Maybe I'll join the FBI for some excitement and screw the pay.

 

[McNamara]

I got some info today from a person that signed up for the reserve option. Apparently the list is still open at both the wing and the squadron. The chances are that Dallas (Fort Worth JRB C-40s) and San Diego (North Island NAS C-9s) are the two main stations that will be open for the reserve option. There's supposed to be a board meeting in January that will consider whether to implement the program - I guess it's still up in the air. If you have orders to the FRS at that time, you won't be considered.

 

[VarmintShooter]

Holy crap! So not only will you have to find a full time job, you'll have to find one which will pay for a house in San Diego? Ouch!

 

[McNamara]

Hey, if I get sent to Dallas to fly 737s for the Navy, I can live with my parents! Exactly what I joined the Navy to do.

Hello, free BAH!






...Oh yeah, my wife would kill me.

 

[Broadsword2004]

I am only pre-PLCS right now, but I would never want to fly for an airline. I would only want to fly military, in either helicopters or jets.

I want something challenging and adventurous; after the military, if I still kept flying for a career, I would at most do Coast Guard, hopefully as a helicopterp pilot.

 

[nova04]

I'm TAD with a Reserve P-3 squadron and they heard the same rumor about newly winged aviators coming straight to USNR patrol squadrons after the RAG. Not sure if they would be SELRES or TAR/FTS, but I'm assuming they would be the latter in order to complete their active duty obligation. Contrary to popular belief, reserve VP squadrons fly almost everyday. The reserve P-3 squadron life, speaking from my own experience so far, is awesome. I'm def. doing reserves if I don't stay on active duty.

 

[zab1001]

VP Reserve is not an option for the guys being offered the 2 yr active and 6 year SELRES. VR only.

I'm locking this thread, it's old and the tangents are getting ridiculous.

If any students out there hear anymore gouge on the topic, please start a new thread with whatever details you have.