Stupid Questions about Naval Aviation (Part 3)

[MIDNJAC]

Good example: I once stood wing CDO, had got off that stupid SAPR watch for the 34 Sailors that live on base, got to sleep around 0400, and got a call at 0600 saying they found a single door unlocked on base and I needed to get there ASAP. I told them I needed at least another hour of sleep and I'd get there around 0730 in PT gear, and sure enough the TW-5 building was guarded off with a watch posted and they made me inspect every single room and sign off nothing had been disturbed or stolen.

Jesus……who is "they"? Willing to bet there are at least a few other people on base, who are actually qualified to do that task ("security"), and who's job it is to do it. Are you their subordinate while standing CDO? If not, I'd tell them I'd come down only if they found something actually wrong, and to call the base police (if that is not already the "they") to have a look. WTF is some aviator CDO going to do? Maybe I don't understand the watch, or the scenario, but this is just weird to me.

 

[Gatordev]

Also, recently I saw a random DUI checkpoint at the gate going off base. Granted, no one was drunk, but when the limit is below .08 on base (is this a rumor?) people were spooked and already low attendance at the club dropped.

If it was anything like NS Mayport, it was NOT a DUI checkpoint, but a security check point prior to the gate. Because that seems to be a thing.

Sea story... A few years ago, I was legitimately and "officially" trying to figure out what I needed to do to bring a firearm off the base property at Mayport (don't worry where it originated from...this is not the firearm you're looking for). I went over to security and talked to the shift supervisor (or whatever he was). After a little word Judo, he understood what I was trying to do, but in the process, I made a comment like, "I don't want to get stopped at your DUI checkpoint as I'm going off base with a gun in my car that no one knows about."

His (immediate) response, "We don't have DUI checkpoints!"

Me, "Okay, whatever you want to call it..."

In the end, we set it up for me to move a weapon off-base (which I ended up not needing to do), but he didn't convince me what that checkpoint was or wasn't actually for.

 

[jmcquate]

The check points, in my opinion, is the reason why O-Clubs went the way of the Do-Do. They were popping up at Quantico in the late 80's. That's when everyone took the Amtrak to DC for the weekend.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Fallon's probably the last bastion of the old school O-Club atmosphere*, at least when the Air Wing's in town. Nobody's got to get home, nowhere else to be, food and beverage are decent, they stay open until the last drinker leaves, and 'home' (Q) is stumbling distance.

*Except for strippers, but given that it's Fallon, that's probably for the best.

 

[Brett327]

Whidbey Island did a "fair" job at the O-club while I was at CPRW-10 from 2006 to 2008. Lunch was pretty good and the Happy Hours were decently attended. Well decorated too . . . . .

Whidbey's club is, for all intents and purposes, dead. They stopped serving lunch a year or so ago, and are only open for happy hour on Friday. It's a good venue for RAG graduations, but there are usually just a handful of people there on Fridays.

Clubs that thrive are in places like Fallon and I-Bar, where you have people staying on base and not driving home. Sign of the times.

 

[robav8r]

Whidbey's club is, for all intents and purposes, dead. They stopped serving lunch a year or so ago, and are only open for happy hour on Friday. It's a good venue for RAG graduations, but there are usually just a handful of people there on Fridays.

Clubs that thrive are in places like Fallon and I-Bar, where you have people staying on base and not driving home. Sign of the times.

That's too bad . . . . .

 

[BenDog]

Fallon's probably the last bastion of the old school O-Club atmosphere*, at least when the Air Wing's in town. Nobody's got to get home, nowhere else to be, food and beverage are decent, they stay open until the last drinker leaves, and 'home' (Q) is stumbling distance.

*Except for strippers, but given that it's Fallon, that's probably for the best.

^ Drat.... There goes the " pigs in space " option......^

 

[DanMa1156]

Jesus……who is "they"? Willing to bet there are at least a few other people on base, who are actually qualified to do that task ("security"), and who's job it is to do it. Are you their subordinate while standing CDO? If not, I'd tell them I'd come down only if they found something actually wrong, and to call the base police (if that is not already the "they") to have a look. WTF is some aviator CDO going to do? Maybe I don't understand the watch, or the scenario, but this is just weird to me.

Base security is "they" who called me, should have been more specific. And if you've ever been to Whiting on a weekend, you know it's dead; only security is around.

I am not positive how the chain of command works; you're standing wing CDO, but the Wing's CDOs get farmed out to the base for most weekends (Medical and some other tenant command also get them, but only very occasionally, I can't remember the schedule), for their SAPR watch in the unaccompanied housing area of NGIS. So when base security finds something off, they call the CDO they have on file, which, on the weekends, is usually from TW-5. In this case, it was a door that was found to be unlocked. I expressed my frustration to the security department and the base Master Chief. I'm sure nothing has changed because they both couldn't understand how I wasn't qualified to sign off on that building's contents ("Sir, you just have to go room to room signing off nothing was taken or changed. It's not that hard." "Yes it is, when I have literally been in that building once, for check in.")

 

[Recovering LSO]

I am not positive how the chain of command works

Retired/former MA1 turned rents-cops don't need no stinking chain-of-command!

 

[Treetop Flyer]

That reminds me of the time I got called in from home while on duty.

Just kidding, that's never happened because I was always there, for 24 hours, in bravos, with a pistol. It worked though, because we were never attacked by terrorists under my watch.

 

[MIDNJAC]

That reminds me of the time I got called in from home while on duty.

Just kidding, that's never happened because I was always there, for 24 hours, in bravos, with a pistol. It worked though, because we were never attacked by terrorists under my watch.

Sounds like GDO. Worst duty ever, in that it wasn't useful, and only was a facade for a MAG skipper with illusions of grandeur, who was the kind of guy who would roll in at 3 AM on a sunday morning to make sure you were not only still awake, but also ready to jump to attention and pass the greeting of the day to his Highness (and ready to give an ass chewing if you were taking an early morning rest during your 24 hr duty). I refused to wear the gun or the hat, had never had the opportunity to make myself a pistol qual up to that point, and there were 2 Marine enlisted guys and one officer right next to me all packing heat, who could have cleaned house had it been needed. That guy in particular is probably closely linked to how many Capts are leaving the service from Miramar. Worst Officer and human I have ever served under.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Clubs that thrive are in places like Fallon and I-Bar.

The T-bar was getting going on NAS Jax circa 2010-2011. Anyone out there know if it's dead or still sticking around?

 

[SynixMan]

The T-bar was getting going on NAS Jax circa 2010-2011. Anyone out there know if it's dead or still sticking around?

We did HARP there in 2015 and it was a good time. Again, bunch of TAD folks like drinking where they're staying. Were cool with us ordering pizzas and whatnot too. I'm sure the tips helped.

 

[CommodoreMid]

It's got a decent crowd on Thursday afternoons though for unit functions they will open up on different days if you coordinate with them. It will be interesting to see if it picks up a ton with the Whidbey squadrons in Jax during transition.

 

[Caesium]

I know questions like this have been asked before, but how long was the gap between your commissioning and the beginning of your first deployment (so, all of flight school from IFS/API through winging plus RAG). Would 2-3 years be a good very rough estimate (obviously varying depending on platform and timing etc)? I just want to get a sense of how long it takes to actually get to the 'fleet'.