Stupid Questions about Naval Aviation (Part 3)

[MIDNJAC]

This may sound...well, stupid, but then again, this seems to be the thread for it. If, for example, I were assigned to NAS Oceana, would I actually need to have my primary residence near there? I ask because my understanding is that I would basically deploy for 6-8 months, and then I'd have a few months off before the next deployment. So I wonder if I could live in Boston (hypothetically) and then just fly into Virginia when it's time to deploy. So is that possible, or do they want you nearby between deployments?

Are you talking about doing this as a pilot assigned to a squadron? If so, there are no dumb questions (they say) but this one is close Work doesn't end because you are off cruise. I checked in to my squadron right when they got off deployment and post deployment leave. I'd say in the 13 months since then, I have averaged 10-12 hrs at work every day of the week (minus weekends), and I have flown roughly 3-5 times a week during that period. The rest is just the 3-5 ground jobs you have, plus duty once every week or two. This doesn't even include work-ups during the 9 months or so prior to the next deployment. It is more than a full time job, and if you measured your paycheck by the hour, I'm pretty sure it would be at or around minimum wage for an O-3. Just sayin

What you are asking is a little bit like asking "could I be on the starting lineup for (insert NFL team) and just show up for the super bowl?"

 

[MasterBates]

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Clearly I underestimated just how stupid my question was. But to clarify, the impression that I got about the time between deployments came from this thread. So my misunderstanding came from this post, as a response to what is done between deployments:

Training flights. Ground jobs. Paperwork. Rediscovering family/friends.

When he said "ground jobs," I assumed he meant getting a part-time job outside of the Navy, and so I figured it was essentially time off. So that was my mistake. Maybe I should have instead asked about what exactly you do between deployments, like clarifying "ground jobs." Or maybe I should have asked "With all this work you do between deployments, are you still able to take a month off each year with your earned leave?" I read in another thread that people were upset that all the leave they earned kept expiring. In retrospect, either of those questions would've been better to start with. But thanks to those who took it easy on me

 

[Brett327]

You need to read more about your chosen profession... a lot more. Also, apply a modicum of common sense to some of these questions. I realize you don't have any experience at being in a squadron, but does what you've proposed really sound like it makes sense? Did you really imagine that life in the Navy just stops when you're not deployed and you become a civilian, move back home and get a civilian job in the interim?

Use your head, kiddo.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

You need to read more about your chosen profession... a lot more. Also, apply a modicum of common sense to some of these questions. I realize you don't have any experience at being in a squadron, but does what you've proposed really sound like it makes sense? Did you really imagine that life in the Navy just stops when you're not deployed and you become a civilian, move back home and get a civilian job in the interim?

Use your head, kiddo.

Fair enough. Do you have any suggestions about where to start with the reading? I'm looking through the thread about aviation/military books, but so far all I've found are historical or biographical.

 

[Calculon]

This may sound...well, stupid, but then again, this seems to be the thread for it. If, for example, I were assigned to NAS Oceana, would I actually need to have my primary residence near there? I ask because my understanding is that I would basically deploy for 6-8 months, and then I'd have a few months off before the next deployment. So I wonder if I could live in Boston (hypothetically) and then just fly into Virginia when it's time to deploy. So is that possible, or do they want you nearby between deployments?

That does however sound like the Air National Guard...

 

[helolumpy]

When he said "ground jobs," I assumed he meant getting a part-time job outside of the Navy, and so I figured it was essentially time off

Obviously this young man things he's joining the Air Force....

 

[phrogpilot73]

Obviously this young man things he's joining the Air Force Reserve....

Fixed it for you.

Maybe I should have instead asked about what exactly you do between deployments, like clarifying "ground jobs." Or maybe I should have asked "With all this work you do between deployments, are you still able to take a month off each year with your earned leave?"

First, a ground job is the job you're assigned in your squadron that doesn't involve flying. Schedule Writer, Legal Officer, Quality Assurance Officer, Airframes Officer, etc... As you deploy, those jobs get a little neglected because you're flying more than when you're in CONUS. When you get back from deployment, you catch up on it. The Navy/Marine Corps is a full time job, would you live in Boston if your full time job was in Virginia?

As for leave, you will have opportunities to take leave - but you won't always have an opportunity to take your full 30 days each year. Also, it's very unlikely you will approved to take all 30 days of your leave that year at once. It's usually a week or two (or day or two) at a time. The only time that I personally took 30 days straight (because me CO approved it) was post deployment, before TACP school, because I was headed out in less than 6 months on a deploying FAC tour.

 

[e6bflyer]

Fixed it for you.


First, a ground job is the job you're assigned in your squadron that doesn't involve flying. Schedule Writer, Legal Officer, Quality Assurance Officer, Airframes Officer, etc... As you deploy, those jobs get a little neglected because you're flying more than when you're in CONUS. When you get back from deployment, you catch up on it. The Navy/Marine Corps is a full time job, would you live in Boston if your full time job was in Virginia?

As for leave, you will have opportunities to take leave - but you won't always have an opportunity to take your full 30 days each year. Also, it's very unlikely you will approved to take all 30 days of your leave that year at once. It's usually a week or two (or day or two) at a time. The only time that I personally took 30 days straight (because me CO approved it) was post deployment, before TACP school, because I was headed out in less than 6 months on a deploying FAC tour.

I will also say that YMMV with respect to ground jobs based on the number of officers that you have in your squadron. Single seat squadrons (Hornets and Rhinos) are notorious for long work days because there just isn't enough officers to do the amount of work required to run a large organization without working long days. The more seats you add to an aircraft, the easier life becomes. Honestly, you could almost get that bachelor pad in Boston as an E-6 guy. We have JOs working made up jobs, kind of stashed away until their last year or so in the squadron when they move into a big ticket job.

 

[CommodoreMid]

I will also say that YMMV with respect to ground jobs based on the number of officers that you have in your squadron. Single seat squadrons (Hornets and Rhinos) are notorious for long work days because there just isn't enough officers to do the amount of work required to run a large organization without working long days. The more seats you add to an aircraft, the easier life becomes. Honestly, you could almost get that bachelor pad in Boston as an E-6 guy. We have JOs working made up jobs, kind of stashed away until their last year or so in the squadron when they move into a big ticket job.

Ditto for the MPRA community. How we work it is when you check in you get a bullshit ground job that doesn't take much competency/time as you're expected to be spending all of the time you're not flying/simming studying and getting PQS knocked out. Not always the case as some new guys do get stuck in time sump ground jobs, but generally once you're qualified you get thrown into the ground jobs which require gouging your eyes out at a desk. Still can't decide if it's a good or completely terrible thing that I have my own desk now....

 

[RadicalDude]

Ditto for the MPRA community. How we work it is when you check in you get a bullshit ground job that doesn't take much competency/time as you're expected to be spending all of the time you're not flying/simming studying and getting PQS knocked out. Not always the case as some new guys do get stuck in time sump ground jobs, but generally once you're qualified you get thrown into the ground jobs which require gouging your eyes out at a desk. Still can't decide if it's a good or completely terrible thing that I have my own desk now....

What's PQS?

 

[BusyBee604]

What's PQS?

PQS = Personnel Qualificatiom Standards.
BzB

 

[ea6bflyr]

What's PQS?

What do Hornet guys do to achieve Level I, II, III, IV quals? Isn't your Tactics Program quals called....it's some flavor of PQS even if its not called a PQS....

 

[RadicalDude]

What do Hornet guys do to achieve Level I, II, III, IV quals? Isn't your Tactics Program quals called....it's some flavor of PQS even if its not called a PQS....

Uh, I guess. We're Level 1 complete out the door of the rag. Then there's a flight/briefing syllabus for the remaining levels ( which we refer to as SFWT, pronounced "swifty.")

I understood PQS to be a "sign off" type thing for ESWS AND EAWS. Didn't realize it was used in the context of an a/c tactics syllabus.

 

[MasterBates]

Hummers use a PQS like an Airman would use for EAWS. They call it CBATS. I call it extremely gay.

Of course, I was accused of being a liar when I told them in HSL we just had grade sheets for certain flights.

Not a large binder with 100 pages of signature sheets and a gradesheet for each flight.

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