Surface Warfare lateral transfer into Aviation

[AllAmerican75]

This is some really great info. What do you mean by timing my flight physical will be difficult?

Flight physicals can take a while to complete (fasting for blood work, meds to do eyeball exams, etc.) and it could be weeks to finish all of the tests and then submit paperwork if you need waivers (and you will likely need waivers. I haven't met a single person in the Aviation community who doesn't have a waiver for something, no matter how innocuous). This takes time and you'll need to get in cozy with your friendly neighborhood flight surgeon. The dudes in Mayport are the bomb and Mayport is small enough that they're rarely overtasked and too busy for you. Norfolk on the other hand, good luck ever getting an appointment. This is something you need to take into account in your timeline, because no up check on your flight physical means no zooming around in Navy aircraft.

 

[BigRed389]

Flight physicals can take a while to complete (fasting for blood work, meds to do eyeball exams, etc.) and it could be weeks to finish all of the tests and then submit paperwork if you need waivers (and you will likely need waivers. I haven't met a single person in the Aviation community who doesn't have a waiver for something, no matter how innocuous). This takes time and you'll need to get in cozy with your friendly neighborhood flight surgeon. The dudes in Mayport are the bomb and Mayport is small enough that they're rarely overtasked and too busy for you. Norfolk on the other hand, good luck ever getting an appointment. This is something you need to take into account in your timeline, because no up check on your flight physical means no zooming around in Navy aircraft.

Listen to everything this guys says, he gives good advice. My experience trying to lat transfer into aviation was in general the same.
Honestly, most aviators I met along the way were pretty supportive of anybody trying to punch out of SWO.

I was stationed in Norfolk, and honestly, @TimeBomb gave me the hookup to contact the Flight Surgeon at Oceana, and the OIC actually agreed to sign off on my flight physical.
My DDG CO allowed me to fly home a week early from deployment (I and a few others took the duty when the ship returned so the other guys could all take a full week off) to get all of that together.
NAMI still said no, but hey, sometimes shit just doesn't work out.

Honestly, if you're not having to lat transfer due to a NAMI Whammy, and you're an overall good officer as a SWO, the odds should not be too bad.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I went on over to NASNI on my own time to get my flight physical done. The lat transfer guy at Bupers advised me to make sure I didn’t have any med show stoppers before I pulled the pin with my command. Fortunately I didn’t have any issues or need any waivers.

Though my CO at the time was an almost stereotypical dick Shoe captain (screaming micromanager and incompetent ship handler) he did give me a good endorsement for redes, saying that he thought I should stay in the Navy and if that meant doing it as a brownshoe, that was fine. So lucked out on that one. But I heard horror stories from the other two ex-Shoe refugees at VT-10 when I was a student, about CoC’s getting ‘vindictive’ with the ‘disloyal.’

Not trying to spook you, just be aware that once you put it about that you want to redes out of SWO, it’s entirely possible some people won’t like it, and some of those people may sign your fitreps. Almost 15 years later out on an FFG I’d still get stinky side-eye from some of the Shoes once they saw my SWO pin under my wings on my guacs.

All that by way of saying, keep your cards close until it’s time to actually start putting your package in work. You shouldn’t catch your CoC completely by surprise - that’s bad form - but again, keep it to yourself until you’ve got your pin and good paper.

 

[Griz882]

For a Kings Point guy....this email is a "SHACK" and good advice.

ATIS.... from the real Maritime College across the river.

Having once taught at America's actual maritime college - the only US service academy with combat campaign streamers - I take umbrage at your "College Under Throg's Neck" comment!

 

[Dotan96]

I went on over to NASNI on my own time to get my flight physical done. The lat transfer guy at Bupers advised me to make sure I didn’t have any med show stoppers before I pulled the pin with my command. Fortunately I didn’t have any issues or need any waivers.

Though my CO at the time was an almost stereotypical dick Shoe captain (screaming micromanager and incompetent ship handler) he did give me a good endorsement for redes, saying that he thought I should stay in the Navy and if that meant doing it as a brownshoe, that was fine. So lucked out on that one. But I heard horror stories from the other two ex-Shoe refugees at VT-10 when I was a student, about CoC’s getting ‘vindictive’ with the ‘disloyal.’

Not trying to spook you, just be aware that once you put it about that you want to redes out of SWO, it’s entirely possible some people won’t like it, and some of those people may sign your fitreps. Almost 15 years later out on an FFG I’d still get stinky side-eye from some of the Shoes once they saw my SWO pin under my wings on my guacs.

All that by way of saying, keep your cards close until it’s time to actually start putting your package in work. You shouldn’t catch your CoC completely by surprise - that’s bad form - but again, keep it to yourself until you’ve got your pin and good paper.

Thank you for the advise. So following a timeline of events. I show up to BDOC, report to the ship, get qual'd, and then inform my Coc of lat transfer? Where in this timeline would I need to schedule a flight physical and reach out to the lat transfer people at BUPERS? From a previous flight examination for precommissioning, I was given the all clear for aviation duty. What is a common factor that medically drops people?

 

[AllAmerican75]

Thank you for the advise. So following a timeline of events. I show up to BDOC, report to the ship, get qual'd, and then inform my Coc of lat transfer?

Sort of. You need to take the temperature of the wardroom and you CO/XO. It's purely a matter of finesse and politics. My biggest recommendation is to never commit openly to not wanting to be a SWO. You'll see plenty of fellow JOs who aren't sure they want to make the Navy a career. Your CO/XO will want to set the hook to keep as many people in the Navy as possible, so your strategy needs to be: "Sir, I really like the Navy but I'm not really sure what I want to be when I grow up but I'm definitely sure I want to be a lifer." This will buy you brownie points which is huge. After you've built a relationship and proved your worth (and are much, much closer to being qualified versus not being qualified), start casually mentioning the the fact that you're interested in other jobs in the Navy and maybe they'd be able to help set you up to talk to other officers in different communities. This is normal in the SWO community and it may even make him try to sell you harder on being a SWO and treat you better. Then again, your CO/XO may be a couple of royal assholes, at which point, don't breathe a word about lateral transfer until you've got a SWO pin on your chest.

Where in this timeline would I need to schedule a flight physical and reach out to the lat transfer people at BUPERS? [/QUOTE[

You need to check the BUPERS lateral transfer website and time it prior to the upcoming board. I would recommend at least 60 days (and probably closer to 90 days) prior to when your package needs to be into the board. I would also ask the community manager if they'll let you turn in your package and then send in the flight physical later or what the ideal timeline would need to be.

From a previous flight examination for precommissioning, I was given the all clear for aviation duty. What is a common factor that medically drops people?

Could be anything. The NAMI doctors are very conservative and will err on the side of caution. My NPQ letter literally says they think I may have something but they aren't quite certain and all the tests were inconclusive. There's a lot that they can and will put under the umbrella of being "Not aeronautically adaptable." It's one of those things you need to do and if you come up short, then you come up short.

 

[Max the Mad Russian]

stereotypical dick Shoe captain (screaming micromanager and incompetent ship handler)

Uncle, you are as precise as it just can be in describing of Russian Navy surface skipper. It is impossible to characterise this cohort better I'm sure.

USN Shoe world should be happy enough if not every Shoe CO is of this sort. Because in Russia all of them are

 

[ATIS]

Sort of. You need to take the temperature of the wardroom and you CO/XO. It's purely a matter of finesse and politics. My biggest recommendation is to never commit openly to not wanting to be a SWO. You'll see plenty of fellow JOs who aren't sure they want to make the Navy a career. Your CO/XO will want to set the hook to keep as many people in the Navy as possible, so your strategy needs to be: "Sir, I really like the Navy but I'm not really sure what I want to be when I grow up but I'm definitely sure I want to be a lifer." This will buy you brownie points which is huge. After you've built a relationship and proved your worth (and are much, much closer to being qualified versus not being qualified), start casually mentioning the the fact that you're interested in other jobs in the Navy and maybe they'd be able to help set you up to talk to other officers in different communities. This is normal in the SWO community and it may even make him try to sell you harder on being a SWO and treat you better. Then again, your CO/XO may be a couple of royal assholes, at which point, don't breathe a word about lateral transfer until you've got a SWO pin on your chest.

More good advice here but be aware that any CO/XO worth his-her Command pin knows the lingo as well, so the “don’t really know what my plans are but want to stay Navy” lines are code they will easily see through. Chair fly that situation in your head and be prepared to answer. If you don’t, take this advice given to me a long time ago the day I started working with the special kids: “it’s never too early to learn to shut the F&CK up”. Hold your cards until a friendlier environment arises. Don’t trust anyone with the decision or the work. Nobody will take care of your career better than yourself, that means qualifications and your package/paperwork. Impress folks with your work and actions, not your mouth.

Back to my Starbucks Bold (sorry, I just can’t hack the weak DD stuff unless water-boarded by it). Highly recommend Death Wish coffee, it taste super smooth for the black caffeine acid it is!!

ATIS

 

[Aluroon]

Get your pin, then start talking about Lat Transfer. I would not, under any circumstances, mention a desire to transfer out of the community until you've at least done that much. The earlier you can get qualified / harder charging you are, the better.

One of the common questions on SWO boards on USS Last Ship was "Why do you want to be a SWO." That's an awkward question to answer when you've put out an interest in anything but.

That said, if you've been the guy on the ship that was that hard charger, qualified quickly, rocked his division / warfare area, and so forth I'd have trouble imagining them really shitting on you post qualification.

 

[Dotan96]

UPDATE: I picked CG 60 USS Normandy out of Norfolk

 

[AllAmerican75]

UPDATE: I picked CG 60 USS Normandy out of Norfolk

And may God have mercy on your soul; that morning gate traffic is the worst. But seriously, best of luck.