TACAMO NFOs, how do you like it?

[wonderb0iwl]

Im finishing up primary and am dead set on VT-4. They mentioned to let them know if you want VQ because they might be able to line up your timing with a spot. I have been reading about TACAMO and even speaking to some E-6 NFOs online. It seems like there’s a general consensus that it’s a really boring job? Very repetitive and a lot of it is more crew management and politics, do any NFOs have a differing opinion? And a follow up question is, if it is boring do you still enjoy the community and job? I would ask NFOs irl but I have yet to meet an E-6 NFO lol. For the most part is seems like the pilots enjoy it though.

And when you deploy to the coasts, do you actually get to do stuff or are you locked on base the whole time until it’s time to fly.

Tbh it still sounds interesting to me, in all honesty I don’t enjoy aviation as much as I thought I would and a job where it’s more procedural and management oriented actually sounds nice, at least right now. However compared to the adventures I hear in VP land, maybe not as exciting.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I would ask NFOs irl but I have yet to meet an E-6 NFO lol. For the most part is seems like the pilots enjoy it though.

If you can’t find any on here, I’m sure you can find some on LinkedIn.

Your owning or instructor might know some folks too.

 

[Brett327]

Im finishing up primary and am dead set on VT-4. They mentioned to let them know if you want VQ because they might be able to line up your timing with a spot. I have been reading about TACAMO and even speaking to some E-6 NFOs online. It seems like there’s a general consensus that it’s a really boring job? Very repetitive and a lot of it is more crew management and politics, do any NFOs have a differing opinion? And a follow up question is, if it is boring do you still enjoy the community and job? I would ask NFOs irl but I have yet to meet an E-6 NFO lol. For the most part is seems like the pilots enjoy it though.

And when you deploy to the coasts, do you actually get to do stuff or are you locked on base the whole time until it’s time to fly.

Tbh it still sounds interesting to me, in all honesty I don’t enjoy aviation as much as I thought I would and a job where it’s more procedural and management oriented actually sounds nice, at least right now. However compared to the adventures I hear in VP land, maybe not as exciting.

Absolutely do not go TACAMO if you don't have to. Boring job, some of the oldest aircraft in the Navy (going to a C-130 airframe in the near future), you live in BFE Oklahoma.

Don't judge what Navy flying is like based on your experience in Primary. Flying in the fleet bears little resemblance to flight school. You're going to be an NFO. Pick a platform that has a weapon system for you to operate. Go jets. Be a WSO or EWO. Fly off the deck of a carrier. Actually have fun when you fly. Blow up bad guys. You catching my drift?

 

[Waveoff]

As an NFO you'll either be in a jet or at a flying desk.

If you want to be in a cockpit, go jets. Otherwise, pick your choice of desk.

If you still want the classic feeling of carrier aviation and being an air traffic controller, go E-2s. If you want to kill submarines or provide targeting to the jets, go P-8s. If you want to stare at a chat window and deal with O-6's all day long and never leave the USA and fly an aging platform turning over with an even older platform, consider TACAMO then take a shower, get drunk at Florabama, and then reconsider the first three...

 

[BarryD]

Your owning or instructor might know some folks too.

This. There are a ton of TACAMO IPs at VT-10 (some of whom regularly post here for your SA) who may be able to put you in contact with someone if you’re interested.

May be worth asking over at VT-4 too.

Either way, highly recommend talking to instructors over at 86 and from the other big wing communities about their jobs as well if you have the chance.

 

[Uncle Fester]

If you still want the classic feeling of carrier aviation and being an air traffic controller, go E-2s.

Common misperception. Procedural ATC-style control is a very small part of the E-2 mission. I think I did live HCAs at the Boat maybe twice ever and that’s about as close as you get. Having said that, while I liked being an AIC I wish I’d known how little “aircrew” stuff you do as an E-2 FO. All mission, very little to do with flying the airplane.

I never met a TACAMO FO who said the job was anything but boring AF. Basically a watchfloor job with a chance of turbulence.

 

[cfam]

Completely agree with everything said above. My flight school roommate was an E-6 NFO, and said the job was about as fun as watching paint dry. He supervised the enlisted personnel who generated messages to submarines and then checked the messages to approve them, while flying lazy circles in an old airplane. He got out as soon as he could.

The only positive he offered was the quality of life piece. They didn’t deploy, and instead would go to sit alerts at Travis AFB (outside of Sacramento), and Pax River. From what he said, life in OKC wasn’t bad either. This honestly is the only positive thing I’ve heard about the community from multiple sources.

I think it’s telling though that one of the shittiest buildings I've ever seen on an Air Force base was the E-6 alert facility at Travis. Oh, and in reference to your alert question, those crews sit rotating 24 hour alerts while they’re on detachment, so you’ll get really acquainted with that facility.

 

[Ozarky]

Gonna give OKC a shoutout here as well. Most people I’ve encountered come here expecting to love TACAMO and hate Oklahoma. Most leave hating TACAMO and loving Oklahoma lol

 

[Waveoff]

Procedural ATC-style control is a very small part of the E-2 mission

That’s a bad job of the E-2 community in advertising then. At my last NAWDC visit we got the most vanilla capes brief I’ve ever had that didn’t really reveal anything “new”. In fact it was shortest brief of the whole trip.

 

[jollygreen07]

You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting six TACAMO IPs at VT-10. Tell them how enthusiastic you are about TACAMO, then don’t be surprised when they have to stifle a laugh.

 

[Uncle Fester]

The only positive he offered was the quality of life piece. They didn’t deploy, and instead would go to sit alerts at Travis AFB (outside of Sacramento), and Pax River. From what he said, life in OKC wasn’t bad either. This honestly is the only positive thing I’ve heard about the community from multiple sources.

Well when the best thing you can say about the job is how life is when you aren’t at work…

 

[MaxGar]

It is the least aviation-oriented job in Naval Aviation. You are a flying communications officer, who happens to have wings so you can run NATOPS bills. Most of the time on the road is spent in boujee prisons, or flying long hours in a windowless tube processing message traffic and playing cards in Crew Rest.

 

[wonderb0iwl]

It is the least aviation-oriented job in Naval Aviation. You are a flying communications officer, who happens to have wings so you can run NATOPS bills. Most of the time on the road is spent in boujee prisons, or flying long hours in a windowless tube processing message traffic and playing cards in Crew Rest.

Yeah I can’t say that sounds very enticing. I guess it would be a good choice if you’re from Oklahoma though.

 

[Waveoff]

Yeah I can’t say that sounds very enticing. I guess it would be a good choice if you’re from Oklahoma though.

My E-6 friend and I were catching up and swapping sea stories. He’s telling me all about his string of emergency procedures: landing gear not extending, fire in the cabin (many times), mission equipment shorting out, etc. I had to stop him and say “my brother in Christ I have had maybe 1 alarm go off in the span of 2 deployments.”

 

[AFidk]

My E-6 friend and I were catching up and swapping sea stories. He’s telling me all about his string of emergency procedures: landing gear not extending, fire in the cabin (many times), mission equipment shorting out, etc. I had to stop him and say “my brother in Christ I have had maybe 1 alarm go off in the span of 2 deployments.”

Sounds like a very hands on style of flying