Want to redesignate from SNFO to Supply

[themongol]

Im more than half way done at OCS and have decided that i no longer wanted to be an NFO. I still want to be a naval officer though. I have thought about it a lot and felt that I'm not fit in the program: Im a horrible swimmer, small stature, eyes get bloody red after getting out of the pool, bad hearing, slow runner, not physically fit, motion sickness, etc. In addition, i want to get my wet quickly in the fleet (for NFO, you will be in a pool for 5-6 months and another 2 years for training).
How can I redesignate? I know that I can't redesignate while at OCS but what can i do after graduation? What can i do now while im at OCS? I hear people who DOR or fail out of API may get processed out of the Navy. How true is this? Any input is greatly appeciated.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Im more than half way done at OCS and have decided that i no longer wanted to be an NFO. I still want to be a naval officer though. I have thought about it a lot and felt that I'm not fit in the program: Im a horrible swimmer, small stature, eyes get bloody red after getting out of the pool, bad hearing, slow runner, not physically fit, motion sickness, etc. In addition, i want to get my wet quickly in the fleet (for NFO, you will be in a pool for 5-6 months and another 2 years for training).

I don't buy it. What's the real reason(s)? The things you listed aren't something that you didn't already know about yourself before you left for OCS. You're rationalizing whatever the real reason is with these excuses. You wouldn't have an NFO spot if a lot of people didn't think you were qualified for it.

 

[TheBubba]

Mongol,

Give it a go through at least Primary... you may get in the T-6 and find that you love it. It happens to alot of people.

As far as being small is concerned, don't worry about it. If you were too small, you'd not have gotten the SNFO slot.

For swimming, you'll get all the practice you need in API. And almost everyone's eyes get red after being in the over-chlorinated pools here.

For running... just keep doing it.

Motion sickness... If you yak in the plane, the doc will get a hold of you and do things to help you get over it. It also may be that your body will adjust itself after a couple of flights.


I say give it a go... if you don't, you'll be wondering for the rest of your life if you could have done it or not.

If your reason is you just have no desire to fly, then just say it... we won't be offended.

 

[RAS]

I've got a slightly different take. Run it up your CoC and make the change.

There are plenty who will gladly take that slot in the training command and do good things for Naval Aviation. I've seen enough guys get to the squadron who were marginal and stayed that way. If you want to get out before taking the training and wasting a lot of tax dollars and time, good on ya. Enjoy supply.

 

[a_m]

Give the real reasons, man. We can't help you to decide with reasons like that.

 

[llnick2001]

Yeah run it by your chain and see what you get. If you fail/quit at api they may or may not let you stick around. From what I saw they found a place to put the people that wanted to stay and found a crappy place to put the people that didn't, but that changes with time. That said, most of those reasons seem kind of silly (blood shot eyes after getting out of a pool?), so I'd give it some more thought. In the end you don't have to justify it to anyone here so if you don't want to do it, don't. Let someone else have the spot. Good luck with what ever you end up doing.

 

[themongol]

I don't buy it. What's the real reason(s)? The things you listed aren't something that you didn't already know about yourself before you left for OCS. You're rationalizing whatever the real reason is with these excuses. You wouldn't have an NFO spot if a lot of people didn't think you were qualified for it.

Well, those are my reasons for redegsinating. I practice alot but still have troube treading water. My run is time is 11 min in 1.5 mile which is pretty bad for aviator standard. In addition, im like 5-4 and 125lb. I stick out like a sore thumb compare to other aviators. I just don't feel that im physically fit in the aviation community. I guess you could say that im too conscious physically about myself. . My test scores for the classes (navigation, seamanship, divo, warfare, etc) taken at OCS were below the class average. This was a hugh blow to my ego because i though i was a pretty smart guy and should be able to breeze thru these classes with ease. Most likely, I will have a hard time in API and this is not what i want. But enough about with my real reasons for switching. I appreciated all the inputs. I hope to receive more valueble ones.

 

[BackOrdered]

I'm on the "quit" bandwagon too. If you don't want to do it, why be unhappy and stick with it? A mountain of guys would love to fill your shoes and the slot is yours to trade away if you wish since you did earn it. Do what's right for you.

 

[TheBubba]

Fitness wise, you're fine for aviation. My last PRT was 11:30. No one gave me any shit for it.

If you're gonna drop the NFO slot, make sure its b/c you don't want to fly, not because your ego got taken down a notch. Face it... my ego got taken down several hundred notches over the 4 years of USNA. Academically, physically, etc.

Also keep in mind that flight school is designed to take a kid who doesn't know his ass from the front end of an airplane and teach him whats needed to successfully and safely come up with and execute a game plan.

But, it sounds as though you've made your mind. I wish you luck. Hope to see you out in this mythical "Fleet" thing you speak of one day.

 

[a_m]

Who has any ego in flight school anyway?


My last prt was 11:30 as well. If you saw me next to Bubba, you would feel my shame at the same score as him (and I had to try at the end to pass the 40 year old LCDR on the last lap).

 

[llnick2001]

Your run time is fine. If you aren't happy with your time, that's great that you want to do better than the standard. Try sprint work outs. They'll help. Your physical stature makes no difference about anything. You'd probably end up with a call sign like Jumbo. Who cares? As far as your test scores go, being challenged doesn't mean you aren't smart (although if they counted spelling, I may have found your problem). As far as not wanting to have a hard time in API, tough. If your goal is to dodge challenges, then no pilot will want you in their back seat, and no fellow fo will want you in their squadron or sitting next to them on a mission. If that is how you really feel then please quit. I don't want you flying with my friends. For that matter, you may want to reconsider the Navy entirely. My suggestion is to find something that you’re willing to work hard at and do that. You’ll get more satisfaction out of it and do a much better job.

 

[port_tack]

My run is time is 11 min in 1.5 mile which is pretty bad for aviator standard. In addition, im like 5-4 and 125lb.

My PRTs are consistently in the neighboorhood of 11 min. My last one was slower than 11 minutes. At OCS I managed 10:30. I suck at pushups too. I'll never be a PT stud, and at one time that bothered me, but I don't care now. I love flying, and I love my job.

My test scores for the classes (navigation, seamanship, divo, warfare, etc) taken at OCS were below the class average. This was a hugh blow to my ego because i though i was a pretty smart guy and should be able to breeze thru these classes with ease.

You're not the first smart guy to go to OCS and suck at the BS academics there. For one, you can't learn when you're falling asleep in every class like I did. There were aviators who were at the bottom of my OCS class academically who are now kicking a$$ in Primary.

Most likely, I will have a hard time in API and this is not what i want.

API isn't that hard, and OCS academics are hardly a predictor of anything. Get through OCS. Once OCS is over with and forgotten (which it will be), you'll be in a much better position to think about this.

By the way, I puked in the T-34 repeatedly. The flight docs have a good adaptation program they can put you through. You will become adapted/desensitized to all those strange sensations. Despite all the airsickness issues I had early on, I had a blast on in aerobatics, and I still hope to select jets (or tailhook or whatever we're calling it now) in a few weeks.

 

[TheBubba]

If you saw me next to Bubba, you would feel my shame at the same score as him

Thanks for the vote of confidence there, buddy... and I ain't that fat.

 

[PropStop]

Mongol, whatever you do at least learn how to write like someone who has been through college...

Sorry for the caustic response folks. It just pisses me off when officers write something with so many horrible grammar errors!

 

[Schnugg]

You have to either want it bad...or quit.

It's your call, not mine.