1/C Aviation Cruise Billets

[Pistol719]

Im phase III and still waiting on word myself

 

[Python]

Heading to Point Mugu Phase III with an E-2 squadron. Any feedback on what I can expect?

I went to VAW-112 in 2008. A bunch of cool people but honestly MIDNJAC is right. You will have almost nothing to do for the summer. I spent most days working out and drinking (too activities that canceled each other out so I ended up leaving with no gains except a higher tolerance) I got one flight and it was very short. However, they were able to hook me up with a P-3 flight from VX-30 over there and they tried to hook me up with a hornet flight too.

My advice is to be proactive. The Opso was very involved in trying to hook us up with flights (from his own and other squadrons), but if we didn't express interest explicitly he wouldn't have been that way.

Make the drive down PCH to LA. Take a trip to Santa Barbara. Go to the beach a lot. Also, I recommend drinking Margarita's at Chuey's in Camarillo. Lots of them.

 

[Studson]

I went to VAW-112 in 2008. A bunch of cool people but honestly MIDNJAC is right. You will have almost nothing to do for the summer. I spent most days working out and drinking (too activities that canceled each other out so I ended up leaving with no gains except a higher tolerance) I got one flight and it was very short. However, they were able to hook me up with a P-3 flight from VX-30 over there and they tried to hook me up with a hornet flight too.

My advice is to be proactive. The Opso was very involved in trying to hook us up with flights (from his own and other squadrons), but if we didn't express interest explicitly he wouldn't have been that way.

Make the drive down PCH to LA. Take a trip to Santa Barbara. Go to the beach a lot. Also, I recommend drinking Margarita's at Chuey's in Camarillo. Lots of them.

Haha ok, I'll check Chueys out. I'm out of Arizona though so I won't have a car. I'll definitely try to make friends with the opso. As much as I'd love to drink on the beach for a month, I'd like to get some time in the air as well. How many other Mids were there with you?

 

[cfam]

just got my assignment: vrc-30 at nas north island!

Awesome deal dude, I was at VRC-30 my 1/C cruise. You'll probably stay in the BOQ on North Island, which is pretty nice. There should also be some other MIDN who are with the helo squadrons, I would suggest pooling money and renting a couple of cars for the time you guys are there. It was $800ish for five of us to split for the month we were there, and it really helped to get around, especially to Pacific Beach/La Jolla, etc.

Get on as many flights as you can, especially ones to the boat if they're available. You'll probably get a decent amount of stick time too. They'll also give you as much time in the C-2 sim as you want, but that tends to get boring after a couple of times. If they end up not having much for you to do, go see if you can get rides with the helo guys. There's also a T-6 det from here going to North Island this summer, so you can probably get a ride with them too. You'll have a great time!

 

[Python]

Haha ok, I'll check Chueys out. I'm out of Arizona though so I won't have a car. I'll definitely try to make friends with the opso. As much as I'd love to drink on the beach for a month, I'd like to get some time in the air as well. How many other Mids were there with you?

I was there with one from my school, and 2 others from 2 different schools. We ended up renting a car and also we knew somebody in Camarillo. However, the rental car got us around everywhere everyday, both on base and off. Talk to your admin at your unit.

 

[Yardstick]

great advice cfam, i'll certainly try to do most/all of that...so just to clarify, i need to be talking to the OpsO to get some rides?

 

[cfam]

I'm sure they'll tell you when you get there what they want you to do to arrange flights. We ran it through the skeds-o to get on the flight schedule, which was easy because she was the officer in charge of midn.

 

[Pistol719]

Me and another buddy are heading to VAW 123 out of Norfolk for Phase III. Not sure what to expect but excited none the less!

 

[Yardstick]

thats awesome, one of my buds from my unit will be there for phase I i think

 

[MIDNJAC]

Honestly I really wouldn't be hounding the opso as a mid....he's the #3 guy in the squadron after the CO/XO (for those of you who are unfamiliar with sqdn structure), and he has much better things to do than plan how the middies are going to fly. Your place is going to be working with the SDO and skeds to try and see what existing events they can write you into. When I was with -122 as a mid, all I ever had to do was go up to the duty desk, take a gander at the sked, and when I saw an empty back seat in a jet, I'd enquire about whether I could get into it.

 

[zippy]

Honestly I really wouldn't be hounding the opso as a mid....he's the #3 guy in the squadron after the CO/XO (for those of you who are unfamiliar with sqdn structure), and he has much better things to do than plan how the middies are going to fly. Your place is going to be working with the SDO and skeds to try and see what existing events they can write you into. When I was with -122 as a mid, all I ever had to do was go up to the duty desk, take a gander at the sked, and when I saw an empty back seat in a jet, I'd enquire about whether I could get into it.

Good call, first ask your "running mate", then ask a JO in OPS and then only ask the OPSO (or any other O4 working there) as a LAST resort. The JOs will typically be a pretty good shield against "Professional Development PQS events". You may Laugh but we had a MIDN join our squadron on deployment for a month or so... Spent 95% of his time living the VP lifestyle (minus the 12-16hr work days) until the week before he left the OPSO wanted a account of all the ProDev PQS he completed so the squadron could report to the VP FDNF admiral (the MIDNs Father was star struck himself). The running mate was left scrambling to create said PQS... The MIDN on the other hand did they smartest thing he could and just continued to stay in the Q living the high life with the JOs who had down time.

 

[CommodoreMid]

If I ever drink that much VP koolaid that I think creating a PQS for summer cruise midshipmen is a great idea, please just put me out of my misery.

 

[STARFlight145]

Still no aviation cruise options for me. what does this mean?

 

[Python]

Still no aviation cruise options for me. what does this mean?

It means you need to wait a little longer.

 

[STARFlight145]

HSL-43 for me.