FNAEB outcomes

[colonial-aviation]

This is a tough thing to post. The long story short is I’m being FNAEB’d for performance issues. My chain of command felt they had no choice given my struggles and that while my attitude and work ethic were excellent I just couldn't reach the proficiency I needed. While I’d like to remain a pilot and fly in another community, I understand that that is both unlikely due to my performance and may still be a nonstarter for flying commercially when I leave the Navy. I was presented with the option of a pilot to NFO transition and returning to my current community. I’d appreciate some input on the subject of changing platforms and flying commercially after a FNAEB. Happy to be dm’d for additional details.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Disclaimer: My input is from a non-13XX perspective.

What exactly is your long - term goals? Do you only want to fly, whether that’s a 1310 or via the airlines?

Are you content being an NFO? If the answer is no, that’s totally fine and I would advise not being “that guy” who is an NFO, hating life and making those around you miserable.

Thirdly, if you are content being. Naval officer, I would suggest shopping for other communities via POCR in case NFO doesn’t work out.

Finally, while I understand this is a difficult time for you, this is also a perfect time to reevaluate your goals. I am not saying “quit”, but perhaps your skills are best suited elsewhere - not in the cockpit.

 

[Griz882]

Sorry to hear of your troubles. First of all I will note that the story I’m about to offer is a few decades old. I had a flight school buddy who simply couldn’t handle the boat (this was back in the T-2 Buckeye days) so he was offered a transition to NFO. He did it and loved the work (F-14 RIO) but all the while he flew on the civilian side building flight hours. He retired from the navy at 20 years and enough hours to get an interview and airline job.

But….as @FormerRecruitingGuru so perfectly noted, you need to assess your future with an open and honest mind. You might be better suited to another field in the navy or maybe look at civilian options. From a practical side, I’d recommend staying in the navy long enough so your service looks intentional, and not an odd blip on your work history.

 

[colonial-aviation]

Disclaimer: My input is from a non-13XX perspective.

What exactly is your long - term goals? Do you only want to fly, whether that’s a 1310 or via the airlines?

Are you content being an NFO? If the answer is no, that’s totally fine and I would advise not being “that guy” who is an NFO, hating life and making those around you miserable.

Thirdly, if you are content being. Naval officer, I would suggest shopping for other communities via POCR in case NFO doesn’t work out.

Finally, while I understand this is a difficult time for you, this is also a perfect time to reevaluate your goals. I am not saying “quit”, but perhaps your skills are best suited elsewhere - not in the cockpit.

I appreciate the input nonetheless!

This decision was made today so it’s still pretty raw and I’m not even entirely sure what I want.

I know for a fact that I want to stay flying. That’s non-specific, I know. Flying as an NFO does count as flying and while that would still require a FNAEB my CoC said they’d welcome me back as an NFO. I can still have a good career that way.

 

[colonial-aviation]

Sorry to hear of your troubles. First of all I will note that the story I’m about to offer is a few decades old. I had a flight school buddy who simply couldn’t handle the boat (this was back in the T-2 Buckeye days) so he was offered a transition to NFO. He did it and loved the work (F-14 RIO) but all the while he flew on the civilian side building flight hours. He retired from the navy at 20 years and enough hours to get an interview and airline job.

But….as @FormerRecruitingGuru so perfectly noted, you need to assess your future with an open and honest mind. You might be better suited to another field in the navy or maybe look at civilian options. From a practical side, I’d recommend staying in the navy long enough so your service looks intentional, and not an odd blip on your work history.

They own me for another seven years at the minimum, so I’m committed for at least that long. There’s another guy in my community who went from pilot to NFO due to some troubles and was successful and I’m trying to get in touch with him.

 

[ea6bflyr]

@nittany03 is someone who has BTDT. I'd recommend PMing him to seek counsel and advice. While you may still be raw from what you're going through, it's not the end of the world and you certainly have options. Keep your chin up, and stay in the fight.

 

[Waveoff]

I can’t tell where in your timing you are, but it sounds like you’re in the fleet already. Would they authorize a different platform?

Otherwise, I had to switch SNA to SNFO due to nami and I’m thoroughly loving life right now. It’s not the same as yours but I try to bury the “I should have been a pilot” thoughts on the regular.

 

[Brett327]

This is a tough thing to post. The long story short is I’m being FNAEB’d for performance issues. My chain of command felt they had no choice given my struggles and that while my attitude and work ethic were excellent I just couldn't reach the proficiency I needed. While I’d like to remain a pilot and fly in another community, I understand that that is both unlikely due to my performance and may still be a nonstarter for flying commercially when I leave the Navy. I was presented with the option of a pilot to NFO transition and returning to my current community. I’d appreciate some input on the subject of changing platforms and flying commercially after a FNAEB. Happy to be dm’d for additional details.

Unless you just really struggle with the monkey skills, if you can't hack being a pilot, you won't be able to hack being an NFO. Experience tells me that it's rarely just the monkey skills.

 

[Mos]

I knew a guy that came to VP after struggling with carrier qual, though I don't recall if that involved a FNAEB. If that's your situation, may be worth inquiring about. Best of luck.

 

[colonial-aviation]

Unless you just really struggle with the monkey skills, if you can't hack being a pilot, you won't be able to hack being an NFO. Experience tells me that it's rarely just the monkey skills.

This was mainly an issue with monkey skills not being where they needed to be for me to be successful in tacair. A platform change was suggested as a possible outcome.

 

[Uncle Fester]

If they're offering you a chance to retread, then in a weird way it's a vote of confidence from your CoC. I don't disagree with @Brett327 that usually it isn't just the stick-and-rudder stuff that's the problem...but, sometimes, it is. If the folks who know the most about your performance and issues think you'd do okay with an extra anchor, take it.

Worst case, you spend another year or so of your life going to the ballpark and getting paid to do it.

 

[taxi1]

This was mainly an issue with monkey skills not being where they needed to be for me to be successful in tacair.

Over my 20-some years I've known a fair number of tacair folks who struggled at the boat or even could not overcome motion sickness, who went on to survive and thrive in multi-engine. A thought.

I've known others who transitioned successfully to other communities (intel, medical).

And I know one who still bears a life-long soul-eating grudge. F14 guy. Do not be him.

You can absolutely go on to be a commercial pilot too.

 

[colonial-aviation]

If they're offering you a chance to retread, then in a weird way it's a vote of confidence from your CoC. I don't disagree with @Brett327 that usually it isn't just the stick-and-rudder stuff that's the problem...but, sometimes, it is. If the folks who know the most about your performance and issues think you'd do okay with an extra anchor, take it.

Worst case, you spend another year or so of your life going to the ballpark and getting paid to do it.

It’d still be a FNAEB but it seems like that’d preserve my career timing to make O-4, though I’m not sure I want to stay in for 20.

 

[Uncle Fester]

It’d still be a FNAEB but it seems like that’d preserve my career timing to make O-4, though I’m not sure I want to stay in for 20.

Dude...I'm not going to tell you a FNAEB is something awesome, but you're carrying this like you're going to have an "F" branded on your forehead for the rest of your career. I get it, this is still raw for you and it sucks. But I've also known dudes who this has happened to and they managed to move on from it and did perfectly fine. Hell, there's one guy I know out there who's still got a tire brand-based callsign because he was a retread when he was a JO. Unless you're leaving something out of your story here, you weren't FNAEBed for being reckless or stupid in the jet or what have you, and as I said, the fact that they want to keep you in the community as a FO is a vote of confidence in you as an officer. Might not be the kind of positive reinforcement you want right now, but that's how it is.

Don't blame you for feeling shitty right now. Just about all of us have gotten professionally punched in the nuts at one point or another. Take the time to let yourself feel bad. You have an avenue to shake it off and keep going, though, and if you choose to beat yourself up forever rather than take it, that's on you

 

[colonial-aviation]

Dude...I'm not going to tell you a FNAEB is something awesome, but you're carrying this like you're going to have an "F" branded on your forehead for the rest of your career. I get it, this is still raw for you and it sucks. But I've also known dudes who this has happened to and they managed to move on from it and did perfectly fine. Hell, there's one guy I know out there who's still got a tire brand-based callsign because he was a retread when he was a JO. Unless you're leaving something out of your story here, you weren't FNAEBed for being reckless or stupid in the jet or what have you, and as I said, the fact that they want to keep you in the community as a FO is a vote of confidence in you as an officer. Might not be the kind of positive reinforcement you want right now, but that's how it is.

Don't blame you for feeling shitty right now. Just about all of us have gotten professionally punched in the nuts at one point or another. Take the time to let yourself feel bad. You have an avenue to shake it off and keep going, though, and if you choose to beat yourself up forever rather than take it, that's on you

You’re right. I meant to clarify that even before this happened I wasn’t sure about making the Navy a career so I don’t know if I care about making O-4 if I can go to another platform.