ip568 said:
In my class, first choice was P-3s, last choice was F-4s. Go figure.
When I selected out of NFO primary, VP was the first choice for many too (for NFOs at least, but I never heard of a problem getting enough pilots either). But times were different then. Carriers were routinely doing 9 month deployments and VP was the only community doing its wartime mission (minus the final weapons drop) routinely. In the VP world, there was always a shortage of aircrew with a bunch of planes and almost unlimited flight time. Deployment sites were many and fun. There were Russian subs everywhere, you were guaranteed a DH tour and 95% made CDR/O-5.
I was one of the lucky VP guys. I tracked 43 different Russian subs and had 2400 hours as a NFO at the end of my first (46 month) tour. Some of the first tour pilots in my squadron were hitting 3000-3200 hours.
During my DH tour (21 months), I got another 4 Russian subs and was in the 2nd or 3rd squadron (outside of VPU) to do the overland warfare/EO thing (Bosnia) and bagged another 1400 hours of NFO time. Planes were getting fewer, but flight hours were still ok. Squadron tours were being shortened, squadrons were dropping like flies, JOs were getting RIFed, and VP morale sucked. There were 2 LCDRs for each DH slot and only about 50% were making CDR. We had pilots and NFOs applying for transitions to different warfare communities left and right.
Now VP has no planes, no flight hours and the mission is radically different. DH opportunities suck, making LCDR is questionable.
I loved VP. I actually did not initially get VP out of primary (there was only 1 slot for the 16 guys selecting) but as I was #2 in my class the VT-10 CO pulled some strings and got me in. Now I would not recommend VP to anyone who might even think of making a career in the Navy. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that is using the Navy as a path to the airlines either. A jet guy with 1500-2000 hours of PIC has a better chance than a P-3 guy with the same flight time who might have 800 PIC. Plus the jet guys has probably 1500 flights where the P-3 guys has maybe 500. The P-3 pilots advantage used to be 3500 hours compared to the jet guys 1500-2000 hours. That advantage is gone.
As an outsider looking in (since I haven't been in a squadron since 1996 and retired in 1998), from what I can see the only big thing VP has going for it right now is life style and beer on deployment (assuming its not in an Islamic country).
Our selections 20 or more years ago, and the reasons we chose what we did, are not really relevant to the young guys selecting today. Times are different, planes are different, missions are different and even the lifestyles are different.
My advice to the youngsters - do the best you can in training so that you might get your first choice. If you don't get your first choice, keep doing your best anyway. Chances are you will end up loving whatever aircraft you fly. And even if you don't like where you end up, you will still gain valuable life experience and your service will make you a better person.
Edit: I am extremely happy to hear that my opinion of the current state of VP seems to be wrong...see the thread P-3 Life - it has great info.
