Marine Jets: The Good, Bad, and Ugly.

[MIDNJAC]

You'd get a pistol qual if you dirty east coast guys ever deployed...

in effect.

They tried, and it got cancelled Gun shoot that is.....

And I won't argue with the cruise thing......guys I winged with who went west just finished their second cruises for the most part......I'm still a nugget.....

 

[pourts]

Funny thing is, the GDO orders mentioned that a pistol qual was required to carry the firearm, which was something most Navy dudes (myself included) did not have at that point. I never wore it, and was prepared to explain that the Navy didn't provide the funding for me to get the qual. I also figured that if I ever needed the gun, the armed MAG-16 GDO next to me, or either of the asst GDOs who were also armed, could probably hold down the unlikely target that is the wing office if need be. As it stands right now, in my 5th year of active duty service, the only gun I have ever shot in an official capacity is the M61A1.

Have you ever unofficially shot the M61?

 

[whitesoxnation]

Has anyone done a Hornet tour in Japan? How would that differ from being CONUS? Tempo? Funding? Is 242 still slated to be replaced by an F-35 squadron in in 2017(?) and 212's cadre status by squadrons on UDP? How is the wing moving from Atsugi to Iwakui going to affect things? Pacific pivot? Anything else?

 

[pourts]

Has anyone done a Hornet tour in Japan? How would that differ from being CONUS? Tempo? Funding? Is 242 still slated to be replaced by an F-35 squadron in in 2017(?) and 212's cadre status by squadrons on UDP? How is the wing moving from Atsugi to Iwakui going to affect things? Pacific pivot? Anything else?

If you are CONUS based you will probably do at least 1 UDP to Japan for 6 months. Being permanent personnel in Iwakuni is much better than being there for UDP, but much longer also. Also, you will fly a lot of single seat in -242.

Hope that helps. I don't have answers to your specific questions.

 

[whitesoxnation]

If you are CONUS based you will probably do at least 1 UDP to Japan for 6 months. Being permanent personnel in Iwakuni is much better than being there for UDP, but much longer also. Also, you will fly a lot of single seat in -242.

Hope that helps. I don't have answers to your specific questions.

I thought that 242 was a Delta squadron. There was a rumor going around that they were switching to single seat in the future, but I've never seen anything '"official" about it. Is that the case?

Thanks

 

[pourts]

I thought that 242 was a Delta squadron. There was a rumor going around that they were switching to single seat in the future, but I've never seen anything '"official" about it. Is that the case?

Thanks

There are very few WSOs there. Those rumors have been around a while, and I don't have any inside info. However, it is the only 2 seat squadron I know of that has any single seat jets.

 

[jarhead]

Has anyone done a Hornet tour in Japan?

I've done two 6-month UDP's to Japan but was never stationed there.

How would that differ from being CONUS? Tempo? Funding?

242 is gone a lot on dets...that's good if you're a single dude in the squadron...I suppose it would suck if you are in Iwakuni with your family and you're out on det a lot. If you are over there on UDP, you (or at least most) want to be out on det.

Is 242 still slated to be replaced by an F-35 squadron in in 2017(?) and 212's cadre status by squadrons on UDP?

That shit's fluid man... changes all the time. Last transition slide (unclass) I saw coming from HQMC still had 242 coming out of Iwakuni with their Hornets around FY17 being replaced by VMFA-XXX (XXX to avoid rumors getting started) in F-35's and 212 was not standing back up...I don't know what the flavor is right now and it will all depend on how the F-35 program progresses. Latest word on 242 jet swapping to C's is it's not going to happen, at least with the current regime at HQMC.

How is the wing moving from Atsugi to Iwakui going to affect things? Pacific pivot? Anything else?

I think it's going to suck for all squadrons at Iwakuni...the training airspace is limited as well as the facilities on base...though a lot of construction was going on last time I left. I'm sure Hideki at the Iwakuni O club is looking forward to all the fresh "meat"...

 

[whitesoxnation]

Thank you both for the info and perspectives. It sounds like a unique and rewarding experience.

 

[pourts]

The gym is pretty nice with a 50m pool, and if you are single you can use the Hornets nest gym which is open 24/7. That said, the base feels like a prison fast, especially during a round of liberty crackdowns.

 

[Renegade One]

How is the wing moving from Atsugi to Iwakui going to affect things?

Assuming you're talking about CVW-5…I've never ever heard a whisper. Educate me?

A lot of reasons why this isn't a reasonable thing…not that "reasonability" has much entered the equation of late.

Last I knew, CVW-5 still relies on GW's AIMD for daily support (a 2-hour truck drive away…). Can't imagine the pain points that could accrue from a shift in home base to a site as far removed as Iwakuni. Not to mention the whole thing about NAF Atsugi's adequate family housing, QOL stuff, DODDS schools, etc.

 

[Brett327]

Assuming you're talking about CVW-5…I've never ever heard a whisper. Educate me?

A lot of reasons why this isn't a reasonable thing…not that "reasonability" has much entered the equation of late.

Last I knew, CVW-5 still relies on GW's AIMD for daily support (a 2-hour truck drive away…). Can't imagine the pain points that could accrue from a shift in home base to a site as far removed as Iwakuni. Not to mention the whole thing about NAF Atsugi's adequate family housing, QOL stuff, DODDS schools, etc.

As other posters have detailed, they're currently augmenting everything in Iwakuni to accept the bulk of CVW-5. They started the land reclamation project about 10 years ago to build the new RWY. Growing pains? Of course, but it's what the GOJ wants. Personally, I prefer the more suburban/rural nature of Iwakuni and I would go back in a heartbeat (with a better bike lock, of course).

 

[Renegade One]

As other posters have detailed, they're currently augmenting everything in Iwakuni to accept the bulk of CVW-5. They started the land reclamation project about 10 years ago to build the new RWY. Growing pains? Of course, but it's what the GOJ wants. Personally, I prefer the more suburban/rural nature of Iwakuni and I would go back in a heartbeat (with a better bike lock, of course).

OK…frankly new info for me. Thanks.

I'm sure there's a story about the bike lock…but also pretty sure no Japanese were involved.

 

[Flash]

.....I would go back in a heartbeat (with a better bike lock, of course).

......I'm sure there's a story about the bike lock…but also pretty sure no Japanese were involved.

The Marines in Iwakuni liked to 'appropriate' any bikes that happened to be sitting around, whether they owned them or not. That included ones with locks, it went from mildly amusing to full stupid. Brett was among the victims.

 

[Renegade One]

The Marines in Iwakuni liked to 'appropriate' any bikes that happened to be sitting around, whether they owned them or not. That included ones with locks, it went from mildly amusing to full stupid. Brett was among the victims.

Ah…so we admit it being a "green on blue" crime. (Or vice versa..)

 

[zippy]

OK…frankly new info for me. Thanks.

Historically, Iwakuni has had one of the better relationships between the base and local Japanese community so it probably made sense to move more personnel there from that perspective when the Japanese government started looking for a location for the move.

The Japanese literally tore down a mountain in Yamaguchi prefecture a short way away, loaded it onto a conveyor belt to barges and dumped it into the ocean next to the base. It was pretty interesting to watch when I was there. Allegedly, the Js figured all the ways they Eff'd up the Osaka Kansai project and incorporated changes into the Iwakuni construction that will alleviate the sinking issue.

IIRC the plan was to push the flight line east and build up more supporting infrastructure to support the influx of population where the current flight line is. Since the late 90's/ early 2000's Iwakuni has seen a lot of new construction (New PX, and food court area, New Chap... err recreation building (since the GOJ won't pay for the construction of religious buildings) and a Tri-Club to replace the old O, E and Staff NCO clubs). A very large portion of the construction and reclamation costs are being footed by the Japanese so urgency to complete the plan tends to waiver and delay with the recovery of the Japanese economy. In the early 2000's it was supposed to be completed in the not so distant future, but as the years have gone by (and Japanese govt priorities have shifted) it seems like it's become more of a back burner issue, especially since the Japanese lost entire communities of their own that they have to rebuild as a result of the tsunami, but there is still discussion of it happening eventually. I haven't heard any "firm" dates for the move. Maybe some current FDNF guys would know.

(looking it up it was apparently supposed to be next year but was pushed to 2017- what that means realistically? Who knows... allegedly the Yuts are moving their resident Herk squadron from Oki on up as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Air_Station_Iwakuni)