Marine squadrons

[Killer2]

Ok so as an NFO in the Marines your fate is narrowed down to F/A 18D (WSO) or the EA-6B (ECMO). I see that the VMFA(AW) are just about every where you wanna go, while the VMAQ are in Cherry Point or Japan. Just want to see if this is true. I am not sure I would look forward to being in Cherry Point the majority of my flight career. On the other hand I suppose I would be getting more flight time vs. being in some VMFAs. Really I have no idea thats why I am asking. Any words of wisdom would help.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Everything you said is true except I do not believe there is a VMAQ in Japan...they are all based out of Cherry Point.

For the Prowler world, you won't be stuck there your entire career. You will do your first "sea duty" tour there and then rotate to "shore duty"...Maybe Whidbey, Yuma (if you are a Weapons Instructor {WTI})....lots of places you can go. Then who know...you could transition, go back to Cherry point, etc. Don't feel that you will be stuck in one place too long if you don't want to be.

You need to figure out what you want to fly. Ask lots of questions during flight school, and talk to some of the Marine Flight instructors. Ask specific questions about what type of missions each platform does and decide what you want to do. Both are Jets...Prowlers provide Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) using Jamming and HARM (AGM-88) and the F/A-18D does FAC (Forward Air Control), Strike (weapon dropping/shooting), and Air-to-Air missions. For NFO's, the Prowler community is good, because squadrons are really driven by the NFO's job....whereas the F/A-18 community it's a pretty equal split with the pilots having a bit more say so....Either way you'll have fun and love your job. Good luck with your choices.
ea6bflyr

 

[Killer2]

Thanks ea6bflyr. What about Reserve Sqdns are there any for the VMAQ, also I thought that the VMFA in Dallas was only single seaters.
What about deployment cycles. I know OEF and OIF have messed everything up but being that I am still about 2 years from getting out of school, then TBS, then flight school, I think things would have calmed down by then, I least I hope. Asking for family life, i.e. the future wife is not to keen on moving a lot with kids. Just wondering if any of you guys/gals have any advice on a particular airframe.

 

[Flash]

There are no reserve VMAQ squadrons. The only reserve Prowler squadron is VAQ-209, a Navy unit based at Andrews. VMAQ-4 was a reserve unit but was activated for Desert Storm and turned into an active duty unit (they flew out of Whidbey which is why their logo is the Seahawks). There are no F/A-18D reserve units either, you have a very long way to go before you worry about that though.

As for your flying being in Cherry Point, that is when you are at home. There has traditionally been one VMAQ squadron in Iwakumi, Japan but they have been supplemented by VAQ squadrons over the past few years, they are still going there though. Couple that with Prowlers flying out of other operational locations now (don't ask, I am not saying) your flying career will not just be the Pit. And you will get plenty of flight time (I have no idea where that comment about not getting flight time came from?? ).