Navy Dedicated SAR Squadrons

[lowflier03]

Would love to hear more about this. Whenever I deployed (09-20 timeframe), a mission over the beach into a combat zone (Iraq, Afg, or Syria) was 1 air medal point. Employing a weapon earned 1 additional point for that mission- even if multiple weapons were employed. Does “doubling up” by “individual events”, above, refer to multiple weapon employments or were some other shenanigans going on?

The way the Navy Awards manual is written, you get 1 point for a Flight (Mission in a combat area) or you get 2 points for a Strike (Mission which is offensive, or where you were attacked). These are mutually exclusive. Our fixed wing friends were always claiming the 1 point every time they flew, then adding an additional 2 points if they dropped ordnance or if they saw ground forces fighting each other since apparently, they were in danger of a ricochet AK or DShK round up at 30k ft.

 

[sevenhelmet]

The way the Navy Awards manual is written, you get 1 point for a Flight (Mission in a combat area) or you get 2 points for a Strike (Mission which is offensive, or where you were attacked). These are mutually exclusive. Our fixed wing friends were always claiming the 1 point every time they flew, then adding an additional 2 points if they dropped ordnance or if they saw ground forces fighting each other since apparently, they were in danger of a ricochet AK or DShK round up at 30k ft.

Thanks. I figured it was something along those lines. Fortunately, I never saw shenanigans like that during my deployments.

 

[RobLyman]

Buehring was certainly an interesting place. It always gave me a weird vibe that I couldn't really describe, like it was permanently temporary.

During our time in Erbil, Army Medevac (a great group of Arkansas boys) were not allowed to fly outside the wire due to the risk. If I recall correctly their recovery mission to Fire Base Bell after the mortar attack was only the second time they actually got cleared to leave the compound. We always got a good chuckle watching them doing yo-yos inside the limits of the fence line because it was the only way they could get flight hours.

Yeah, Buehring does give off that vibe. But most pure Army FOBs/COBs in Iraq were like that. ECHO in Diwanyah in 2011 was no exception. The comforts of home were hand built by soldiers from whatever scrap wood they could get.

Erbil medevac definitely went outside the wire on the 2016/2017 deployment. One medevac aircrew got in a LOT of trouble for essentially "looking for action". They got it! Then had to explain what the hell they thought they were doing and why there were bullet holes in their HH-60M. That PC is no longer flying for the military!

FWIW, the video I posted was made by my copilot in 2011. He was a 1LT then. He transferred to the AF to do CSAR a few years before I retired. Great guy, and I'm proud to say the first PI to make PC after that deployment.

 

[insanebikerboy]

The way the Navy Awards manual is written, you get 1 point for a Flight (Mission in a combat area) or you get 2 points for a Strike (Mission which is offensive, or where you were attacked). These are mutually exclusive. Our fixed wing friends were always claiming the 1 point every time they flew, then adding an additional 2 points if they dropped ordnance or if they saw ground forces fighting each other since apparently, they were in danger of a ricochet AK or DShK round up at 30k ft.

Wait, so they were counting those missions as 3 points? 🙄

 

[hscs]

Sounds like it. Hate to say it but CAG Admin must have been in on this and Flag Admin didn’t protect their boss.

 

[lowflier03]

Wait, so they were counting those missions as 3 points? 🙄

Correct, there were a few other shenanigans surrounding awards on that deployment, but the extra AM points was the most obvious one to make it through.

 

[Ralph]

100% to all you say. And like I think I mentioned, 121 life isn't all green grass, and it also certainly isn't for everyone. Hell, I'm at the start of my second month in a row of "trying to actually fly a full airline schedule" (approaching the end of my second year no less). It is a grind at times. I drive 2 hrs each way to the mothership to get to work, and if I am not working weekends, there is probably a redeye involved at some point of a trip.......or maybe a 1XX seniority CA that nobody wanted to fly with. It's probably less the "this is hard" perspective we all got in the military, as much as it is "this is going to be every month for the next 18 years" realization. It's a lot of missed birthdays, holidays, special events, etc. I'd imagine other types of pro pilots don't have quite the same situation.

You’re at the wrong airline. With your background you should be at the big 3 and based on what you’re saying it doesn’t sound like it. By year 3 you should be sitting home watching it rain for 4 months on reserve.

 

[MIDNJAC]

You’re at the wrong airline. With your background you should be at the big 3 and based on what you’re saying it doesn’t sound like it. By year 3 you should be sitting home watching it rain for 4 months on reserve.

Haha I mean I appreciate the vote of confidence, but this is the only place I wanted to work and the only one I applied to. Not one of the "big 3" but it is a legacy/major airline that happens to have bases only in places I want to live. I'm certainly not complaining, but just saying that life isn't magically perfect on the other side either. That said, as the joke goes, "did you try being more senior?" is a perfectly acceptable response to any airline pilot who is bitching about something