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Promotion Rates as a Naval Aviator

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Personally I'm with ATIS on the mindset. I didn't care about O-4, and I didn't even know that I wanted to stick around longer than the initial commitment, and I went in with a lot of research. What I did want to do was to fly Navy aircraft. I could figure out the rest once that happened.

I need wings next to my username to be legit here? I assumed folks here could tell from my previous posts I’ve been around. Maybe I need to re-evaluate.

He's not calling you into question, he's asking why you don't have wings. The easiest answer is probably because you haven't asked for them.

This is standard in the civilian world. It's called taking an interest in career progression and not jumping blindly into a job.

See my post above. The right or wrong, becoming a Naval Aviator was some part an emotional decision. I regret nothing.
 

Hotdogs

I don’t care if I hurt your feelings
pilot
Personally I'm with ATIS on the mindset. I didn't care about O-4, and I didn't even know that I wanted to stick around longer than the initial commitment, and I went in with a lot of research. What I did want to do was to fly Navy aircraft. I could figure out the rest once that happened.

I’m not sure why anyone is surprised. The Navy wants to recruit and retain those who choose the golden path. Why should it be any different for those potentially looking into the service themselves? How can I maximize my potential earnings from 18-65 years of age? If you found out the business you were working for had a 50/50 chance of being bankrupt in 6-8 years would it still be worth it? Maybe or maybe not. Depends on what your value system is based on. Losing 10 years of longevity with a company is kind of a big deal from an earnings standpoint.

The whole “think about this shit after you get wings” mentality is waxing nostalgic about the past. The current generation saw their peers and near-peers lose ten years of productivity because of the market meltdown in 08-09.
 
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DanMa1156

Is it baseball season yet?
pilot
Contributor
I’m not sure why anyone is surprised. The Navy wants to recruit and retain those who choose the golden path. Why should it be any different for those potentially looking into the service themselves? How can I maximize my
potential earnings from 18-65 years of age? If you found out the business you were working for had a 50/50 chance of being bankrupt in 6-8 years would it still be worth it? Maybe or maybe not. Depends on what your value system is based on. Losing 10 years of longevity with a company is kind of a big deal from an earnings standpoint.

The whole “think about this shit after you get wings” mentality is waxing nostalgic about the past. The current generation saw their peers and near-peers lose ten years of productivity because of the market meltdown in 08-09.

Also, keep in mind, that I believe during ATIS's and many other members' time here, it was wings plus 6. Dudes are now looking at wings+8.
 

BigJeffray

Sans Remorse
pilot
Want to make O-4? Be good a good dude, be good at your job, and legitimately give a shit. The rest takes care of itself.

Turns out that you will actually get a lot of things you want out of the Navy if you can do the above. Timing can always screw you, but I've found that many people who are "screwed" by timing didn't quite adhere to the above philosophy as much as they may have thought, which brings me to the my second point. Legitimate self awareness goes a long way.

YMMV.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
The whole “think about this shit after you get wings” mentality is waxing nostalgic about the past. The current generation saw their peers and near-peers lose ten years of productivity because of the market meltdown in 08-09.

And this I can certainly understand...the Great Recession has certainly left many with an economical form of PTSD. But I do have to question whether 100% of the people that go into the military go in wanting to do 20 years (or whatever that number is with TSP now). Historically, I ran into many who were very specifically not planning to stick around.

Nostalgia or not, it seems like I was in the middle group. Seeing if this gig continued to be interesting, but if not, peace out.
 

nittany03

Recovering NFO. Herder of Programmers.
pilot
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Want to make O-4? Be good a good dude, be good at your job, and legitimately give a shit. The rest takes care of itself.
ELL OH FUCKING ELL. What's your year group? Tell that to the multiple-EP players who didn't make it in the aforementioned bloodbath. There were FRS types and patch-wearers left out who were good dudes, good at their jobs, and who legitimately gave a shit. When it's so bad that "due course" officers are getting both selected and left in the dark, and BUPERS can't offer a coherent rationale as to who got what and why, there's a problem.

And no, this isn't personal sour grapes. I was a dead man walking, and in retrospect, I'm over that. I'm talking my peers who had much better records than me and still got screwed.
 

BigJeffray

Sans Remorse
pilot
ELL OH FUCKING ELL. What's your year group? Tell that to the multiple-EP players who didn't make it in the aforementioned bloodbath. There were FRS types and patch-wearers left out who were good dudes, good at their jobs, and who legitimately gave a shit. When it's so bad that "due course" officers are getting both selected and left in the dark, and BUPERS can't offer a coherent rationale as to who got what and why, there's a problem.

And no, this isn't personal sour grapes. I was a dead man walking, and in retrospect, I'm over that. I'm talking my peers who had much better records than me and still got screwed.

Honestly, you're right. Many people got boned a few years back completely inexplicably. I know plenty of them and agree that they fit the bill of people who should have been promoted, so I'll walk back what I said a bit. But when I said "many," that wasn't intended to mean "most." I still believe what I said as far as generally having good things happen in your career, but it unfortunately didn't quite apply to people up for O-4 around 2014-2015. Timing and big Navy being stupid can always get in the way.
 

picklesuit

Dirty Hinge
pilot
Contributor
Any fallout from the VP-30 Fitrep SNAFU from my YG? Allegedly the LT FITREPS from Feb16 didn’t get submitted in time for the board and a few guys got FOSx1 due to the lack of a competitive shore tour Fitrep.

Year after the bloodbath, but stil shitty (if true)...
 

MIDNJAC

is clara ship
pilot
and so far, including my time in the Navy, I've only seen "all hands" clubs or a single Chiefs' Club at Mayport, except at NAS Fallon which is awesome, but you're there no more than 4-6 weeks at a time as a JO.

Fallon club may be the last one standing. Oceana O club is slated to become combined O and CPO within the year.
 

Tycho_Brohe

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I don't exactly agree with the first part of your statement because there are no guarantees, even on the Golden Path.
Very true. "You'll be fine" was too strong, with not enough subtext.

"Kick ass, stay on the golden path, and depending on timing, needs of the Navy, and luck, you'll probably be fine...maybe. At the same time, get as many hours as possible and start networking with people in the airlines and working on ATP, because there have been instances of people getting multiple EPs and getting passed over for O-4."

That sounds a bit better.
 

Python

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Shame. Didn't even know Oceana had one, I figured it was all hands already.

My understanding is that Oceana was one of the original great ones. My one time in there I was very impressed with it. At least relative to the shack, I mean O Club, in lemoore.
 

ATIS

Well-Known Member
My understanding is that Oceana was one of the original great ones. My one time in there I was very impressed with it. At least relative to the shack, I mean O Club, in lemoore.

Miramar on the West Coast Wednesday night. Oceana Friday night tripping over couples on the golf course followed by Ft Story Sunday night waking up under the picnic tables Monday morning. No cops in the parking lot or breathalizers...we took care of our own or walked home/across the street to the BOQ (or took a nap on the golf course). Those Navy days are dead (or "changed" as the new breed calls it). NAS JAX used to have a rage. I went to that club while on det to Cecil and I remember walking into the club, don't remember walking out (they still had an open base....so all the local ladies were there). I do remember maning up an TA-4 with my Reserve pilot to go fight a F-18 stud (with RAG CO in the back seat) the next morning. O2 never taste so good.

ATIS, the dinosaur.
 
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