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Really stupid questions about life as a SWO and anything else not aviation related [mod dog wuz hərə]

FMRAM

Combating TIP training AGAIN?!
Oh and thank you all of you Aviators, I think that you have talked me into going SWO.

Seriously? You made your life changing decision based on what a bunch of random people you have never met posted on the internet? :)
 

HooverPilot

CODPilot
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
My OR said that once you find out, and you are selected for more than one community, you get to pick the community that you would like. I looked at is as more of a top three choices, and NOT in that order... I think you will be fine if you make sure it is NFO before you sign the final select. Good luck.

Oh and thank you all of you Aviators, I think that you have talked me into going SWO. I was selected SWO and Supply (potentially, will find out in a few months, should be a sure thing) BDCP and I was having a problem choosing. Now I think that I know what I want to do, so thank you everyone.

I'm glad we could help. I'll be in SD in a few weeks if you need me to swing by & kick you in the junk too. :D
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
This is the perpetual debate over the Technician Warrior and the liberally (classical, not political) educated Scholar Warrior. I predict another Proceedings article on the subject given the new NROTC policy. I understand the view that a very challenging engineering or science program teaches students to prioritize and be disciplined. These are certainly traits desirable in a naval officer. There are, however, other ways to instill these qualities in students. It certainly happens at the Boat School, regardless of major. As someone that has interviewed hundreds of wannabes applying to OCS and direct commission, I can say that it is pretty easy to determine if a guy has those traits based on other life experiences then just their college major. I for one believe there needs to be a mix of guys with technical majors and those with non technical backgrounds. I do not believe this new policy will result in maintaining that ratio at a healthy level.
 

scoolbubba

Brett327 gargles ballsacks
pilot
Contributor
"It is by no means enough that an officer of the Navy should be a capable mariner. He must be that, of course, but also a great deal more. He should be as well a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor."

John Paul Jones, or Augustus Buell, depending on who you ask. Either one says it better than any of us schmucks can. It doesn't matter the major, as long as the person is a good officer, capable of learning our trade.
 

KCOTT

remember to pillage before you burn
pilot
NozeMan said:
Ya, pretty sure your degree will have no bearing on how well you will do in flight school, with the exception of flight majors. Engineering majors can fvck it away just as easily as us lib arts majors. We have this thing called "flight school" to bring everyone, regardless of degree/background, to the same level.
i think you're missing his point, no where did he say that having an engineering degree would favor you in flight school, if that were the case, then it would be best for the navy to only send engineering majors to flight school

he's just commenting on the style of thinking for that of engineers, and he's right, most do over analyze and attack a problem from many different perspectives, which in some cases can be good or bad - good because you might be able to find a solution that a non-tech wasn't able to find, but bad because you took forever to come up with the solution because you had analyzed the scenario too much and for too long

one major advantage i notice in those who have tech degrees, is their persistence and willpower, which will help them get through the grind and frustrations of training...trust me, there's nothing more demotivating and painful as studying until 5 am in the morning for a dynamics exam later that day...shit sucks, but they get through it because of their persistence and willpower, two attributes that would bode well for any naval officer in the fleet, technical degree or not...im not saying all non-techs can't possess those traits (since i am technically a non-tech myself but have been there), but when you encounter the frustrations and pains of training in the fleet, engineering majors were already there their freshman year of college...it's a mindset they've been able to develop and refine
 

picklesuit

Dirty Hinge
pilot
Contributor
KCOTT said:
one major advantage i notice in those who have tech degrees, is their persistence and willpower, which will help them get through the grind and frustrations of training...trust me, there's nothing more demotivating and painful as studying until 5 am in the morning for a dynamics exam later that day...shit sucks, but they get through it because of their persistence and willpower, two attributes that would bode well for any naval officer in the fleet, technical degree or not...im not saying all non-techs can't possess those traits (since i am technically a non-tech myself but have been there), but when you encounter the frustrations and pains of training in the fleet, engineering majors were already there their freshman year of college...it's a mindset they've been able to develop and refine

Yeah...Organic Chemistry was easy...glad I picked an easy major...I don't know HOW I made it through pilot training...
 

KCOTT

remember to pillage before you burn
pilot
scoolbubba said:
"It is by no means enough that an officer of the Navy should be a capable mariner. He must be that, of course, but also a great deal more. He should be as well a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor."

John Paul Jones, or Augustus Buell, depending on who you ask. Either one says it better than any of us schmucks can. It doesn't matter the major, as long as the person is a good officer, capable of learning our trade.

question here...assuming they have already learned the trade and became a capable officer, would the navy be better off if all of its officers had an engineering major or a liberal arts major?
 

sickboy

Well-Known Member
pilot
DanMav1156 said:
I'd argue that Augusts Buell's description of a Naval Officer still stands true today - he goes on to say "...He should be as well a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners..."


Whoever said something about all Mids taking calc and physics is 100% correct. But at my school (Penn State) at least, it works the other way around. We have a certain amount of history and polisci classes to take.
So just because I'm a Mechanical engineer, doesn't mean that I'm not exposed to the liberal arts side of things.
 

marq

New Member
SNFO at Pcola

alright, i just graduated from the academy in may and i'm a snfo in a-pool right now.

unfortunately, i'm having some pretty serious 2nd thoughts about aviation. do you guys have any advice about how to go about dropping an air contract to redesignate as a black shoe or something else?

please leave your cracks about surface at the door; believe me, i was making fun of shoes several months ago as well.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
alright, i just graduated from the academy in may and i'm a snfo in a-pool right now.

unfortunately, i'm having some pretty serious 2nd thoughts about aviation. do you guys have any advice about how to go about dropping an air contract to redesignate as a black shoe or something else?

please leave your cracks about surface at the door; believe me, i was making fun of shoes several months ago as well.

Explain the nature of your second thoughts. I'm not going to flame you, but people oftentimes have misconceptions that lead them down this path. I urge you not to draw any conclusions on how the aviation community is based upon anything you see at NASP, or anyone you talk to there.

Brett
 

marq

New Member
three or four things

1. Ultimately, I want to be an attorney...as quickly as possible and I just don't see how being an aviator for 9-10 years will help me break into the field
2. I could potentially (and I realize the chances are very slim and rest upon a number of factors I can't control) lat transfer to JAG after my 1st sea tour
3. I've been experiencing some anxiety about the dangers of aviation. Don't get me wrong, I loved my summer cruise (with a prowler squadron) but now that I'm faced with the proposition of flying everyday, I worry about being an NFO and not having control of the plane. I experience the same thing with riding as a passenger in cars but to a lesser degree.
4. I hate waiting around. I will wait at least 2 months for IFS, then another 6 for API, and probably one more for primary (from what I've been told). I would much rather be learning something/achieving than sitting around.

What are the odds of redesignation?
 

picklesuit

Dirty Hinge
pilot
Contributor
three or four things

1. Ultimately, I want to be an attorney...as quickly as possible and I just don't see how being an aviator for 9-10 years will help me break into the field
2. I could potentially (and I realize the chances are very slim and rest upon a number of factors I can't control) lat transfer to JAG after my 1st sea tour
3. I've been experiencing some anxiety about the dangers of aviation. Don't get me wrong, I loved my summer cruise (with a prowler squadron) but now that I'm faced with the proposition of flying everyday, I worry about being an NFO and not having control of the plane. I experience the same thing with riding as a passenger in cars but to a lesser degree.
4. I hate waiting around. I will wait at least 2 months for IFS, then another 6 for API, and probably one more for primary (from what I've been told). I would much rather be learning something/achieving than sitting around.

What are the odds of redesignation?

1. Seriously?! Brett was nice...I'll flame on...WTF were you thinking for 4 years? Might have been plenty of time at the Canoe U to think about going somewhere other than aviation and not wasting a spot reserved for people with fortitude. I guess quirming out of commitments WILL be good training for being a lawyer...

2. Whatever...I don't even have the care to worry about JAG lat-transfer...

3. Part of being in the military is trusting your life to the guy to the left and to the right of you. Maybe you should have watched more B.O.B. and less A Few Good Men...
People like me train our asses off not to kill douchebags like you...and guess what? I trust the Nav in the back with my life, as well as the enlisted guy running the radar who is fresh out of high school as well...they keep me from running in to shit and flying over people who will shoot me down... the trust goes both ways. What did you not get in your four years of indoctrination?

4. Hurry up and wait, fucking get used to it....

What percent get douchebag? 100% when you waffle this late in the game...believe it...
Pickle
 

BigIron

Remotely piloted
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
....Aviators don't get a major leadership experience until about the ten year mark in their career. Hence, many senior officers refer to them as the "kids".

This is crap. SWOs and Aviators have very different career paths.

When you are driving ships, you always have adult supervision on the bridge or a phone call away. CO most likely has final weapons release authority anways if you're talking about a CIC/TAO watch. As an aviator, we sign for (which means you are solely responsible for everything - aircraft and people's lives plus the success of the mission you are on) a multi-million $ aircraft with weapons on them. You take your crew or section far and away and into bad shit. You execute your mission and come back to do it all again. Naval aviators make decisions that effect not only the lives of your crews, but also the lives of people on the ground. The amount of responsibility accepted by naval aviators is something young SWOs know nothing about. There is no equivalent. Being a LTJG DIVO on a ship is not a major leadership and LT SWOs aren't tasked with that much leadership either. I've seen it.

Senior aviator officers refer to you as "shoes."
 

marq

New Member
1. Seriously?! Brett was nice...I'll flame on...WTF were you thinking for 4 years? Might have been plenty of time at the Canoe U to think about going somewhere other than aviation and not wasting a spot reserved for people with fortitude. I guess quirming out of commitments WILL be good training for being a lawyer...

2. Whatever...I don't even have the care to worry about JAG lat-transfer...

3. Part of being in the military is trusting your life to the guy to the left and to the right of you. Maybe you should have watched more B.O.B. and less A Few Good Men...
People like me train our asses off not to kill douchebags like you...and guess what? I trust the Nav in the back with my life, as well as the enlisted guy running the radar who is fresh out of high school as well...they keep me from running in to shit and flying over people who will shoot me down... the trust goes both ways. What did you not get in your four years of indoctrination?

4. Hurry up and wait, fucking get used to it....

What percent get douchebag? 100% when you waffle this late in the game...believe it...
Pickle

not really sure why you are so enraged about my situation. i understand that you are upset that I've "taken someone's spot" but let's be real, the pipeline is backed up for a reason and it is because there are far too many SNAs and SNFOs. anyone who is truly deserving is in the pipeline.

i know i should have figured this out 2 years ago, but not everyone knows their career goals when they are 20 years old. if anything, you should be glad that i've figured this out now instead of after API or during the middle of primary after serious money has been spent on my training.

i'm not saying that i don't trust people. it is more of a probability thing with me than anything else.

your name calling is really mature. and i'm glad you can control your temper. thanks for getting real with me. :icon_mi_1
 
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