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Selected EP-3's ... now what?

rookie7734

Member
None
I have been following my son's Aviation career with interest. I scour the threads to stay on top of his training to see what is different from when I went through.

He just completed NFO Primary and selected EP-3's. I know that he will be reporting to VP-30 in Jacksonville in early January and then eventually will go to NAS Whidbey Island (where I spent about 5 years as an NFO in a P-3 Reserve Squadron).

I cannot find anywhere in the threads, any updated info on how long the EP-3 NFO's spend at VP-30.

Does anyone know at what point he will seperate from the VP NFO's and begin learning the VQ material. Also can you give me an approximate time frame it will take to earn his wings at VP-30. (My wife -- a former Navy Nurse -- wants to try and make the winging ceremonies, as do I.)

I appreciate any and all info you can pass along. Air Warriors has been an awesome way to stay up on Naval Aviation since my retirement.

Thanks.
 

FastMover

NFO
None
I'm in intermediate here at VP-30 so maybe I can help clear up a few of your questions. The VQ guys separate from the rest of the class at the end of the UMFO syllabus (the first 6 weeks). After that the VQ studs will start preparing to fly while the VP studs go on in intermediate and learn how to use the aircraft's computer and go through a ton of device sessions.

I believe that the VQ studs get winged at the same time as the VP guys. A couple weeks after checking in we were given a winging date by the staff (approximately 6 months after check in), so your son should be able to pass the date to you guys when he finds out.

Hope that helps.
 

NUFO06

Well-Known Member
None
I am near the end of VP30 journey. The VQ guys wing at the same time the P-3 folks do. They leave about a month prior to the VP guys leaving. My class' VQs left early November and we finish early december. They leave here and go to SERE and then Advance SERE, sometimes reporting first to the squadron and then going or sometimes going enroute. It seems there are usually 2 or 3 VQ in a class of about 15.
 

RotorHead04

Patch Mafia
pilot
I am near the end of VP30 journey. The VQ guys wing at the same time the P-3 folks do. They leave about a month prior to the VP guys leaving. My class' VQs left early November and we finish early december. They leave here and go to SERE and then Advance SERE, sometimes reporting first to the squadron and then going or sometimes going enroute. It seems there are usually 2 or 3 VQ in a class of about 15.

Advanced SERE for all? Really ... wow!
 

CommodoreMid

Whateva! I do what I want!
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I classed up here at VP-30 a week ago and I wing April 23 if that gives you a better picture on the time frames here. That means the VQ people in my class will be leaving in early June based on what I've seen. Odds are I'll probably be one class ahead of him once he gets here, so PM me later if he has any questions once he moves.
 

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Are VQ pilots/nfos the only ones who have to go to Advanced SERE, or VP as well?


It was my understanding that Advanced SERE was just more of the survival and evasion stuff. More cool camping knowledges, and NOT any more of the resistance or escape stuff. I thought it was actually kind of a cool experience to go.

Anyone else got any knowledges that they are allowed to share about advanced SERE?
 

Sky-Pig

Retired Cryptologic Warfare / Naval Flight Officer
None
He can practice eating his boogers while he waits to start. :)

Come on now...VP guys normally have to at least check-in to a fleet squadron before the "love" starts to flow.

It must have taken me a good 5 days after I got to VQ-2 (the Spain version of VQ-2, no less) before I started to say things like "those freakin' VP guys have no clue".:icon_tong
 
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