SNA or SEAL???????

[tomoast]

Ever since a kid I've always wanted to be a NAVAL AVIATOR. Had successful PRK surgery 21/2 months ago and I'm 2 weeks away from applying for Naval Flight School. However in the last 7 months I've been in contact with some Navy SEALS through a lacrosse team I play for and my interest in the SEALS has increased greatly in a short time. Now everyday I go back in forth on what I should do. The SEALS i've met and even had the chance to train with at Little Creek Amphib. base where humble, quiet, and out of there way helpful. I've read books on flight school seen the discorery shows but I haven't been in contact with any Naval Aviators. Does anyone know how I could get onto the base at Pensacola or maybe Oceana since i'm in the Va. Beach area?? Please don't get offended at this last statement. My 2 main reasons for not wanting to go to flight school are: 1) I'm worried that I'm going to be surrounded by Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer wannabies for my naval career or 2)I'm going to bust my ass to get jets and still end up in a helo or p-3 doing laps around the ocean wishing i was with the SEALS getting ready to snipe Bin Laden or Saddam. I'm at the point right now where I'm ready to just flip a coin and go with it...... so..... any help, advice, opinions, anything would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Hartman]

Your career is what you make of it.

 

[trmat79]

Well this is my opinion so take it for what it's worth. From all the people that I know in the aviation community none are the Tom Cruise or Val Kilmer type and most would laugh at that suggestion. The way hollywood makes the navy to be is not usually accurate. Second on the point of getting Helo's or P-3's well you are in the Navy and you have to roll with the "Needs of the Navy." Every aircraft in the navy plays an important role in the whole picture and without them all we would not be able to function. Not that I would wish this on you but what happens if you don't get through BUD's or don't get accepted for it in the first place. Now what do you do? Drive ships for the navy (which is very important in itself but not something everyone would enjoy) or try to get into flight training which from what I have heard is extremely difficult if you DQ from another pipeline. You have to sit down and give yourself a serious reality check. I don't envy your position because I was in it once before. I wish you good luck but don't mae a hasty decision because you could grow to regret it. I personally picked flight school and leave in a month for API. Good luck

Todd

Todd Matson

 

[AdamS]

I have got a few suggestions, admittedly not even sure that I am ready to committ to the Navy, but ready to take the plunge and apply and try to get over my fears:

If you really really want to be a SEAL, that may simply not be enough. It is apparently just the most brutal training known to man. You simply MUST read Warrior Elite: The Forging of Class 228. It is well written, superbly documented, and if you still want to be a SEAL after reading it you will be a LOT more sure about what you want.

I have wanted to be a pilot since I was about 4, and I got a big book of the worlds fighters-but I am reaching the point where I understand that the needs of the Navy supercede my desire to fly a jet. If they want me to fly helo's or Orion's, I can accept that. If you can't deal with not flying a jet, Im guessing you need to be very very good, or try the Air Farce

Hope I made some sense.

 

[tomoast]

To Hartman.......... THANKS FOR ALL THE INSIGHT...YOU REALLY MADE MY DAY...

To trmat79......the reason i said i'm worried about the val kilmers and tom cruises is because i have a friend that flies for delta and he says he can usually pick out the navy pilots before they tell him and that they usually come with an edge of cockiness.....as for BUD/S i can go into bootcamp or ocs with a contract to buds before entering the navy and i truely believe that i would make it through... unlike flight school where i could be the top in my class and still not get jets. What is API???

To AdamS.... I have read Warrior Elite and just as a sidenote... the Officer in Charge or that class through BUD/S has become a friend of mine through lacrosse and was the one who recommended the Dr. i went to for my PRK surgery. His name is Bill Gallagher and is one of the reasons that I'm having such a hard time with my decision.

If you liked that style of book... there are at least two that I've read the follow a class through Naval Flight school. I've forgotten their names but if you'd like I could try to find them....
Thanks for the help.

Tom

 

[jarhead]

you can be guarenteed a Aviation contract, you're not guarenteed a SEAL contract ... if you flunck out of BUDS training or get hurt, you'll then be busting rust on a surface ship or sub ... in aviation, if you don't get jets, you're flying Helo's or P-3's

my 2 cents worth ...

Jar

 

[Hartman]

tomoast, please don’t take what I said personally. Your desire to serve your country is honorable. However, your perception of your job community (whether it be aviator or SEAL) is going to have a lot to do with how successful and satisfied you are. If you chose to become an aviator (and get your wings), you are going to become one of the best pilots in the world. Of course Naval Aviators are proud of what they do, but I don’t get the impression that they’re a bunch of high school graduates with a beer in one hand and the stick in the other. On the other hand, if you make it through BUDS, you’re going to become one of the deadliest weapons on the planet! Just remember this: there are plenty of SNA’s who put helo’s or P3’s as their first choice. If you KNOW you’re going to be miserable flying either of these, then you probably need to rethink your motivation for wanting to become a pilot. Is it more important to you to fly and accept the responsibilities of a pilot or to be totally combat-oriented? Like I say…IT’S WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT.

 

[trmat79]

I think you have gotten some good advice. API is Aviation Preflight Indoctrination and I leave at the end of August. I have wanted to fly my whole life and when I was faced with the idea that I might want to think about seals i had to think about a lot of things. Number one: future family life. Is seals the kind of life that I want where I can't tell my family where I am or what I am doing and for how long. Second I really don't know what I want to fly yet but I have seen almost all of the aircraft in the Navy (on my midshipmen cruise) and I can tell you one thing...every pilot is very proud of what they fly regardless if they wanted to fly jets, props or helos out of school. Like I said eariler you have to sit down and give yourself a serious reality check

todd

Todd Matson

 

[tomoast]

Thanks for the advice....it's been on my mind all day....but back to the question part....... does anyone know of how i could get onto any of the bases??? Do they offer any kind of personal tours where i can see what these naval aviators are really like??? Does anyone know how much flight time Naval Aviators are coming out with these days??? Does anyone know what percentage of pilots get put behind a desk before there 8 or 10 year commitment is up??? Thanks again for all the help already.

Tom

 

[Mikeman02]

Ok your question: Can i get into any Naval Bases? The answer is YES! I went on a tour of NAS Ociana, Virginia Beach, VA. I went through the base on a bus and we toured. While we were doing so, a Marine F-18 pilot talked to us about becomeing pilots someday. It was really good and every question i asked was answered. There is also Navy pilots that would help you... I went in 1999 and that was before 9-11 so I am not sure if they stopped the Tours, but if the haven't, I would highly recomend it, because when I was there I saw almost every type of Navy and Marine aircraft. Again you get to talk to pilots and see F-14, F-18, P-3's and other type of aircraft doing awesome passes over the base.(literlly Non-stop)O-ya I might have spelled Ociana wrong, sorry. Go for it if you have a chance, and good luck with your decision to either become a Pilot or Seal. If I were you I would go for the Pilot slot, but that is just me-I dont think i would be succesful in Seal Training cuz i cant take pain to well. Good luck, and if u have any more questions just ask. I will send you the NAS Ociana web page when i get a chance.

-Mike

 

[Mikeman02]

here is the site if u are interested: http://www.nasoceana.navy.mil/

 

[Shepherd]

quote:as for BUD/S i can go into bootcamp or ocs with a contract to buds before entering the navy

That is all wrong. You get a contract only to pass the BUD/S screen test while in boot camp. There is no such offer for OCS.

A posteriori

Edited by - Shepherd on 07/31/2002 23:21:45

 

[Kraftwerk]

There were guys with BUD/S contracts in my OCS class, but of course washing out of buds will make you a shoe.

K

 

[tomoast]

Mikeman2.... thanks for the help.... that pilot for Delta I mentioned earlier just called and told me he line up a trip to Pensacola to met a P-3 pilot, get a tour, and watch some type of water survival test done with parachutes in a pool. The P-3 pilot is looking for a job in the airlines so I think he has some self interest as well but that's just fine with me. I haven't checked the website yet but thanks a lot...

Shepard.... here is a link for the route to OCS with a billet to BUD/S... if i was to go the enlisted route i could take the PT Screening Test now and have a contract reserving a billet for me at BUD/S as well. That way I would go boot camp, A school, straight to BUD/S.

 

[tomoast]

http://www.sealchallenge.navy.mil/officer.htm