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Transitioning from one aircraft community to another during career
- Thread starter jg5343
- Start date
Ask MB as he navigated the paperwork successfully
There's a community redes board that meets a few times a year (quarterly, maybe?). MILPERSMAN has the relevant article. I know a few Hawkeye guys who've redes'ed to VAQ and VFA in the last couple of years - all pilots who got the jones for pointy-nose airplanes after instructing VT-J or NSAWC.
The big thing seems to be making sure you aren't too senior, and have enough time to go through the new community RAG and make it out to the Fleet without completely screwing up your career timing. I think they'd prefer you transitioned immediately after your first Fleet tour, did the RAG for your shore tour, and went back out with your new community as a Super JO, but as I say, other than Casey, the guys I know personally who did it went after their first shore tour.
The big thing seems to be making sure you aren't too senior, and have enough time to go through the new community RAG and make it out to the Fleet without completely screwing up your career timing. I think they'd prefer you transitioned immediately after your first Fleet tour, did the RAG for your shore tour, and went back out with your new community as a Super JO, but as I say, other than Casey, the guys I know personally who did it went after their first shore tour.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Go here:
http://www.npc.navy.mil/Officer/Aviation/Warfare+Transition.htm
The linked MILPERSMAN explains all. You need to write a letter, basically telling BUPERS how much of a bad ass mutherfucker you are, which you CO will tone down to what he deems to be reality.
Then you get the "what are we not good enough for you" treatment from half the hinges, and "I wish I was young enough to do it too" from the other half. Your FITREP ranking will strangely plummet from top 5 to "nuggets are ranked higher than you".
Then you leave and embark on the excellent journey that is flight school again as a winged aviator. It will be hit or miss in how you are treated. At 2 of the 3 VTs, I was treated as an IP, at the 3rd I was a "StudentPlus".
Then the RAG is a whole 'nother animal. Depending on the community you may be the first CAT-2 they have seen in a long time. Expect a hit or miss proposition, some guys will expect your skill/knowledge to be close to the CAT-3s other treat you like a CAT-1+. Roll with it.
I'd do it again if I could go back in time and be given the choice again.
HSL to VAW transition myself.
http://www.npc.navy.mil/Officer/Aviation/Warfare+Transition.htm
The linked MILPERSMAN explains all. You need to write a letter, basically telling BUPERS how much of a bad ass mutherfucker you are, which you CO will tone down to what he deems to be reality.
Then you get the "what are we not good enough for you" treatment from half the hinges, and "I wish I was young enough to do it too" from the other half. Your FITREP ranking will strangely plummet from top 5 to "nuggets are ranked higher than you".
Then you leave and embark on the excellent journey that is flight school again as a winged aviator. It will be hit or miss in how you are treated. At 2 of the 3 VTs, I was treated as an IP, at the 3rd I was a "StudentPlus".
Then the RAG is a whole 'nother animal. Depending on the community you may be the first CAT-2 they have seen in a long time. Expect a hit or miss proposition, some guys will expect your skill/knowledge to be close to the CAT-3s other treat you like a CAT-1+. Roll with it.
I'd do it again if I could go back in time and be given the choice again.
HSL to VAW transition myself.
Wow, I'm an idiot. I knew MB was one of the experts, but I didn't think he was a member of this usergroup/private forum. When I looked at his user page, I thought AviatorsPilotPrivate Transition was its own group, but it's really two.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
And here we see one of the two standard hinge replies. 
Also, as a heads up, at least in HSL and VP (the other transition bubba I know is from there) play this REAL close to your chest until you make HAC/PPC/CAPC/etc.
I let it be known a bit soon to a LCDR I trusted, before I was a HAC, and he parroted it to the front office without my knowledge and it came up during my HAC board, and I think may have been a factor in why I did not get a HAC cruise other than Katrina/Rita and being a stand in on workups.
Also, as a heads up, at least in HSL and VP (the other transition bubba I know is from there) play this REAL close to your chest until you make HAC/PPC/CAPC/etc.
I let it be known a bit soon to a LCDR I trusted, before I was a HAC, and he parroted it to the front office without my knowledge and it came up during my HAC board, and I think may have been a factor in why I did not get a HAC cruise other than Katrina/Rita and being a stand in on workups.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
One other thought.. While it is wise to apply early and often, I know a couple guys who waited until their shore tour to put the package in. (VT IPs)
I was penciled in for T-6s and found myself staring down ROTC orders after dropping the package. I came out alright in the end (was able to weasel my way into HT orders) but it's also a "watch out for this" sorta thing.
I was penciled in for T-6s and found myself staring down ROTC orders after dropping the package. I came out alright in the end (was able to weasel my way into HT orders) but it's also a "watch out for this" sorta thing.
Waiting until actually on shore duty before dropping the package seems like the way to do it. Give yourself a year or two on shore duty to decompress, plus if you go to VT's, Fallon, like that, you can talk to more guys from more communities and see if the grass is really greener. Also you avoid any last-minute you're-dead-to-me vengeance from the community you're leaving. Odds are, the skipper of wherever you are on shore duty won't really give a damn what kind of plane you're going back to.
And here we see one of the two standard hinge replies.
Also, as a heads up, at least in HSL and VP (the other transition bubba I know is from there) play this REAL close to your chest until you make HAC/PPC/CAPC/etc.
I let it be known a bit soon to a LCDR I trusted, before I was a HAC, and he parroted it to the front office without my knowledge and it came up during my HAC board, and I think may have been a factor in why I did not get a HAC cruise other than Katrina/Rita and being a stand in on workups.
This goes well for all decisions that will affect your long-term career, whether you may want to get out, drop an OCS package (for those still enlisted) or may be thinking of straying from the "path." The command will dump resources into those who they want to be there for them. If they think you want to leave, they won't help you...
I think it would depend on what type of platform one went through but a former S-3 to C-2 dude went straight from the fleet to the FRS, VAW-120. A former Skipper and COD pilot went back to advanced flight training to go S-3's. Also knew two different E-2 types who had to go back to advanced for jets, one went Prowlers (currently or just finished his CO tour) and another Hornets.
As another transition from VQ (EP-3) to VAQ I had a completely different experience than MB. A large part of it was that I was in a unique squadron, up to 70% of the DH's at any one time in my VQ squadron were transitions of one sort or another, many from within the community from EA-3's but we also had quite a few HC and VA guys but also ES-3, VF, VS, VP, VAQ, VRC and VXE types when I was there. Quite a few of the CO's were also not originally EP-3 guys, which is unusual.
So when I broached the subject of a transition with the MO, who was one of the HC guys and later a CO, I got a pretty good response. When I later asked my CO and XO, who was a former Army helo guy, they both were enthusiastic and backed me all the way. The CO was critical, when I did it a CO approval letter was one of three requirements for the board. I know a guy in VQ-2 who also broached the topic but was curtly told it was not going to happen, it didn't hurt him though and he has done well since.
My advice is if you are serious about do as well as you possibly can in your current squadron, wherever you want to transition to doesn't want a slacker. If you do happen to go to someone in the squadron make sure you can trust them and make it clear you are just feeling it out, not that you have made your decision. And make sure it is done in confidence. Be aware that I have heard stories from several guys, separate from MB, about how they got shafted when they mentioned it. Waiting until your shore tour is a safe way to do it if you are nto sure about the guys in your squadron, particularly your CO since he is the one who matters the most.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you are bit of an oddity when you show up to your new community, that is rarely a positive. That is not to mean that it is bad but at best it is usually neutral. I have known a few transitions that have done well because they are good, the only other VQ guy I know who went VAQ is a PXO now. But some have been screwed over partly because they were not 'born and bred' in the community, it happened to a few VS guys I know. It also depends on which community you go to, I have heard anecdotally that VFA is less open to transitions recently, but that may be particular to VS. VAQ seems to be relatively open to transitions, I know several that did well.
PM me if you have any specific questions. If you were wondering, I have very few regrets and enjoyed my transition.
So when I broached the subject of a transition with the MO, who was one of the HC guys and later a CO, I got a pretty good response. When I later asked my CO and XO, who was a former Army helo guy, they both were enthusiastic and backed me all the way. The CO was critical, when I did it a CO approval letter was one of three requirements for the board. I know a guy in VQ-2 who also broached the topic but was curtly told it was not going to happen, it didn't hurt him though and he has done well since.
My advice is if you are serious about do as well as you possibly can in your current squadron, wherever you want to transition to doesn't want a slacker. If you do happen to go to someone in the squadron make sure you can trust them and make it clear you are just feeling it out, not that you have made your decision. And make sure it is done in confidence. Be aware that I have heard stories from several guys, separate from MB, about how they got shafted when they mentioned it. Waiting until your shore tour is a safe way to do it if you are nto sure about the guys in your squadron, particularly your CO since he is the one who matters the most.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you are bit of an oddity when you show up to your new community, that is rarely a positive. That is not to mean that it is bad but at best it is usually neutral. I have known a few transitions that have done well because they are good, the only other VQ guy I know who went VAQ is a PXO now. But some have been screwed over partly because they were not 'born and bred' in the community, it happened to a few VS guys I know. It also depends on which community you go to, I have heard anecdotally that VFA is less open to transitions recently, but that may be particular to VS. VAQ seems to be relatively open to transitions, I know several that did well.
PM me if you have any specific questions. If you were wondering, I have very few regrets and enjoyed my transition.
Switching from one aircraft community to another during career
So when I went to MEPS to get my physical, I got into a conversation with a retired AF pilot. He told me that during his time as an aviator, he flew three different planes--started in the C-130, moved to F-15's, and ended in a B-52. I started wondering if that kind of switch is fairly common, or if this guy is just an exception. It doesn't strike me as particularly efficient of the military to switch pilots between pipelines like that. Any ideas?
So when I went to MEPS to get my physical, I got into a conversation with a retired AF pilot. He told me that during his time as an aviator, he flew three different planes--started in the C-130, moved to F-15's, and ended in a B-52. I started wondering if that kind of switch is fairly common, or if this guy is just an exception. It doesn't strike me as particularly efficient of the military to switch pilots between pipelines like that. Any ideas?
