What else do you do?

[mikedjp]

My application is at the board now. I applied for SNA and SNFO. Realistically, if I get accepted I think it will be for SNFO because of my age.

That said, what do the administrative duties include for an NFO? I know that an NFO's job is not all flying. I have a background in International Studies and I speak 2 foreign languages, I want to know if it will be possible to use my background as an NFO.

Any NFOs on the board who could shed some light for me?

 

[EODDave]

How do you say "what would you like for lunch" or "here is your popcorn sir" in those two languages. Just kidding. John may be able to answer your question about for language use in the P-3 Community. Might be an EP-3 thing if any at all. How old are you? Turboweeny is a SNFO in the P-3 pipeline. IM him or give him a shout via email. He may be able to shed some light on the subject for you.


Dave

 

[mikedjp]

I'm 26 and I'll be 27 in October. I would need to get into OCS this summer to get commissioned by the time I'm 27.

 

[wink]

There is absolutely no difference in the "administrative" duties of an NFO and Pilot. They are all line officers, squadronmates, and aviators (general fleet usage means NFO and Pilot). Your ground job or collateral duties are assigned by the CO/XO based on the current needs of the squadron. You usually will rotate jobs every year or so. Unlike the Air Farce, in the Navy and USMC we must support ourselves. Therefore, you can be a Personnel Officer, Public Affairs Officer, Maintenance Division Officer, Safety, Training .... Pilots and NFOs share the responsiblity and duties of running the squadron. And for those that still think NFOs are second class consider that for every squadron whose aircraft require an NFO, The CO and XO are alternately a Pilot and NFO, swithching at every change of command. Haven't any of you nuggets heard of a NFO wing commander, CV skipper or admiral?

 

[mikedjp]

Thanks for the insight wink.

This nugget hasn't heard much of anything yet, as I'm a non-prior service OCS applicant right now.

 

[Brodie143]

Actually I have never heard of an NFO wing commander, CV Skipper, or Admiral. I have seen them be CAGs, Base Skippers and Training Wing Skippers. As for switching off, that is true mostly, In my previous squadron, we did have RIO, Pilot, RIO, RIO, with the XO being a Pilot right now. It happens when you short on people because eveyone is switching from Tomcats to hornets.

 

[Brodie143]

Actually I take that back, The Vinsons Skipper is an NFO. But thas in not the norm. Most of the Carrier or Battle Group Commanders (that are aviators, since half the BG commanders are shoes) are Pilots.

But as to what NFOs do, It does depend on the aircraft. In F-14s (and hopefully F-18Fs) they worked the radars, radios, ecm gear, chaff and flares, did navigation, LANTIRN Pods (Bomb Dropping tageting system), TCS cameras (Used to see aircraft way out there), TARPS Pods (Photo recon), as well as back up the pilot during heavy work loads. They are pretty busy. They could also fire missiles, but the pilots usual do that themselves. Plus they are someone to talk to when you get bored or lonely.

 

[unfUSN]

I am currentlyassignes to the USS BLUE RIDGE ( a Comamnd ship in Japan) and there a number of NFO's filling a million different billets. Everything from Force prtection to Intel spots. It appears that NOFs have alot more kinds of Non-flying duty that they can do.

ENS Payne

I will not be softened by the wishful thinking of pacifists
who chose reassurance over reality.
- Unknown

 

[FrogFly]

My old CO on the Constellation was a NFO.

 

[wink]

When the board meets to consider CV skippers, Air Boss's, Admirals, CAGs etc, they basicly look to 13XX designators. That is any designated pilot or NFO. There are some exceptions. A VT squadron that trains pilots will always have a pilot CO. NFO training squadrons have NFO skippers. You won't find a NFO CO of a F-18C squadron since he would have never operated the aircraft in any capacity. I have seen NFOs in every position in the Navy except CNO, and that will happen some day. I take exception to the suggestion that an NFO can't be CO of a CV or a Battle Group Admiral. For your information, your BG Commander may just as often be a Submariner or SWO as a pilot. I had a NFO CAG back in the 1980s. Some of the very best leaders this country's military has seen were not even in aviation. There is nothing about piloting an aircraft that makes you a better leader than the next guy.

 

[HAL Pilot]

The reason you don't see as many NFO COs of carriers or airwings, or in the flag ranks is that there are a lot more pilots than NFOs in the Navy. Percentage-wise, NFOs command and make flag rank just as much as pilots.

 

[wink]

Have to correct my last post. Checked the cruise book and the NFO CAG I refered to was, in fact, a pilot. As stated, however, NFOs can serve as CAG or DCAG. Don't anyone turn down NFO because of a perceived lack of career potential.