USN What is the difference between a Naval Aircrewman and Spec Ops AIRR?

[italianlifter]

A little information about me, currently working at a fire department at the age of 22 years old. Looking to better myself and have a better retirement plan as well as serve my country. Ive had many family members throughout my family tree join the service so I want to be apart of that. I know what it takes to become a Spec Ops AIRR Rescue swimmer and I also know my limits. Current stats
1.5 Mile Run: 9:42
Push-Ups in 2 Minutes: 73
Sit-Ups in 2 Minutes: 68
Pull-Ups (Dead hang): 16
500 Yard Swim in 12 Minutes: 11:50 Breaststroke (My weak Point as you can tell)

Now I'm not here to sound cocky at all but I personally believe that I am in great shape for my age.
Bf %: 12%
Weight: 162
Height: 5'10

Now that I kind of gave a little information about myself I want to get to the question which is what is the difference between a Naval Aircrew man and a Spec Ops AIRR Rescue Swimmer? Is it all one thing or can you choose to just be a Naval Aircrew man? Also if you choose Naval Aircrew man is it just a part time job or would it be your full time job? I would love to have the ability to try out for the Spec Ops AIRR but my endurance when it comes to swimming is not quite up to Par I believe. Now don't get me wrong I am a swimmer and always have been my entire life. I live in the pool when I was younger all I would do is swim. My problem is mainly the endurance. If I was 18 years old I would of course take a year or two to work on that and then join but since I am 22 years old and getting older I'm not quite sure if that would be a wise thing to do. So basically what I wanna ask you guys along with my previous question above is would it be wise to join the Navy active duty enlisted? How long is the Naval Aircrew Man schooling? Is it a well respected job and what is everyones thought on the job? What does the job consist of cause all I see is videos of people sitting in a chopper shooting off and jumping out but would't that make them rescue swimmers? Basically what is the difference between AIRC and AIRR and why is there no information about Naval Air crewman on the Navy website? veteran at our station was a Naval Air crewman who keeps telling me to join that and get my wings but I just wanna make sure I am making the right career choice. Thanks guys and I apologize in advance for the long question.

 

[hlg6016]

Bear in mind my experience is not exactly current. But as I understood when I went through Aircrew Candidate School. The fixed-wing aircrewmen went back to their units and completed their respective crew courses for their wings. Rotor guys where retained to attend the rescue swimmer portion before reporting to their units.
Final goal of both was earning your A/C wings. With that said you spend more than a fair amount of time doing PT and in the water. The water instructors where top notch and their aim was to get you comfortable in the water and build your endurance (I was not a swimmer and all I have to compare it to is the Corps sink or swim survival methods) It was one of most enjoyable schools I attended and IMHO A/C has to be the best enlisted jobs out there regardless of what position you hold. Some of our more current graduates will fill you in further, but I have to pipe up from time to time and earn my keep around here.

 

[Uncle Fester]

All AIRRs are AIRCs, but not all AIRCs are AIRRs.

AIRCs are Aircrewmen. AIRRs are the subset who've also been through RSS. Have you taken the ASVAB? It's not rocket science, but AWs need to be smarter than the average bear. It's all right here.

Also, I'm not really sure where you got the "Spec Ops AIRR" thing. SPECOPS in the Navy are the dive/salvage guys. SPECWAR are the SEALs and other dudes in Batman gear. Neither have anything to do with Aircrewmen except that they all ride around in helos a bunch and tend to be gym rats with a lot of tattoos.

 

[Flash]

...SPECOPS in the Navy are the dive/salvage guys. SPECWAR are the SEALs and other dudes in Batman gear. Neither have anything to do with Aircrewmen except that they all ride around in helos a bunch and tend to be gym rats with a lot of tattoos.

I thought they got rid of the SPECOPS name recently for the EOD (not dive) guys and now just call them EOD.

 

[italianlifter]

All AIRRs are AIRCs, but not all AIRCs are AIRRs.

AIRCs are Aircrewmen. AIRRs are the subset who've also been through RSS. Have you taken the ASVAB? It's not rocket science, but AWs need to be smarter than the average bear. It's all right here.

Also, I'm not really sure where you got the "Spec Ops AIRR" thing. SPECOPS in the Navy are the dive/salvage guys. SPECWAR are the SEALs and other dudes in Batman gear. Neither have anything to do with Aircrewmen except that they all ride around in helos a bunch and tend to be gym rats with a lot of tattoos.

Im planning on taking the ASVAB in 7 days so I will see what my score will be. Hopefully it will be good enough. Not trying to be rude but I got the Spec Ops AIRR from the Navy Website. When you search through there Spec Ops it has AIRR, EOD, Seal, Navy Diver if I remember right. Also the recruiter gave me a some papers on AIRR and explaining that its spec ops and that the drop out rate is like 55-70%. What happens if you make it through AIRC school but fail the AIRR section? Does the Navy put you wherever they need you at that point? Do you need to be a great swimmer to attend this school and be able to pass? Thanks for replying

 

[italianlifter]

Bear in mind my experience is not exactly current. But as I understood when I went through Aircrew Candidate School. The fixed-wing aircrewmen went back to their units and completed their respective crew courses for their wings. Rotor guys where retained to attend the rescue swimmer portion before reporting to their units.
Final goal of both was earning your A/C wings. With that said you spend more than a fair amount of time doing PT and in the water. The water instructors where top notch and their aim was to get you comfortable in the water and build your endurance (I was not a swimmer and all I have to compare it to is the Corps sink or swim survival methods) It was one of most enjoyable schools I attended and IMHO A/C has to be the best enlisted jobs out there regardless of what position you hold. Some of our more current graduates will fill you in further, but I have to pipe up from time to time and earn my keep around here.

If you don't mind me asking, what was the hardest part you during your whole experience? I'm just worried they would drop me due to my lack of endurance in the pool.

 

[ea6bflyr]

If you don't mind me asking, what was the hardest part you during your whole experience? I'm just worried they would drop me due to my lack of endurance in the pool.

Like most of the "hard" training in the military, it's all mental-- DON'T QUIT!! As long as you don't Drop On Request (DOR) and keep trying, you'll do just fine.

 

[italianlifter]

Like most of the "hard" training in the military, it's all mental-- DON'T QUIT!! As long as you don't Drop On Request (DOR) and keep trying, you'll do just fine.

Appreciate the reply friend. Ive never been that quitter type and I don't plan on it now. I want this really bad and I'm just hoping they don't drop me thats all. Also I know being an Aircrew man takes a lot of arithmetic knowledge and thats my weak spot. I been doing the ASVAB online and taking practice tests. Is there any other way of increasing my knowledge of this that anyone could recommended? Thanks in advance.

 

[hlg6016]

I went down there basically as a barely qualified swimmer with a water phobia and spent the first couple of weeks in a remedial swim class. The instructors did not hold my hand but understood my self imposed mental blocks and worked with me to get past them it was just a matter of being comfortable and not giving up. Show some motivation and keep up with the PT and you'll be good.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Appreciate the reply friend. Ive never been that quitter type and I don't plan on it now. I want this really bad and I'm just hoping they don't drop me thats all. Also I know being an Aircrew man takes a lot of arithmetic knowledge and thats my weak spot. I been doing the ASVAB online and taking practice tests. Is there any other way of increasing my knowledge of this that anyone could recommended? Thanks in advance.

Practice, practice, practice. Go to your local library and checkout an ASVAB study guide. Lots of on-line resources.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I thought they got rid of the SPECOPS name recently for the EOD (not dive) guys and now just call them EOD.

As far as I knew, they just split off EOD from the rest of SPECOPS. The latter is still dive/salvage and mine warfare...maybe they changed the name. Too lazy to look it up. However comma:

Not trying to be rude but I got the Spec Ops AIRR from the Navy Website. When you search through there Spec Ops it has AIRR, EOD, Seal, Navy Diver if I remember right. Also the recruiter gave me a some papers on AIRR and explaining that its spec ops and that the drop out rate is like 55-70%. What happens if you make it through AIRC school but fail the AIRR section? Does the Navy put you wherever they need you at that point? Do you need to be a great swimmer to attend this school and be able to pass? Thanks for replying

I'm not sure what you read, but rescue swimmers aren't SPECOPS. That's a distinct community in the Navy and surface and aviation rescue swimmers are not part of it. Neither are SEALs or EOD. "Special Operations" has different meanings in different services, but it isn't just shorthand for "cool jobs".

As for what happens if you don't make it through RSS, it depends on what happened, why you attrited, and your record to that point. Assuming you did well at NACCS, you'd probably just be rolled to a non-swimmer AW position, assuming that's policy at the time. And yes, you need to be a strong swimmer for RSS

It's important that you understand that being an RSS isn't your full time job in the Navy. You are primarily a flight crew member, and you're expected to move up into leadership and instructor positions within the community as well.

 

[italianlifter]

I went down there basically as a barely qualified swimmer with a water phobia and spent the first couple of weeks in a remedial swim class. The instructors did not hold my hand but understood my self imposed mental blocks and worked with me to get past them it was just a matter of being comfortable and not giving up. Show some motivation and keep up with the PT and you'll be good.

Appreciate you being honest man. This gives me hope and motivates me. Again thanks for the insight

 

[italianlifter]

Practice, practice, practice. Go to your local library and checkout an ASVAB study guide. Lots of on-line resources.

Thank you Sir, I will do that

 

[italianlifter]

As far as I knew, they just split off EOD from the rest of SPECOPS. The latter is still dive/salvage and mine warfare...maybe they changed the name. Too lazy to look it up. However comma:



I'm not sure what you read, but rescue swimmers aren't SPECOPS. That's a distinct community in the Navy and surface and aviation rescue swimmers are not part of it. Neither are SEALs or EOD. "Special Operations" has different meanings in different services, but it isn't just shorthand for "cool jobs".

As for what happens if you don't make it through RSS, it depends on what happened, why you attrited, and your record to that point. Assuming you did well at NACCS, you'd probably just be rolled to a non-swimmer AW position, assuming that's policy at the time. And yes, you need to be a strong swimmer for RSS

It's important that you understand that being an RSS isn't your full time job in the Navy. You are primarily a flight crew member, and you're expected to move up into leadership and instructor positions within the community as well.

What does RSS school really consist of? If it is not a full time job then what exactly is the point of it? Not trying to sound like a dick but I do not want to do anything else expect be an Aircrew man full time

 

[robav8r]

OK, first off, it's not "Aircrew Man", it's Aircrewman. Second, Naval Aircrew Candidate School teaches you how to be aeronautically adaptable in flight and basic flightcrew duties, not aircraft specific. Rescue Swimmer School teaches you how to save lives - period. Not a task you will be called upon to do often (some swimmers never get the call), but regardless, a skill that you better be ready to employ when the call comes. Rescue Swimmers fly primarily in H-60's of different flavors in the Navy, some tactical, some non-tactical. You will always exercise your aircrew duties and knowledge, and you will always practice your rescue swimmer duties. As mentioned above, you will be required to climb the ranks commensurate with your demonstrated skill in the aircraft and leadership abilities on the ground. Feel free to PM with any, specific questions . . . . . .