IA Questions Answered Here

[Gatordev]

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

 

[Fred]

RDML Guad is the new CNATRA.

Have you had the pleasure of meeting Admiral Guadagnini?

 

[MasterBates]

Yes, a couple times. He was CAG on my 2004 cruise, and has most recently given me baked potato recipes.

 

[Fred]

Yes, a couple times. He was CAG on my 2004 cruise, and has most recently given me baked potato recipes.

Cool, we've know him for years.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I was on Guad's CAG-17 cruise on JFK as well.

Those bright-eyed ensigns were banging around P'cola six months ago. "Sir, how would I go about volunteering for an IA?" "Finish the program, get winged, get through the RAG, do your first squadron tour, call the detailer. Now go study your Aero, Rambo."

 

[P3 F0]

The WHOLE IA process has changed to GWOT Support and they will only take folks that either volunteer or are rolling from Sea to Shore. IF you are on Shore you should now be safe.

So, theoretically, if you're going from Sea to Sea, do you make the list? Does anyone know anyone who's been tagged going from Sea to Sea?

 

[MasterBates]

I have been told to possibly expect an ~11 month IA in lieu of shore tour, between my super JO and DH tour, but that is 3-4 years out at least.

 

[SteveG75]

An USAF EOD guy was shot by a sniper probably because he was wearing DCU's while everyone else was wearing ACU's. He convinced the USAF leadership to allow EOD guys to wear ACU's in Iraq. So yes, it is an issue.

http://www.triwest.com/corporate/fr...wAboutTriWest/teamSuccessesServiceMembers.asp

Interestingly enough, when I left Al anbar last March, the II MEF policy (inherited from I MEF) was that everyone going outside the wire wore desert flight suits. The policy was put in place to wear Nomex due to the use of accelerants (gasoline, turpentine, etc) being added to the IED's. Also Under-Armor was not to be worn outside the wire for the same reason.

Note the pic below, everyone is wearing a desert flight suit, two people with ACU pattern flak and kevlar, one Marine off the right.

 

[Schnugg]

That took a serious hit...here's what it may have looked like before the IED...

 

[SteveG75]

More pics here;
http://www.defencetalk.com/pictures/showphoto.php/photo/25424

Remarkable sequence of photographs of a US Marine Corps Cougar mine resistant and ambush protected (MRAP) vehicle after it had been hit by a very substantial IED in Iraq. The crew escaped with only minor injuries and no one was killed, even though the blast ripped the engine from its armored bay and hurled it over 100 yards.

I heard that the driver had some bruised ribs. That was it.

 

[HH-60H]

^The protection it provides its crew is amazing.

 

[staff03]

so as a pilot in your first 6-8 year committment, are you more likely to do an IA if you do not volunteer or are you more likely to do something else after your sea tour?

 

[Uncle Fester]

There's no telling what you are "more likely" to do. The IA/GSA process is being changed as we speak, and the individual communities are figuring out their policies and how to best fit them into their career tracks. The unpredictability of the IA process has been the #1 gripe for a while, and Big Navy is trying to address it.

I think it's safe to say that some species of IA will be around for a long time to come, but when, where and how you do them is so in flux right now, it's pretty much anyone's guess.

 

[Trying2fly]

Can't get anything I ask for

Despite a great plan to go to the RAG as a DH, despite volunteering for a PRT IA two months ago, despite asking for a JCCS or PRT IA again, despite raising my hand for a 131X ISR IA...it looks like an HR IA to Afghanistan. Need to fill with a 12XX but none are available. And I'm on the Alert-5. So, does anybody know what an HR guy would be doing advising the Afghan Army? I wanted to contribute but I had more warrior-like aspirations than filling an HR position. I don't even think I get a weapon.



Where can I buy one of those armored vehicles above?

 

[FLYTPAY]

Have you had the pleasure of meeting Admiral Guadagnini?

He is a new member on AW. I too was in his airwing for CVW-17 2002 and 2004 cruises.