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Aviators/NFO here, why did you choose the Navy over the Air Force?

Recovering LSO

Recovering LSO

Suck Less
pilot
Contributor
croakerfish said:
He went to a squadron in Germany, went TDY everywhere imaginable for exercises with allied air forces, and went to the desert to spend some time fucking up bad guys.... He felt that Air Force jet guys had a way more relevant and demanding path to becoming a mission/strike lead than Navy guys. I was like, well obviously, you guys have waaaay more resources and far fewer competing demands. No Air Force pilot is in charge of a shop full of enlisted who look to him for the leadership they need to get their jobs done. They have collateral duties but nothing like us.
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So this is an interesting, and not uncommon observation; the AF seems to have everything we read Navy guys saying they want - fly more with less distractions that don't have to do with flying. And yet those guys are running for the doors.
 
Swanee

Swanee

Cereal Killer
pilot
None
Contributor
croakerfish said:
My brother is an F-16 pilot, and when I saw him over Christmas for the first time in a few years (we both did overseas tours) we talked about our respective experiences out in the real world. He went to a squadron in Germany, went TDY everywhere imaginable for exercises with allied air forces, and went to the desert to spend some time fucking up bad guys.
His experience with Navy/USMC jet pilots led him to conclude that they are tactically behind the state-of-the-art, if you will. He felt that Air Force jet guys had a way more relevant and demanding path to becoming a mission/strike lead than Navy guys. I was like, well obviously, you guys have waaaay more resources and far fewer competing demands. No Air Force pilot is in charge of a shop full of enlisted who look to him for the leadership they need to get their jobs done. They have collateral duties but nothing like us. So yeah, they probably spend more time training than we do.
On the other hand, people are running for the exits like the place is on fire. Go read flyingsquadron.com and see just how angsty and miserable they all seem. It's been like that since I was trying to get in back in 2010/2011. Our worst squadron has better morale than their average/good unit. When AF guys go to VT-3 they rave about how great Navy flying is and they dread going back when their tour is up.
Pick your poison I guess.
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Brother is also an AF pilot- but an E-3 guy. He seems to think most of the problem is that the current leadership is a product of the culture that values a master's degree and/or awards from planning the squadron christmas parties over flight leadership and stick skills. Too many yes men were promoted into their jobs, whilst the guys who were doing well tactically, graduating from FWS, and actually leading the squadrons in combat did not have the time to go get their MBA, or do nonresident and then resident PME.
 
P

Pags

N/A
pilot
I got good life advice on choosing a service once:
Pick the service based on the other jobs you’d do if flying didn’t work out. If choice 2 doesn’t involve driving a boat or being a grunt then go USAF. If you’d rather drive a boat then sit in a missile silo then go USN. Also, if the notion of spending part of your life on a boat for 6+mo at a time doesn’t sound appealing then go USAF. if you have trouble conceptualizing what life on a boat is like imagine being locked in your HS for a few months at a time.
 
DanMa1156

DanMa1156

Is it baseball season yet?
pilot
Contributor
Pags said:
I got good life advice on choosing a service once:
Pick the service based on the other jobs you’d do if flying didn’t work out. If choice 2 doesn’t involve driving a boat or being a grunt then go USAF. If you’d rather drive a boat then sit in a missile silo then go USN. Also, if the notion of spending part of your life on a boat for 6+mo at a time doesn’t sound appealing then go USAF. if you have trouble conceptualizing what life on a boat is like imagine being locked in your HS for a few months at a time.
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This was basically my methodology, along with "where could I possibly end up stationed?"
 
Trench

Trench

New Member
Swanee said:
Meanwhile the Navy and Marine Corps are passing pilots over left and right....
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How true is this? Some people say there are too many Navy and Marine Corps pilots, others say there will be a shortage in the near future, others still say that there is a shortage right now...
 
Swanee

Swanee

Cereal Killer
pilot
None
Contributor
Trench said:
How true is this? Some people say there are too many Navy and Marine Corps pilots, others say there will be a shortage in the near future, others still say that there is a shortage right now...
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True enough that guys are being passed over twice and then told that they have to deny a 3 year continuation. This is the Marine Corps saying," we're not going to promote you but we want you to stick around for another 3 years."
 
jmcquate

jmcquate

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Well that was twisted Croaker......but I get the point with regard to USAF missile types. But remember, the Navy has a very similar job. Weps Officer on a Boomer. Ya, more shit to do..........but you still turn the same key. The burden of the Trident.
 
Judge Q

Judge Q

Judging You
Well I didn't get in yet but I'm applying Navy over AF because gold wings look way cooler than whatever the hell it is the Air Force wears and I make life decisions off of things like that. That should work out great for me.


More seriously, I'm drawn to helicopters if I'm lucky enough to get a pilot slot and the AF doesn't assign that many people for those so Navy seemed like a better bet.
 
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