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Interservice Transfer for U-2

electric_warrior

New Member
pilot
So does anyone know if IST's into the AF are still a thing for Navy pilots wanting to go U-2? I can't find any current information on this.
 

insanebikerboy

Internet killed the television star
pilot
None
Contributor
Call them/email the unit directly. As of about 12 months ago, the AF as a whole wasn't taking any ISTs. The only guys I know that have made the switch to AF got off of Navy active duty and went into AF reserves.
 

zippy

Freedom!
pilot
Contributor
So does anyone know if IST's into the AF are still a thing for Navy pilots wanting to go U-2? I can't find any current information on this.

They were a few years ago. One of my buddies went tried out, got accepted and picked up for the IST in the Airforce side... PERS-43 promptly cut him orders for the disassociated sea tour to prevent his departure.
 

pelexecute

Active Member
pilot
None
So does anyone know if IST's into the AF are still a thing for Navy pilots wanting to go U-2? I can't find any current information on this.

Actually, we are again. Airline hiring has dwindled our numbers enough that IST's are opening up again. I believe we have a Marine and a Navy guy already scheduled to come out for formal interviews in the near future. I'll send you a PM with the contact info for the guy in charge of recruiting.
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Actually, we are again. Airline hiring has dwindled our numbers enough that IST's are opening up again. I believe we have a Marine and a Navy guy already scheduled to come out for formal interviews in the near future. I'll send you a PM with the contact info for the guy in charge of recruiting.

Not to threadjack (though seems like the OP's question has been answered) - when it comes to IST's into the regular Air Force, I've only ever heard of U-2s routinely taking them in significant numbers. Is that perception accurate? If so, why? Dudes bolting for the airlines is hardly a U-2-only problem, but I don't see the AF trying to poach Navy or Marine guys for fighters or RPA (which also have significant manning problems).
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Not to threadjack (though seems like the OP's question has been answered) - when it comes to IST's into the regular Air Force, I've only ever heard of U-2s routinely taking them in significant numbers. Is that perception accurate? If so, why? Dudes bolting for the airlines is hardly a U-2-only problem, but I don't see the AF trying to poach Navy or Marine guys for fighters or RPA (which also have significant manning problems).

I've seen guys in other communities switch over. I've also known one guy who went over to fly Pavehawks and bumped into another guy who went over to fly Pavelows (and their other toys they have).
 

Recovering LSO

Suck Less
pilot
Contributor
They were a few years ago. One of my buddies went tried out, got accepted and picked up for the IST in the Airforce side... PERS-43 promptly cut him orders for the disassociated sea tour to prevent his departure.
Did he have to execute those orders?
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I've seen guys in other communities switch over. I've also known one guy who went over to fly Pavehawks and bumped into another guy who went over to fly Pavelows (and their other toys they have).

Oh I know it does happen - I interviewed for FL ANG and AFRES WSO gigs and in both cases there were already a lot of former Navy and Marine types around. Just seemed like it was mostly in the Reserves and Guard units. I just got the impression that it was more common for the active AF side in U-2s and wondered why that was. Or maybe it's just more widely known-about?
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
...I just got the impression that it was more common for the active AF side in U-2s and wondered why that was. Or maybe it's just more widely known-about?

Due to the unique needs of the community I think they have a lot more leeway, officially and unofficially at least on the USAF side, in selecting pilots from wherever they can get qualified candidates. After all this is for a community where every pilot is a transition which in itself is very unique, and one that flies very high vis-high priority missions. Given how challenging the aircraft is to fly, no other military aircraft type have a flight in the aircraft as part of the selection process as far as I know, and the somewhat truncated career prospects for many I am not surprised they have had such a relatively high rate of IST's.

Having worked with a few U-2 pilots I can say that their attitudes and personalities seemed to be more like Navy aviators than your stereotypical USAF type, it didn't hurt one of them had done an exchange tour with a VFA squadron.
 
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Uncle Fester

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...the somewhat truncated career prospects for many...
Having worked with a few U-2 pilots I can say that their attitudes and personalities seemed to be more like Navy aviators than your stereotypical USAF type, it didn't hurt one of them had done an exchange tour with a VFA squadron.

I worked briefly with a few over in the Sandbox, and they did seem to revel in their Island of Misfit Toys status, so yeah I wasn't surprised that it would draw some of the "career-shmareer, this sounds cool, imma go do that" types from the Navy and Marines.

My wonderment wasn't so much why Navy guys go fly U-2s, or even why the AF approves it. More wondering why it seems like U-2s is the only place in the regular AF where you see a lot of ISTs, especially when they're critically undermanned in many other communities. They're having a lot of trouble filling RPA seats, and hurting for fighter bodies (which is hardly career-limiting in the Air Force), yet don't seem interested in soliciting all the FOSx2 13XX LT's the Navy has these days.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
...My wonderment wasn't so much why Navy guys go fly U-2s, or even why the AF approves it. More wondering why it seems like U-2s is the only place in the regular AF where you see a lot of ISTs, especially when they're critically undermanned in many other communities. They're having a lot of trouble filling RPA seats, and hurting for fighter bodies (which is hardly career-limiting in the Air Force), yet don't seem interested in soliciting all the FOSx2 13XX LT's the Navy has these days.

A lot easier to do and explain away to everyone with such a small and specialized community, a lot harder to do on a larger scale and one that would force the USAF to admit and confront some of its issues on a larger, force-wide scale.
 
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Uncle Fester

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Super Moderator
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A lot easier to do and explain away to everyone with such a small and specialized community, a lot harder to do on a larger scale and one that would force the USAF some of its issues on a larger, force-wide scale.

I'd buy that for a dollar.
 

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Well, we already know U2's have tried the Navy!

640px-USS_America_(CV-66)_with_a_U-2.jpg
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Are U-2 guys happier than the rest of the AF?

If you believe the folks I worked with, yes! They were a small and pretty tight knit community and seem to be generally left to their own devices by big USAF, and they got to fly T-38's to keep up their flight time.
 
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