Officer first pilot second

[Tobe]

This was talked about in another thread I'm just wondering if I'm doing the right thing going to Navy OCS. Becoming a naval aviator, all of the flying and challenges of landing on the carrier really appeals to me but I was talking to my dad and he said, "you should just enlist because you're not officer material." It was pretty harsh but I know the Navy needs leaders as well and I'm not sure if that is me. I'd prefer to just be the best pilot I could be and let someone else take the leadership tasks. Is that a deal breaker for an apriring Naval Officer? For those of you who are pilots in the Navy, do you do many things involving leading groups of people, presentations, etc. Or do you just do a kickass job of flying the damn thing and get rewarded for it..? I know army warrants mainly focus on the flying so that may be a better option for me. Any advice from you pilots is helpful, thank you guys.

 

[picklesuit]

Sounds like your dad is right.

 

[djj34]

Here's a question to ask yourself. Would you be comfortable being a Navy/Marine officer if you don't fly?

 

[Tobe]

Here's a question to ask yourself. Would you be comfortable being a Navy/Marine officer if you don't fly?

I would, I just don't know how good I would be because I'm a bit of a shy type. Not one of those type-A gung ho, into the fray guys.

 

[Tobe]

Sounds like your dad is right.

I think he's wrong about the whole approach, why not have tons of highly capable pilots who train and focus on flying, rather than tons of mediocre pilots who have lots of other responsibilities that could affect their flying performance? Doesn't the system work best when everyone has their own specialty?

 

[wlawr005]

 

[Fallonflyr]

If you want to be a military aviator, you have to be an officer. To be an officer, you have to be a leader. Military aviation requires leadership whether you are commanding a crew or leading a formation of fighters. Military aviation is not a place where you will find a whole bunch of shy, non into the fray type people.

 

[Brett327]

Who is going to lead the aircrew in your scenario? The bottom line is that everyone in the military is expected to be a leader at some point. There is a constant influx of new people. Someone has to be an example for them and show them the way. If you're not interested in being a leader, then the military is definitely not for you - officer or enlisted. Then again, guess who teaches our junior officers and enlisted folks how to lead? Senior officers and enlisted personnel. See how it works?

 

[IKE]

I think he's wrong about the whole approach, why not have tons of highly capable pilots who train and focus on flying, rather than tons of mediocre pilots who have lots of other responsibilities that could affect their flying performance?

Sailors (including officers) deploy on ships, and ships can only carry so many people. So some E-4 and below types have to work in the galley, some E-5/6/7s have to run the fitness programs, some junior officers have to run divisions, etc. The same thing goes for salary and benefits. Why pay a guy to fly and a guy to lead and potentially provide medical benefits for life after 20 years of service if you can pay one guy to do it.

Doesn't the system work best when everyone has their own specialty?

I'll leave this to a great USNA graduate:

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

-Robert A. Heinlein

 

[Tobe]

Military aviation is not a place where you will find a whole bunch of shy, non into the fray type people.

Shy does not equal innefective. Just because someone doesn't talk allot doesn't mean they won't pick up a rifle when the time comes.

 

[Tobe]

If you're not interested in being a leader, then the military is definitely not for you - officer or enlisted.

Not everyone can be a leader, some need to be followers.

 

[Pags]

Maybe OCS and the USN will teach Tobe to be a leader. I certainly developed a great deal as a leader from when I showed up to Day 1 of NROTC and when I signed my DD214.

There are plenty of ways to skin a cat and I've known plenty of successful officers who weren't the stereotypical Type A extroverts.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Not everyone can be a leader, some need to be followers.

In the military everyone is a leader at some point, whether you are an officer or enlisted, there is a push in some corporate circles to instill that every employee is a leader even if you don't have direct reports, the thought is you will give guidance to someone.

I was pretty shy when I came in but that changed quickly being around people who you have things in common with helps get over that, and leadership, for me it came fast, I was made the work center supervisor right when I arrived at my parent division on my first ship, unusual yes, but they had confidence in me and I knew how to do the job right.

If you are willing to learn, willing to accept direction and then take that and grow you should be fine, not every officer I recruited was ready to be the captain of the football team, but they all wanted the chance to rise to the occasion and I saw enough in them to encourage them to apply, if I didn't I would have found a way to convince them this wasn't for them.

If a person has absolutely no desire to be a leader there are places for people like that.....Walmart

 

[Sonog]

If you're willing to grow and challenge yourself and have an inner drive to excel at everything, then you can learn to be a leader. If you're worried about speaking in front of people, that can be overcome. You can learn to speak in public and give briefs. You might hate it, but you can easily find ways to manage your stress and gain confidence. If you're worried about responsibility that might be an issue. I'm at the tip of the iceberg so far in my Navy career, but if someone asked me the difference between officers and enlisted in one word I would probably say responsibility.

Also, I feel like nearly all leadership skills translate directly to the cockpit. And for the love of god, if you come seeking advice and wisdom, and what you get isn't what you want to hear then don't try to argue.

 

[haimehhh]

The military is full of leaders in the enlisted and officer ranks across all branches. Yes, there are plenty of followers in the world, and the leaders in the US military strive to protect them. There is little likelihood that you'll convince those who make selections to pick you to become a naval aviator above those who are actively seeking an opportunity to lead others if you don't have a capacity for leadership. Personal leadership is as important as the ability to lead others.

Your uncertainty about yourself is normal– Lord knows I've had to do plenty of introspection, and have two parents who actively question my desire, motivation, and personality in the context of my ambition to become an NA– but if your decision to become an officer isn't yours and yours alone, you haven't exhibited personal leadership. If you want to lead, you have already indicated you want a challenge. So accept your shy nature and overcome it. You don't have to be an A-type to be an effective leader. You do have to want to lead, though.