Are There Any "Good Gigs" Left?

[zippy]

Picking a community based on the existence of what may likely be a long shot, career ending, good deal that requires impeccable luck and spectacular timing is probably a poor reason place the order of platforms on your selection card. Pick a community based on your interest in the Missions, flying, primary duty stations etc. don't pick based on shore tour jobs, perceived family life stability etc.

 

[helolumpy]

I heard that Austrailia hornets don't fly much any truth to that?

In today's fiscal environment our Hornets don't fly much either!

 

[Recovering LSO]

In today's fiscal environment our Hornets don't fly much either!

False.


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LPO Beck, You're username is F'ing hilarious. I dig it.

To the nuts and bolts of your questions: Select jets, go to Meridian, then select G's. Move to Whidbey, end of story.

PM if you need details - otherwise just execute that plan.

 

[MIDNJAC]

In today's fiscal environment our Hornets don't fly much either!

Yeah that isn't even close to being true. I love flying, and there have been times when I have wanted a day off to just get caught back up with ground job stuff.

 

[illinijoe05]

Navy H-53s. Very little if any boat time, land based deployment's with per-diem (bahrain and korea). Almost guaranteed flying orders for shore duty due to the number of community jobs and small year groups (VX-1, TPS, NSWC Panama City, AWSTS, HSC-2, HSC-3, HTs)...I would have never gotten into TPS if I wasn't a 53 guy. Non boat dissociated (MCMRON Staff) is career enhancing, Very easy to transition to FTS or selres as we have reserve components in our squadrons. Absolute best deal I never asked for, but I'm sure thankful I got it.

 

[phrogdriver]

I heard that Austrailia hornets don't fly much any truth to that?

Who cares? They're in Australia.

 

[PhrogLoop]

A good deal is in the eye of the beholder. Looking for Post-DH orders, I told my detailer I wanted any job in San Diego so I could keep my EFM son with his doctors and not move while he was physically very fragile. At the same time, a billet opened up at the Region Downtown SD because the incumbent had just announced his retirement. The incumbent was an old community bubba who was my FRS Fam1 instructor so I gave him a call and a week later the orders were mine! Short work days, long runs on the waterfront, time to get my MBA, lunches with the wife and kids? Good deal for me even if it sucks for my "golden path."

 

[xj220]

I hear from people in VX-30 that they pretty much have three day weekends every weekend, or at least did for awhile. Like PhrogLoop says, a good deal to one is not to another. All depends on what you're looking and the same goes with platform selection. Each one has it's own pluses and minuses but you'll usually end up loving what you do.

 

[Renegade One]

I admit to being fascinated by the discussion. Call me stoopid…you wouldn't be the first…but I guess I never really picked up on the fact that the C-2 community was a "pipeline" unto itself.

I always assumed it was an adjunct to the E-2 community…and a good way for Hawkeye bubbas to get "additional sea-duty flying tours" (call it an "associated sea tour"?) between E-2 squadron assignments, or as a possible off-ramp to Hawkeyes for whatever reason.

 

[BigBadBoJenkins]

I admit to being fascinated by the discussion. Call me stoopid…you wouldn't be the first…but I guess I never really picked up on the fact that the C-2 community was a "pipeline" unto itself.

I always assumed it was an adjunct to the E-2 community…and a good way for Hawkeye bubbas to get "additional sea-duty flying tours" (call it an "associated sea tour"?) between E-2 squadron assignments, or as a possible off-ramp to Hawkeyes for whatever reason.

I believe that once an SNA gets through tailhook and multi-engine in Corpus Christi, they select either E-2s or C-2s and stay there.

 

[Pags]

I admit to being fascinated by the discussion. Call me stoopid…you wouldn't be the first…but I guess I never really picked up on the fact that the C-2 community was a "pipeline" unto itself.

I always assumed it was an adjunct to the E-2 community…and a good way for Hawkeye bubbas to get "additional sea-duty flying tours" (call it an "associated sea tour"?) between E-2 squadron assignments, or as a possible off-ramp to Hawkeyes for whatever reason.

At some point in the training process (FRS, I think), the RPs get to fight it out amongst themselves as to who gets E-2s and who gets C-2s. VRC is very much a "standard community," so VRC guys tend to go VRC and stay VRC. For instance, Bunk22 was a career C-2 bubba. I've know an VAW JO pilot who did his DH and XO/CO tour with VRC.

 

[MIDNJAC]

I'd be pretty surprised if they took COD guys and made them E-2 pilots later in their careers. Seems like that would be too many years of not being in any way integrated into an airwing, and of course the fact that they have never crossed the ramp at night before. No offense to my COD friends, and you guys have enough bennies in your lives that you probably don't care anyway, but I'd bet that would be a really steep learning curve that would not make anyone happy....especially the COD guys

 

[PropAddict]

I admit to being fascinated by the discussion. Call me stoopid…you wouldn't be the first…but I guess I never really picked up on the fact that the C-2 community was a "pipeline" unto itself.

I always assumed it was an adjunct to the E-2 community…and a good way for Hawkeye bubbas to get "additional sea-duty flying tours" (call it an "associated sea tour"?) between E-2 squadron assignments, or as a possible off-ramp to Hawkeyes for whatever reason.

It used to be. It was sometime in the late 90's/early 2000's when it became it's own community, complete with career path and all. CODs used to be a weird, good-ish deal for E-2 and P-3 cats to do instead of a shooter or TACRON tour.

 

[Flash]

There are still some great deals in the Navy if you look for them or in some cases if you find them even as a reservist. I just got done with a tour in 'paradise' where the hours were good, the work was great and I was 1200 miles from my command and the US Navy. Life didn't suck, but now back to reality!

 

[bunk22]

My last 3 tours in the Navy before retirement were good gigs. Of course good is relative as some folks feel making O-5 or command is it and thus will do the hard tours, hard jobs to get that done. I could have cared less, just wanted to fly. So, did the NETSAFA OIC tour at Whiting Field, flew T-34C's with VT-6 for 2 years. Then did a one year overseas tour with MSCO Korea as the XO and though not a flying gig, great fucking time. Then finished up as an IP at TW-2 flying the T-45C Goshawk. Pretty much my last 5-6 years didn't suck. Actually, except for my VAW-120 tour, my entire Navy career was a good time. VAW-120 was ruined by awful leadership at the front office with some trickling of it down line...mainly E-2 NFO's.