Aviation Maintenance Duty Officer/Supply ???

[Wolfpack]

I can't seem to find much of anything about this community and the several recruiters I have talked to do not seem to know very much either. Can someone pass along some specifics on this community and how it compares to the Supply Community? I am passionate about Naval Aviation and trying to figure out how happy I would be in the Supply Community or as an AMDO. I want to be a Naval Officer but want to make sure that I am happy with what I do every day. How are these officers perceived within the Navy? (Supply and AMDO)

Thank You.

 

[soon2bswo]

Why are you worried about "perception"? Is that in reference to what is "cool" or just what job may be more interesting?

AMDOs are more involved with the parts/supply/procurement and management of aviation maintenance. You go where they go and are an integreal part of the squadron. Supply, however, is based on a ship or shore command and works with squadrons, not in them.

 

[Wolfpack]

Thanks for the information.

No, not what is cool. I'm a little too old for that. I'm trying to make a large decision in my life. I know what my dream is and have been pro.recced (NFO) but it may not be working out in my favor. I want to serve my country and be a Naval Officer, if possible, but want to be happy in what I am doing, thus leading to me being a better officer. If I decide that I may not be happy in a certain community then I may try to find another avenue to serve my country. Fair?

 

[wink]

AMDOs are always working in the aviation community. Their work does seem to resemble Supply Corp work most times, especially at the squadron level. They eventually can run a depot level maintenance operation or intermediate maintenance shop on the CV. They all start out in squadrons and as stated are always tied to naval aviation whether in a squadron, on the CV or shore based maintenance operations. You work with and around planes. Supply guys cover a wider spectrum over the entire Navy. Everything from financial management to retail sales to food service and of course shipping and recieving parts and consumables.

 

[soon2bswo]

Originally posted by shunter
No, not what is cool. I'm a little too old for that.

For someone that has never belonged to a team, the military could be just the place. I don't know if you are ever too old to want to be cool, maybe just old enough not to care. If being cool makes you happy and pays the bills, go for it.

Watching what pilots do with a $44 million dollar aircraft is cool and aside from liking your job it's like being part of a tightly knit team. You never know, it may be just enough to satisfy your search for something new. Good luck, I think the AMDO choice would be a good one.

 

[Wolfpack]

Agreed. Don't get me wrong. The reason I have loved planes and cars my entire life is because I think they are "cool". Part of the reason I want to be in aviation is to be a part of an "elite" group that is very close knit because they take so much pride in what they do. Part of the reason I am sitting on the fence about supply and asked about perception is due to what I found during my research and talking with officers from different communities. Don't kill me here but it seems that the supply community tends to be the place where people end up if nothing else works out. I have seen people say that they have never heard of someone being denied from supply. Officers from other communities tend to say that supply is hard to deal with and they never seem to get the items they need on time. Some Officers have said "You don't want to do supply" and some have said it's a good community. Now, I know that there are some very smart capable people that choose supply as number one and that their job is just as important as others. The Navy cannot function without it right? I am ignorant on the entire topic because I am on the outside looking in so feel free to set me straight. Thanks for the input.

 

[wink]

I can say from years in the recruiting game that guys do come in and apply for Supply Corps first choice. As stated above Supply Corps officers work is much more then filling orders for the fleet. Those that state they had problems "getting things" from Supply are looking at a very very narrow view of the typical career path of a Supply Corps guy. Simply ask your recruiter if you can talk to the Suppy Corps program manager up at CNRC. He can tell you about the various billets he has filled and others available to Suppy Corps guys. Did you know Chops (Pork Chop is slang for SC officers)can actually earn their Dolphins on submarines? Make sure you get all the facts about both communities. Don't listen to outsiders.

 

[Thisguy]

Shunter,

The reason recruiters can't find much info is because the AMDO community is only about 500 officers strong fleet wide. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them for you (such as billets, career path, etc), I'm currently the Material Control Officer for an S-3 squadron, which by the way used to be a supply corps billet, but they changed that because that would tie the supply guy down to one job for 3 years because he isn't qualified for any other jobs in the squadron.

 

[Wolfpack]

"Thisguy20", I would like to speak with you further about AMDO. Can I email you or briefly speak with you at some point? Just let me know what works for you? I appreciate your willingness to share some insight.

 

[Thisguy]

shunter,

Feel free to private message, email or IM me. I'm usually logged into IM all day, (though I'm not always there), but right now I'm on a boat det and should return shortly. Click on my profile to find my contact info.

 

[marti]

Thisguy20,
I was wondering if you could give a little insight into what life as an AMDO is like. What is the SEA/SHORE rotation like? What kind of shore duty billets do they fill? Would you recommend AMDO over other communities? Any insight would be appreciated.

I am a prior AT so I understand the nature of the job I just don't know the details.

 

[Thisguy]

Marti,

Here goes: The sea/shore rotation is usually 3 year sea tour, 3 year shore tour, 3 year sea tour, then you put on LCDR. After making O-4, you'll do a 3 year shore tour, a 2 year sea tour, then a 3 year shore and go up for O-5. Shore duty billets at the JO ranks are AIMD or Training squadrons. I'm not sure what kind of billets you would do as an O-4 and above. Sea tours for JOs include squadrons or ship's AIMD. Since you're prior AT, you probably know all about the AMO, MCO, MMCO, etc. Those are AMDO jobs. I would recommend it to anybody who likes to be a manager and handle maintenance from a paperwork perspective. Personally, I didn't join the Navy to have a desk job, which is why I desire a transfer to the CEC. In general, most priors like it because to them, it sure beats getting your hands dirty working on aircraft. Hope this helps?

 

[marti]

Thisguy20,
Thanks for the info. Having been an AMDO for a little while now could you tell me what you think about your job compared to a supply officer. Do you think it's better or worse? and what is your job like in port when there are no planes? How often do you pull duty? It seems to me that the promotion rate for AMDO is pretty good compared to others, is this a correct assumption? Last but not least when you pick orders out of school is it done by class rank, and what are the chances of getting a VP squadron?

 

[Thisguy]

Marti,

Yes, you have to be a complete bag of sh*t to not get promoted in the AMDO community. Also, orders are picked out of OCS, and timing/luck is everything. For example, there were 2 AMDOs in my class, and there were only 2 billets. VS-33, and AIMD Stennis. So getting a VP squadron is a total crap shoot. To give you an idea, school classes up 4 times a year, and I think we had such a limited choice because we were commissioned in December, and school was in January. They guys commissioned in October had a chance at our billets, plus the ones they ultimately chose.

Second, if you're in port with a squadron, there are planes. The aircrew still needs to fly to keep quals up and what not. Being underway just means a longer workday, it's a little less busy back at the beach. I can't really compare my job to supply, I currently have a supply job persay, but I will rotate most likely to Assistant Maintenance Officer next. If I were in the Supply Corps, all my jobs would be in supply. To be completely candid, I specifically did not want to join the supply corps, and ironically, my first job in the squadron deals with supply. Oh well.

 

[marti]

Thisguy20,
Sorry, for some reason I thought you were AIMD on the boat. I understand your frustration with "riding a desk" but other than that how is the community? Is a graduate degree a requirement for O-5, and do they give you an opportunity to get one. I would probably just try to get one through Embry-Riddle on base. Is that what most people do (get it on their own)?

I really appreciate your insight. It is extremely difficult to learn anything about this community. I worked AIMD SEAOPDET for 4 years and I know little about it. I can just imagine what it's like for some on this forum who have no frame of reference.