Career Options in the Navy

[bulldog06]

Alright, I realize that if I only want jets I should not join the Navy. But, just out of curiosity, I have a few questions about the selection process that may help me to make a better decision about joining:

1) Right now I am a junior at Yale. I am thinking about applying for OCS after I graduate, and possibly applying for BDCP in the coming year. That being said, I realize that right now the jet pipeline is clogged up. Does anyone know how it will look when i graduate college in May 2006? Will it be harder/easier to get jets, or is there just no way of telling right now?

2) I have an issue with the longer time commitment aviation carries. In all honesty if I could know for sure that I would be able to get jets I would have no problem with going in for the long haul. However, I would otherwise likely prefer to go into the supply corps, be out in four years and head off to law/business school. Is there any way of switching over to supply corps after you have already completed primary flight training? If, for instance, I were told that I would not receive jets, could I then in any conceivable way switch to another branch of the Navy that carries a 4 year commitment, ideally the supply corps? Or would I be locked into aviation and the longer commitment it carries?

Thanks for your help. I know I probably sound like that guy who wants to be Maverick, but I am just trying to scope out possible options.

 

[46Driver]

1) There is no way you can tell

2) You can DOR after primary but there is not telling what you will get. I am curious - what is your perception of flying helicopters? Is it the mission? Or is the actual stick and rudder skills? Or is it the sensation of speed? Finally, have you ever flown a helicopter or a high performance airplane?

 

[ben]

I'm not a pro, but I'll attempt to give you the standard answers to your questions.

1. No, there is absolutely no way to know what selections will look like when I get to flight school (early 2005), and it is even more unpredictable for you. Like you suspected, there is not a way to tell at all.

2. Also no, I think. I don't know for sure, but I would be very surprised if you were allowed to switch out of aviation if you didn't get jets. Airframe selection comes after the first two stages of flight school (API and Primary). That means you have already partaken of a lot of EXPENSIVE training. I believe that if you were to back out of flight school for whatever reason, you would be separated from the Navy altogether. That is the way I understand things to be right now. While it is possible for things to be completely different in the future, I would be VERY surprised to find out that flight students are ever allowed to switch to a new designator just because they didn't get jets.

You appear to be more than the typical "I want jets or nothing else" person that we see here all the time. Be careful how you word things (as you have so far) because you will likely find little sympathy if you come across as too much of "jets" wannabe.

 

[ET-Mike]

As far as getting jets or not, there is no way to tell what the situation will be like in the next couple weeks, let alone in a couple of years. I know that the slots out there are very limited. There are actually a bunch of good threads on here that outline exactly what you are asking. I would use the search option at the top for more detailed information.

 

[bch]

1- There is NO WAY to predict how selections are going to work tomorrow, let alone a couple of years down the road. Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise has never been through the pipeline and has no clue what they are talking about.

2- You can not try to change your comunity after selection in primary if you do not get what you want. If I were you, I would try to learn as much as you could about the other communities and the jet community itself. What you saw in Top Gun and read about on this site (aside from the very few people who are actually in the jet community) does NOT represent what being a jet pilot is like. I also say this becuase I used to think like you did, until I got to take a look at what the real jet, helo and prop communities were like. I went from being a die hard, "I only want jets, eveyone else just sux" to the point where you could not have paid me enough to go to the jet community. It was just not for me, but the helo community was a perfect fit for me. A lot of guys who say stuff like jets are the only cool thing to fly, have never flown a jet or a helo or a large multi b4. I personally have found helicopters the most rewarding platform to fly, and I have been flying since I was 8, flown in a hornet, -46, H-3, E-2/C-2, so I had a little taste of what the different communities were about....

Lastly, it is alright to talk about this stuff now, but if and when you get to API/Primary, DO NOT be that guy/girl who all they talk about is how they only want jets and how they are so cool. There is no quicker way to make a bad name for yourself. Also if you have that mind set, flight school becomes that more stressful. Everytime you have a flight where you gooned something up or you had an IP who did not grade to well, you will stress about it and how it may effect your chances of getting jets.

my .02

 

[bulldog06]

Wait so I'm confused--can I DOR out of flight school or not? As far as helos go, you are right 46driver in that I have never flown in one nor do I know what it would be like--who knows, maybe I would like them. I guess the main reason I want jets is just the chance to be a test pilot down the road. Thanks for your advice.

 

[bulldog06]

thanks bch sorry i replied before reading your response.

 

[bch]

np, you can be a test pilot having been a helo pilot, just need the engineering degree and then the rest is good evals and a command that will help you get there.

 

[46Driver]

You can go helos and then be a test pilot to fly everything. My former C.O. is a 46 Driver by trade who has flown everything including Phantoms, Harriers, etc. He was also a Presidential Helicopter Commander (i.e., he flew Marine 1).

Its expensive, but go take a ride in a helo (and get stick time) before you decide. Trying to hover has to be one of the hardest things I ever learned.

 

[bulldog06]

when you say engineering degree, im going to have a BA in history. Now, if after getting my wings i went to the Navy's graduate school and got an advanced technical degree, would that be enough (b/c i know for astronaut you need a technical BA)

Thanks!

 

[skidkid]

By that point you would probably be out of the window for test pilot school, to be competitive you need 5-6 years in your fleet squadron and the NPS is I think two years so test pilot school is probably not possible for someone with a history degree (myself included) but test pilots arent all that they are numerous other flying jobs jsut as good if not better no matter what you select

 

[smittyrunr]

From everything I've heard, it will be very difficult, but not necessarily impossible, to get a slot at test pilot school with a degree in history. Reason being, your shot at TPS comes right after your first sea tour- thus no time to get an advanced degree before the selection board. There is a program where you can be selected for TPS and be sent to grad school before starting. In this great time of downsizing and joint operations however, you will be attending the Air Force Institute of Technology in Ohio, rather than Navy Postgrad in beautiful Monterrey. (I know, I'm disappointed too) Test pilot is extremely competitive (They take maybe 20 a year?) with the grad program I mentioned even more so.
To answer your question, though, yes if you were able to find a way to get a masters in engineering on your own time or prior to getting in the Navy, that would be enough.

 

[squeeze]

Yes, you can DOR from flight school, but don't be that douchebag who does it because he doesn't get the platform he wants. It's a bit too "if I can't play by my rules, I'm taking my ball and going home" for a Marine/Navy officer. Yes, there are people who have done it...and IF you managed to get a followon MOS, don't think that won't follow you.

Secondly, don't go in with the attitude that you're only going to fly jets, because 1) you'll get a bad rep in primary, 2) you set yourself up for disappointment, and 3) you shouldn't decide for certain on a community till you know about all your options. I know of several people who went in deadset on jets and decided they wanted helos/C-130s instead. You have no idea what kind of flying you'll like till you atleast do some.

Finally, you seem to be thinking solely of what you can get out of this for the least obligation... I dunno. I just get that vibe off your initial post. Don't go in with an "its all about me" kind of attitude....it won't get you far in the service.

 

[bulldog06]

Is there any way for navy pilots to become Air Force test pilots, or are they limited to navy test piloting?

 

[smittyrunr]

You can apply to go to Air Force Test pilot school, but after that you will return to the Navy