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"Carrier" PBS Documentary

fattestfoot

In it for the naked volleyball
Wait, I don't get it? That Onion parody is dead on about the Army, and from your tone it sounds like you think Carrier doesn't represent ship life at all.
 

TAMR

is MIDNIGHT
pilot
None
Well I can't speak from experience for the Army but i'll assume its accurate. Are you saying then that "Carriers" is fairly accurate? Is the separation of power between Officers and Enlisted as evident as it is in the show? Being an officer/Naval Aviator looks pretty "cush" when they aren't flying. All officers have "side jobs" right?
 

KBayDog

Well-Known Member
Being an officer/Naval Aviator looks pretty "cush" when they aren't flying. All officers have "side jobs" right?

Exactly.

What they're not showing are the hours of mission planning, briefing, flying, and debriefing...followed by burning the midnight oil by writing FitReps and awards, un-screwing DTS claims, maintaining NATOPS programs, developing load plans for future movements, standing ODO/SDO/IWO/Paddles/Tower Flower/etc duties, setting up piss tests, etc. While the work isn't nearly as "hands-on" as our Marines/Sailors, it is just as busy...albeit behind the scenes most of the time.
 

fattestfoot

In it for the naked volleyball
I should have quoted 1rotorhead there, as my comment was directed at him, not you. I've never been in the Navy, and all my working experience was with enlisted (and even then it was mostly SEALs or Seabees, and I don't think they really represent the rest of Big Navy).

Edit: and maybe should've quoted Ray-Ban for this, since KBay ninja posted before me.

Oh, and also to add, I've read complaints from those in Naval Aviation about the series in that it almost entirely focuses on FA-18 squadrons, and completely ignores everyone else. I enjoy watching it every now and then, but that part does irritate me a bit.
 

millsra13

'Merica
pilot
Contributor
Well I can't speak from experience for the Army but i'll assume its accurate. Are you saying then that "Carriers" is fairly accurate? Is the separation of power between Officers and Enlisted as evident as it is in the show? Being an officer/Naval Aviator looks pretty "cush" when they aren't flying. All officers have "side jobs" right?

As a current Enlisted sailor with an OCS package in I will try to answer this. There is definitely a pretty big power difference between enlisted and officer. On the JO to Chief level not so much, although Chiefs will still always refer to JO's as Sir and show them the respect required. Chiefs are responsible for helping to mentor Junior Officers even though JOs outrank them so chiefs will be quick to put a JO in line (usually behind closed doors). It is a complicated situation, but it works and has worked for a long time. As far as the power difference in the documentary Carrier, that is pretty dead on. I was actually impressed with the level of authenticity in the show. -On a side note my Master Chief (who just retired last week) was Master Chief Penton - the CMC from that show. He is EXACTLY the same in person as he is in that show.
 

Gator NFO

former TACAMO NFO
None
I was ship's company on NIMITZ during the filiming of Carrier, and I've since done a second ship's company tour on another CVN. I think the show gives a good snapshot of what life is like on a carrier.
 

Ducky

Formerly SNA2007
pilot
Contributor
I work for some of those who made an appearance. Its always pretty funny when a random person calls them out for being on the show.
 

1rotorhead

Registered User
pilot
"Carrier" came out while i was on deployment. I've never seen it but heard it was pretty realistic. I posted the link because i thought it was funny and dead on.
 

nittany03

Recovering NFO. Herder of Programmers.
pilot
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
It's been mentioned above, but they misnamed "Carrier." They might as well have called it "Hornet Squadron." :p
 
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