Delaying OCS to Redesignate

[croakerfish]

I’ve noticed a lot of people concerned about the impact of their careers on their ability to get a long term relationship going lately. Even people with jobs with much less impact on your availability than the military.
I’ve been married longer than I have been in the Navy so I’m in no position to weigh in but maybe OP has valid concerns in today’s adult-dating hellscape.

 

[Fallonflyr]

I don’t know if things have changed, but back in the day P cola was definitely a target rich environment.

 

[ematrix]

If I read between the lines I would say the reason you are even having these incredibly stupid thoughts is because of your break up. I had a good friend that was kicking ass in flight school but DOR ‘d because he thought it would get his ex back. Guess what, it didn’t work. They lasted about a year. Go live your life, 10 years may seem like a long time to you right now but in the big picture it is a blink of an eye.

Ah you caught me and I'm glad you called me out on this, because I definitely think you're right that the breakup is making me question my life goals more, as all big changes in life do. If anything, I guess I am freer now to go to OCS and have fun in Pensacola.

 

[ematrix]

I’ve noticed a lot of people concerned about the impact of their careers on their ability to get a long term relationship going lately. Even people with jobs with much less impact on your availability than the military.
I’ve been married longer than I have been in the Navy so I’m in no position to weigh in but maybe OP has valid concerns in today’s adult-dating hellscape.

Yeah thank you! It is rough out there in the dating scene. For someone who is married you definitely have a good grasp on the dating world ? haha

 

[ematrix]

Mileage varies. I deployed four times totaling about 21 months over 10 years, and various exercises and detachments on the home cycle took me from home about another 3 months total. I still wouldn't consider that excessive, but some may feel differently. I'm sure many have deployed more/for longer.

We don't know what future events might do to change the optempo we think is normal today.

What affects how often/how long you are deployed? Is it just luck of the draw?

 

[ematrix]

I should have known when posting on a naval aviation forum that I'd end up getting tons of assurances that naval aviation is the best way to live life haha

I'm loving it though

 

[Mos]

What affects how often/how long you are deployed? Is it just luck of the draw?

Can't really speak to the Navy as a whole since deployment cycles probably vary between platforms. In my case, I did both sea tours in a VP squadron, and the timing of my orders allowed me to make all of the deployments during the years I was assigned to them.

I should have known when posting on a naval aviation forum that I'd end up getting tons of assurances that naval aviation is the best way to live life haha

You're definitely on to something. I knew one JO that ended their first sea tour early, was very dissatisfied with life in naval aviation, and did not get along with anyone in the wardroom. Such a person would be unlikely to post here. Most JOs that get out at their MSO (and many do) aren't that person. I think for many it's not that they end up hating naval aviation or can't make family life work, they just want to move on to something else or they just don't think the largely non-flying responsibilities that come next is for them.

 

[nittany03]

And your chances of getting screwed by at least one of them is about 99%.

AWs Quote of the Month nominee . . .

 

[Mos]

AWs Quote of the Month nominee . . .

I think this one was pretty good too:

Worry about getting sunburned, not where you will be in 10 years.

 

[Fallonflyr]

Ah you caught me and I'm glad you called me out on this, because I definitely think you're right that the breakup is making me question my life goals more, as all big changes in life do. If anything, I guess I am freer now to go to OCS and have fun in Pensacola.

Awesome, now go forth and AV8!

PS, I think my future son in law will be one of your OCS classmates.

 

[Swanee]

maybe join your states guard.

If you want to be home as much as possible, PCS and deploy on your own terms, and want to be able to go back and forth between a civilian and military job at your leisure do this.

After flying real airplanes for a decade or so, come finish out your service and get your AD retirement at one of the 12 (and counting) states who fly the MQ-9.

I don't recommend an MQ-9 unit for the young folks and we're not a place to be from,, but the MQ-9 is an absolutely amazing place to be and to end up.

I’ve noticed a lot of people concerned about the impact of their careers on their ability to get a long term relationship going lately. Even people with jobs with much less impact on your availability than the military.
I’ve been married longer than I have been in the Navy so I’m in no position to weigh in but maybe OP has valid concerns in today’s adult-dating hellscape.

As a dude who was married going into the military, I'll say that my marriage has outlived many of my friends', and pretty much all of the barracks contract marriages.

Perhaps it's the commitment and the, "we're in this together" as opposed to "The Navy came first babe" attitude.

I don’t know if things have changed, but back in the day P cola was definitely a target rich environment.

For every flight school girl who became a wife there is a flight school girl who became an ex wife. Why? I don't know.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Ah you caught me and I'm glad you called me out on this, because I definitely think you're right that the breakup is making me question my life goals more, as all big changes in life do. If anything, I guess I am freer now to go to OCS and have fun in Pensacola.

It is normal after going through an emotional event to think about a variety of things in life, it will pass.

Yeah thank you! It is rough out there in the dating scene. For someone who is married you definitely have a good grasp on the dating world ? haha

You never know when or where you will meet the person that you could end up with for many years, don't try to hard as that was my problem, in the end it was a chance meeting that led me to my wife.

 

[TommyGuns89]

Dude, Suppos are ship’s company. You will be gone or on duty A LOT. Pilot is a better life, a better life skill and not ship’s company. Take that fwiw.

Even as a helo pilot, in my first 10 years of service (my min commitment) I was only deployed for 10.5 months total, split between two deployments. Sure, there was some other travel and work commitments in there, but nothing crazy.

Gone from home wise, Suppos may as well be SWOs.

Edit: also, if you’re currently single…don’t put the cart before the horse. It’s like any other job and being a suppo will be no more (or even less advantageous based on ship scheduling) than being a pilot. You can find a spouse and start a family as a naval aviator. I did.

Dude, Suppos are ship’s company. You will be gone or on duty A LOT. Pilot is a better life, a better life skill and not ship’s company. Take that fwiw.

Even as a helo pilot, in my first 10 years of service (my min commitment) I was only deployed for 10.5 months total, split between two deployments. Sure, there was some other travel and work commitments in there, but nothing crazy.

Gone from home wise, Suppos may as well be SWOs.

Edit: also, if you’re currently single…don’t put the cart before the horse. It’s like any other job and being a suppo will be no more (or even less advantageous based on ship scheduling) than being a pilot. You can find a spouse and start a family as a naval aviator. I did.

I heard Suppo is a great skill actually, there is so much you can do with being a suppo and great when you get out of the Navy.