Disassociated Tour Questions

[U-Aviation]

I was wondering about the disassociated tour for aviators coming from the VFA community.

What are common disassociated tour billets for TPS grads? Is there a difference in desired and/or assigned positions based on ones intention to return to the fleet vs transitioning to aviation engineer duty officer? I understand those who complete SFTI qualification have a required tour as a training officer back in the fleet during this tour. Are there any other qualifications that require a return to a “flying” position for the disassociated tour?

Thank you.

 

[sevenhelmet]

I believe it is still typical for TPS grads not to do a disassociated tour before DH, simply because there isn’t time. Eligibility to apply is generally based on lineal number to allow a minimum of two years in a test squadron following TPS (traditionally anyway- not sure if there are more recent changes). DH timing usually becomes the dominant factor for guys that don’t redes to AEDO.

SFTIs usually get run through some combination of TO and super-JO until they screen for DH or get out. So they never really leave the fleet.

Hope that helps.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I was wondering about the disassociated tour for aviators coming from the VFA community.

What are common disassociated tour billets for TPS grads? Is there a difference in desired and/or assigned positions based on ones intention to return to the fleet vs transitioning to aviation engineer duty officer? I understand those who complete SFTI qualification have a required tour as a training officer back in the fleet during this tour. Are there any other qualifications that require a return to a “flying” position for the disassociated tour?

Thank you.

You might find similar posts on this topic. There is also more info you can find publicly on the my navy HR website - particularly the community values and career path slides.

SECNAV briefs line link are what you’re looking for.

 

[U-Aviation]

Thank you for your response.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Yeah don't think I've ever heard of a VFA TPS person doing a second sea tour. Like seven said, it is the norm/standard for SFTI to do TO tour, often only a year due to DH timing/PERS needs, though who knows, mine was 3 years after I turned down DH, quit, and then voluntarily extended an extra year for deployment. At this point in VFA and VAQ writ large, doing a "super JO" flying tour between shore and DH is pretty much the standard, but again, TPS folks would be the exception due to timing and TPS payback bumping right up against NLT DH in most cases (not sure how the NFO side stacks up here, given shorter initial time to train/earlier first tour).

 

[U-Aviation]

Is my reading of MILPERSMAN correct that DH tour must begin no later than commission + 11 years? For TPS grads making the move to AEDO, is the first tour as an AEDO typically as a project officer? Would that be a DH tour in a VX Squadron?
Thanks for helping me understand this.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Is my reading of MILPERSMAN correct that DH tour must begin no later than commission + 11 years?

I honestly don't know that part of the manual, but I do know my NLT DH year was in fact my commissioning +11, so maybe so?

 

[U-Aviation]

thanks

 

[CommodoreMid]

I think it’s more the goal rather than a thou shalt. It has to do with having your high water DH FITREP in time for your first O5 look. If you don’t screen for O4 or DH on your first look you probably will start your DH tour later than 11 and you’ll likely still be in the tour on your first O5 look. If they don’t allow a board deferment that year, that means you’ll probably FOS.

 

[IKE]

Is my reading of MILPERSMAN correct that DH tour must begin no later than commission + 11 years? For TPS grads making the move to AEDO, is the first tour as an AEDO typically as a project officer? Would that be a DH tour in a VX Squadron?
Thanks for helping me understand this.

Whether you transition to AEDO or not, your first tour following TPS would be as a project officer in a test squadron (HX,VX,UX)...Yes, all TPS grads are eligible to test UAS.

DH timing is only applicable to 1310/1320 (URL) officers. AEDO has other paths (including a gold-ish path); there are many non-DH O-4 milestone tours for AEDOs (see the community brief on MyNavyHR).

You could (should) do a 2nd test tour as a DH. For URLs, this is often done immediately after their OP DH tour. For AEDOs, it depends, but usually as a senior O4/junior O-5, and is highly dependent on timing and whether the billet is coded for URL or AEDO.