• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

E-2/C-2 Life?

kappu411

Naval Aviator
e2/c2 question

Im in primary, and Im just tryin to get an idea of how the selection for the c2 works while at e2/c2 school? is it a nss driven desicion, or is there a needs of teh navy type of motiv that sets the majority in one type? thanks, id like to find out if there is a good chance i could select c2 if i make it out of primary with an e2 c2 selection
 

bunk22

Super *********
pilot
Super Moderator
I just left VAW-120 a couple months ago as the Student Control Officer and C-2 pilot so I have a little info on this. With most classes at 120, there are usually 2-3 C-2 slots. We like to leave it up to the students to pick what platform they would like. If a decision cannot be made by the students, then we go off their NSS from advanced.
 

kmac

Coffee Drinker
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Advanced and Intermediate was the latest basis for selection. Thanks to the MPTS system in Corpus some of the guys got the shaft because of low intermediate scores (and did well in Kingsville).
 

Fly Navy

...Great Job!
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
E-2/c-2

Hey guys,

I'm approaching selection and I'm not sure if I want to put E-2/C-2 on my card or not. C-2 sounds like a good deal from talking to some folks, but I haven't talked to any E-2 pilots. Any comments from anyone here? Thanks.
 

bunk22

Super *********
pilot
Super Moderator
Depends on what you want. A few more opportunites are open for E-2 pilots, such as LSO (airwing qual and later CAG paddles) but you are part of the airwing and will spend much time on the boat. Not that it's a bad thing, that's why you joined the navy. It's just different than COD's. You will also do night carrier landings which are a bit challenging and at times down right scary but well worth the effort. I don't fly night boat ops anymore but did for a time and have about 50 night traps so I know a bit about flying around the boat at night. It puts hair on your chest.
 

Fly Navy

...Great Job!
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Thanks bunk. How's life in the E-2 squadrons? C-2 already sounds like a good deal to me, but it seems next to impossible to get it, especially if you're choosing with people that outrank you.
 

bunk22

Super *********
pilot
Super Moderator
Fly Navy said:
Thanks bunk. How's life in the E-2 squadrons? C-2 already sounds like a good deal to me, but it seems next to impossible to get it, especially if you're choosing with people that outrank you.

Selection has nothing to do with who outranks how. The FRS usually tries to let each class decide for themselves. If they can't, then grades become the determining factor.

Life in E-2 squadrons? I don't really know being a COD guy. I was part of one at the FRS, VAW-120, and didn't like it much. A bit to gung ho for my taste but to each his own. The front office will set the tone anyhow and that usually determines the squadron environment. Though a good jo corps will always make up for a poor front office.
 

Fly Navy

...Great Job!
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
bunk22 said:
Selection has nothing to do with who outranks how. The FRS usually tries to let each class decide for themselves. If they can't, then grades become the determining factor.

Hmm ok, thanks for dispelling that. I've been told that if they can't decide sometimes the ranking students will play the "guess who has more bars" game. Glad to hear that's not real.
 

McNamara

Copilot, actually.
pilot
I'm going P-3s so take this with a grain of salt, but I went through T-34 ground school with an E-2 pilot (in the IUT syllabus) and he loved his job. He preferred E-2s because, strange through it may sound, it was pretty exciting for him. It's a tactical job, you might get shot at, and you're a crucial part of the air wing's mission. He felt good being out there with the pointy-nose guys and helping them do their job.

The advantages of the C-2, as you already know, are in the lifestyle. Either way you're a tailhooker.

I had E-2/C-2 on my card, but unfortunately they didn't give any slots out my week. Luck of the draw.

Whatever you get, enjoy it! At least get really drunk in Seville that weekend, and say high to Buzzcutt if they're playing. :icon_smil
 

bunk22

Super *********
pilot
Super Moderator
McNamara said:
He preferred E-2s because, strange through it may sound, it was pretty exciting for him. It's a tactical job, you might get shot at, and you're a crucial part of the air wing's mission. He felt good being out there with the pointy-nose guys and helping them do their job.

The advantages of the C-2, as you already know, are in the lifestyle. Either way you're a tailhooker.

Ha! Tactical only in their own little minds. They want so bad to be considered tactical, at least in the traditional sense. Whatever makes them sleep better at night I suppose. COD's have flown low over Iraq, Pakistan, and not sure about Afghanistan. No doubt we have about the same chance as being shot at, maybe more. We, as they, are not tactical. Of course I may be wrong judging by the war hero, air medal, bronze star wearing E-2 NFO's :rolleyes:
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
bunk22 said:
Ha! Tactical only in their own little minds. They want so bad to be considered tactical, at least in the traditional sense. Whatever makes them sleep better at night I suppose. COD's have flown low over Iraq, Pakistan, and not sure about Afghanistan. No doubt we have about the same chance as being shot at, maybe more. We, as they, are not tactical. Of course I may be wrong judging by the war hero, air medal, bronze star wearing E-2 NFO's :rolleyes:

Bronze star wearing?!! :eek: I certainly hope that you are only talking about CO's, and I even have problems with that. I don't like how the military has been abusing that award by using it as a wartime MSM for CO's and staff guys. It is disgusting. At least they are not giving it to AF Maintenance officers in Whiteman, MO anymore.
 

zab1001

Well-Known Member
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
"For heroic or meritorious achievement of service, not involving aerial flight in connection with operations against an opposing armed force."

Authorized on February 4, 1944 the Bronze Star Medal is awarded to members of all branches of military service and may be awarded either for combat heroism or for meritorious service."

So if you can't get a Bronze Star for actually doing something while airborne, were these guys getting them for planning flight ops?
 

bunk22

Super *********
pilot
Super Moderator
Flash said:
Bronze star wearing?!! :eek: I certainly hope that you are only talking about CO's, and I even have problems with that. I don't like how the military has been abusing that award by using it as a wartime MSM for CO's and staff guys. It is disgusting. At least they are not giving it to AF Maintenance officers in Whiteman, MO anymore.

Yep, a CO and yeah, I don't agree with it either. Found out today from a fellow COD guy that the helo squadron on the boat were earning points for air medals while flying plane guard :eek:
 

zab1001

Well-Known Member
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
bunk22 said:
Yep, a CO and yeah, I don't agree with it either. Found out today from a fellow COD guy that the helo squadron on the boat were earning points for air medals while flying plane guard :eek:

IN THEIR DEFENSE...I have an HSL buddy who got an AM for flying around the NAG. He admits that he feels like a Chachi wearing one. I do think walking around with one w/o a 'V' and playing it up like a DFC or something is bogus.

From what I've read, the original intent was to give flyers some sort of recognition for hazardous duty in WW2, sort of like a 'Combat Infantryman Badge".

Important to remember, those things aren't necessarily given for being the Red Baron, they give em for "aerial achievement"...ok ok, I know, what does that really mean...
 
Top