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F/A-18 Bases

HighDimension said:
I'm just a dumb midshipman, but unless you're number one, isn't getting jets somewhat of a crapshoot?
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Even if you are numero uno, it doesn guarantee your first choice. Depends on how many slots are available at the time, etc. Although, I have heard of COs going out of their way to give the #1 stud his or her choice. Again, Navy is like a box of chocolates....
 
GMan1976 said:
understandable. but it's nice to have a variety to cross my fingers over. the prob w/ jets is that Oceana is really the ONLY semi-cosmopolitan, nice place to be stationed. we went to visit lemoore last month and i was in total shock at how desolate that place is. definitely not what we expected.

by the way... thanks so much to everyone for their comments! keep em coming!
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Don’t forget that what you select now, generally will determine where you spend the rest of your Navy career, but also what you will fly, everyday. Your wife will be fine at home, no matter where she is, but you may not like what you do for the next 8+ years. Yes, you have to take her views into consideration, but don’t let it weigh to heavily on your decision. :icon_smil
 
GMan1976 said:
understandable. but it's nice to have a variety to cross my fingers over. the prob w/ jets is that Oceana is really the ONLY semi-cosmopolitan, nice place to be stationed. we went to visit lemoore last month and i was in total shock at how desolate that place is. definitely not what we expected.

by the way... thanks so much to everyone for their comments! keep em coming!
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I wasn't a big fan of VA Beach before I went up there this summer for CORTRAMID. I have to admit, it was much better than I remembered from when I was a Mid. It's a "big city" (NorVa as a whole) and there's lots to do. It's still not my first choice as a place to live because of the climate, but it's MUCH bigger than lovely P'cola and from what I hear Fly Navy *****ing about, a better place than Lemoore. I mean, they have several Compusas AND several Schzlotsky's. How can you beat that? Oh yeah, the Kualaus and Lanikai. I withdraw the question.
 
If my thinking is clear, each platform has at least 1 less desirable location and 1 good (or at least acceptable) location. Based on that, isn't it the same crapshoot no matter what you choose? My second thought is this, you may select Hornets and get the Oceana FRS, but that in no way guarantees that you won't be sent to Lemoore or Japan at the end of the RAG (or Vice Versa).

Based on that, wouldn't mission/flying what would make you happy be the only choice that you have some sort of influence over? Makes the choice a little easier in my eyes. But then again I've pretty much always been happy with what I've selected (both times).

Too bad you counted out the C-2 life. Probably one of the best family friendly options out there. I know I chose to go that route when the S-3 going away forced me to transition.
 
Had you gone Marines you could have done both. I hear after a few years you dont even smell Lemore anymore
 
GMan1976 said:
I know that the RAGs are in Lemoore (West) and Oceana (East)... but after the RAG, where are the potential F/A-18 pilot duty stations? Also, what percentage of pilots get stationed (post-RAG) in these places?
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Gman, additional jet duty stations not mentioned:

you can also go to the rag at miramar ... and later in your career, you could end up at fallon ... and also there are the vx's at china lake and pax. and a adversary (f-5s) det at key west.
 
Guess what, it is a tough choice. Yes, the Navy ultimately decides what you are going to fly/where you are going to go, but the man still has to put what he wants on the card and hope that he gets it. As you can probably tell from this thread, everyone was happy with what they flew, no matter where they were. The great thing about military life is that no matter what sh!thole you get stuck in, there are a few dozen families JUST like yours with similar backgrounds, education, and interests that are stuck in the same sh!thole. If nothing else, you can all get together in someone's sh!tty back yard and drink cheap alcohol and complain and laugh about how sh!tty it is there. That's what we do here in Milton! The platform, mission, and location will make your first duty station liveable. The people at your squadron/first duty station will make it unforgettable. There probably isn't a bad duty station out there.
 
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