Help!

[tukka]

Does anyone know how long the first rag is right out of flight school? We are headed to either Lemoore in July or Virginia Beach in June, both for F-18's, but some say that it is 8-12 months and others say that it is 2-3 years? We would like to look into buying a house, if it is the longer of the two choices!
Any insight would be great!

 

[goplay234]

The RAG itself isn't that long. From what my buddies tell me, it's about 7-9 months depending on various factors. The problem is not how long your husband will be training, the question is how long they are going to make him wait before he classes up. I have a buddy who got winged in July and he classes up in January...There's your year in the RAG...Just my 2 cents. I imagine a hornet bubba will chime in soon. Just wanted to give you the heads up. Good luck!

 

[TurnandBurn55]

Rhino bubba here...

The confusion factor here lies in his post-RAG assignment.

The RAG itself is an 8-month syllabus (though you'll PCS a little earlier than that for move-in time and SERE, CFIT). Figure to be in Oceana/Lemoore for about a year.

After that, giddyup... eligible for new orders wherever the Navy wants to send him for an operational squadron. Oceana, Lemoore, or Atsugi... no telling which one until the last minute. Maybe he sticks around (in which case you'll be there several years), maybe he goes elsewhere...

Welcome to the US Navy

 

[tukka]

Thank you for all of your help! You guys are great!

 

[Fred]

Are there still Navy Hornet squadrons in Beaufort?

 

[Jedj]

If its any help, when I went through the E/F rag it was about 9 months, still is I believe. I bought a house when I showed up and ended up joining the fleet in the same place. That being said, even if you dont end up in the same spot as your rag, if you can get into a house it is a great investment anyway. I know a couple of people that ended up renting theirs out after they left and even if you dont do that, almost a year of equity isnt a bad deal. The only redass is the hassle of buying and selling in a short peroid. But if you can swing it, it is worth it in my humble opinion.

 

[TurnandBurn55]

Are there still Navy Hornet squadrons in Beaufort?

To my knowledge, VFA-82 and VFA-86 are there.. but they are both single-seat Baby Hornet squadrons...

While there has been discussion of sending Rhinos down there, I have heard no concrete plans to do so. Right now it looks like 5 -F squadrons will be safe and sound in Oceana... VFA-11, VFA-32 (currently in transition), VFA-103, VFA-211, VFA-213 (still out killing bad guys in Iraq in F-14Ds, but will transition to the gucci new lot APG-79 birds when they get back)