How long are deployments?

[mbraesicke]

During an interview with a O-5, I was asked how long I expected the Navy offshore tours to last. I answered 6 months, which is what i've been told by my recruiter and Navy.com. He laughed and said "well in theory you're right..." I'm guessing you're tour is kinda dependent on what the Navy wants to do with you at the time but I'm really not sure what to make of this. I've been searching around with no success, both on the Navy website, various forums, and AW, for an answer to how long you can expect to be at sea at a time as a naval aviator. Hope someone can shed some light on this

And I apologize in advance if this has been asked and answered before, but I can't seem to locate it.

 

[xmid]

I think the answer is you never really fully know how long you will be deployed until it happens. You can have a good idea, or even an expectation, but you just have to know that everything is constantly changing. Wars or national disasters sometimes hit right when a battle group is heading home from a 6 month deployment, and that may require them turning around and delaying their return home for months. Some of the places you could be stationed deploy more often for shorter rotations. Some squadrons deploy on a det rotation while others deploy as a squadron. Another thing to take in to consideration is work ups. It takes alot of time away from home to prepare for a deployment for alot of communities. A friend of mine finished the FRS only to fly out to join his squadron on a 6 month deployment, then shortly after he got home he was told to gear up to go to Haiti, and shortly after they get back they are gearing up for another deployment with the carrier. A couple of the IP's in my squadron only got one 6 month deployment in their entire first tour (which usually doesn't work out well for you). Your mileage may very. If you have a spouse they definitely need to know that time away can very, and 6 months is definitely not a hard number these days.

 

[HeyJoe]

During an interview with a O-5, I was asked how long I expected the Navy offshore tours to last....I've been searching around with no success, both on the Navy website, various forums, and AW, for an answer to how long you can expect to be at sea at a time as a naval aviator. Hope someone can shed some light on this

And I apologize in advance if this has been asked and answered before, but I can't seem to locate it.

Well, if you're searching with "offshore", the closest thing you'll find is this:

We call them deployments during your sea tours (vice shore) so there isn't such a thing as an "offshore tour". The sea tour itself is typically 3 years, but can last a bit longer or shorter as COs try to work to rotate their people for less impact to unit. During that sea tour, you'll work up to deploy for approx 6 months on average, but it depends on what you end up flying and where your unit is on rotation. Deployed units in need of aviator get top picks out of the FRS. Ideally, you'll get a full workup in the turnaround schedule. So, get to know these terms and use them in search and you'll likely have better luck (most of threads on this topic revolve around family separation so check that out as well).

 

[BACONATOR]

Nothing in the Navy is guaranteed, until it's already happened. 6 month deployment can turn into 9. 36 month orders can turn into 42 month orders etc.

 

[navy09]

Our upcoming deployment is scheduled for 8 months. They also have these neat things called surge deployments, where you go on a regular (6+ month) deployment, come back for a few months, then leave again for several more months.

 

[Will_T]

I think that saying "your mileage will vary" works here. A buddy of mine, a COB based out of groton talks of some lonnggggggg deployments, so i'm sured its based on "the needs of the navy" another saying you'll find often on here. Whatever it is, best of luck to you.

 

[BigIron]

I'm on a 6 month deployment right now that started last month.

During my last tour, in the 8 months prior to my actual deployment, we were underway 1-3 weeks every one of those months for training, workups and CQ. We then left for a 7 month "cruise."

7 months seems to be the norms these days, but as stated in previous posts, that can turn into up to 10.

Back to back sea duty baby.

 

[Boomhower]

I got extended on both of my deployments. The first was scheduled for 6 months. On our way home on New Years Day 2003, after leaving Australia, I went outside early to have a smoke and realized that the sun was on the wrong side of the ship for us to be heading north. Went inside to look at the ships heading on TV and, sure enough, we were heading Southwest. Hmmm? Then at reveille, the Admiral told us the good news. Not only are we not going home, but he had no idea WHEN we would be going home. "Get over it," he said. Great morale builder, that one. But, the President needed our ship to pick a fight in Iraq. We were supposed to be home on Jan. 21, got home May 1. 9 1/2 months of deployment goodness. My feet didn't touch dry land for over 4 months. On the plus side, I was there when the President landed on the Lincoln and had a front row seat to one of the biggest political faux pas of all time ("Mission Accomplished speech"[I still would take a bullet for that man])

The second one was designed to be 5 1/2 months and we got extended by a month. No big deal.

Your "six month" answer during your officer interview is about all that that O-5 should expect from a newbie civilian since that is generally what is advertised and I would guess that about 80% of Carrier deployments are in the neighborhood of six months. But, the absolutely correct answer is "as long as the Navy or President wants them to be."

 

[Gatordev]

Not only are we not going home, but he had no idea WHEN we would be going home. "Get over it," he said. Great morale builder, that one.

There's a patch for that...

I went through the RAG w/ Admiral Kelley's son and my buddy was on his det w/ the Lincoln CSG w/ you. I guess it helps to deploy w/ your son nearby. (and yes, I'm mostly joking).

 

[NYYanks]

my feet didn't touch dry land for over 4 months.

beer day!!!!

 

[bunk22]

Let's see, I've done two 6 months standard deployments; a 5 month surge deployment; half of another 5 month surge deployment; a one month IA in Korea; and currently on a one year, unaccompanied tour in Korea. It varies.

 

[PR1 H]

One word.... "Extension"

 

[Boomhower]

There's a patch for that...

Oh yes, there were several. And t-shirts. The S-3 guys made a killing off of patch and tshirt sales from the "Get over it" line. My favorite patch was the one with a guy with 2 stars kicking a LT in the nuts that said, 'GET OVER IT" at the top.

I went through the RAG w/ Admiral Kelley's son and my buddy was on his det w/ the Lincoln CSG w/ you. I guess it helps to deploy w/ your son nearby. (and yes, I'm mostly joking).

Admiral Kelley put on his second star about 2 weeks after we got turned around. Of course, that did not go over well at foc'sle follies. "Hope that second star was worth it, you son-of-a-bitch" is an exact quote from our roll call. He took it pretty well, I think.

A lot of people didn't like him (even though none of this stuff was his fault) but I had to hand it to the guy, he did a good job. He randomly came into our Ready Room about a week after the war kicked off and things were hot and heavy asking what needed to be improved. When an Admiral springs a question like that on people, most of the time people will say, "All is well, Sir." But, I, being Boomhower, told him that Havequick radios suck and nobody can talk to each other out there. Besides, I didn't think the Hadjis were trying to listen anyway, they were too busy running for their lives. Within a week the havequick frequencies were getting fazed out. I couldn't believe it, I was LTJG Nobody and he actually listened to me.

beer day!!!!

Cancelled by the aforementioned Admiral. That didn't add to his popularity any. We were due at least 2 beer days and got to have one as soon as we passed the Straights of Hormuz. Sunburns and drunk Chiefs all over the place.