Flygrl88 said:
ANother thing, what is the career span for NFOs? I dont know what my future holds and am not completely rulling out going as far as I can in the Navy. Does going NFO have an impact on possible reaching 0-6 and above? Not that I will make it there, but I dont want to end my chances before I even get out there...
NFOs and pilots have the same career paths and opprtunities. Many NFOs have command squadrons, wings and carriers. Many make Admiral. Here's one that comes immediately to mind:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Fallon
William J. Fallon is an
Admiral in the
United States Navy and currently serves as
Commander,
U.S. Pacific Command.
Adm. William J. Fallon was raised in
Merchantville, New Jersey. A 1967 graduate of
Villanova University, he received his commission through the
Navy ROTC Program and was designated a naval flight officer upon completion of flight training in December 1967.
Adm. Fallon began his Naval Aviation service flying in the
RA-5C Vigilante with a combat deployment to
Vietnam, transitioning to the
A-6 Intruder in 1974. He served in flying assignments with Attack Squadrons and Carrier Air Wings for twenty-four years, deploying to the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans embarked in
USS Saratoga,
USS Ranger,
USS Nimitz,
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and
USS Theodore Roosevelt. He has logged more than 1,300 carrier arrested landings and 4,800 flight hours in tactical jet aircraft.
Adm. Fallon commanded
Attack Squadron Sixty Five embarked in USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, Medium Attack Wing One at NAS Oceana, Va., and Carrier Air Wing Eight in USS Theodore Roosevelt during a combat deployment to the
Persian Gulf for Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Assigned as Commander, Carrier Group Eight in 1995, he deployed to the Mediterranean as Commander, Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group and commanded Battle Force Sixth Fleet (CTF 60) during NATO’s combat Operation Deliberate Force in Bosnia. Adm. Fallon served as Commander, Second Fleet and Commander, Striking Fleet Atlantic from November 1997 to September 2000.
Shore duties included assignment as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to the Commander, Fleet Air Jacksonville, and to the staffs of Commander, Reconnaissance Attack Wing One; Commander, Operational Test Force, and Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He has served as Deputy Director for Operations, Joint Task Force, Southwest Asia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and as Deputy Director, Aviation Plans and Requirements on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C. His first flag officer assignment was with NATO as Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans and Policy for Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic. He was then assigned as Deputy and Chief of Staff, U.S. Atlantic Fleet followed by assignment as Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff, U.S. Atlantic Command. Adm. Fallon served as the 31st Vice Chief of Naval Operations from October 2000 to August 2003. He was the Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and U.S. Atlantic Fleet from October 2003 to February 2005.
Adm. Fallon is a graduate of the
Naval War College, Newport, R.I., the National War College in Washington, D.C., and has a Master of Arts Degree in International Studies from
Old Dominion University. His awards include the
Defense Distinguished Service Medal,
Distinguished Service Medal,
Defense Superior Service Medal,
Legion of Merit,
Bronze Star,
Meritorious Service Medal,
Air Medal,
Navy Commendation Medal, and various unit and campaign decorations
or in "black shoes". 
