Life as a Naval Aviator...

[Mr. Michael John McDaniel]

I was wondering what the lifestyle of a naval aviator would be like for a Marine...

Would you have to be deployed on a ship for 6 months at a time? Or is there a healthy rotation from ship to shore?

I'd figure since you pilot a plane and all, you wouldn't have to stay on the ship, and could fly back home or to a close base and avoid those extra long tours on ships. Would I be right in that assumption?

Also, if I'm wrong, what is the quality of life on the ships for a Naval Aviator Junior Officer?

 

[beau]

I'm pretty sure that if you fly hornets for the USMC you could end up on a carrier for a full 6 monther. I've heard scuddlebutt, on this site no less, that every carrier that deploys from now on will have a Marine hornet squadron on it in the near future. If so then they'll have the same routine that Navy Carrier guys have except the whole O-RAH! thing and better hair cuts (I mean buzz).

FYI...., if you ever want to cover your buddy in the USMC, just say he is at the gym working out.....that covers most everything. In the Navy your screwed!!! So show up ready to work!

 

[bunk22]

I'll tell you what I know about Marine Hornet squadrons on the boat. In 99 I cruised with AIRWING 2 onboard the USS Constellation and we had one Marine Hornet squadron. They were part of the wing, participated in all the work-ups and remained onboard for the entire six months. Great bunch of guys.

 

[turbospider2k]

I wa wondering the same about coastie helos attached to cutters - does one helo stay attached to a boat for the entire 6 week on/6 week off rotation? It doesn't seem like it'd be the case....

 

[Mr. Michael John McDaniel]

What about the quarters, how are they like. And what is there to do for fun on the ship, do you guys find ways to create comaraderie?

 

[chiplee]

Originally posted by Mr. Michael John McDaniel
What about the quarters, how are they like. And what is there to do for fun on the ship, do you guys find ways to create comaraderie?

My ship experience thus far is limited to one week stints as SDO or student there for CQ, but you don't need to find a way to create camaraderie, it goes with the program when you spend a cruise with a group of guys. I'm told you'll never get to know anyone better than when you cruise together. For "fun" on the ship there is obviously PS2 or Xbox or your favorite game system, movies, the gym, and various other things they arrange to help morale. Guys who've actually cruised can tell you more. As of right now the Marine Corps is your only shot at flying single seat, land based Hornets. The crusaders are that way for now but I think by the time you get there that won't be the case. There is currently a move toward all Marine Hornets going to the boat, including the Ds. Some think the idea is to ease the burden on Navy Hornet squadrons who bare the brunt of the deployment schedule, but I assure you it's all about trap life on the airframes. A Hornet can only trap aboard the carrier so many times, and that trap life is dwindling on alot of navy jets. So the easiest answer was to send Marine Corps squadrons to the boat, all of them.

 

[bunk22]

Originally posted by Mr. Michael John McDaniel
What about the quarters, how are they like. And what is there to do for fun on the ship, do you guys find ways to create comaraderie?

I spent 6 months in a six man state room. After about 3 months, two of the guys became very annoying. The rest of us simply did our best not to be around them in the room unless they were sleeping. We had the games and the movies but that only lasts so long. During my second cruise, I had a two man that I shared with a good buddy from my first cruise so no problems at all. Of course, we only spent about two months on the boat and the rest of the time we shared a flat in Bahrain. It's nice being a GOD.....I mean COD pilot

 

[GTodd]

I thought all Hornet pilots were sent to carier wings. Isn't that why Marine Piolts are called Navial Aviators?

 

[chiplee]

Originally posted by GTodd
I thought all Hornet pilots were sent to carier wings. Isn't that why Marine Piolts are called Navial Aviators?

uh no, and no.

 

[wink]

You are a naval aviator when you complete Navy flight training and get wings og gold. That includes Marines and Coasties. TACAIR Marines all qualify on the boat both in flight training and in their fleet aircraft. Up until recently though they rarely deployed on a CV. That is changing for the reasons stated above. Life onboard the ship ranges between bearable to pretty good. I never had a problem with a roomate and when I cruised years ago there was much less in the way of the diversions available today. It only starts to get though when the line period goes beyond 5-6 weeks. That long without a port is more common with PACFLEET deployed ships. Look at a map and you will see there are far fewer friendly ports in that area of responsiblity (AOR). Those we do frequent are spaced so far away it takes a great deal of time to sortie from a port to the CV's station. In the MED sea everything is close, too close for some. Lots of friendly ports to visit. Most guys on MED cruises usually don't go more than 2-3 weeks between ports. BTW. Current thinking is CV deployments are going to 9 months now. Next time you hear a USAF zoomie whinning about going TDY for 6-8 weeks where there are TVs, phones, beer, and somehwere to go on a day off, laugh in his face!

 

[chiplee]

Originally posted by wink
BTW. Current thinking is CV deployments are going to 9 months now.

hmmm, see now I heard just the opposite, that they were increasing the frequency and shortening the time, to 3 month deployments. gouge is gouge I guess

 

[kevin]

now see, i like that idea much better. oh what the hell, why not make deployments 24 months. it's a nice even number, and after the first 12 months, you wouldnt even remember what land looked like anymore......and then you could pretend youre kevin costner in the worst movie ever, "waterworld."

 

[46Driver]

For the helo side, it is a standard 6 month workup for the Special Operations Qual followed by a 6 month deployment. I would expect something similiar to the fixed wing side - generally there is a CBG (carrier battle group) out there somewhere near an ARG (amphibious ready group).

How often you see land depends on what is going on. First deployment we spent most the 6 months either in Somalia or doing gator squares outside of Bosnia. 2nd and 3rd floats not much was going on so we spent a lot of time in port, in the Med, in the Summer - some of the best times of my life. So much beer, so little time. Plenty of time also to spend in the gym as well as catch up on some readings, however, turn the sound off on the video games - it will drive your roommates crazy...

 

[Undertow]

3 months... for the love of christ what kind of crack.. you're just getting in the groove at 3 months. I'm on the Cadillac navy side and a 3 month det is awesome. If you have trouble going out you're better off going P-3's. They're trying to keep deployments at 6, however due to the screwed up rotation right now odds are it wont happen for at least another couple of years. Deployments are more than likely going to range into the 9 month category. Squadron preperation and turn around ability is the new thing being stressed so there isn't as much time spent away from home when you're back in the states and you can be ready to go within 1 months time frame. 2 good sites for Navy news www.news.navy.mil and www.navytimes.com

 

[wink]

No way the deployments will be less than 6 months. Too much time wasted in transit and as stated above, it takes several weeks just to get in the groove. No point in coming home right when things start to come togather real well. Talk of the 9 month deployment came in interviews concerning the decommissioning of Connie. Wait and see. Fact is we have fewer CVs and more committments. $^Driver made a point. Things are a bit different for helos. Marines flying in support of an ARG are one thing. Helos and surface ships will see something entirely different. Deployment will probably mirror CVs if part of the CVBG, but they will usually see more frequent ports since most any port city can handle a small boy. CVs just don't drop anchor anywhere, especially with the rest of the BG in tow.