I just went back and read some of this "combined" thread, and I just had to quote this post, one of the best I've ever read on AirWarriors:
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Navy vs Air Force
- Thread starter contrail_dash
- Start date
phrogpilot73
Well-Known Member
Some days, it is a floating prison. Other days, its not.
As has been mentioned previously, you will be challenged as an aviator, no matter what service. Also, no matter what service - 99% boredom and 1% terror is pretty much the norm. Most mishaps happen during the "benign" enroute portion of the mission. Guess what? That 99% just became the 1% REAL quick, and you may pay for that 1% with your life or the life of the crew. I strive to achieve 100% boredom - but I haven't gotten there yet.
First, I am offended on behalf of my ascot-wearing, flight suit ironing brothers in blue. The Air Force isn't scared to do anything, it's just that they're assigned a different mission set. I've worked with some very competent AF dudes in the past, and will happily buy them a beer. After I've made fun of their ascot, of course.
Second, there's more similarities than their are differences. Rather than asking which is better - learn as much as you can about both services, than make your decision. And no matter which one you choose, in the back of your mind remember that the Marine Corps is still better!
Top Gun stuff? More like Prop Gun. You're way more likely to be a rotorhead or prop bubba than you are to fly something with a pointy nose and tail hook on the back. Dig around and find out what the different mission sets are and if you're still interested after reading up, then right on.
Also, and this might not be true for much longer, but it's still impossible to select UAVs out of NAVY flight school as a Navy stud. That is not the case for our light blue brothers...many are voluntold to fly a UAV after earning their wings of lead. Important? Yes. Ideal for someone who's just gone through flight school? Probably not.
Also, and this might not be true for much longer, but it's still impossible to select UAVs out of NAVY flight school as a Navy stud. That is not the case for our light blue brothers...many are voluntold to fly a UAV after earning their wings of lead. Important? Yes. Ideal for someone who's just gone through flight school? Probably not.
Like prison? Hardly. They get visitation in prison and immediately get a 2 person room with a head, and there's nary a chance of drowning. They also get to make collect phonecalls and go outside occassionally, but don't get 4 squares a day, port calls in exotic lands and 2 beers every 45 days (if no portcalls).
Of all the services, the Air Force does have higher standards for their comfort. I have no doubt they pushed for air conditioned tents not only to cool their computers, but their people as well whereas Marines roasted in theirs for decades (or froze in them in Korea). They don't always get their standards met though (a few seem to whine as they view it as an entitlement - I've witnessed several occasions when Air Force Dets refuse to use the Q and insist on hotels) and I was stunned when F-15 pilots in Desert Shield based at Tabuk opted to "take liberty" on the USS John F Kennedy since their life was so restricted on base (they ate at all four meals and hung out in JO bunkrooms).
As to "mindless adherence to rules and regulation", sounds like you've watched too many movies or haven't talked to anyone in any service. The Air Force approach to flying does use a plethora of rules and guidelines and vision statements and style, etc. Some people really like that environment and others take it for what it is, but I'd hardly call is mindless. Regardless of service, you'll be subjected to a conditioning and stressproofing evolution before and even after you commission. In combat or high stress demanding situations like flying, you have to be able to respond and think under duress and that doesn't mean you do do in a mindless manner. To truly succeed, you better be using your brain in an inventive fashion, but you'll go through some rites of passage that get you conditioned for it.
I think you're reading too much into "Banzai's" letter. You won't be scrubbing decks or chipping paint, but you might be doing FOD walkdown and sticking your fingers into a hot, greasy water-filled padeye to make sure no FOD is hiding there. Your life may seem like a Fireman sitting around the firehouse at times, but when OPSTEMPO is high, you're going to have a hard time getting some rack time and will learn to relish the times not much is going on and find a balnce in your life.
The AF takes a few jabs here at AW... deservedly so, in most cases.
The whole "ironing our flightsuits" is one that is pretty funny,... but primarily an urban legend (as best as I can tell).
HOWEVER,...
I have come across a pilot/aviator that irons his flightsuits, and admits it to the media. For those that know him, you can have a little fun with this. Skip to the last sentence of the article.
Morale of the story? Never talk to the media.
http://www.pnj.com/article/20120713...g-moves-keep-Blue-Angels-pilots-close-company
The whole "ironing our flightsuits" is one that is pretty funny,... but primarily an urban legend (as best as I can tell).
HOWEVER,...
I have come across a pilot/aviator that irons his flightsuits, and admits it to the media. For those that know him, you can have a little fun with this. Skip to the last sentence of the article.
Morale of the story? Never talk to the media.
http://www.pnj.com/article/20120713...g-moves-keep-Blue-Angels-pilots-close-company
I've never met the guy in the article, but that's not my point.
My point is this- that's some nice bird-dogging you just did, Huggy! (e-bird-dogging??)
Aw c'mon Hugster, that's a stretch...of course they press their 'blue/gold bags', hell, they're the showcase for the Navy before millions, like the T-Birds are for the Air Farce. The big difference, we don't press 'em for the everyday ready room hi-jinks or non air show flight ops!
BzB
It also seems like he washes his flight suits after a single use, which places him well outside of SOP...
It also seems like he washes his flight suits after a single use, which places him well outside of SOP...
You obviously need a little more chopper time.
There are some interesting/funny threads on there, but for the most part they seem like a bunch of whiny little pissants that don't get the concept of officer first, aviator second. God forbid one has a ground job!
True 'dat. But these days I spend my time on much more important things, like routing sheets and moving little dots around on powerpoints.
mb1685
Well-Known Member
I looked through this whole thread and it's been a good read. However, I've got a couple of basic (but open-ended) questions and they're not about the differences between the cultures, which seems to be what was mainly discussed. I know that there are many variables influencing these things (such as current needs of each branch/current operational situation, aircraft selection, performance, etc.), but I'd really appreciate even some vague insight.
What are the typical career progression differences between naval aviators and USAF pilots? I've heard that it's pretty likely you won't fly again after reaching O-4 in the USAF, but I've also heard that you may not even fly for more than 6 years total as a naval aviator (due to the disassociated sea tour eating up a chunk of your initial service commitment and possibly not getting any more flying assignments after your initial commitment). In the most general of terms, are there better chances of staying in the cockpit longer in one particular branch?
How long are deployments for naval aviators compared to USAF pilots?
Also, what exactly are sea tours and shore tours? I've seen the terms a lot and done some searching, but I haven't really come across any actual descriptions of them. Does a sea tour mean you're attached to a squadron that does deploy to a carrier, and when not on deployment, you're at a NAS? And is a shore tour when you're attached to a squadron that is doing land-based training but doesn't deploy?
And finally, how exactly does the disassociated sea tour work? I know that you'll be attached to the ship's company and will be doing a job that is not flying, but requires the knowledge background an aviator might have. But is it one big period of deployments? Are you bouncing between different carriers that are being deployed during that entire 2-3 years?
What are the typical career progression differences between naval aviators and USAF pilots? I've heard that it's pretty likely you won't fly again after reaching O-4 in the USAF, but I've also heard that you may not even fly for more than 6 years total as a naval aviator (due to the disassociated sea tour eating up a chunk of your initial service commitment and possibly not getting any more flying assignments after your initial commitment). In the most general of terms, are there better chances of staying in the cockpit longer in one particular branch?
How long are deployments for naval aviators compared to USAF pilots?
Also, what exactly are sea tours and shore tours? I've seen the terms a lot and done some searching, but I haven't really come across any actual descriptions of them. Does a sea tour mean you're attached to a squadron that does deploy to a carrier, and when not on deployment, you're at a NAS? And is a shore tour when you're attached to a squadron that is doing land-based training but doesn't deploy?
And finally, how exactly does the disassociated sea tour work? I know that you'll be attached to the ship's company and will be doing a job that is not flying, but requires the knowledge background an aviator might have. But is it one big period of deployments? Are you bouncing between different carriers that are being deployed during that entire 2-3 years?