New Intel O-1: Carrier "ships company" VS. "squadron"

[MIDNJAC]

Either I was uncommonly fortunate (not likely…) or the squadron/CVW environment just brings out the best in first tour AIOs. If they show up "school-trained", enthusiastic about being in the Ready Room, are willing to learn, have a sense of humor and a "fleet average" thick skin, they all seemed to fit in and became a singularly valuable part of "the team". They are "professionally mentored" by the entire CVIC/CVW Intel team, and quickly learn what's important at the time, what is "good to know" for background, and are conversant/understanding of the ROE, and know how to make the sometimes-BS "rote memorization" fun and enjoyable. Those who truly excelled spent a lot of time in the RR during briefs, debriefs and general social stuff (movies, etc.) to truly understand the pulse of the cockpit types. They were sponges…and when they got up to talk, we paid attention.

I'm by no means as experienced as you sir, but I have observed the same in today's Navy. Have been around for 3 different intel O's (squadron ones that is), and they have always been eager to help out, integrate well into the RR (as do most pounders that I have known), and are a welcome part of the JOPA. 2 out of 3 have been priors, so they haven't really been totally new to the field. That being said, for the OP, if you were to end up as a squadron intel O, I think you would be well served to actively engage your pilots/aircrew to the max extent possible. Be the guy/gal who actually knows what you are asking during the CVIC debrief, rather than the one who is just reading the same checklist that an IS could just as easily be reading from (no offense to the IS crowd out there, but we expect more from the Intel O's). Be the guy/gal who knows what the crazy Intel acronyms you throw around in mass briefs actually mean to the pilots who don't speak your language but still need to understand what you are saying. Know the things that matter to us, and what is just self licking ice cream cone Intel lingo chatter. I don't feel like I am articulating my sentiment very well here, but that is the best I have after a 14 hr crew day

 

[Renegade One]

...for the OP, if you were to end up as a squadron intel O, I think you would be well served to actively engage your pilots/aircrew to the max extent possible. Be the guy/gal who actually knows what you are asking during the CVIC debrief, rather than the one who is just reading the [a] checklist ...Be the guy/gal who knows what the crazy Intel acronyms you throw around in mass briefs actually mean to the pilots who don't speak your language but still need to understand what you are saying. Know the things that matter to us, and what is just self licking ice cream cone Intel lingo chatter. ...that is the best I have after a 14 hr crew day

Pretty solid stuff…even after the long crew day. Thanks.

 

[BusyBee604]

I'm by no means as experienced as you sir, but I have observed the same in today's Navy. Have been around for 3 different intel O's (squadron ones that is), and they have always been eager to help out, integrate well into the RR (as do most pounders that I have known), and are a welcome part of the JOPA.

Evidently, the integration of squadron AIOs into JOPA, Ready Room, and unit activities/social events seems to have remained steadfast since my 5 squadron tours (late '50s-'60s). That is a good thing. In my experience, the sqdn "Spook" was treated as an 'equal' JO, the only difference being they didn't actually FLY! However, in the RAGs (FRS), our AIO was always seat (OMIAS)/pressure chamber Qual'd, and often filled the available back seat openings in our 2-seat TF-9J Cougars, and TA-4F Scooters. Our AIOs also received callsigns, assigned by unit vote, on a "like it or not", no appeal basis, like everyone else.

One of my favorites was LT Steve Hanzlik, our CVW-14 AIO on our '67 CONNIE jaunt. On the eve of major Wing Alpha strikes, he gave a mass tgt/order of battle brief on closed circuit TV called Uncle Hanz' Fun & Games. Uncle Hanz gave great briefs, integrating bits of humor along with very serious important target/target defense, and expected air opposition and other need to know info. Unforgettable briefs.

My favorite AIO TINs: In '63, as a VA-125 RAG IP, I went on a canned round robin Instrument flight from Lemoore, a circuitous route with tacan pent./GCA to low pass at Beale AFB, return Lemoore. IP front seat/RP rear in control 'under the bag' (instrument hood). The RP executed the pent, and as he was coming down the GCA glide slope, I noticed two strange, long, black sleek, weird spaceshiplike machines in the VFR landing pattern, like nothing I'd ever seen. I called "I have it, pop your bag and check this out", while adding power for missed approach. We were both stunned and had not a clue about what we had seen. As we departed, I switched to tower, and asked them what the aircraft in the pattern were. They replied tersely, " classified, switch departure"!

Upon return, we nailed the AIO in his office, described what we had seen, and asked his opinion on WTF it was. He seemed quite nervous & flustered for a bit, than said it was a new highly classified aircraft, and that we should discuss with no one what we had seen (gave the old bit about 'If I tell ya', gotta kill ya' (jokingly I think?). Next day we were summoned to the XOs office, where he reiterated the don't tell anybody bit. Turned out to be our intro to the SR-71 Blackbird (which remained home based at Beale throughout it's service life)!
BzB

 

[MIDNJAC]

We unfortunately have no assets (single seat) to fly the Intel O, so it comes down to borrowing from the RAG ashore, or potentially getting them into a sister squadron's back seat afloat. Either way, I absolutely think that every aviation Intel O should get the opportunity to see firsthand what we do tactically.....as in knowing everything that we have to deal with, the sorts of things that actually matter to us in the cockpit, our capabilities and limitations, etc etc. Intel O's are very well versed on the big ticket threats out there....no argument. That being said, I think it would be very beneficial for them to have a basic understanding of blue tactics as well.....just sort of puts the missing piece and completes the whole puzzle for them. Just IMHO. When I was NATOPS O I made getting our Intel O a backseat ride a priority for the above reasons, but unfortunately workups and her Divo duties ended up getting in the way of the final task of getting her to swim/phys.

 

[Gatordev]

When I was NATOPS O I made getting our Intel O a backseat ride a priority...but unfortunately workups and her Divo duties ended up getting in the way...

You sure you weren't just trying to get the "X?"

 

[cfam]

I'm by no means as experienced as you sir, but I have observed the same in today's Navy. Have been around for 3 different intel O's (squadron ones that is), and they have always been eager to help out, integrate well into the RR (as do most pounders that I have known), and are a welcome part of the JOPA. 2 out of 3 have been priors, so they haven't really been totally new to the field. That being said, for the OP, if you were to end up as a squadron intel O, I think you would be well served to actively engage your pilots/aircrew to the max extent possible. Be the guy/gal who actually knows what you are asking during the CVIC debrief, rather than the one who is just reading the same checklist that an IS could just as easily be reading from (no offense to the IS crowd out there, but we expect more from the Intel O's). Be the guy/gal who knows what the crazy Intel acronyms you throw around in mass briefs actually mean to the pilots who don't speak your language but still need to understand what you are saying. Know the things that matter to us, and what is just self licking ice cream cone Intel lingo chatter. I don't feel like I am articulating my sentiment very well here, but that is the best I have after a 14 hr crew day

I agree completely. I've seen both great and terrible intel o's during my JO tour. We went from having a native Iranian who knew more about SAM tactics then some of our SMEs, loved flying even though he had a weak stomach, and kept up with the ready room banter to an intel o who couldn't have cared less about the squadron and closeted herself in CVIC for the entire cruise.

My advice is to simply ask around. Be a sponge when you first show up, figure out what information is valuable, and get it out to the Ready Room. That first intel o had a great habit of doing extra research on his own and sending out regular updates to the aircrew.

A motivated, enthusiastic intel o can be a real asset to the squadron. Be that guy, and you'll kick ass.

 

[DDE1990]

This will be a serious resurrection here, but after recently getting the PR-Y for SWO/IW I started perusing old Intel threads, and this one has been awesome. I am excited to go through a program that it seems like so many of you old (er) guys on here seem to have been asking for for years, which is Intel folks with a better understanding of the platforms they are supporting.

Here's to hoping the SWO part of SWO/IW doesn't crush my soul...

 

[wink]

This will be a serious resurrection here, but after recently getting the PR-Y for SWO/IW I started perusing old Intel threads, and this one has been awesome. I am excited to go through a program that it seems like so many of you old (er) guys on here seem to have been asking for for years, which is Intel folks with a better understanding of the platforms they are supporting.

Here's to hoping the SWO part of SWO/IW doesn't crush my soul...

Good luck.

 

[azguy]

This will be a serious resurrection here, but after recently getting the PR-Y for SWO/IW I started perusing old Intel threads, and this one has been awesome. I am excited to go through a program that it seems like so many of you old (er) guys on here seem to have been asking for for years, which is Intel folks with a better understanding of the platforms they are supporting.

Here's to hoping the SWO part of SWO/IW doesn't crush my soul...

The SWO/IDW path is very interesting. Are they pushing you guys into any particular platform or billet for your SWO tour? I'd heard some ideas thrown around when the program was brand new a few years ago...

Either way, best of luck to you- it is great that the intel folks are getting more fleet savvy. IW is a great community, definitely the most SWOish RL community... In a good way!

 

[exNavyOffRec]

The SWO/IDW path is very interesting. Are they pushing you guys into any particular platform or billet for your SWO tour? I'd heard some ideas thrown around when the program was brand new a few years ago...

Either way, best of luck to you- it is great that the intel folks are getting more fleet savvy. IW is a great community, definitely the most SWOish RL community... In a good way!

The few that I saw from my NRD went to FFG's or DDG's, and there was one that did OHARP at my NRD who was going to an LCC.

Do you happen to know when the SWO options started? When I started at the NRD in 2009 they had been around for a few years.

 

[azguy]

Do you happen to know when the SWO options started? When I started at the NRD in 2009 they had been around for a few years.

That doesn't sound right. I seem to recall 2010ish being the roll out of the program, with most of those guys reporting as new O-1s in 2011ish. I really just missed them, hence my curiosity as to how they are being utilized. Locking a SWO/IW in SESS for two years seems like a waste of an opportunity to broaden his horizons. Then again, throwing him in engineering seems all too cruel as well!

 

[exNavyOffRec]

That doesn't sound right. I seem to recall 2010ish being the roll out of the program, with most of those guys reporting as new O-1s in 2011ish. I really just missed them, hence my curiosity as to how they are being utilized. Locking a SWO/IW in SESS for two years seems like a waste of an opportunity to broaden his horizons. Then again, throwing him in engineering seems all too cruel as well!

2009 very well could have been guys for FY 10 billets, all the material about the SWO option programs was available in early 2009 and the PA's were put on the books in 2008 but that doesn't mean they were utilized, the SWO-Intel option has been on the books for years but I believe it has yet to be utilized except for maybe one person.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

2009 very well could have been guys for FY 10 billets, all the material about the SWO option programs was available in early 2009 and the PA's were put on the books in 2008 but that doesn't mean they were utilized, the SWO-Intel option has been on the books for years but I believe it has yet to be utilized except for maybe one person.

Edit: looked in my old schoolhouse notes FY 09 were the first selections, probably pretty few of them as over the years they often have single digits per FY, and this makes sense now as since few people knew of the program not many were applying, which explains why on a few boards they picked people for IW and IP options that had applied to either IW or IP.

 

[DDE1990]

The SWO/IDW path is very interesting. Are they pushing you guys into any particular platform or billet for your SWO tour? I'd heard some ideas thrown around when the program was brand new a few years ago...

Either way, best of luck to you- it is great that the intel folks are getting more fleet savvy. IW is a great community, definitely the most SWOish RL community... In a good way!

I'm still so early on in the process that it's difficult to say. The friends I have in already don't know enough about the program to give me any insight either, which I think is simply a result of the fact that there have been probably less than 50 people selected, and maybe even less than that. What we're the ideas being thrown around, if you don't mind my asking, sir?

Edit: looked in my old schoolhouse notes FY 09 were the first selections, probably pretty few of them as over the years they often have single digits per FY, and this makes sense now as since few people knew of the program not many were applying, which explains why on a few boards they picked people for IW and IP options that had applied to either IW or IP.

That would be a bit of a shock. I am sure there were some very unhappy folks when their IP contract suddenly had an 18 month shoe tour attached to it .

 

[Steve Wilkins]

That would be a bit of a shock. I am sure there were some very unhappy folks when their IP contract suddenly had an 18 month shoe tour attached to it .

Yeah, kind of like when shoes and aviators found out they were going to do a tour in the sandbox in addition to (read: not in lieu of) their sea tours. Well, ok...maybe not quite the same thing.