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NFO student trying to convince spouse of jets

PropAddict

Now with even more awesome!
pilot
Contributor
"I heard that the Skinny Dragons are gone less than the Flying Thunderpigs, you need to go there because my SNFO Wife friend heard from a cousin, who dated an AO3 there 10 years ago" and then your det "Why is Damage INC gone more than the Weed Whackers" and so forth.

That may be true, but the Dragons always do their deployments over Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day, St. Paddy's day, and maybe make it back in time for Memorial Day. . .of course, we do live in Hawaii, so we've got that going for us. ;)
 

robav8r

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
Introduce her to the wife/wives of any SEAL/Snake Eater and see how she feels then about her "perceptions" of quality family life. Our job is to kill people & blow things up in the defense of our Nation (or support those that do). No whining . . . . .
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
And another illustration of why basing decisions on Ensign Wisdom is bad strategery. Even the most casual discussion with someone who actually flies P-3s would have told you that your basic assumption - P-3s are better for family life than tailhook because they're shore-based - is dead wrong. Hell, I know that, and I could maybe pick out a P-3 from a picture with a hint.

Your even more basic assumption - that as an Ensign in the Program, you can somehow game things to minimize the family-seperation suck for the rest of your career - is equally wrong. Ensign Timmy fresh from college might assume that...you're a prior, you should know better than to think the Navy remotely gives a shit about your dreams and desires. You reset your salty clock when you decided to become an O; you're just as much a number in the system as Ensign Timmy. Putting in a dream sheet isn't like haggling with the detailer.

Thus the pointed suggestions that you have the come-to-Jesus with your wife now. Some spouses tend to assume that you could make things 'easier' on the family, you just don't want to. If you want to remain both married and in the Navy, that needs to be nipped in the bud.
 

81montedriver

Well-Known Member
pilot
I fly E-6Bs, which is supposed to be the most "family friendly" community in the Navy. I am gone all the time and my wife hates it. YMMV, but I cannot echo the above enough. Villanelle hit the nail on the head. Don't build ANY community up as a place where the homelife will be awesome. You will be gone all the time and if you are making your decision based on what is going to keep you home the most, DOR and work at Wendy's.

Ditto. I fly KC-130's which is supposed to be the most "family friendly" community in the Marine Corps. I'm also gone all the time and in the last month have been standing by to deploy for an indefinite amount of time to a place that is also undetermined.

Go to the platform that you want to. If you are not happy with what you fly, you have less motivation to excel versus flying the aircraft of your dreams.
 

Praying4OCS

Helo Bubba to Information Warrior
pilot
Contributor
I was going to say the same shit as above but think you'll get the point. Do what you want brutha but also make sure your there for your wife to help her understand. The Navy has you, but your work life will suck just as bad in jets if your home life is jacked.
 

scoolbubba

Brett327 gargles ballsacks
pilot
Contributor
P-3 dude here. In an 18 month IDRC, I will have been gone 4 and a half months. That doesn't count the weekends that I flew, stood duty, or had to come into work for random other shit. I may be on a closer to 7 month deployment, depending on when my crew leaves and comes back. I will probably be extended as long as the command can hold onto me. In a nominal 36 month set of orders (which will probably be more like 40ish), I will have been on the road for at least 16 months, assuming I don't go anywhere when we get back, which is not going to happen. I will probably take as many dets as I can steal from Webmastere back next home cycle because I like flying, and it gets me out of mind and sight of home plate.

I've seen Europe, the Middle East, and South America. The only place I haven't been yet is 7th fleet; I'll try to fix that when we get back from deployment. The wife is on board with this stuff, so it makes it easy. It's no different than if I was a jet guy or a helo bubba, except sometimes they pay me really well so I can drink shitty beer in 3rd world countries.
 

red_ryder

Well-Known Member
None
Yeah...legit. Just this weekend some of my EP3 bubbas were telling me they're starting to go out for longer, and I know they're out about as long as we are, maybe split up a little different.

The biggest factor to family life will be the community culture and how you support each other.
 

Kickflip89

Below Ladder
None
Contributor
12 months into my JO tour, I've been on workups dets for 2.5 months, on cruise for 7 months, TAD for 3 weeks, and about a month of POM leave total. So that leaves...1.5 months at home? 2nd year is looking somewhat similar. At the 24 month mark, I'll have spent over half my time in the squadron at sea, with a decent chunk of the other time on det.

Wouldn't trade it for anything. Plus, tell her she can visit you when the boat pulls in to Hong Kong or some other such amazing port.

My .02 as a single guy.
 
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