I recommend you make yourself as knowledgeable and qualified as possible before going down the bronze path. Establish yourself as a highly ranked MP at that 1/2 - 2/3 through your tour FITREP, and then start thinking about having the go-native conversation. I say that because your career ambitions might very well change in that first 18-24 months as you transition from savvy copilot to being in charge, and if there aren't enough hours to go around to get everyone qualified in all mission areas, you the future oktoberfester might find yourself brat in hand, left out on a qualification or valuable training detachment. Next thing you know, you're not fully qualified, pigeon-holed out of all the good shore tours, and talking to some job placement vulture who is salivating at the idea of you losing what remaining hair and dignity you have in a cubicle at Deloitte.
It seemed over the top at the time, but I was asked by a peer to say out loud that I understood that an off-track job would almost invariably be a career killer. 5 years later, I can tell you that a handful of people I knew who said they understood the risks involved in going for something off-track were pretty sour when that O4 list came out a few months ago and they we were not on it. I guess it is one thing to say you want to shoot yourself in the foot, and another when you actually see that it has happened.
Keep your powder dry for a while on this one mon frere. Not to be greedy, but to allow yourself to get the full experience of taking some spaz out for night DLQs or brownout landings before you make the decision to stay or go. Without debating the merits of it, that is essentially what you're deciding with one of these.
