"Pilots also have officer duties." Can somebody please elaborate?

[Renegade One]

What sorts of shipboard officer duties do pilots take on? Thanks!

Apologize for all the BS everyone's been giving you. It's a legitimate question that deserves a legitimate answer.
Life divides itself into two "cycles" for a Naval Aviator/Naval Flight Officer...ashore (e.g., "at home station"...think "turnaround training", etc.) and deployed/embarked for shipboard ops (think "cruise" or "overseas deployment" for the non-shipboard types...P-3s, Ep-3s, in-country deployments, whatever...). The two are very different in terms of your personal "daily rhythm", so for the sake of brevity, I'll just limit my description of "a typical day" to the latter...the embarked/deployed cycle of life:
You will be required to do three or four things, in various combinations: In no particular order:
1. Plan/brief/man-up/fly/recover/debrief/. Then think about how to do better next time. Maybe talk to your peers or your flight lead, etc.
2. Do "non-flying stuff" that is critical to the enterprise: Squadron Duty Officer, Pri-Fly Watch (AKA "Tower Flower"), Aircraft Integrity Watch, FOD Walkdowns, maybe CATTC Watch, maybe trainee LSO (pilot's only), that sort of thing. S'all good, brah...
3. Sleep until you're hungry (can be done while the rest of the ship is at GQ...which is nice...).
4. Eat until you're tired.
Repeat...in no certain or predictable order.

 

[AllYourBass]

Apologize for all the BS everyone's been giving you. It's a legitimate question that deserves a legitimate answer.
Life divides itself into two "cycles" for a Naval Aviator/Naval Flight Officer...ashore (e.g., "at home station"...think "turnaround training", etc.) and deployed/embarked for shipboard ops (think "cruise" or "overseas deployment" for the non-shipboard types...P-3s, Ep-3s, in-country deployments, whatever...). The two are very different in terms of your personal "daily rhythm", so for the sake of brevity, I'll just limit my description of "a typical day" to the latter...the embarked/deployed cycle of life:
You will be required to do three or four things, in various combinations: In no particular order:
1. Plan/brief/man-up/fly/recover/debrief/. Then think about how to do better next time. Maybe talk to your peers or your flight lead, etc.
2. Do "non-flying stuff" that is critical to the enterprise: Squadron Duty Officer, Pri-Fly Watch (AKA "Tower Flower"), Aircraft Integrity Watch, FOD Walkdowns, maybe CATTC Watch, maybe trainee LSO (pilot's only), that sort of thing. S'all good, brah...
3. Sleep until you're hungry (can be done while the rest of the ship is at GQ...which is nice...).
4. Eat until you're tired.
Repeat...in no certain or predictable order.

I appreciate the response. And no hard feelings toward the thread—I've lurked AirWarriors long enough to know that one does not simply ask for easily searched answers and get away with both their balls That said, this and another thread certainly answered my questions.

 

[Uncle Fester]

As a junior officer in any specialty, your time is divided between:
- Your "warfare" job (flying the plane, driving the boat, watching the reactor)
- Your "collateral" job (being the erstwhile leadership of a branch/division of sailors)
- Training and qualfiying (learning everything about your warfare job that they didn't teach you in the schoolhouse...study, written and oral exams, boards, signoffs, discussion, etc)

The difference is that in Aviation, #1 and #3 are your main jobs as a New Guy. Eventually you're expected to focus more on your ground job, as your resposibilites increase and your expertise in the aircraft grows, but put it this way: no one's ever had their wings yanked for being a crappy divvo.

In Surface, #2 is your main job, followed by #3, with #1 a distant afterthought. I won't speak to Subs, as my total experience with them was a six-week middie cruise.

 

[BigRed389]

In Surface, #2 is your main job, followed by #3, with #1 a distant afterthought. I won't speak to Subs, as my total experience with them was a six-week middie cruise.

I know YMMV, but I'd say it's a pretty even mix between all three, as being shitty enough at any of the above can bite you in the ass real hard. And #3 is the means to #1. You're basically useless until you do enough of #3 to start doing #1.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I know YMMV, but I'd say it's a pretty even mix between all three, as being shitty enough at any of the above can bite you in the ass real hard. And #3 is the means to #1. You're basically useless until you do enough of #3 to start doing #1.

Just speaking from my experience. During my time as a Shoe, I was told repeatedly and emphatically that my main job was being the First Lt, with getting my SWO PQS signed off during all remaining time. No one gave a shit about my boat-driving skills, or whether I learned how we were to fight the ship. I've known and worked for several SWOs who were completely incompetent shiphandlers, to the point where the Captain wouldn't even allow them on the watchbill during normal Point-A-to-Point-B underways (let alone conning alongside or sea & anchor), yet got their pin and moved on up the ladder. Again, just what I saw myself, I'd be happy to learn it's not universal.

 

[Gatordev]

Just speaking from my experience. During my time as a Shoe, I was told repeatedly and emphatically that my main job was being the First Lt, with getting my SWO PQS signed off during all remaining time. No one gave a shit about my boat-driving skills, or whether I learned how we were to fight the ship. I've known and worked for several SWOs who were completely incompetent shiphandlers, to the point where the Captain wouldn't even allow them on the watchbill during normal Point-A-to-Point-B underways (let alone conning alongside or sea & anchor), yet got their pin and moved on up the ladder. Again, just what I saw myself, I'd be happy to learn it's not universal.

On my OIC deployment, we were in the middle of nowhere conducting ops and the weather was okay, but the seas were very "rolly." After the second night of getting no sleep because of the rocking (and everyone else was complaining, as well...including the Shoes), I bumped into the Captain in the wardroom. I said, "Sir, I know I'm just a dumb pilot, but is there any chance you can talk to the OODs about how to drive in these seas so we don't roll so much at night?" I elaborated on my idea and he knew what I meant (go perpendicular to the swells while staying in our search area). The next night it was so much nicer.

By the fourth day/night, you could figure out which OODs actually understood ship-driving based off of who was on watch and how much we rolled. It was no surprise that we kept rolling with some of the clowns up there.

 

[BigRed389]

On my OIC deployment, we were in the middle of nowhere conducting ops and the weather was okay, but the seas were very "rolly." After the second night of getting no sleep because of the rocking (and everyone else was complaining, as well...including the Shoes), I bumped into the Captain in the wardroom. I said, "Sir, I know I'm just a dumb pilot, but is there any chance you can talk to the OODs about how to drive in these seas so we don't roll so much at night?" I elaborated on my idea and he knew what I meant (go perpendicular to the swells while staying in our search area). The next night it was so much nicer.

It's embarassing that that would even need to be explained to anybody at all.

Also depends on what you're doing. I had a DH come up and complain the ship was rolling too much. I tried explaining that we were on a nav track, PT A to B straight line nav plan and that I couldn't really go "perpendicular to the waves" unless he wanted me to try jackknifing a DDG through the waves. Which is not only not possible for most wave periods, but will also end up making things much, much worse.
He then told me I just didn't know how to drive the ship. I made him an offer to "show me how it's done" and got a nice half hour break to sit down and take a load off before he just gave up.

Just speaking from my experience. During my time as a Shoe, I was told repeatedly and emphatically that my main job was being the First Lt, with getting my SWO PQS signed off during all remaining time. No one gave a shit about my boat-driving skills, or whether I learned how we were to fight the ship. I've known and worked for several SWOs who were completely incompetent shiphandlers, to the point where the Captain wouldn't even allow them on the watchbill during normal Point-A-to-Point-B underways (let alone conning alongside or sea & anchor), yet got their pin and moved on up the ladder. Again, just what I saw myself, I'd be happy to learn it's not universal.

Certainly not universal, but I've heard enough similar stories to figure it happens way more often that it should.
That said, my CO was more than happy to send Ensigns and JG's packing.
It's also why I said neglecting any of the three could bite you in the ass. I know JO's who were detached with adverse FITREPs for one each of:
1) Failure to maintain an EKMS program
2) Failure to qualify on time (and this despite being given "extra" special evolution watches to get him up to speed)
3) Sleeping on watch...as OOD, as a culmination to other screwups.
He was more tolerant of the DH's though...

 

[Gatordev]

It's embarassing that that would even need to be explained to anybody at all.

Also depends on what you're doing. I had a DH come up and complain the ship was rolling too much. I tried explaining that we were on a nav track, PT A to B straight line nav plan and that I couldn't really go "perpendicular to the waves" unless he wanted me to try jackknifing a DDG through the waves. Which is not only not possible for most wave periods, but will also end up making things much, much worse.
He then told me I just didn't know how to drive the ship. I made him an offer to "show me how it's done" and got a nice half hour break to sit down and take a load off before he just gave up.

I absolutely understand if you're going somewhere. We, however, were not.

 

[Spekkio]

In Surface, #2 is your main job, followed by #3, with #1 a distant afterthought. I won't speak to Subs, as my total experience with them was a six-week middie cruise.

Submarine motto is "Officers fight the ship, Chiefs run the ship."

Of course, it's all up to what the CO wants to prioritize. If your CO thinks that collateral duties are more important, then he'll give better fitreps to the guys who do a better job at running [insert random Navy program] over guys who are excellent at ship driving.

Also, was told by CoC at check-in that I should prioritize qualifications and that the CPO can run the division without me.

 

[BackOrdered]

Just speaking from my experience. During my time as a Shoe, I was told repeatedly and emphatically that my main job was being the First Lt, with getting my SWO PQS signed off during all remaining time. No one gave a shit about my boat-driving skills, or whether I learned how we were to fight the ship. I've known and worked for several SWOs who were completely incompetent shiphandlers, to the point where the Captain wouldn't even allow them on the watchbill during normal Point-A-to-Point-B underways (let alone conning alongside or sea & anchor), yet got their pin and moved on up the ladder. Again, just what I saw myself, I'd be happy to learn it's not universal.

That's is unfortunately the biggest issue with JO shoe land. At least make the qual process transparent enough to make your priorities apparent. I've seen a fellow chop flatly told by the CO at check in, "you will qualify in 2 years." It sucks to take that long but at least the skipper was up front.

 

[BigRed389]

That's is unfortunately the biggest issue with JO shoe land. At least make the qual process transparent enough to make your priorities apparent. I've seen a fellow chop flatly told by the CO at check in, "you will qualify in 2 years." It sucks to take that long but at least the skipper was up front.

Seriously? What makes you think the qual process isn't "transparent?"

There are plenty of issues, but that's the first time I've heard that at the top of the list.

Btw, is it time already for the big annual shoe bash?

 

[Brett327]

Wait, it's an annual event? In that case, I've been doing it wrong.

 

[BackOrdered]

Seriously? What makes you think the qual process isn't "transparent?"

There are plenty of issues, but that's the first time I've heard that at the top of the list.

Btw, is it time already for the big annual shoe bash?

Baby SWOs being told SWO qualification is their top priority checking in only to have it almost seem immediately undermined doesn't affect ship handling?

 

[Uncle Fester]

Didn't mean to thread jack this into the AW Semi-Annual Shoebash. Just that there was a huge difference between how I was expected to spend my working hours as a new Shoe vs a new aviator (OP's question).

Aviator: on the Boat, when not flying or getting ready to fly or just back from flying or JORPing, work on CBATS. Don't neglect ground job, but the day-to-day is why you have a chief and LPO. Exception was PERSO and AOPS jobs, as they're less 'supervision' and more 'doing'. Everyone cared (via PRBs) how the new guys did in the plane and on their signoffs...not their ground job.

Shoe: Divvo job is your main job. Do PQS in whatever time is left. Sleep and eat on a not-to-interfere basis. Show up for watch, don't fall asleep, and don't do anything without calling the Captain first.

 

[MasterBates]

Ugh. CBATS.

Yeah. Let's put the exact same qualification signoffs for pilots and wizards. And add extra pilot stuff in a supplement but not require NFOs to do the few pilot centric sections in the common part.

And let's change it annually.
And not grandfather guys who are 90% complete with the current one when it changed.

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk 2