Platform preference

[zab1001]

$3.50 may not seem like much when your P-3 squadron gets sent to the sandbox, ... but you'll sure get one hell of a nice tan while you're there.

Until they put you on the night rotation. I came back looking like a vampire. A fat vampire (stupid MREs...)

 

[smittyrunr]

Until they put you on the night rotation. I came back looking like a vampire. A fat vampire (stupid MREs...)

And therefore, the tan is not so wonderful when you are getting it sitting by the pool with the fat vampires. (no offense Zab) The scenery at "man-tan-astan" leaves something to be desired.

 

[zab1001]

None taken, I was still the best looking fat vampire there.

 

[ChunksJR]

Phrogs transcend all gender, ethnic, racial, and service biases!

But not Navy budgets...alas...I was a phrog wannabe. Had to settle for the 60S.

 

[Single Seat]

No, that's not how it is. But then again, how would you want your average fighter/attack pilot to behave? Tea and crumpets with white gloves?

A certain degree of bravado or desire to be the best may be a prerequisite. However, the values most closesly associated with the 18 community are professionalism in everything you do, a commitment to the mission, and comraderie with your squadronmates. From the little experience I have, the hot dogs, jerks, or smug asses don't get very far without being corrected.

Let us put it this way. You show up to your fleet squadron with 26 traps and about 300 hours of military flight training. Your XO, CO, and department heads will have about 10 times those numbers, be technical experts on multiple radars, missiles, bombs, threats, and tactics, be able to take the jet apart with a screwdriver and tell you the names of each wire, and kick your ass in BFM without using afterburner. They will have been to Top Gun. They will have combat experience. They will have balanced a family life with a spotless military career for 10-20 years. Many will have advanced degrees. If a FNG shows up with any of the attitudes you listed, he will be put in his place or he will not make it.

Nobody cares about the cocky asshole with 200 hours in a Cessna who really wants to fly jets.

Ten times those numbers?!?!? Hell man my skipper has almost 800 traps. That's WAY more than ten times 26 traps your average new guy shows up with. Oh and he carries like a 3.96 GPA behind the boat. I'm happy if I don't get a screaming power call.

This post however was dead on.

 

[Fudge]

Don't sweat the unknown...

Kitty,

I think your concern is a common one, and it is very difficult to get a good idea what each community would be like, with you in it. Don't rely on your opinions of the instructors at P'Cola or what you've heard. The only P-3 guy
I met while there was a complete tool.

As a prior OS (AIC), I had plently of experience with the fighter community...from CDC of course. I went ECP with the intentions of selecting for F-14 (RIO). During primary, I began to think about going E-2's, then settled on P-3's. It seemed like the best fit at the time and I don't regret it at all.

Of course it would have been a lot more exciting to go zorching around in the back of a fighter but I prefer the 11-person crew, and as a JO (LT) TACCO/MC, I ran every mission from mission planning through debrief...with a lot a help from each of my crewmembers. You will get the chance to pack up an aircraft with your crew, maintainers and some spare parts and head out to some remote site to conduct an excercise or operations. The per diem is hit or miss..as said earlier, our community is spending a lot more time in the desert.

Go with what you want. As implied earlier, there are great opportunities in each of the communities. As far as comparing P-3's to fighters...we have more than our fair share of pompous idiots too. One of my best friends is a F-14/18 RIO/WSO and he's totally laid back. Just do your best, don't complain, take care of your people (E's) and the rest will work itself out. And of course, have a good time.