Security Clearance In Order to Be A Naval Aviator (NOTE: for REAL Navy flyers only)

[FilipinoMavrick]

I am an enlisted sailor with hopes of becoming an officer and fly my very own F/A-18, which I am working on as a technician. The primary problem that has been bugging me throughout my whole naval career is my security clearance requirement.

The following TRUE story might be irrelevant, but, I was supposed to be an Information Systems Technician from the start of my naval service. However, according to a homeland security agent that I talked to during my in-processing in boot camp, my mom is a Philippine citizen. Thus, I cannot get a TOP SECRET clearance and be an IT. Instead, I landed in the Navy with a rating of Aviation Electrician. I was so pissed I did not know what to do.

So, I figured, if I can petition my mom to be a US resident, I can be closer to my dream of becoming a Navy jet pilot.

Now, the very important question in this thread is: Is it true that Navy fighter pilots require Top Secret clearance?

 

[KnightNArmor]

Without overstepping larger boundaries, all I will safely say is that different platforms require different levels of clearance depending on the systems the aircraft has on board.

 

[KCOTT]

My mom's a filipino citizen and I picked up SNA just fine, and my brother is a CTI as well in Monteray right now.

 

[Uncle Fester]

That's absolutely false. Your mother's citizenship is not a show-stopper to your clearance at all. It might take longer, especially if you've still got lots of close relatives living in the PI, but certainly not impossible.

I don't know what the hell the guy you talked to in Boot was smoking, but he's 100% dead wrong.

 

[FilipinoMavrick]

My mom's a filipino citizen and I picked up SNA just fine, and my brother is a CTI as well in Monteray right now.

OK, but which platform are you going to? If it's choppers, I would not be surprised because I sure as heck do not want choppers on my wish list if I earn my wings someday.

 

[KCOTT]

OK, but which platform are you going to? If it's choppers, I would not be surprised because I sure as heck do not want choppers on my wish list if I earn my wings someday.

Well, then I would reconsider about becoming an aviator because something like that (flying helos) is a high possibility. There's nothing wrong with helos either. And saying choppers makes it sound like you're in the Army.

I'm far from selecting a platform, I have yet to even class up for API. Consider myself as just getting my feet wet into naval aviation.

Also, don't think about just being strictly a jet pilot. There's also the part of earning a commission and being a military officer first. And have an open mind about flying other aircraft, too.

 

[Pap]

OK, but which platform are you going to? If it's choppers, I would not be surprised because I sure as heck do not want choppers on my wish list if I earn my wings someday.

1) You might want to check that attitude if you ever get into primary. There is an 80% chance you will be flying something other than an F-18 if you ever get winged.

2) Ignore what that agent told you. First, you do not need a TS to be a Naval Aviator. A secret will do you fine to get you into flight school. Let the Navy worry about your TS once you are already winged. Also, there are plenty of people I know with a TS clearance who have foreign relatives. Sure, it took them a bit longer to get their clearance, but they still got it. This is not a show stopper for you.

 

[sundevil_av8r]

OK, but which platform are you going to? If it's choppers, I would not be surprised because I sure as heck do not want choppers on my wish list if I earn my wings someday.

A) the overwhelming majority of Naval SNA's select helos
B) I can't tell you how many people came into primary with that attitude, and are now flying helos
C) it is very offensive to other Naval Aviators and SNA's when someone who hasn't even applied yet, starts ripping on their community.

it's ok if you don't want helos, but understand you have a VERY good chance of flying them. you need to realize that everyone here is part of the team, and once you get to primary, you will hopefully realize that you would be happy doing anything.

 

[FilipinoMavrick]

Oh, $#@. My bad. I didn't think I would offend anybody. -_-'

But, if there's a greater chance that I'd be flying H-60's AND I wanna fly fixed wing aircraft, I might as well look into being an NFO or make an inter service transfer to the Air Force, then.

 

[GO_AV8_DevilDog]

OK, but which platform are you going to? If it's choppers, I would not be surprised because I sure as heck do not want choppers on my wish list if I earn my wings someday.

Join the Air Force

 

[torpedo0126]

OK, but which platform are you going to? If it's choppers, I would not be surprised because I sure as heck do not want choppers on my wish list if I earn my wings someday.

What does that even mean? You wouldn't be surprised that his mother's a foreign national so your not going to put helos on your wish list?

I got to hop a ride in both an SH-60 and an F/A-18. Don't knock it until you try because, although earning wings is my number one goal, helos went to the top of my list.

 

[FMRAM]

I think what people are trying to say is to be gracious in your attitude toward Naval Aviation as a whole. You haven't earned shit yet and aren't even accepted into a commissioning program. I have never seen anything positive come from this site to new posters that go on about how they want to be a "jet pilot" and dog helos. I would also ween yourself from your obvious addiction to watching Top Gun as soon as possible.

 

[FilipinoMavrick]

Like I said, I apologize. I didn't mean to offend anybody. What I said about not liking the 60s community just came out of nowhere. And yes, I've been watching to much of my #1 fav movie and thinkin too much about even creating a manga series based on it.

 

[bubbagump]

My cousin's married to a guy who's an O-4 in the AF -- his mother is a Venezuelan citizen and he has at least TS security clearance.

Second of all, he said if he could do it all over again, he'd go Navy.

Personally, I'd say knock off the helo-bashing and give them a try before doing a service transfer.

 

[FilipinoMavrick]

My cousin's married to a guy who's an O-4 in the AF -- his mother is a Venezuelan citizen and he has at least TS security clearance.

Second of all, he said if he could do it all over again, he'd go Navy.

Personally, I'd say knock off the helo-bashing and give them a try before doing a service transfer.

I apologize. K? I mean, I also liked helos, but back when I was WAY young when I wanted to join the Army and fly Apaches, but now, I've joined the Navy and liked jets and the thought of catapulting off a carrier at a high speed even more. I'll say this over again: I did not mean to trash talk on the 60s.