Seeking Advice: First Sea Tour Pilot NPQ

[Big_Cat]

Hi everyone! I'm a pilot in my first sea tour and I have a strong likelihood of being found NPQ (no waiver or medical retirement likely). I'm hoping you guys can help me understand my circumstances and get as far ahead of this as possible. For more context, I'm unqualified with more than 6 years of commissioned service. Some of my questions are:

1. Should I expect to stay at my current command while applying for and awaiting lateral transfer results or will I be quickly detailed to a CVN after being redesignated to 1300?
2. How does being NPQ and redesignation to 1300 affect commitments?
3. When looking at the lateral transfer website, it seems that every community wants warfare qualification and sustained superior performance. Well, I don't have either of those, so am I out of luck? Just start looking for a civilian job?

I look forward to your input. Thank you!

 

[cfam]

Hi everyone! I'm a pilot in my first sea tour and I have a strong likelihood of being found NPQ (no waiver or medical retirement likely). I'm hoping you guys can help me understand my circumstances and get as far ahead of this as possible. For more context, I'm unqualified with more than 6 years of commissioned service. Some of my questions are:

1. Should I expect to stay at my current command while applying for and awaiting lateral transfer results or will I be quickly detailed to a CVN after being redesignated to 1300?
2. How does being NPQ and redesignation to 1300 affect commitments?
3. When looking at the lateral transfer website, it seems that every community wants warfare qualification and sustained superior performance. Well, I don't have either of those, so am I out of luck? Just start looking for a civilian job?

I look forward to your input. Thank you!

Sorry about the bad news! I can’t speak to the medical specifics, but I can offer some context on the lat transfer process. Regarding your questions:

1) Talk to your front office and the detailer. The front office (provided they’re doing their jobs effectively), should have an idea of what COA they’d prefer. The timing for your replacement (if they need one right away) will also play a role. I can’t see why they wouldn’t hold off on cutting you 1300 orders until the lat transfer results are out, unless you don’t get along with the front office/haven’t performed thus far in your tour.

2) No clue, but I know you aren’t the first NPQ person to have asked this question on the site. You might need to do some digging, but I’m pretty sure a thread exists.

3) Short answer: you should be able to find a community that will pick you up, but it may not be your first choice. Hopefully your medical issue doesn’t prevent you from being worldwide assignable, because that would definitely decrease your odds.

Longer answer/follow-up questions: what has your front office said about your high water FITREP? How far along are you in your ACTC syllabus? If I were you I would pull the LOI from the last lat transfer board, look at the specific community requirements, and reach out to the community managers for the designators that interest you. The FAO OCM was incredibly helpful during my transfer, and told me that he fields questions from applicants all the time. I’ll be happy to talk your ear off about the lat transfer process if you have more specific questions.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

1. Should I expect to stay at my current command while applying for and awaiting lateral transfer results or will I be quickly detailed to a CVN after being redesignated to 1300?
2. How does being NPQ and redesignation to 1300 affect commitments?
3. When looking at the lateral transfer website, it seems that every community wants warfare qualification and sustained superior performance. Well, I don't have either of those, so am I out of luck? Just start looking for a civilian job?

1. Talk to your chain of command along with your detailer.
2. It's my understanding your obligation remains the same as a 1300 but defer back to answer #1.
3. You said you're a first tour pilot, isn't being "winged" a warfare qualification? Just like other URL communities, there are other warfare devices and then advanced qualifications (like EOOW/TAO for SWOs), however the golden shiny device is what's considered a warfare qual.

Going back to #3, talk to the OCMs for the communities you are interested in lateral transferring. I've heard and seen of VOLTERM aviators successfully lateral transfer, so I find it hard to believe that you'll be SOL unless you are fully medically disqualified for continued service (across all desginators).

From my experiences, OCMs are approachable and a big part of a successful lat transfer is reaching out to them, getting your name out there, and finding ways for you to be competitive for selection (maybe earning certs, doing TAD time, masters degree, etc.).

Best of luck.

 

[cfam]

3. You said you're a first tour pilot, isn't being "winged" a warfare qualification? Just like other URL communities, there are other warfare devices and then advanced qualifications (like EOOW/TAO for SWOs), however the golden shiny device is what's considered a warfare qual.

Per the book definition, yes, wings are a warfare qualification. However, in my experience the board also wanted tactical/administrative qualifications listed. It may not affect the OP’s chances, but it usually is a clear sign to a board when aircrew are in a squadron for several years and haven’t earned their mission commander or aircraft commander qual.

 

[ChuckMK23]

A question to ask - does your Navy NPQ impact your ability to hold an FAA medical?

Will you be eligible for a disability rating as a result of the NPQ?

I know 2 mil NPQ who went immediately to IRR, got ATP's at 750 hours and are fine career wise flying 121.

 

[zippy]

Hi everyone! I'm a pilot in my first sea tour and I have a strong likelihood of being found NPQ (no waiver or medical retirement likely). I'm hoping you guys can help me understand my circumstances and get as far ahead of this as possible. For more context, I'm unqualified with more than 6 years of commissioned service. Some of my questions are:

1. Should I expect to stay at my current command while applying for and awaiting lateral transfer results or will I be quickly detailed to a CVN after being redesignated to 1300?
2. How does being NPQ and redesignation to 1300 affect commitments?
3. When looking at the lateral transfer website, it seems that every community wants warfare qualification and sustained superior performance. Well, I don't have either of those, so am I out of luck? Just start looking for a civilian job?

I look forward to your input. Thank you!

If you’re NPQ. Push for discharge/ medical retirement and go to the airlines (provided you can get an FAA class 1 medical).

I know a dude who just went through this process the last 18 months and is on terminal leave now, has his first commercial gig lined up. He should be at a major within 24 months.

Feel free to DM and I’ll see if I can get you in contact with him so ya’ll can compare notes and see if his path is possible for you.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Your detailer (& skipper) holds your future. By the letter of the law, the Aviation Detailer owns you for the rest of your commitment after winging. IF the detailer will release you, then you can execute a lateral transfer to another designator.

I would not get your hopes up for the discharge route.

 

[cfam]

^^all true, but to be even more specific: your community’s placement officer controls your release date. You’ll talk directly to your detailer, while your front office deals directly with the placement officer. Make sure that you understand exactly what your front office is communicating to placement so you’re not surprised when you talk to the detailer.

Caveat to the above: this is how it works in VAQ land. Fairly certain the same business rules apply now aviation wide, but be sure to clarify.

 

[Griz882]

A question to ask - does your Navy NPQ impact your ability to hold an FAA medical?

Will you be eligible for a disability rating as a result of the NPQ?

I know 2 mil NPQ who went immediately to IRR, got ATP's at 750 hours and are fine career wise flying 121.

With this and @zippy’s post, keep all of your training records and log books. If you haven’t done mil comp you’ll need these. It was over 30 years ago when this happened to me, and I ended up doing grey boat stuff and office work for a few years until they let me go.

 

[Gatordev]

If you're HSM, expect to go to the Wing (probably under Training) while you work through the transfer process. As long as you show up to work and do what you're asked, they'll work with you as best they can to help you. The outgoing TrainO is a good dude. I'm not sure who is relieving him.

If you're VP, then who knows what they do, but I would expect something similiar.

For 3. have you deployed? That might help even if you don't have a HAC letter. NAVAIR seems like they always need someone up in Pax.

 

[ChuckMK23]

+1 on Griz's advice. Also create a Part 61 compliant logbook (digital or paper) with FAR part 1 definition of 'flight time' vs Navy 'yellow sheet' time...

 

[IKE]

Feel free to reach out directly to community managers from the various lateral transfer options. It's literally their job to find new people. The AEDO comm mgr is super helpful and will discuss options (including to those who might want to keep it quiet with their front office).

I know AEDO is not interested in those who fail (H)AC boards and get FNAEBed, but I'm not sure about NPQ, so you should ask the Community Manager.

In the helo community, I've seen DORs go to HR and Supply, sometimes as active reservists. YMMV.

 

[cfam]

Feel free to reach out directly to community managers from the various lateral transfer options. It's literally their job to find new people. The AEDO comm mgr is super helpful and will discuss options (including to those who might want to keep it quiet with their front office).

I know I mentioned it before, but I can’t agree with this more/emphasize this point enough. Yes, lateral transfer community managers work at PERS, but dealing with them is the exact opposite of every detailer experience you’ve had previously. They legitimately want to help you see if their community is right for you, they will give you an honest opinion on your chances, and they really will keep what you say in confidence.