Selecting an aircraft

[pilot_man]

@mightymau5, also: I'm a bit more concerned about your disinclination to be a 'bomb-dropper' then your desire for a particular platform. There's no need to be bloodthirsty in this business...in fact I'm pretty sure any of us with wings would look askance at a guy with that atttiude in our ready room...but being willing to pull the trigger is part of the job. If that's not your cuppa, you might want to rethink your life goals.

And since you brought it up: the Griz does carry plenty of things that go 'boom'.

I would take this one step further. To the OP, is it just a preference or is killing bad guys really something that you don't want to do? You may not even need to cross the river to answer all of the alligator and canoe responses.

If you would just rather not pull the trigger, but are ok with it if you have to, then keep on keeping on. Realize that our Helos shoot missiles, our MPRA have ordnance, and like Fester said, even the Growler has stuff that kills people.

If you are seriously against being the guy pulling the trigger then this isn't the route for you. You will have little control on what platform you end up in so there is no certainty that you could avoid a platform that you don't want.

I've seen a guy who didn't really want to be the trigger puller, even though that was his job and the guys on the ground needed him to do his job. He didn't drop when he should have and that is a dangerous thing.

 

[mightymau5]

I would take this one step further. To the OP, is it just a preference or is killing bad guys really something that you don't want to do? You may not even need to cross the river to answer all of the alligator and canoe responses.

If you would just rather not pull the trigger, but are ok with it if you have to, then keep on keeping on. Realize that our Helos shoot missiles, our MPRA have ordnance, and like Fester said, even the Growler has stuff that kills people.

If you are seriously against being the guy pulling the trigger then this isn't the route for you. You will have little control on what platform you end up in so there is no certainty that you could avoid a platform that you don't want.

I've seen a guy who didn't really want to be the trigger puller, even though that was his job and the guys on the ground needed him to do his job. He didn't drop when he should have and that is a dangerous thing.

This is not a question of willingness, it's about preference. I would never have enlisted if I wasn't willing to do whatever's necessary to defend myself/others/my country, including ending lives. But, given a choice, I'd rather play a support role than an attack role. I thought I was clear about that in this post but from the responses I've been getting I guess not

 

[Uncle Fester]

There is no such thing as a peaceful job in this business. We kill people and break things on order from the national command authority. That's what we do. Our 'unarmed' aircraft like the E-2 and EP-3 kill people just as surely as a Rhino rolling in hot - I can tell you that from personal experience. The E-6's job is communicating with our boomers and ICBM launch crews, so your job in TACAMO is facilitating a nuclear exchange if the NCA deems it should be so. Our drone pilots are either pulling the trigger or making it happen - I have personal experience with that, too.

Im not telling the OP how he should feel or think about this job. But we're in several wars and that's not likely to change. Don't fool yourself about what this job is.

 

[Uncle Fester]

This is not a question of willingness, it's about preference. I would never have enlisted if I wasn't willing to do whatever's necessary to defend myself/others/my country, including ending lives. But, given a choice, I'd rather play a support role than an attack role. I thought I was clear about that in this post but from the responses I've been getting I guess not

And what we're telling you is that holding yourself at one remove and telling yourself it's okay, before youve even put on the uniform, is not a recipe for happiness. We've all known those guys. They're not bad guys. This isn't some macho bullshit. But you cannot fool yourself about what this job is, if you want to join up.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Hi all,
...(before I get the whole "you don't join the military not to fight" spiel, thanks, but I get it -- I am prior service). Would I just have to select "jets" and hope I get the Growler and not the Hornet? Or is there an option to, say, specify top choices like 1. Growler 2. Greyhound 3. Sea Hawk ?

Admittedly, it's still a little early for me to be thinking about this, but I'm looking forward to getting some input from you all. Thanks!

I appreciate your prior service, but the fact that you're asking this question indicates that you do not "get it". No matter what you ultimately fly, you may be called on to employ real weapons in some capacity someday. Trying for a particular platform does not in any way absolve you of that responsibility. You can't select Growlers to "fly the cool jets" and avoid the possibility of employing real weapons in combat. This job simply doesn't work that way. Would that we could hang up our G-suits after 20 years with only med port calls and joint training under our belts, but we have to be prepared for other possibilities.

While I realize the majority of folks in the Navy (even Naval Aviation) aren't known as "trigger pullers", I believe nobody should join up without considering the possibility as you clearly have done. That consideration is commendable- it's never too early to think about if you're considering military aviation. However, your thought of being able to still do a "support job" and somehow skate from the weapons employment aspect of warfare gives me pause. If you can't square your conscience with the employment of lethal force, and see in yourself the willingness to do what needs to be done, then I would suggest looking for another line of work. If you think what I'm saying is complete BS, then I would strongly recommend a job outside the military.

 

[pilot_man]

This is not a question of willingness, it's about preference. I would never have enlisted if I wasn't willing to do whatever's necessary to defend myself/others/my country, including ending lives. But, given a choice, I'd rather play a support role than an attack role. I thought I was clear about that in this post but from the responses I've been getting I guess not

Sounds like you'll be fine. Just do some serious soul searching and make sure you'll be ok with whatever. You don't want to get 4 years down the road and realize that this just isn't for you.

 

[mightymau5]

I appreciate your prior service, but the fact that you're asking this question indicates that you do not "get it". No matter what you ultimately fly, you may be called on to employ real weapons in some capacity someday. Trying for a particular platform does not in any way absolve you of that responsibility. You can't select Growlers to "fly the cool jets" and avoid the possibility of employing real weapons in combat. This job simply doesn't work that way. Would that we could hang up our G-suits after 20 years with only med port calls and joint training under our belts, but we have to be prepared for other possibilities.

While I realize the majority of folks in the Navy (even Naval Aviation) aren't known as "trigger pullers", I believe nobody should join up without considering the possibility as you clearly have done. That consideration is commendable- it's never too early to think about if you're considering military aviation. However, your thought of being able to still do a "support job" and somehow skate from the weapons employment aspect of warfare gives me pause. If you can't square your conscience with the employment of lethal force, and see in yourself the willingness to do what needs to be done, then I would suggest looking for another line of work. If you think what I'm saying is complete BS, then I would strongly recommend a job outside the military.

Thanks for the eloquent, no-BS answer. I do think that what I said is totally getting blown up and taken out of proportion though. Like you said, I've considered the possibility of flying into combat and employing lethal force. I'm at peace with that. I'm also a gun owner and I know what that means; if the stuff hits the fan I may very well have to kill someone. I don't see myself being happy about it, but if it has to be done, it has to be done. Likewise, using lethal force is simply not the aspect of naval aviation that excites me. As much as I'm willing to use it when needed, I don't see myself being stoked about it. That's why I would rather fly something like a Greyhound over a Rhino.
I'm dead set on Navy aviation and none of this is close to scaring me away from it, if that's any indication of my willingness.

 

[zippy]

Interesting question.

If you're okay with being part of the Kill Chain without actually being the trigger puller then I recommend:

E2/C2
E6
P-8
Helo
E/F/A-18

 

[RHINOWSO]

Its just like frying ants with a magnifying glass. Don't over think it. Put the thing on the thing, press the thing, and be done with it. Boom. It doesn't need to excite you, but it needs to be done.

The savages would chop your @#$S off and stick them in your mouth, so send em to their gods without the pleasure of them getting the chance.

If you can't do that, seek another profession, rather than one titled "warfighter".

Here endith the lesson.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Funny related story: An API classmate of mine went through OCS in Pensacola and while there earned the callsign "VERTREP". When the Blues did their morning practice while he was in formation, he could not hold his head still. When questioned by his DI as to why, he said 'He wanted to fly jets.' Fast forward to the fleet, he ended up flying MH-53s and absolutely loved it.

Moral: Certainly have goals, but don't be crushed when you don't achieve them. Sometimes the Navy has a plan for you. Study hard, and do your best.