SNFO's going to VP-30

[ibarrasergio33]

Can anyone summarize the training pipeline for SNFO's going to JAX?
Are EP-3's still an option for me going straight from P-cola to JAX or are P3's the only platform I am elgible for?
Any information would be helpful. Thanks

 

[steeleshark2]

I am in Jax right now. We have some EP-3 students down here for training right now. I do not know when you select for them but I know a few are there. As for the the order of things. After doing a modified Intermediate from Pensacola, you go straight to JAX for the UMFO Undergraduate Maritime Flight Officer Program. Its about 6 weeks long, then you get your wings. From there, you will class up with the next CAT I NFOs. The CAT I phase is where EP-3 training is different. As for the regular P-3 guys, training is about 6 to 8 months long. You may do SERE before or after Jax. I hope this helps!

 

[ibarrasergio33]

That was great, thanks. I didn't even think about SERE school options, I just assumed it would come up after academics.
Thanks Again.

Any other inputs are greatly appreciated..... Especially regarding academic difficulty and or flight instruction.

 

[dodge]

How long have they been doing this program. i remember hearing about it a while back but thinking it was new at the time. And if so, why the change?

 

[TheBubba]

ib,

Shoot Fezz CB a PM... he recently finished the program. Might take him a bit to get back to you as he's currently deployed.

 

[steeleshark2]

This program has been going on for a little over a year. The reason for the change is the long period of training in San Antonio is unnecessary. The new UMFO course teaches you what you need to know in 6 weeks compared to the months in San Antonio. As for statistics, it is said that the UMFOs typically do better then the San Antonio sailors in the CAT I course (mainly because they have already been introduced to and have operated equipment on the P-3). This is the way the navy is going to do P-3s for now on. They are slowly decreasing the amount of sailors going to San Antonio and increasing the number going to be UMFOs. This will happen until they phase out San Antonio for good.

 

[thexaspect]

Bump for anyone with any information about San Antonio. I just selected(voluntold) with Sergio last week, and I have absolutely no idea what to expect, where to go, what I'm going to be doing when I get there, etc. So if anyone could hook me up with a clue, I'd appreciate it =)

 

[USN99]

Update requested

This program has been going on for a little over a year. The reason for the change is the long period of training in San Antonio is unnecessary. The new UMFO course teaches you what you need to know in 6 weeks compared to the months in San Antonio. ... This is the way the navy is going to do P-3s for now on. They are slowly decreasing the amount of sailors going to San Antonio and increasing the number going to be UMFOs. This will happen until they phase out San Antonio for good.

Could someone jump in here and expand on this UMFO topic? Are NFO students finishing at P'Cola and selecting for P-3s now going to VP-30 direct? The San Antonio course is being deleted? This is truly interesting. Please, more details.
Thanks.

 

[steeleshark2]

Actually you are correct. They are phasing out the P-3 NFO syllabus in San Antonio. After primary in Pcola, you will do a modified intermediate (just go through the instrument phase) then goto VP-30 for the 6 week UMFO syllabus. From there, the student will start the NFO CAT I syllabus then finish training from there.

 

[USN99]

For those SNFOs selected for the UMFO track, how long, total, do they spend in P'Cola? Do they, in effect, get their training track selection "early", before the other SNFOs that select for another track like strike/attack?
Which VT squadron does the modified intermediate training?
Thanks for the enlightenment.

 

[TheBubba]

You select at the end of Primary with every one else in your class. You'll stay with your class up through the end of instrument training (12 events total I think (4 sims, 8 flights if I remember correctly, may be more). After you finish instruments, you'll get orders to VP-30. So you'll stay in your Primary squadron.

So you're looking at 6 weeks for API, 3 months or so for primary, then like 12 events (both sim and flights) in intermediate. Plus any pool time before API and Primary.

 

[Gator NFO]

USN99 -- The last class of SNFOs to go through training in San Antonio will arrive from P'cola in Feb 08 and get their Wings in Aug 08. The final Navy CO and all remaining Navy instructors and enlisted staff will PCS in Aug 08. The Air Force will stand up its Nav school and begin training in P'cola sometime in 2010, or so they say.

 

[thexaspect]

but in the meantime

since i'm apparently the last class going through randolph, what do i need to know? get ready for the barracks? shine up my brown shoes and get an extra set of khakis? i have two weeks to SOMEHOW get personal property to come pack up all of my $h17 and find somewhere to live

 

[Hozer]

My info is almost 12 years old.
That said, Randolph and the AF were "okay". I'm not a fan of the way Nav's are perceived in the AF caste system. AF Lt Col/Col's seemed condescending to Navy culture/traditions. It seemed to permeate through the whole syllabus.
Most AF JO's were good folks, ready to help, and had a good rapport with USN folks.
Training was easy. I gather they don't teach cel-nav anymore which was the biggest pain in the ass.
Chart-parties, gay.
AF "partying" period was gay.
Ascots, gay.
BOQ, good. O-club, good food, beer, and inexpensive.
Fredericksburg, Hill Country, Schlitterbahn, and the ditch (they call it the Riverwalk) are a good time. Catch a Spurs game, too.
Do well, maintain Navy tradition and unit pride, and get the hell out of there with your wings. Several of the Navy guys stripped down to jocks at winging to the horror of some of the AF guys, the Navy instructors rolled with it. So that was fun.
(note: the above is not an official sanctioning or condemnation of said activity, merely an observation of what may or may not have occurred therein)

 

[thexaspect]

sweet

sweet, thanks for the gouge dude, i was finally able to get ahold of someone at their base housing and found out i'm for sure living in their version of a boq. (begins info for later searchers should there be any) you have to bring your own tv, all of your stuff WILL sit in storage for 7 months(ish), they have internet and cable available, but you have to pay for it out of pocket. no bah, you will for sure live in base housing baring weird circumstances. so if you're moving from your very own 3 bedroom house with a 2 car garage, everything you own is going to smell like mold when you get to jax i guess. (/info)
and good thing i'm going to be out of here by the time you get hozer if you plan on torturing us poor students, i'm sitting at the sdo's desk as i speak :icon_smil