Transferring to SNA from another Navy comission

[psrogers]

Any useful stories you might have heard or facts are much appreciated.
I am sending in a package in about three weeks, here, at most, after I do PRT and get my letters of rec done. They should be competitive. I finished Meps and my ASTB are 8's across the board, with a 3.64 from UW, honors in Economics. The reason I mention the scores is that I am applying for intel because I love strategy and game theory so I know I will dig it, and I cannot fly because I have 20/200 and 20/400 in my two myopic eyes, and the surgery RIGHT NOW won't work for me, but supposedly will in the future.
So my question is, will it be feasible for me to learn to fly 'club Navy' fashion while I am in intel, and then maybe transfer after about 4 years of service? I am 23. Is this unheard of, or what is the scoop. I wany to be in the Navy, period, and flying is optimal. Of course, if I could help plan the Naval invasion of Iraq...
Thank you sirs.

 

[Goliath112]

Ok I kinda see what you're talking about, but do you mean transfer to another service? or change you job/designator? I don't fully understand the Club Navy flying part but, I assume you mean "getting some stick time while you're in" I think the answer to that would be a resounding NO. If you were an intel officer and a pilot wanted to get some "intel time" on your job would that be feasible? I think not. it is possible to do OJT (on the job training) in the Navy but, this is more of a inter rate kinda thing. ex. a Aviation Machinist mate getting some Aviation Electronics training. Intel guys going pilot, yes I've heard of that. But Intel guys getting meaningful (vs.screwing around) on the side flight training? no i have never heard of that. I am speaking from being a Petty Officer in the Navy, but hey I don't know everything.Hey gatordev or another Naval aviator, every heard of this?

p.s. I hope I understood your question.

man the wait is killing me

 

[Gatordev]

Okay, if I'm understanding your question, the short answer is no. If you were to go intel, and then were attached to a squadron, the chances of you flying are feasible. It depends on the squadron (or more specifically, the platform), but the time would be small. If it's a Bug squadron, I doubt you'd get hardly anytime at all, just due to assets. If you were attached to a helo squadron, you could at least ride in the back. This is all assuming you get attached to a squadron. You could be attached to a Seal platoon, or something else.

Now, if you are also talking about laterally transferring from intel to, say, pilot, then that I would think doesn't happen. Basically you're trying to go from Restricted line to Unrestricted line, which isn't usually done. Part of the problem is that Intel guys, like most Restricted line officers, don't earn a pin. That's kind of a big deal to the unrestricted line guys, just...well...'cause it is.

Now here's a thought. If it looks like your eyes might be fixable in the future, you could try for SWO <shudder> (if it's open from OCS), get your water wings, then try and transfer to the aviation community or, if your eyes aren't good enough, try for Intel. However, let's look at the bigger picture. What do YOU really WANT to do. Figure that out first. If you like flying, but intel sounds cool too, you're going to need to focus a bit more.

Hmm...That doesn't sound like I mean it to. Please don't take that last statement as deragatory, just saying pick what you want and strive for that goal.

Hopefully that was somewhat coherrant...let me know if it's not...it's been a long day.

 

[ghost_ttu]

blah blah blah Gator said we can all ride in the back of his helo!!!!

 

[moestud]

As for doing a lateral transfer from restricted line to unrestriced, it can be done. I did a lateral transfer from METOC (meteorology/oceanography) to pilot. As for the whole pin thing, no one gives a crap once you are in training. If you have a pin, great, but there is no requirement. As for the transfer you have to stay in your present community for at least 2 years, if there is a pin to be had you have to get it or get a letter signed by your CO as to why you did not. You put a package in, basically references, your scores, a physical that says you are qualified and some other stuff. The board meets twice a year, october and march.
I don't think there are many people that go from restricted line to unrestriced, mostly because there is a reason that most are restricted line (some sort of disqualification from unrestricted). Thats not always the case, as with me, I was qualified for unrestricted, but got accepted for METOC.
As for stick time, if you aren't assigned to a squadron, and are near an airstation you can use the Navy's flying clubs to get some time. You will pay just like trying at a civilian airport, but its on base and you get to fly with some ex-military pilots. Or get to know some guys in the squadrons and they might let you get some simulator time, thats a lot of fun and amazingly realistic.
Thats it, hoped the info helped

 

[Gatordev]

Well, I stand corrected. I was basing my pin comment on trying to go from SWO to something else, which usually needs a pin to be competitve. Good to know about the RL to URL. Thanks for the correction.

 

[psrogers]

You guys understood; good, direct, info. I want to be a pilot IN THE NAVY, never transfering to any other branch of the military. But because my eyes suck it just isn't goint to happen right now. Apparently, surface war is tighter than (insert funny or gross comparison) to get into right now, and while I would like to do that, intel sounds cool too. I would prefer to be an unrestricted line officer, going the whole nine yards.
For me, its really hard to focus on a single job be it SWO, intel or pilot (pilot mainly because I really can't do it) because at age 23, having never gone NROTC or had any personal experience to these jobs, I cannot really tell which one I would like. What I really want to do is get out and see the world from the uniform, usefully command men, and make a difference. I need more info. But as for flying experience, I meant joining some kind of officer's flight club, not actually flying off the carrier randomly.

 

[Gatordev]

Sounds like a plan then. I'm curious, why do the eyes have the potential to be better later? Is it a matter of NOMI approving something that is done out in the civilian world, or is it that some procedure will be approved in the civillian world soon? Just curious.

The flying club on bases is open to everyone, not just the officers, it can be a good deal, but sometimes it's just as good to go out into town.

 

[psrogers]

So the deal with the surgery is, at least the way I understand what my opthamologist told me, this: In PRK, after the initial steps of the procedure, where the doctor basically dissolves the first two layers of your cornea (I think there are three layers total), the cornea itself is reshaped by laser, so that light is better magnified to the proper location in the rear of your eye. Basically your cornea is a magnifying glass, and they just shape it better. Now the current laser technology only reshapes the central 5 or 6 (I don't remember exactly) milimeters of the cornea. In the future, a laser will be available that can reshape a wider zone of the cornea, if it crosses the appropriate red tape. Why is this a problem for some people, such as myself? My pupils, in the dark, expand to a diameter of greater than 6 milimeters. Or in other words, my iris (colored part) contracts away from the center of my eye, past the laser corrected area of the cornea, so that the images transmitted to the back of my eye are seen with 20/200 and 20/400 vision.
Basically, I see great in the day, and am blind as hell at night. Plus I'm still a little shaky about long term scarring effects- not that I have any reason to be, evidence-wise. Sorry for the long description, and for anybody who is really interested in this, don't take my word for it, I'm no doctor.
Another question for anyone who might know: Who gets to plan the missions in the Navy? I mean the big stuff, such as fleet deployment locations, time tables, predicted war tactics in a given mission, etc? Do the civilians in the Department of Defense, the Admirals in the SW Community, the do the Intel dorks do it, or is it a combination of these?
Thanks again, gentlemen.

 

[Goliath112]

man thats obvious, the guy in the ARMCHAIR!!

man the wait is killing me