USCS AEW P-3 jobs

[UncleFester]

Anyone here know anything about the AEW P-3 "domes" that Customs flies out of Corpus? Do they hire often? I figure they gotta be full of ex-E-2 and AWACS guys... This big gray boat stuff is getting old...

 

[zab1001]

The tube rats on the radar models are e-2/awacs guys. Flight stations are almost all former USN P-3 guys.

 

[UncleFester]

Groovy. But how do you get the gig? Is it like, hire one guy every three years, or is there a failry regular hiring rate? Are they actual customs agents or civilians?

 

[zab1001]

I imagine you go to the US Customs website and find the recruiting info. I know the pilots are agents. My on-wing from T-34s went to their training facility for a few months and is now a pilot/agent.

I'm still in the Nav, so this is all very, very third-hand knowledge.

 

[phrogdriver]

The pilots are not "agents." They do go through the same Fed Law Enforcment Training Course (FLETC), but they do not do investigations. Pilots start as GS-10s, whereas agents start as GS-7s. The guys who work the backs of helos are called Aerial Enforcement Officers; they're the ones who leap out and hook up bad guys. They also work the FLIRs. I don't know the background of the guys in the backs of the P-3s. They do have 3 breeds of pilots: P-3 (used to take any large f/w, now only take P-3 rated guys), aircraft (guys who fly both helo and f/w), and airplane (f/w only). Their website has the full skinny. THey just went through a big hiring blitz. I was thinking of doing it before I decided to stick around.

 

[UncleFester]

Much as the idea of living in Corpus doesn't thrill me, there aren't that many flying jobs for Hummer NFOs with History degrees in the civvie world. It's either Customs or I go back to dealing dirt on street corners.
One month into cruise... if I have to eat chicken one more time I'm gonna strangle someone.