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USN USNTPS or VAQ Transition?
Definitely this. Don't make your front office's hard decisions any easier.
Also requires one to begin using the word “nominal.”
Indubitably!Also requires one to begin using the word “nominal.”
In short, TPS is a one-of-a-kind experience that is highly regarded post-Navy, but it is difficult to select these days. On average there is 1 Sierra slot per board, and many selectees already have a technical M.S. (on top of #1 EP, all quals, etc.) So, you've GOT to have a backup plan.
If you're at NASNI and want to get lunch, PM me. I'm a dirty hinge at one of the HSM squadrons.
Background: HS-14, nom'd HSCWSP, picked up TPS w/NPS co-op (doesn't exist any more), HX-21 on mostly Romeo programs, + ASE & MTS, defected to HSM.
Not knowing you personally, I'd recommend FRS. HSC-3 has ~50 LT IPs, so they'll be happy to keep endorsing TPS packages, because they don't need you. SWTI = no more TPS applications, because it's also "graduate" flight training. If you don't pickup TPS, FRS will either a) afford you time to work on a Master's/make post-Navy plans, or b) make you competitive for continued promotion/milestone screens if you find a new gung-ho-ness for HSC...and you stay in a gray cockpit. I know steep approaches at IB are boring AF, but you should think long-term.
If you're at NASNI and want to get lunch, PM me. I'm a dirty hinge at one of the HSM squadrons.
Background: HS-14, nom'd HSCWSP, picked up TPS w/NPS co-op (doesn't exist any more), HX-21 on mostly Romeo programs, + ASE & MTS, defected to HSM.
Not knowing you personally, I'd recommend FRS. HSC-3 has ~50 LT IPs, so they'll be happy to keep endorsing TPS packages, because they don't need you. SWTI = no more TPS applications, because it's also "graduate" flight training. If you don't pickup TPS, FRS will either a) afford you time to work on a Master's/make post-Navy plans, or b) make you competitive for continued promotion/milestone screens if you find a new gung-ho-ness for HSC...and you stay in a gray cockpit. I know steep approaches at IB are boring AF, but you should think long-term.
Hey, Avleak said pretty much exactly that, just this morning:
A Look At What Flies On U.S. Navy Carriers
F/A-18E/F
EA-18G
F-35C
E-2C
E-2D
[paid advertisement]
C-2
MH-60
CMV-22
MQ-25
(they also forgot C-130 and U-2... harrumph)
EA-18G
F-35C
E-2C
E-2D
[paid advertisement]
C-2
MH-60
CMV-22
MQ-25
(they also forgot C-130 and U-2... harrumph)
Years ago (before my time), it was decided that helicopter 1st shore billets were not being filled properly (part no quality spread, part good ol boy problems). The nom process combines a JO's highwater, quals, hours, CO rec, and JO desires into a single document. FRS and some other commands get to review said documents for screening, and then placement/detailers put names to billets. This all happens ~5-7 months from PRD.
What does this part of your comment mean?
If I remember correctly the 60 month commitment is from "wings" but can also be served concurrently with your MSR (from the transition guy at PERS, I have an email somewhere). If I misunderstood that I am adding 5 years on the back end of my MSR then that's just that much more green flight suit I get to wear.
A thousand times this. Why is the front office going to "waste" an EP on a dude that is leaving community? They won't.
That part of my comment means that I’d recommend VFA to anybody to do until MSR because flying fighters is worth it. I would not give the same endorsement for a career beyond MSR. In the context of my entire post, I was saying that despite VFA’s problems and people wanting to leave, it’s still worth it to do once in your life. Also, see what @wlawr005 wrote.
This is my main reason in coming to this forum: anonymity. (Although if my front office is reading this they can probably figure it out.).
We just had a JO leave under 1k hours, not completely qualified and they got the #1 over someone who is going to be here 6 months longer, will leave with over 1200 hours, and will have been fully qual'd for over a year before their PRD... all because the more qualified person "wasn't interested in Weapons School." So needless to say, I have little faith that my front office would be good with my off-path aspirations. I'm trying to play the game and keep my options open without buying too much risk here.
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My current front office actually gives a shit and cares about dudes. They were supportive of me the whole way. In the end it doesn't matter how much value they think I add, if it is in another community and they can add value to their own. I can however, appreciate your predicament but the risk is that you'll get the dick punch with all the quals and a trillion hours either way so do what you want to do. I say flip a coin and the choice that you hope the coin lands on is usually a good starting point.