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VP Reserves to be Disestablished in FY07

I

ip568

Registered User
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CNO has announced that the last three Reserve VP squadrons -- VP-64, VP-69, and VP-92, are to be decommissioned in 2007. The P-3C is falling apart so fast that all are required by active forces, and Reserve aircraft have the lowest airframe time.
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I have serious doubt that the P-8A will be built due to lack of money, the future of VP beyond 2010 or so is also in doubt. ASW -- espcially littoral ASW -- may be transferred to a combination of HS and the LCS. UAVs now look more likely than ever to take-on open ocean ISR.
 
ip568 said:
CNO has announced that the last three Reserve VP squadrons -- VP-64, VP-69, and VP-92, are to be decommissioned in 2007. The P-3C is falling apart so fast that all are required by active forces, and Reserve aircraft have the lowest airframe time.
<P>
I have serious doubt that the P-8A will be built due to lack of money, the future of VP beyond 2010 or so is also in doubt. ASW -- espcially littoral ASW -- may be transferred to a combination of HS and the LCS. UAVs now look more likely than ever to take-on open ocean ISR.
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I have no dougt that the active forces need the Reserves VP assets. The VP bubbas have been putting alot of time on their aircraft for the last 6-8 years. There is more to it then that though. Reserve squadrons have been doomed for years. The last big review (can't remember what it was called) was composed of all active duty officers. There is no love for RESFORONs on the active side. Some active commanders consider reservists uncommitted, unreliable, or even some kind of traitor. They want the Reserve's aircraft, and OPTAR. If the net result was a very tightly integrated Squadron Augment Unit where the Reserve guys were respected for what they bring to the table and got adequate training opportunities, I'd say O.K. Many SAUs in the past were just red headed step children to their active shipmates. To be fair, some SAUs were nothing but flying clubs (not ever true of a full blown RESFORON). If SAUs are seemlessly integrated and held to the same standards as the active guys they will perform to that standard and beyond. Don't expect good times in Navy Reserve Air over the next few years. All that "One Navy" talk is just that, when it comes to Reserve Air anyway.
 
ip568 said:
I have serious doubt that the P-8A will be built due to lack of money, the future of VP beyond 2010 or so is also in doubt. ASW -- espcially littoral ASW -- may be transferred to a combination of HS and the LCS. UAVs now look more likely than ever to take-on open ocean ISR.
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Once again, HSL playing our best position: left out.
 
Alright, I gots to know:

Does this affect any of the guys who recently went to the reserve squadrons right out of flight school?
 
We need McNamara to post on this one, as he took the Navy up on that whole reserve option thing. Of course, he ain't flyin' the P-3. Now if only he'd get off his ass and post occasionally. Hell, I have to rely on his wife for updates as to his well-being.
 
The amount of airframes available now is limited I agree but, according to the adm that spoke at the rag a few weeks ago the MMA is a go. 2013 for the first squadron fazed in until 2019 when the last p-3 squadron transitions. There has been talk of consolidating the bases we fly out of but keeping the number of squadrons we have now.
From what he said most of the cg commanders seem to be on board and support the idea of the MMA. Whether he was blowing smoke or not will be determined in time.
Now if they would just give us orders to our follow on bases.
 
KBayDog said:
Alright, I gots to know:

Does this affect any of the guys who recently went to the reserve squadrons right out of flight school?
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Since none of those guys went to VP Reserve, it shouldn't.
 
KBayDog said:
Cool - I didn't know how that scam worked.
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Total scam, I think they all went VR. Honestly though, if they want to stay Navy I think they are in an awkward position.
 
HH-60H said:
Total scam, I think they all went VR. Honestly though, if they want to stay Navy I think they are in an awkward position.
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Scam? They got FVCKED. Those are guys who WERE in a position to go to an operational Fleet squadron and came a hair away from being put on the street for no reason other than bad timing and planning by Big Navy. They had the option to split and still wanted to serve. I agree, staying Navy will not be easy and it isn't like a 2 year stint with VR will set them up on the outside. I sincerely hope things work out for them.
 
Hey Gaijin, didn't know you guys were talking about me. Okay I'll update ya.

Myself and numerous others went to VR squadrons after winging. We had a choice between the standard P-3 pipeline (which I'm happy to have avoided) or giving VR a shot. We were NOT, contrary to popular opinion, about to be kicked out of the Navy. We volunteered to go VR.

As for VP reserves, I've noticed a big influx into my division of former VP-94 guys. They're looking for new jobs, and VR is going to absorb quite a few as we actually have a mission to do and a decent amount of funding. The VR job is simple: we perform logistics missions that directly support Fleet and SPECWAR operations. I can't speak for other squadrons, but our C-130 squadron is always busy. No plane that is in an UP status ever sits on the ramp - it's either flying or having maintenance performed.

I don't know what the other new VR flyers have planned, but if they want to stay Navy I think they'll be alright. The VR job is only going to grow in the future, especially for C-130s as we'll probably be taking on a tanking mission as well.

As Gaijin knows I'm not trying to stay in the Navy. I'd like to fly Hercs for a few years and then transfer to the Army so I can see some combat, which is what I wanted to do in the first place. Suffice it to say VR is a very safe job and it isn't exactly satisfying my desire to shoot bad people. But this is better for me than a Fleet billet, as I doubt I could get out of my flying commitment to go Army from a RegNav squadron.

Of course, the downside is that no one has any idea what's going to happen with regards to my orders. What happens next? I'm going to be as proactive as possible, but I don't know if I'll get to choose my own path from here. It's a gamble.
 
gatordev said:
Once again, HSL playing our best position: left out.
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Not quite. HSL will be on the LCS, not sure we'll be called HSM by then, because they're supposed to have an HSM det on board, but regardless, we have it.
 
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