What is the NFO training

[Sabre170]

I have seen a lot of thread about ocs and part of the trainning, but can someone please tell me, in potato head language, what trainning there is. ie.,
OCS, IFS (what is that, and how long), API (what is that, and how long), then what? If props? If jets?

I am looking for a realistic time line of the schools and places I would be. I know there will be pool time and please include the average amount of pool time..

Thanks

 

[NuSnake]

1.5-2yrs total....the other stuff about NFO is around the forum, just do a search on each of those schools and it should help out. Good luck.

 

[The Chief]

Check link: http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/nrotc/service/nfo.html

 

[Pat1USMC]

Just bumped my summary of flight school to the top. It should help you a little for after API.

 

[cjimenez]

Sabre170...I'm about three weeks away from NFO wings...going to P-3s out in Hawaii. Here's a synopsis: 13 weeks of OCS, 6 weeks of API (academics and water survival), about 14 weeks of prmary and then you select Advanced Panel Nav (me) or stay in Pensacola for eother Strike/Strike-Fighter or E-2s. I went to VT-10 for primary. Great squadron, you'll have a blast doing spins and aerobatics. If you go my route, you end up at Randolph AFB (you should be familiar with where that is seeing that you are from San Antonio) for about 7 months of advanced navigation training. From here you select P-3s, EP-3Es, or E-6s. It's all a blast and I can't believe I've been doing this for over a year now...it goes fast. If you any specific questions, feel free to post 'em. Ciao.

 

[Doc33]

I am also looking for the approx. time I'll be in Pensacola for. Trying to decide if we buy a house, rent one or look for an apartment. The apartments I've seen online are pretty expensive....

 

[Sabre170]

CJIMENZS,

Are you in San Antonio now? If so give me a call and let me buy you lunch in exchange for all the gouge I can get. 210-455-2036.

Scott

 

[NFOwife]

My husband was in Pensacola for a total of 1 year from API to wings. This does NOT include OCS or IFS, though, he didn't do those.

 

[TurnandBurn55]

What's he fly? P-3s?

 

[vv123]

I went the Strike route and went from API to wings in exactly 12 months. In general...Primary is where you learn the basics of flying. You complete just under ten fam flights where you learn the stick skills of flying. Then you start doing airways navigation flights, which is how airliners fly from airport to airport. After Primary you select either P-3/E-6's or carrier aircraft. Intermediates has more airways navigation, some visual navigation at about 1,500 ft and then you start flying the T-39 where you do airways navigation and a few low levels. After intermediate you select either e-2's or jets. If you go jets you stay in p'cola and go to VT-86. In '86 you do lots of low levels, most of which are "out and in's" where you land some place, get lunch, and then fly home, doing low levels on the way there and back. You also do radar navigation flights. Towards the end you switch to the T-2 and get to do low levels (very low), basic ACM (dog fighting), and several formation flights.

Hope this helps. In the end I flew or had an event just about every day of the week, which helps you move fast.

 

[NFOwife]

No, he went carrier jets (strike).

 

[Sabre170]

Can somesome give me the pros and cons of P-3/E-6's? I take it that these aircraft can not land on a carrier? Does that mean they deploy less? or If an NFO is stationed at Atsugi, Japan, do they spend more time on TAD or do they sleep at home most nights?

 

[Flash]

Can somesome give me the pros and cons of P-3/E-6's? I take it that these aircraft can not land on a carrier? Does that mean they deploy less? or If an NFO is stationed at Atsugi, Japan, do they spend more time on TAD or do they sleep at home most nights?

A big advantage of P-3/EP-3/E-6 is the stability of the lifestyle. For P-3's they have a deployment schedule that is usually pretty fixed, going out for 6 months. You do some dets in between your deployments but they are usually not that hard, a weapons shot from Whidbey down to San Diego for 3 days is an example. When you go overseas you usually stay in decent quarters with decent quarters and a nice chunk of per diem, that is usually. There are a couple of places in the Middle East that suck though, and you recieve little per diem to make up for it, usually the cooler the place the higher the perdiem. Usually you end up going on 2 deployments when you are in your squadron. It used to be 12 months between deployments but I think it is being extended to 18 months (Zab, Webmaster?). In my opinion not a good thing, too much time at home.

EP-3's usually go on 2 month deployments, and the schedule can vary a bit because they deploy individual crews and not the squadron. One advantage is that your schedule is adjustable. You don't choose when to go on the road but they try and make sure they treat people right, not one guy I know missed the birth of his child when I was in VQ. We were not at war then though. You usually end up going on 6-8 deployments in your tour.

E-6's do about 3 week dets, usually in CONUS. It is a lot easier to stay in for a shore tour in OK City because they have their own RAG and Wing there so some family guys like to get stationed there. Mission is pretty boring though.

None of the above planes land on a carrier, way too big. The advantage to all of the above is the relative stabilty compared to boat life. Between the extensive workup periods between deployments, practicing landing on the boat and surge deployments, carrier life is a bit busier and nowhere near as stabe nowadays.

Atsugi you ask? The only way you are going to be stationed there is if you are in Air Wing 5. The good news is that they do shorter deployments (usually) and they go to some pretty cool ports (usually). The bad news is that they go to sea more than anyone else. They are also the "911" carrier. Any time they need one right now they send the Kitty Hawk, they are always ready to deploy. My good buddy who went there spent more time on the road than at home. So what is the advantage? Every single guy I know who has been stationed there has loved it.

 

[zab1001]

Dets these days range from the 3 day job Flash mentioned to 3-4 week monsters. Expect at least one biggie per home cycle, with others mixed in. 95% of the time they are great deals. Good chance to fly a lot, get away from squadron day-to-day nuances, do fun some training, bond with your crew, and MAKE THAT PER DIEM.

Deployments...uh...I'm out of the loop there. The 12 on, 6 month 'surge', and 6 month cycle is planned, but so is MMA....

Deployment sites: I was a West Coast guy, so I know 5th and 7th Fleet (Mid-East and Japan respectively).

5th Fleet=Boring Liberty, 5 star hotel rooms or sh!thole closets stuffed to the max with j.o.s (any arguments on that one, I can post a picture of my room in Oman). Massive amounts of cash thanks to not paying any taxes if you are in the Gulf (done on a month by month basis, i.e. if you are in the Gulf ONE DAY that month, you pay no taxes), various and forms of pay for flight in combat zones. Exciting flying, lots of crazy sh!t going on.

7th Fleet= Max Blast Lib-O, Very Good to Excellent food and quarters (ah the Royal Garden....), Money isn't bad (depending on the political situation down south, you may get tax free) but it isnt as good as 5th. Missions....well they aren't that exciting. A few good spool-ups about once a month, but I got a TON of flight time. Lots of logistics runs for the guys in 7th fleet, which equals great stopovers in strange places.

P-3 deployments run in 6-7 months and usually run like this:
Month 1: Holy Sh!t, whats going on? OK OK, we can handle this. Hey who wants to work out?
Month 2: We run this sh!t. Nothing can shock us. Who wants to work out again tonight?
Month 3: Groundhog day begins. Days of the week become nothing but names. Pray to be left off the flight schedule one evening/morning for booze-ex. Workouts shift to every other day.
Month 4: I hate everybody. Leave me alone. Oh you have booze? Come on in buddy! F*ck the gym.
Month 5: Morale was low, but wait! A kick ass det to Australia/Thailand/Seychelles, new faces, new mission, new fun, hey this isnt so bad....I'll lift tommorrow.
Month 6: HOMEHOMEHOMEHOMEHOME. Countdowns in full effect. Realize you havent bought any souveniers/presents, start buying worst crap available in sh!thole foreign military field giftshops ("here Mom, I bought you these CERAMIC BLUE MONKEYS HOLDING BOWLS ON THEIR HEADS"...."uh thanks"..."Here's some Japanese gum that tastes like hot dogs..."). Manically start running 5 miles a day to work off binge drinking. Single guys realize they don't have housing set up for when they get back.


3 months into homecycle...."Man, I miss deployment..."

 

[VetteMuscle427]

How do they gauge per-diem? I thought the whole point of per-diem is to pay for your living expenses? And if they are putting you up in good quarters, why pay you more than if you are in crappy ones?