Question For The Navy Folks

[PUCKFA18]

Joey C,

I sympathize with you but the bottom line is the taxpayers spent a significant amount of money on you and you quit because it wasn't exactly what you thought you wanted.

The reality is the point of military aviation isn't for everyone to achieve their "dreams." Military pilots are officers first and pilots second. Every day when I walked out to the line to man up an aircraft I passed a whole lot of people in maintenance and on the ramp working their butts off who had enlisted for a variety of reasons, non of which including facilitating me going out and having fun and logging flight hours.


Flying was just a part of the job - and it's not always a blast (though many times it certainly was). If you are looking for something more exciting I would recommend paragliding or skydiving. But if you are willing to lead and serve others, stay up late writing properly-written evals on your troopers, stay up from 2-5am sitting in a cockpit during a high-power turn without complaining, keep at it with the same motivation in flight school after you have a bad flight or two, stand a bazillion watches, take it like a man when they tell you the "needs of the navy" mean you won't be flying your first choice of aircraft, sit down and council a young enlisted guy why a 25% loan isn't a good idea, generally put your troopers' interests and needs ahead of your own I wish you the best of luck and sincerely hope it works out for you.

Well Said Aubie!!

 

[SIG600]

Joey C,

I sympathize with you but the bottom line is the taxpayers spent a significant amount of money on you and you quit because it wasn't exactly what you thought you wanted.

The reality is the point of military aviation isn't for everyone to achieve their "dreams." Military pilots are officers first and pilots second. Every day when I walked out to the line to man up an aircraft I passed a whole lot of people in maintenance and on the ramp working their butts off who had enlisted for a variety of reasons, non of which including facilitating me going out and having fun and logging flight hours.

Flying was just a part of the job - and it's not always a blast (though many times it certainly was). If you are looking for something more exciting I would recommend paragliding or skydiving. But if you are willing to lead and serve others, stay up late writing properly-written evals on your troopers, stay up from 2-5am sitting in a cockpit during a high-power turn without complaining, keep at it with the same motivation in flight school after you have a bad flight or two, stand a bazillion watches, take it like a man when they tell you the "needs of the navy" mean you won't be flying your first choice of aircraft, sit down and council a young enlisted guy why a 25% loan isn't a good idea, generally put your troopers' interests and needs ahead of your own I wish you the best of luck and sincerely hope it works out for you.

You forgot about working 65+ hour weeks, being at work from 0630 to 2000 or later... 5-7 days a week, forgetting it's your own birthday, going on detachment/workups for 6 months PRIOR to a 6-9 month deployment, missing holidays, deplorable living conditions, broken relationships, etc. etc. etc.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Is anyone covering Couger?

 

[payola]

I sympathize with you but the bottom line is the taxpayers spent a significant amount of money on you and you quit because it wasn't exactly what you thought you wanted.

That's what I was thinking when I first read this thread. So what happens if you get back in and make it through primary but don't select jets (assuming jets is your first choice)? Quit again? Or say you DO get jets but get Prowlers. Quit then? You can pontificate all you want about how you have the desire and motivation to follow through but the point is you proved that you don't by quitting, especially so early on. I don't have any idea what the Navy will tell you, but if I had to make a recommendation on you, those are the things I would be thinking about.

Also, I don't remember anybody asking, but I'm guessing that whatever problem got you NPQd to begin with has been fixed?

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Joey C,

I sympathize with you but the bottom line is the taxpayers spent a significant amount of money on you and you quit because it wasn't exactly what you thought you wanted.

Huh? He quit in API.

 

[pilotyip]

Back in the good ole days if you DOR'ed you had a two year fleet obligation as a E-3 before commissioning, or three years as a Ensign in any non-flying slot after commissioning

 

[Aubie]

Barney,

As you know, most commissionees earned their degree at the expense of the taxpayer. If he wasn't commissioned through the academy or NROTC he still earned a paycheck in OCS and API. The return on the taxpayers' investment is an officer who pledges to support and defend the Constitution, et al...

I'm not trying to bag on Joey - if he desires to be an officer again and live up to what it entails I fully support him. But I know there have been many who were commissioned, went to flight school, got the NAMI whammy, manned up and became NFO's, and fulfilled their obligatuion of service.

I am just trying to emphasize military servics is just that... service.

Got luck to you, Joey. All of us make decisions which we later regret.

 

[puck_11]

As a guy that got NPQ'd in HS from going to the any of the Academies or doing the ROTC thing, I was pretty crushed. I continued to bust my ass while I was in college trying to get a military flight slot, and eventually luck came on my side and the Navy finally decided to waiver asthma. For every guy like me that finally gets in there are a ton more that didn't. I saw a guy DOR in API and the entire class wanted to kill that guy because he wasted a flight slot, all because he just wasn't that into it and only chose aviation because it sounded cool. I know the NAMI Whammy sucks, but you had your shot, maybe its time to let someone else have theirs.

If for some reason you are blessed with another chance at earning wings of gold, I wouldn't let in on to your DORing to any of your classmates or IPs.

 

[PUCKFA18]

As a guy that got NPQ'd in HS from going to the any of the Academies or doing the ROTC thing, I was pretty crushed. I continued to bust my ass while I was in college trying to get a military flight slot, and eventually luck came on my side and the Navy finally decided to waiver asthma. For every guy like me that finally gets in there are a ton more that didn't. I saw a guy DOR in API and the entire class wanted to kill that guy because he wasted a flight slot, all because he just wasn't that into it and only chose aviation because it sounded cool. I know the NAMI Whammy sucks, but you had your shot, maybe its time to let someone else have theirs.

If for some reason you are blessed with another chance at earning wings of gold, I wouldn't let in on to your DORing to any of your classmates or IPs.

I had 6 guys DOR API(1986) back when Tom Cruise was cool, then reality checked in???? Not one of us wished them well........

 

[727C47]

I was an aviation guarantee back in '82 ,when I missed 2 letters on the fine print line of the chart,and Mother green,said no P-cola for you,but heres an M16, and a .45 ,if you are interested, I stayed on as a Grunt,did my tour (loved it),and pursued flying civvie side. After reading all the above, I'm siding with the guys who hold that service above self is the higher course here. hey,God bless you if you are given a second shot, and if you get it please make the most of it,but it really isn't about you anymore when you raise your right hand,and sign that blank check for whatever happens down the line. It is an honor to serve, whether at Fl430 breaking mach, or in a fighting hole neck deep, holding the line. cheers,end of rave.

 

[PUCKFA18]

I was an aviation guarantee back in '82 ,when I missed 2 letters on the fine print line of the chart,and Mother green,said no P-cola for you,but heres an M16, and a .45 ,if you are interested, I stayed on as a Grunt,did my tour (loved it),and pursued flying civvie side. After reading all the above, I'm siding with the guys who hold that service above self is the higher course here. hey,God bless you if you are given a second shot, and if you get it please make the most of it,but it really isn't about you anymore when you raise your right hand,and sign that blank check for whatever happens down the line. It is an honor to serve, whether at Fl430 breaking mach, or in a fighting hole neck deep, holding the line. cheers,end of rave.

Welcome aboard NJA/Warrior

S/F

 

[VVJM265]

Welcome aboard NJA/Warrior

S/F

I'll second that; I'm pretty sure you'll love it here at NetJets! And thank you for your service.

 

[727C47]

Thank you gents !