What about Navs?

[chawbein]

All you Air Force Navs out there, I have a couple of questions.

Did you enjoy your time as a Nav? Did you find the job fulfilling? Would you do it again?

Just curious, because I still want to serve even if I should get DQ'd because of eyesight.

 

[jumppilot]

I've also wondered what there is in the civilian world for Navs and NFOs...

Thanks for asking the question, lets hope people answer.

 

[CCDiscoB]

Hey Chawbein,

What happened? Did you fail your physical?

 

[chawbein]

No, I can't get ahold of anyone to approve a physical (d@mned reserve recruiter hasn't answered her phone in six months), so I went to an opthamologist and had him check out my eyes. The refractive error for my astigmatism is out of spec (the limit being 1.50 and my prescription being 1.75 and 2.00). I'm not sure how bad this is or if it is waiverable, but that's something that will be decided later. I just want to serve, especially after hearing the "human shield" guy on Fox & Friends this morning. I'm not really all that concerned with afterwords, I like being a programmer OK, or maybe I'll go get my masters in engineering.

 

[CCDiscoB]

I'm sorry to hear that. But, keep plugging until you hear from an AF doc, and they say no to your waiver.

If it is the worst-case scenario, you may want to consider the B-52 again. They have 3 navs per aircraft vs. the C-5, which may or may not have a single nav.

 

[chawbein]

If I'm sitting in the back, I might as well be an instrument of my nation's destructive power.

It's not as bad as I say though, I think that the refractive error for astigmatism falls under the -3.00/+3.00 refractive error limits for automatic waiver. In short, I think I'm a candidate for automatic waiver.

 

[bssthound]

I've enjoyed my nav time thus far.

I LOVED my time in the backseat of the Rhino. That was by far the best time I've ever had in the defiance of gravity.

The KC-135 was great because I got to see a large percentage of the planet. Especially since it was with the Guard and we'd never be anywhere more than a week unless it was a good locale.

The Herc is a great airplane. I enjoy the Hurricane mission because we're providing a service that gives pretty visible feedback. Nice to hear the "thank yous" from the Coastal residents at airshows.

Best of all; the people. I have served with some marvelous folks.
Almost every single person I've flown with has been great.

As for an outside job . . . Airline dispatcher is the only thing that comes immediately to mind. A lot of the dispatch stuff is in the nav's everyday job. A couple of my nav buds have gone through dispatch school, only having to spend two weeks due to their background.

There are quite a few navs, myself included, who've gotten their pilot ratings and landed airline jobs. My nav time played prominently at my ASA interview. I interviewed with an Army helicopter guy and had featured my nav time prominently. It's, in my case, 3000+ hours of situational awareness.

Would I do it again?? HAIEEEELL F*#K@NG YES!!!! I've had a heck of a time and am proud to have served my country with some of the best people I've ever known.

Would someone extend a hand while I feebly jump down from this soapbox????

BTW: I would not go to Nav School expecting to retire as a nav. The career field is slowly drying up.