Originally Posted by
Otterbox
You’re insane if you think any non tacair community is gonna be a cake walk and require less dedication... what other communities lack in required dedication to flying skills like tacair they make up for in required dedication to BS busy work, duty and ground jobs.
Your question has already been answered. Fly jets to be an airline guy... The VQ(T) community sucks QOL wise (I know pilots who would have beerios in the mornings on their day off just so when they got called for another tornado escape det they could tell OPS they already started drinking and wouldn’t be available) but hey you’ll get a 707 type rating...
VP life you’ll end your 8 year commitment on a 2 year non flying boat tour that they won’t let you out of because they don’t want you to leave flight current. Same with helo dudes also... and also VQ.
Sounds like you want to fly helos more than E6s... go for it.
Whatever you ultimately end up putting down on your selection card, don’t put down things because you think life will be easy and you’ll have a high QOL. You won’t, and you’ll be sorry you ended up where you were because reality will be vastly different than what your imagining.
This... 1000x over.
If you’re looking for an easy job and a family life in any community you need to DOR right now, and I’m not even being flippant about that. You’re in for a rude awakening.
Originally Posted by
Synixman
In direct answer of your question if you want to be an airline guy, my list would be VFA, P8s, E6s, E2C2, Helos. I say VFA for simple reason they probably won't have to take a second sea tour and the Navy is at least trying to fix their community's woes. I'm a Helo to VT IP, so I'm mildly relevant to the question.
Then, whatever you get, shut the heck up and don't tell anyone. When you get to your squadron, don't tell a soul about your future plans until you've got shore orders. Gone are the days you could squeak by with an MP out of the fleet and go to CNATRA, although that stigma still hangs around.
I'm not questioning your work ethic or priorities, but just saying be extra careful about career planning beyond being the best damn JO wherever you end up.
To reiterate, every VFA guy I know has been called by every airline they’ve applied to. P3/E6 guys most likely will finish out a tour in a non flying billet with out solid paperwork and some luck/negotiating. Most of the ones I know had to either find a set of orders to get recurrent or slum it at a regional for a bit. Think you won’t go to the boat in these communities? Think again... you just won’t be going off the pointy end. (Enjoy that three year tour as a the V2 divo!) Boat life as a JO in a fleet squadron was one of the best times in my life, anyone that says it sucks shoudlve joined the Air Force (you do know you’re in the Navy right?). Career timing for VFA leaves you right about at MSR when you’re done with that shore tour too.