As in, you'll love love the Army, but it won't love you back? Yeah, I'll go with that.
Ask the dudes on their 4th or 5th year long deployment to the lovely ****-holes we are operating in. I've always loved the "our deployments are a whole 6 months" line from the AF cats. At least they can bet on seeing their family more than once in a 12 month period.
I'd give my middle nut for 6 month cycles. At least then the dwell time would be a little more consistent. I guess in the end, it might work out in the wash with total time being gone, but still 6 months is a lot easier to deal with. I have been told that the grass isn't always greener, but in this case, I doubt it.
As far as the experience goes, IMO, aviation is fighting three different types of battles for the same common goal. In no particular order, you have first the mobility folks or those that support them, second you have the intel platforms, third, you have the shooters. I think most of the airframes fighting now fall under one of those umbrellas.
However, your service variants are going to differ vastly in how they go about getting those jobs done. For instance, in my world, which is cargo and troop movement, C-17 or C-130 lands with -L pallets which get tagged and broken down and moved onto my airframe for delivery into places the AF won't or can't go. Pallets are either slung or rolled onto the floor for expeditious delivery to some crappy COP or FOB in the middle of nowhere. During delivery, I am usually shot at with small arms and RPG's multiple times. Pallets are dropped off and sometimes, not always, I pick up troops and get them back where they board the C-17 or C-130 for Bagram.
It is a seamless cycle, usually. However my experience getting the job done is vastly different from another service doing the same job. I come back and regularly inspect my aircraft for unwanted holes. I doubt your normal -17 or -130 pilot does the same. Not saying we are better (even though we all know we are
), but you can see the difference.
No where are you going to be able to do dust landings under goggles in less-than-desirable illumination into squeaky tight LZ's whilst getting shot at. In a very sick sense of the word, it's just fun, man. Dangerous, hell yes. But more fun than anything I have done....ever. I am sure my AF, Navy, and USMC counterparts will say the same thing about their service and their missions, too.
However, if you ask the average grunt (I can say that word, I was one), they view us totally different. Helicopters are a ride to and from the fight, and to and from a warm bed and a shower that hasn't been had in weeks. The Big Birds are the long awaited ride home. I love my aircraft, the Army, and my ever changing mission. I love getting on C-17's to go home even more.
Rant complete. End Transmission.
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