Brief ?'s...

[NFO2IW2016]

Hello All,

Right now, I am stationed at NAS Pensacola. Last Thursday I received the call that I was picked up for CWO on this latest POCR board. I did manage to speak with my detailer before the long weekend and he recommends DIRSUP AIR in either Hawaii or Georgia. From my understanding, I will be heading to Hampton Roads, return back to Pensacola, then be shipped off.

Cutting to the chase:
What should I expect these next 3-4 months?

With regards to the DIRSUP positions, are these good billets to at least get my foot in the door?

Thanks in advance, please feel free to add any other sound advice for a prior-brown shoe guy.

[ga10]

The next year is going to be pretty hectic for you, between aircrew pipeline, CWO/IWCO quals, and training dets, but taking aircrew orders to GA for my first tour was the best decision I ever made. You learn a fast-paced mission, go on det to cool places, and will be well set up for follow-on tours.

[NFO2IW2016]

The next year is going to be pretty hectic for you, between aircrew pipeline, CWO/IWCO quals, and training dets, but taking aircrew orders to GA for my first tour was the best decision I ever made. You learn a fast-paced mission, go on det to cool places, and will be well set up for follow-on tours.

Thank you for your reply! My detailer recommended I put in for DIRSUP Air in either GA or HI. I told him that I am open to either one, but HI would be perfect right now seeing as I don't have any hard obligations from picking up here in Pcola and going out there with my wife. I will take either as mentioned, but I really want that HI billet.

[Sum1]

I'm not exceptionally familiar anymore with the deployment/rotation schedules in Hawaii, but you can't beat it as a duty station. I spent nearly 10 years there both enlisted and as an officer.

[Mjölnir]

First congrats, welcome aboard ... go Navy

DIRSUP Air is a good first tour, you will get familiar with both the IWC and 'The Navy' as an officer (I got the impression you are enlisted ATM -- many CWO's are prior, so plenty of good company to be in). Really, whether you go to HI or GA you very likely will be doing similar missions with a different area focus. Factors to take into consideration:

1. Family. Are you married, kids etc? HI is expensive ... not prohibitively so but $$$ is a factor. Also, if you have dependents with medical considerations, HI may be a no go as well.
2. Prior experience. Do you have prior experience in 5th Flt? 7th Flt? This could be a factor in how quickly you get spun up on your positional qual.
3. What do you want to do for your 2d tour? It sounds silly, but moving half a world away and 3 years later dong it again wears on your Mk1Mod0 Sanity (& family).

I flew in GA, was the DIVO for the AIROps div as well (a couple other alumni float around on here as well.) Am happy to answer any questions you have.

[CNO Guy]

NFO2IW2016 - lots of good options out there for a first tour, but I would remind you that your first tour is first and foremost a qualification tour. If you manage to get qualified 1810, earn your pin, and get enough DIRSUP time in to get your tactical air AQD, then that is superb...but don't lose sight of why you are at that first tour - to qualify. There are other options out there for tactical tours following your qualification tour that you should talk through with the detailer as well.

[NFO2IW2016]

First congrats, welcome aboard ... go Navy

DIRSUP Air is a good first tour, you will get familiar with both the IWC and 'The Navy' as an officer (I got the impression you are enlisted ATM -- many CWO's are prior, so plenty of good company to be in). Really, whether you go to HI or GA you very likely will be doing similar missions with a different area focus. Factors to take into consideration:

1. Family. Are you married, kids etc? HI is expensive ... not prohibitively so but $$$ is a factor. Also, if you have dependents with medical considerations, HI may be a no go as well.
2. Prior experience. Do you have prior experience in 5th Flt? 7th Flt? This could be a factor in how quickly you get spun up on your positional qual.
3. What do you want to do for your 2d tour? It sounds silly, but moving half a world away and 3 years later dong it again wears on your Mk1Mod0 Sanity (& family).

I flew in GA, was the DIVO for the AIROps div as well (a couple other alumni float around on here as well.) Am happy to answer any questions you have.

Good morning Stalwart, and thank you for the warm welcome! I have been in the Navy 3 years, and was actually a prior Student Naval Flight Officer stationed here at NAS Pensacola. Got out of aviation due to an accident I was involved in, and transferred to 1810 following the results of my POCR board last week. Here are my answers to your considerations that I should keep in mind:

1.) Family. I am married, but have no children. My wife and I are doing pretty well with her not working. And before anyone calls her a dependa, she has busted her ass to be where she is in life. College educated, and has worked to pay off her student loan debt, etc. In the grand scheme of it all, we honestly don't have that much debt. We have no kids, and no pets that would be hard to go out there with, from what I've heard through other 1810s.

2.) No prior experience, but I am an eager learner, willing to head to wherever the Navy needs me most. I expect a challenge these next couple of months, but that comes with the job.

3.) For my second tour, after getting qualified I imagine, I would prefer to be underway. 3 years in as a JG and no warfare device has the potential for being a disaster for ones long term career goal. Please excuse me if I am talking out of my rear, as I am still brand new to this entire experience. I am all ears with regards to what to expect, especially ones that have quality first hand BTDT experience.

I greatly appreciate your advice. I am all ears. The biggest question I have is... If you were JG joeschomo from the aviation side of things, what would you do at this point in ones career?

[NFO2IW2016]

NFO2IW2016 - lots of good options out there for a first tour, but I would remind you that your first tour is first and foremost a qualification tour. If you manage to get qualified 1810, earn your pin, and get enough DIRSUP time in to get your tactical air AQD, then that is superb...but don't lose sight of why you are at that first tour - to qualify. There are other options out there for tactical tours following your qualification tour that you should talk through with the detailer as well.

Good morning to you as well CNO Guy. I appreciate the advice. I will make sure to ask all of the right questions to ensure that I get qualed for my first tour. As previously mentioned in my last post, I really need to get my butt in gear here. I am willing to go anywhere and take any hard billet I need to take to ensure I have a successful career.