AD Lifestyle
 

Hello all, I have currently been trying to find more info on the AD rating, and haven't had much success other than the outdated threads on this site. I would like to know what are possible duty locations for Jets, Helos, and Props and will I have to choose one of these ultimately? or is it assigned to you? I know that after boot I will be going to Pensacola for A-School hows life out there?

I'm not an AD, but my rating (AM) works hand in hand with them a lot. I also have some AD friends. Your orders will be assigned to you if I remember correctly. Also you can pretty much go anywhere as an AD really depending if you're assigned O level or I level orders. Pensacola can be a pretty badass place. I would love to go back there if I could. The base is right on the coast and you can walk less than half a mile from your barracks door to the white sand beaches. The winters can be a little cold and the springs can be very wet and humid, but it's still a fun place. Lots to do

Gonna throw this out there. If your going to an amphib ship you won't see much of your actual rate in Port. The squadrons (meu and hsc) bring in their own crew to do actual maintaining of the air craft underway as the squadrons come to the ship(53s, 22s, av8s, huies, cobras, 60s) and you will be doing more administration stuff. This is just from being part of AIMD I'm an AS and work with everyone in AIMD while I have been on LHD6.

By administration stuff I assume you mean like paperwork correct? I always thought ADs spent significant time aboard carriers.

I say this from my experience. Our ship an LHD forward deployed in Japan is in Port for 3 months out at 3 months ish. ADs do maintenence on their "gear" (engine stands, bridge crane, ect) if you're not doing work as an AD you will be helping the ships maintenance (3M)

I'm not speaking for all ADs but the ones here really don't do AD stuff as the Marines are the ones really working on the aircraft engines when they are aboard.