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Old 09-24-2016, 10:30 PM   #356
FlyNavy
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Originally Posted by roseDragon View Post
Do you have to enlist as an AIRR to be a helo crew member? I see this being said some places but when I look at the description for the Aircrew program (AW) it has AWS and AWR listed as rates you can be assigned after candidate school. Are there any "dry" helo rates anymore? I am working on getting an action request to switch rates to AW but I want to find some information first to make the best decision.
AWS's can either go on CH-53's or MH-60S's.

For CH-53 bound folks RSS is not required; for MH-60 folks it is. Heading to CH-53 is what's considered "Dry". That name comes from the fact that you're not a rescue swimmer like your brothers and sisters on the MH-60.

AWRs are strictly "wet" and will be assigned to MH-60R squadrons as rescue swimmers and tactical operators (cool-guy term for you work the gear in the back lol).

For AWR/AWS guys on MH-60's, it really just comes down to what rate you're given after completing RSS. You come in as a candidate, finish NACCS, go over to RSS, and once done with all that then they'll assign you either AWR or AWS(wet). Dry AWS types are selected for their rates after NACCS, as they won't attend RSS. That doesn't mean after NACCS you become one yet however; you still have to go through A-school before being awarded that rate.

Overall there aren't a ton of Dry helo spots; my class only had like 2 out of 24-ish people. Also the MH-53's don't have the best safety record. In the time I've been in the Navy several have gone down during training exercises, and in some cases they lost the entire crew. It's rare but that's a serious thing you need to bear in mind if you go that route.

Flying overall though is very rewarding and very demanding both physically and mentally. SERE school is also no-joke (and you guys don't even have to go to the extra ones us Spooks do. So be glad!). So if that is a route you're able to take, you need to be preparing physically well ahead of time. If you wait until boot camp or when you get to NACCS to prepare physically then you're going to fail.

/r
CTT1
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