Ask a Naval Aircrewman

Haasino · 09-11-2014, 08:01 AM

If you get the AWO rating... which is the most likely option right now... your duty stations will be Jacksonville, FL if you fly on the P-8 Poseidon, and Whidbey Island, WA or Kaneohe Bay, HI if you fly on the P-3 Orion. There are 3 squadrons in Hawaii, but they're going to be moving to Whidbey Island starting in 2017... so ultimately all Patrol Squadrons will be in Jax or Whidbey. There are no AWO's stationed in San Diego... however, we do make dets (Think, few days to a few week mini-deployments) to San Diego from Whidbey for counter-narcotics missions. AIRR is a Naval Special Warfare program, so it's technically always available to you if you want to try to compete for it... once you leave for RTC, however, the chances of getting it go down significantly. And unfortunately, yes, a lot of people get disqualified from Aircrew by the flight physical... some are non-waiverable and have to choose another rating, but most can obtain a waiver... I had to stick around RTC and work an admin job for 2 months waiting for a waiver to clear; I actually spent more time in Great Lakes as a Sailor than I did as a Recruit, lol. They've since streamlined the waiver process though... so you wouldn't be waiting as long as a lot of us did before you if you need a waiver.

09-11-2014, 08:01 AM	#11
Haasino Active Duty Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 1,439 Rep Power: 0	If you get the AWO rating... which is the most likely option right now... your duty stations will be Jacksonville, FL if you fly on the P-8 Poseidon, and Whidbey Island, WA or Kaneohe Bay, HI if you fly on the P-3 Orion. There are 3 squadrons in Hawaii, but they're going to be moving to Whidbey Island starting in 2017... so ultimately all Patrol Squadrons will be in Jax or Whidbey. There are no AWO's stationed in San Diego... however, we do make dets (Think, few days to a few week mini-deployments) to San Diego from Whidbey for counter-narcotics missions. AIRR is a Naval Special Warfare program, so it's technically always available to you if you want to try to compete for it... once you leave for RTC, however, the chances of getting it go down significantly. And unfortunately, yes, a lot of people get disqualified from Aircrew by the flight physical... some are non-waiverable and have to choose another rating, but most can obtain a waiver... I had to stick around RTC and work an admin job for 2 months waiting for a waiver to clear; I actually spent more time in Great Lakes as a Sailor than I did as a Recruit, lol. They've since streamlined the waiver process though... so you wouldn't be waiting as long as a lot of us did before you if you need a waiver.