Ask a Naval Aircrewman

[Rooster]

So I'm reading that when you take the Class II swim test at RTC you have to be PERFECT otherwise they fail you. Are you only given one shot to be PERFECT?

[FlyNavy]

Originally Posted by Rooster

So I'm reading that when you take the Class II swim test at RTC you have to be PERFECT otherwise they fail you. Are you only given one shot to be PERFECT?

At RTC you should be taking the 3rd class swim test, not 2nd.

/r
CTT1

[Rooster]

So I take the Class II Swim test at NACCS and not at RTC?

[FlyNavy]

Originally Posted by Rooster

So I take the Class II Swim test at NACCS and not at RTC?

Correct. RTC is basically just jump off the ledge, swim to the end of the pool, and use your coveralls to float for a bit. If you can swim at all you should be fine.

The 2nd class one isn't really much harder. I had to do it for VBSS and didn't have any issues.

/r
CTT1

[Haasino]

Sorry about the delay, guys... I've been keeping busy converting jet fuel into exhaust for democracy...

Originally Posted by Rooster

I saw on the first page you mentioned you were 28 going through NACCS; I'll be 28 if not 27 by the time I get through the AIRC pipeline. What are some of the difficulties you've experienced, not necessarily at NACCS, but Navy life in general having joined at an older age than most?

Honestly? Patience... especially while in training commands. You're going to generally be a bit more mature and able to follow the rules, only to be punished anyway because some dumb 18 year-old E-1 screws up anyway. You're also going to have to realize that rank comes before age... a 21 year-old E-6 is an E-6... and a 28 year-old E-1 is an E-1. I went from being a cop, to running movie sets as a safety supervisor and armorer, to being an E-3 student who was older than all of my instructors and 1 of my Chiefs.

There are two kinds of 26+ year-olds in lower enlisted ranks: the ones who can recognize and respect rank and generally excel in their careers... and the ones who walk around acting like their age entitles them to different treatment who are ultimately labeled "shitbags" and generally don't do so well career-wise.

Originally Posted by Fullmetal

So I'm in decent shape and I'm sure boot camp would not be a problem , I ship out 29th of April next week!! A little worried about naccs though .... If I push myself everyday up until boot camp and go hard as hell in bootcamp , do you think I'll be ok for naccs? I don't wanna fail and I'm ready to exhaust my body to its limits just to pass .

Well, crap... missed that one by a day. If you come back after RTC and see this, you'll be fine... just don't give up and power through NACCS.

Originally Posted by Rooster

So I'm reading that when you take the Class II swim test at RTC you have to be PERFECT otherwise they fail you. Are you only given one shot to be PERFECT?

You have the option to take it at RTC... but it's very hard to pass there and you'll just be taking it again at NACCS. You can do it if you wanna try... I did... but don't freak out if you get pulled out of the pool.

[FlyNavy]

Haas,

In regards to AWR and AWS, what's the big difference? Do AWRs still do much tactical work or is it all Rescue Swimmer? Are they each designated for specific air-frames?

/r
CTT1

[Haasino]

Originally Posted by CTT1(SW)Griffin

Haas,

In regards to AWR and AWS, what's the big difference? Do AWRs still do much tactical work or is it all Rescue Swimmer? Are they each designated for specific air-frames?

/r
CTT1

The biggest difference is that AWR's do anti-submarine warfare and limited anti-surface warfare, while AWS' do Vertical Replenishment. AWR is more tactically-oriented, so they tend to do the CSAR missions whereas AWS' are utility and whatnot. Both overlap into the CSAR and NSW support world to an extent... but the biggest thing is the ASW/ASuW element. Neither one focuses on the rescue swimmer element... some do a lot of SAR stuff, others never do real-world SAR.

Platform-wise, now that the Navy has consolidated their helos, AWR's are on the MH-60R, while AWS' are on the MH-60S... they don't cross-platform.

[FlyNavy]

Originally Posted by Haasino

The biggest difference is that AWR's do anti-submarine warfare and limited anti-surface warfare, while AWS' do Vertical Replenishment. AWR is more tactically-oriented, so they tend to do the CSAR missions whereas AWS' are utility and whatnot. Both overlap into the CSAR and NSW support world to an extent... but the biggest thing is the ASW/ASuW element. Neither one focuses on the rescue swimmer element... some do a lot of SAR stuff, others never do real-world SAR.

Platform-wise, now that the Navy has consolidated their helos, AWR's are on the MH-60R, while AWS' are on the MH-60S... they don't cross-platform.

I love it when you tell me what I want to hear haha <3

From the looks of it, my AWO possibilities might be drying up; which leaves me with AWR as my only shot. So I've basically just been busting ass in the gym the last few weeks.

-Griffin

[FlyNavy]

Dear Haasino,

I hope you're not dead. It's so quiet here lately...

Sincerely,
Griffin

[BonzerAsp]

Go AWF for TACAMO CTT1! We need more FEs lol in fact, I think we're close to hitting a red line for them

[Haasino]

Originally Posted by CTT1(SW)Griffin

Dear Haasino,

I hope you're not dead. It's so quiet here lately...

Sincerely,
Griffin

Nope, I'm alive... just keeping busy! I had one of those moments today where I realized I've been in the Navy since longer than breakfast when my buddy checked into NACCS as an instructor, lol...