Ask a Naval Aircrewman

[Navywife160]

My Husband is on his 4th day of bootcamp.
He went in as a AW
From what I understand he will choose his specific job at ACC school.
Can you explain what ACC school is?

[Haasino]

Originally Posted by Navywife160

My Husband is on his 4th day of bootcamp.
He went in as a AW
From what I understand he will choose his specific job at ACC school.
Can you explain what ACC school is?

Welcome!

Naval Aircrew Candidate School (NACCS) is a 3-week training course consisting of physical training, water survival, and flight physiology courses. I could go into detail about it, but this thread, and this video will cover more than enough information for you...

Prior to the last week of NACCS (After Hell Week), he will be able to list his preference of AWO, AWV, or AWF in order from 1-3; the instructors will then determine what rates are needed at the moment, and assign as necessary. With the current transition and reshaping of Naval aviation, he's most likely to get AWO... though AWF and AWV do still come out.

From NACCS, he'll go on to his respective "A" School, where he'll choose his sub-billet and aircraft type before continuing on to his Fleet Replacement Squadron and SERE before reporting to his initial command. In total, he'll probably be in training commands for ~2 years, and you'll be able to live with him at his FRS when he reports there in ~8-12 months.

[Navywife160]

Originally Posted by Haasino

Welcome!

Naval Aircrew Candidate School (NACCS) is a 3-week training course consisting of physical training, water survival, and flight physiology courses. I could go into detail about it, but this thread, and this video will cover more than enough information for you...

Prior to the last week of NACCS (After Hell Week), he will be able to list his preference of AWO, AWV, or AWF in order from 1-3; the instructors will then determine what rates are needed at the moment, and assign as necessary. With the current transition and reshaping of Naval aviation, he's most likely to get AWO... though AWF and AWV do still come out.

From NACCS, he'll go on to his respective "A" School, where he'll choose his sub-billet and aircraft type before continuing on to his Fleet Replacement Squadron and SERE before reporting to his initial command. In total, he'll probably be in training commands for ~2 years, and you'll be able to live with him at his FRS when he reports there in ~8-12 months.

Thank yo sooo much for your in depth answer! Im new to this so Im unfamiliar with the Navy terminology.
What do you mean when you say they will need to check ratings when he goes to pick his job?
So more than likely he will be assigned a job rather than choosing one?
I thought Hell week was in RTC bootcamp?

[Haasino]

Originally Posted by Navywife160

Thank yo sooo much for your in depth answer! Im new to this so Im unfamiliar with the Navy terminology.
What do you mean when you say they will need to check ratings when he goes to pick his job?
So more than likely he will be assigned a job rather than choosing one?
I thought Hell week was in RTC bootcamp?

They have to check and see what Aircrew ratings are in demand for the week that your husband's class is graduating... one week might be entirely AWO; the next week entirely AWV and AWF, etc... And you are correct... he will essentially be assigned a job. When I gave my list, it was AWV, AWO, and AWF... my classmate put AWO, AWV, and AWF... I got AWO, and she got AWV. In retrospect, I'm glad... but just goes to show they kinda assign at random even when the options are available.

Everyone likes to have a "Hell Week"... RTC Hell Week is Disneyland compared to NACCS... which is Disneyland compared to Rescue Swimmer School... which is Disneyland compared to BUDS, lol.

[FlyNavy]

Haas,

What can I expect for Hell Week at NACCS? I report in next week, I'll have that week long indoc, and then into class I go.

Thoughts?

/r
CTT1

[Haasino]

Originally Posted by CTT1(SW)Griffin

Haas,

What can I expect for Hell Week at NACCS? I report in next week, I'll have that week long indoc, and then into class I go.

Thoughts?

/r
CTT1

As a Fleet Returnee, you'll avoid most/all of the backlog and watches that recruits from RTC deal with. You'll start Week 1 with INDOC, which will be classroom as well as a PRT and Class II swim test. If you don't pass the swim test or PRT (Which requires 100% perfect form on push-ups and sit-ups), you'll go on Swim or PT Hold until you do. From there, you'll jump into the next available class and start Week 2, which is "Hell Week". I'm told the cirriculum has shifted slightly toward the easy side... but as of Feb/Mar 2013, this is what it looked like:

Thursday was "Shock & Awe" day - we did 2 stress-sets, followed by a 3mi formation run, followed by a 3rd stress-set... all the while there were about 15 instructors ranging from PO2s to Marine SSgts and Senior Chiefs screaming at you and telling you you're a piece of shit, that you should just DOR (Drop On Request), that they're not gonna let you graduate anyway, etc. They're just trying to weed out the weak ones, and it worked on 2 candidates. This is also the day they make their judgments on whether or not they want to see you graduate in 3 weeks... if they don't like you, you'll become their Pvt. Pyle and they'll do what they can to make sure you don't make it to graduation. The key is to show determination... watch the instructor leading the PT and, when one walks past you, look at them and sound off loud and proud... they seemed to swarm the ones who were quiet, struggling, or afraid to make eye-contact.

Friday was a 5mi formation run at about an 8min/mi pace... we noticed the attitude from our instructors went from demeaning, to motivating now that "shock & awe" was over. Then, after lunch, we went to the pool and did our WS-3 and WS-4, which was 2min tread/5min float in swimsuit, then again in flightsuit and boots. After that we did a 15min endurance swim in flightsuit and boots.

Monday we went down to the seawall and did the equivalent of 3 stress-sets, with 200m sprints between... then the WS-5 after lunch, which was 2min tread/6min float in flightsuit, boots, gloves, and vest. After that we did a 20min endurance swim in flightsuit and boots.

Tuesday we went to the Aircrew track and did 3 stress-sets, with 2 laps in-between which were timed... then the WS-6 after lunch, which was 2min tread/7min float in flightsuit, boots, gloves, vest, and helmet. After that we did a 25min endurance swim in flightsuit and boots.

Wednesday we did another 2 stress-sets, followed by a slightly slower 4mi formation run... then the WS-7 after lunch, which was jumping off the tower in flightsuit and boots, and swimming submerged for ~25m without any part of your body breaking the surface. Then we did some synchronized swimming where they taught us how to flail our arms and swim through burning surface oil/debris.

Thursday we watched a few episodes of "The Pacific" with the graduating class, while everyone shock & awed the new class outside... then the WS-8 after lunch, which was a 100m swim in flightsuit, boots, gloves, vest, and helmet... followed by demonstration of the 4 ways to use your clothes as a flotation device.

Friday wrapped-up Hell Week with the 1mi confidence swim in the morning, followed by liberty at 1100... easy day. Most annoying part of the mile swim was fighting boredom, and getting kicked by other people in your lane.

Week 3 is "Disney Week" because you do the low-pressure chamber, the helo dunker, parachute training, and low light/night vision training.

Week 4 is another PRT where you have to score at least a Good in every category, then flight gear issue, CPR training, and graduation.

[Navywife160]

Originally Posted by Haasino

As a Fleet Returnee, you'll avoid most/all of the backlog and watches that recruits from RTC deal with. You'll start Week 1 with INDOC, which will be classroom as well as a PRT and Class II swim test. If you don't pass the swim test or PRT (Which requires 100% perfect form on push-ups and sit-ups), you'll go on Swim or PT Hold until you do. From there, you'll jump into the next available class and start Week 2, which is "Hell Week". I'm told the cirriculum has shifted slightly toward the easy side... but as of Feb/Mar 2013, this is what it looked like:

Thursday was "Shock & Awe" day - we did 2 stress-sets, followed by a 3mi formation run, followed by a 3rd stress-set... all the while there were about 15 instructors ranging from PO2s to Marine SSgts and Senior Chiefs screaming at you and telling you you're a piece of shit, that you should just DOR (Drop On Request), that they're not gonna let you graduate anyway, etc. They're just trying to weed out the weak ones, and it worked on 2 candidates. This is also the day they make their judgments on whether or not they want to see you graduate in 3 weeks... if they don't like you, you'll become their Pvt. Pyle and they'll do what they can to make sure you don't make it to graduation. The key is to show determination... watch the instructor leading the PT and, when one walks past you, look at them and sound off loud and proud... they seemed to swarm the ones who were quiet, struggling, or afraid to make eye-contact.

Friday was a 5mi formation run at about an 8min/mi pace... we noticed the attitude from our instructors went from demeaning, to motivating now that "shock & awe" was over. Then, after lunch, we went to the pool and did our WS-3 and WS-4, which was 2min tread/5min float in swimsuit, then again in flightsuit and boots. After that we did a 15min endurance swim in flightsuit and boots.

Monday we went down to the seawall and did the equivalent of 3 stress-sets, with 200m sprints between... then the WS-5 after lunch, which was 2min tread/6min float in flightsuit, boots, gloves, and vest. After that we did a 20min endurance swim in flightsuit and boots.

Tuesday we went to the Aircrew track and did 3 stress-sets, with 2 laps in-between which were timed... then the WS-6 after lunch, which was 2min tread/7min float in flightsuit, boots, gloves, vest, and helmet. After that we did a 25min endurance swim in flightsuit and boots.

Wednesday we did another 2 stress-sets, followed by a slightly slower 4mi formation run... then the WS-7 after lunch, which was jumping off the tower in flightsuit and boots, and swimming submerged for ~25m without any part of your body breaking the surface. Then we did some synchronized swimming where they taught us how to flail our arms and swim through burning surface oil/debris.

Thursday we watched a few episodes of "The Pacific" with the graduating class, while everyone shock & awed the new class outside... then the WS-8 after lunch, which was a 100m swim in flightsuit, boots, gloves, vest, and helmet... followed by demonstration of the 4 ways to use your clothes as a flotation device.

Friday wrapped-up Hell Week with the 1mi confidence swim in the morning, followed by liberty at 1100... easy day. Most annoying part of the mile swim was fighting boredom, and getting kicked by other people in your lane.

Week 3 is "Disney Week" because you do the low-pressure chamber, the helo dunker, parachute training, and low light/night vision training.

Week 4 is another PRT where you have to score at least a Good in every category, then flight gear issue, CPR training, and graduation.

What happends if you DOR or if you just dont make it?

[Navywife160]

Originally Posted by Haasino

They have to check and see what Aircrew ratings are in demand for the week that your husband's class is graduating... one week might be entirely AWO; the next week entirely AWV and AWF, etc... And you are correct... he will essentially be assigned a job. When I gave my list, it was AWV, AWO, and AWF... my classmate put AWO, AWV, and AWF... I got AWO, and she got AWV. In retrospect, I'm glad... but just goes to show they kinda assign at random even when the options are available.

Everyone likes to have a "Hell Week"... RTC Hell Week is Disneyland compared to NACCS... which is Disneyland compared to Rescue Swimmer School... which is Disneyland compared to BUDS, lol.

So thats your Job your an AWO? Can you ever be reassigned your job throughout your tour?

[NavyGirl2015]

I'll give you guys an update on what NACCS does...
You start indoc the first Monday you are there. On the Tuesday of indoc, you will do the second class swim test which has to be done with perfect form or you get out into swim hold, on the Friday of indoc you will do your PST in, which is to see where you are. If you don't pass the "in" scores which is the passing score from bootcamp, you will be in pt hold. Then after indoc, most people are in hold for about one week until they actually class up. It's called backlog. People are in there waiting to be classed up, waiting for orders to leave for a school, people on security hold, and people who got dropped from aircrew waiting on new rates.
You will find out you got classed up on Thursday and you will meet with your class on the next day, Friday. This is where you will get to know your instructors. Andif I remember correctly, you will take the second class swim test again. Monday starts the real fun.

Week 1: I wouldn't consider it "hell week" but maybe just hell days. Like the first two days. You do like 3-4 stress sets in the morning, and in the afternoon you will go to the pool. You will get a brief before each swimming evolution and gradually add more gear. Starting in just swim suits and ending in a flight suit, boots, a flight vest, gloves and a helmet. If you are comfortable in the water you will be fine. Just don't freak out and remember the helmet floats. Week one ends with the mile swim on Friday. In the afternoons, you will have lessons taught to you by your instructor. Oh and on Thursday you will go on a 4 mile run with the grad class and backlog.

Week 2: Disney week. Mainly all of the hard stuff is over by now. You might have a couple stress sets on Monday morning to show the new class how it's done. (I didn't because I had a short week the week before and they didn't class anyone up). We did workout then, wasn't too hard. But this week is more classroom learning. The hardest part is staying awake. If you are non rescue swimmer, this is where you will find out if you will be fixed wing or dry AWS. This week is a lot more fun for fixed wing people because you get to go on the "rides". You will learn how to operate a parachute and how to fix any problems with it, some on land, some in the water. You will have class in the morning, and practical application in the afternoon. We did the in water parachute training on Wednesday and helo dunker training and the dunker on Thursday. After we did the dunker, we went through how to use a raft, what to do when we are rescued, ect. Friday is the PST out. You need 'good' scores to graduate NACCS. And yes, if you fail, you will get put into pt hold. I saw it happen.

Week 3: Congrats! It's graduation week! Monday is more classroom lectures. Tuesday is Tom Cruise Tuesday! This is where you will get issued all your flight gear in the morning, and learn how to wear and care for it in the afternoon. Wednesday morning you will play team sports with backlog and in the afternoon you will do graduation practice. Thursday is the big day! You will put on your fancy graduation shirts and lead a 4 mile run with your class, week 1 class and backlog. I had the pleasure of the rescue swimmer school join us because they had nothing else to do. After you get back you will do a couple stress sets with everyone and then go shower and put on your flight suit for the first time! You graduate around 10 in the morning. Just make sure the Aircrewman's Creed is nice and loud. Following graduation, you will change and then have graduation liberty. On Friday you will be back in backlog.

After you graduate you will be on grad hold waiting for orders. I was on grad hold for 4 weeks. During this time they will hold a grad meeting where you will make your wish list. To kind of put in perspective, we had the grad meeting on a Tuesday, I found out Wednesday I was leaving Thursday. It can happen really fast, or you could find out you are leaving in weeks. Just be ready.

This timeline might not be perfect because I had a short week during my class so events might be on different days when you will go through.

Good luck and Hooyah Aircrew!!