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06-19-2014, 09:27 PM | #1 |
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Location: NAS Lemoore
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Anyone out there?
Just curious if there were any other AEs or future AVs out there
Edit 12AUG14: Feel free to ask questions. I apologize in advance for my slow replies. I usually only check this site a couple times a week.
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AE2 (AW) Temen, USN Active Duty. F/A-18 A-F O-Level Maintainer Auxiliary Security Force Last edited by Temen; 08-12-2014 at 01:04 AM. |
06-19-2014, 09:32 PM | #2 |
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I'm an AV waiting to ship 17NOV2014. I do have a DAR in to leave earlier.
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06-19-2014, 09:51 PM | #3 |
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I hope everything goes well with your DAR. Feel free to ask any questions pertaining to AE or AT, I'll do my best to answer them. Also, do you have any preference for what rate you end up with?
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AE2 (AW) Temen, USN Active Duty. F/A-18 A-F O-Level Maintainer Auxiliary Security Force |
06-19-2014, 10:01 PM | #4 |
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Thank you! I'm hoping for the best November isn't too bad of a wait. As far as AT or AE I honestly don't mind either. How's your experience as an AE? Does one have more fluid advancement over the other? Also I spoke with an AEC recently and he briefly told me about USMAPS--do you have any info about that for a future sailor? I know I kind of bombarded you...I appreciate your answers Petty Officer.
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06-19-2014, 11:18 PM | #5 |
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I really enjoy being an AE. At least on F-18s we literally touch every part of the jet. I know the hydraulic system, the engine system, even a bit about the oxygen system. Obviously, I mostly deal with the wiring and lighting, but our wires go to everything so I have to be able to understand the whole aircraft. And even though ATs mostly deal with the computers (for communication, radar, weapons, etc), AEs are responsible for the computers running the flight controls. Also, as an AE its highly looked upon if we get Turn Qualed, meaning you are qualified to turn on the jet's engines and ensure everything is running smoothly so that the pilot can safely fly it. I really think it's the best rate if you want to know the whole aircraft and enjoy troubleshooting.
As far as advancement goes. Both rates are doing decent, though the advancement rate has been declining. Of course it is hard to predict the future and I believe ATs actually have a better advancement rate at the moment. USMAPs is great for any rating really. You just have to log your work hours and once you meet the requirements, you are given a certificate that you can use for civilian employment. I believe it's run by the department of labor. Don't feel bad for asking a lot of questions, that's what I (and everyone else) is here for. To help you out and give you more knowledge than we had coming in.
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06-20-2014, 07:11 PM | #6 |
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Thank you for the info. Ill def keep in touch with any questions. Its seems hard to find AVs with recent experience.
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06-20-2014, 08:24 PM | #7 |
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Glad I could help. I'll do my best to help in the future too, though my time on this site is rather sporadic.
I have noticed there doesn't seem to be many AVs, which is too bad because I'd love to give any hopeful AVs some insight on the rating they may end up with. You can't expect a recruiter to know every rating by heart, nor can you always trust the descriptions that the Navy provides.
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AE2 (AW) Temen, USN Active Duty. F/A-18 A-F O-Level Maintainer Auxiliary Security Force |
06-22-2014, 12:49 PM | #8 |
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I'm a future AV and I ship on July 22nd. How long was your A school? And what were your duty station choices?
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06-23-2014, 08:21 PM | #9 |
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I'll just copy an paste my last explanation since I can't remember the exact lengths of school.
--- COPY --- I can't remember exactly how long each class was. I'll tell you I was in Pensacola from Sept 2011 all the way to Feb 2012. My time there included barracks support (cleaning the barracks), Indoctrination (2-3 days), barracks Yeoman (volunteer), Aircraft Firefighting (I think only a week), Personal Finance, basic electronics class with ATs, AEs, and AWs (I believe it is called ATT), AE A-School. The Electronics class was about 2 months long and it is all computer based lessons covering different types of electricity, generating electricity, electronic components, and basic circuits. There is a lesson on soldering, but no hands on experience. It has some basic troubleshooting for circuits that you do get to work hands on with pre-made circuits. A-School was about 2 1/2 months long and again it was mostly computer based lessons. You mostly learned about reading out wires and how to find various faults in all of the aircraft systems. Like one lesson would be devoted to the landing gear system. First you'd learn the components, then how they work together, and finally troubleshooting techniques to find faults. They have a very interesting computer program that does it's best to simulate reading wires and components on a jet. During A-School you will be able to choose your orders. They usually try to wait until you take your first test, so that you can pick orders depending on your test score. Unfortunately for me, we picked orders before our first test; so we picked at random. What will happen is, the Chief will come in with a list of available orders. He will write them on the board and then you will get to choose in whatever order your class happens to do it in. There will be orders for all sorts of places in the States and over seas. There might be I-Level or O-Level (for AEs, obviously ATO and ATI are stuck in their level) and there could be orders for any type of platform (fixed wing or helicopter). C-School will depend on your platform of course, but mine was about 2 months long. I mostly learned how to use IETMs and went more in-depth on the various aircraft systems. They had a jet that had been disassembled into various sections (such as the cockpit, wings, landing gears, etc) and you got to watch how the aircraft is supposed to work. During some parts of the training I actually got to go replace a few parts and sit in the cockpit to learn the different switches. --- COPY --- But choices vary from time to time and it's hard to predict. If you get F-18 orders you will probably go to Lemoore, CA or Oceana, VA. There's usually a couple for Japan. You could go to Washington or Hawaii even. It's hard to predict. San Diego has a lot of Helo orders.
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07-15-2014, 10:23 AM | #10 |
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Are ae workdays really long?
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07-22-2014, 07:07 PM | #11 |
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It depends on your command and sometimes the work load.
I came from a command whose average work day was 6 hours. My current command has work days around 10 hours long. Night shift usually gets out a little early if they complete the "priority" jobs. On the ship everyone does 12 hour shifts.
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AE2 (AW) Temen, USN Active Duty. F/A-18 A-F O-Level Maintainer Auxiliary Security Force |
07-24-2014, 12:21 AM | #12 | |
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Quote:
I'm Future Sailor Brown (brown was already taken, which is why I'm stuck with BRO XD) and I leave for RTC on the 19th, so there's a great chance we'll be paired together or at the very least we will be going through boot camp together. I look forward to working with you and earning our Sea Legs in the years to come, especially considering we'll both be stationed at Pennsecola for A School. @Temen: Thank you so much for making this thread. As you've noted, it's hard to find people who are AV'S to become AE'S/AT'S and I have had little to no luck in finding threads specifically taking on questions like this format. I haven't gotten to the bottom of the page, so I apologize for asking what you may have already answered, but I do have some questions that have been weighing on my mind. 1) I was under the impression that Aviation Electronics Mate's were the ones who did the trouble shooting, but you mentioned that that's the AT'S mostly. I was hoping to do trouble shooting and work on the software systems mainly for the experience, because i'm interested in the science behind these professions, so my first question is where is that dividing line between AT and AE? 2) My second question is: what is an average day for you like? Pretty straightforward, just interested in what to look forward to and watch out for. 3) Third (a two part question), what are some studying tips that you wish you knew or that you utilized for A-School? I can imagine these rates being very academic oriented as your attention to detail will directly impact the safety of more than one life and I can only assume there's a plethora of information to be learned. As someone with little to no technical knowledge, how can/will I retain all of the information needed to do my job correctly? 4) Lastly, what are some things you wish you'd have known earlier (either before shipping off to boot, or during A-School) that you know now? Thank you in advance! |
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07-28-2014, 04:22 AM | #13 |
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Sorry for the slow replies to this thread. I don't get on this site as often as I would like to.
1. Every rate will do some troubleshooting, it's just a question of to what extent and what systems. Airframes will troubleshoot the hydraulics system, Mechs will troubleshoot the engines, etc. The defining difference for AEs is that we troubleshoot the electrical signals that connect all of these components together. We have to see if the failed parts are receiving electrical power and the correct "command signals" or if they are sending the correct "position signals". This is why I believe being an AE is the best rate to learn the whole jet. We have to understand how every component of the jet works so we know what signals are supposed to be sent and received by each part. We also have to understand the differnces between broken wires, shorted wires, and corroded wires. ATs (from my experience) mostly deal with the computers that run the jet. So they work closely with the AOs to troubleshoot the weapons systems and they also troubleshoot the radar and communications systems. From what I've seen in the O-Level they generally will just replace the computers that are at fault. They are also capable of uploading new software onto the computers, but generally at the O-Level we can't fix or troubleshoot the computers in the same sense as you would a personal computer. 2. I usually wake up around 0400 to give myself some time with my family before work. My average work day is around 0700-1600. Now keep in mind, you have to be 30 minutes early to EVERYTHING. So I usually leave my house around 0600 so that I have plenty of time to arrive before 0630. On days that we have PT (usually Mon, Wed, Fri) we have PT from 0630-0730 and have to be at work by 0830. As soon as we get to work we check tools, get the tool log set up, sign into the server to print out our current work load. At 0700 the shift supervisor goes to Maintence Meeting and the rest of us go to FOD Walkdown. After FOD Walkdown, the supervisor tells us what the Maintence Chiefs put out. Generally the status of our aircrafts, some critical flight schedule information, work priorities, and any misc. information the Chiefs feel we should know (anything from local events, safety concerns, etc). Usually you can ask to go to the Galley anytime it is open, just know you may be limited on time depending on the work load. Also, only a few people will go to lunch at a time, so work can still be done. Around 1530, the Night Check starts to come in. At 1600, Night Check has their maintenance meeting and generally we start switching out workers. Days will wait to hear Night Check maintenace notes and then go home. My command has 4 duty sections, though the exact number is command dictated. Every day we cycle through duty sections (example: Monday - 1, Tuesday - 2, Wednesday - 3, Thursday - 4). And whoever has duty Friday will have duty Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. During duty days you can't leave the area (usually about an hours drive) and you have to be ready to come back to work at any time (so have your cellphone ready). This means you can't drink and you should try to avoid setting up appointments on your duty days. Also on your duty days you are most likely to have a watch. My command has 8 hour watches, but my last command had 12 hour watches. Watches are genernally either a rover type or an admin type. E-4 and below generally get the Rover watches and they are given an area to rove around. You don't have to constantly rove (usually), but you are expected to check the area at least once an hour. You may also be tasked to clean, wax floors, drive people, or any other task the duty section leader asks of you. E-5 and E-6 are generally given the admin type watches. Usually this consists of receiving phone calls during off-work hours, keeping track of who checks in and out of leave, and keeping the log book up to date. You are also directly in charge of the rovers and responsible to ensure they complete all tasks given to them. Basically, you are in charge of the work place at the end of the work day. 3. I wish I knew about navybmr.com they list all of the publications you should study to pass the current advancement exam. These publications are also the basis for the lessons that you are taught during A-School. For the most part A-School does a good job of teaching technical knowledge to people with no experience in the area. So just focus on maintaining good study habbits. Find what works best for you wether they are flash cards, study groups, writing a lot of notes, etc. 4. You should try to read through the BMR. http://www.navybmr.com/study%20mater...MR%2014325.pdf It contains most of the military information that basic training will teach you. I also wish I knew about the FTS program, but I'm glad things went the way they did. If I can think of anything else, I'll be sure to post it in this thread.
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AE2 (AW) Temen, USN Active Duty. F/A-18 A-F O-Level Maintainer Auxiliary Security Force |
07-28-2014, 12:01 PM | #14 | |
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Excellent Information
Quote:
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07-28-2014, 04:25 PM | #15 |
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Thank you @Temen.
@FutureSailorBro my DAR was approved for an earlier ship date. I ship 20140916. So I'll most likely be graduating as your heading to Great Lakes. |
07-30-2014, 08:58 AM | #16 |
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Temen,
Lots of good information here. Thanks. I was wondering if you have an opinion on getting a laptop or Ipad for AV A School at Pensacola. Is it needed or helpful as far as classes go? I know I'll want one for communication with family and friends but wondered if one or the other would help with school. Thanks! |
07-31-2014, 03:11 PM | #17 | |
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Quote:
You are never required to have a computer though, as there are plenty of computers for everyone in the class. Basically, don't worry about having a computer for work purposes because one will be provided and you will not be able to plug into the government network in class anyway.
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07-31-2014, 04:02 PM | #18 |
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Got in the thread a little late but here's what I personally see add the difference between the AV rates.
AE - they are mostly O level working on the wiring between the components throughout the whole jet. AT O level - they troubleshoot and replace faulty electronic components on the jet. AT I level - this is what I am. We work in freezing cold workshops on the gear that O level pulls out from the jet, repair them, and send them back out. We don't work directly on the planes. |
08-02-2014, 01:03 AM | #19 | |
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Quote:
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08-03-2014, 03:56 PM | #20 |
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08-05-2014, 09:03 AM | #21 | |
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Quote:
Thanks, Temen. |
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08-07-2014, 04:02 PM | #22 |
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Temen,
Is it hard to come by a rotary wing squadron as an AV? Or are the odds similar to how they select you for AE or AT? Thank you in advance. |
08-12-2014, 01:02 AM | #23 | |
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Quote:
The list is for the whole class to choose from, so the order you get to choose usually depends on how your rank academically in the class. Since AEs get to choose at the beginning of class, in my case we drew names out of a hat. From my experience, there was a fairly good distribution between rotary and fixed wing aircrafts. There was also a fair between selection of overseas tours and CONUS tours. Actually, I was originally supposed to get sea duty to HM-14 before I got switched to shore duty at a maintenace unit in California.
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08-12-2014, 02:53 AM | #24 |
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Just a heads up, ATs are no longer choosing orders. They started giving random orders when I graduated. New detailer don't care apparently.
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08-12-2014, 03:25 AM | #25 |
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That really sucks. Thank you for your input though.
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