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The non-flying side of being an aviator


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https://fightersweep.com/5352/non-flying-side-military-pilot/

 

The article isn't about Army aviators specifically, but I would love to hear what the more experienced pilots here have to say about it.

 

It does seem that about a quarter of the article is talking about different CBTs (IA, SAPR, BIT, etc...) which everyone has to do, definitely not aviator specific.

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Fire marshal, public works officer, NVG officer, pubs officer and of course, food service officer. All additional duties given to me on my first duty station. That doesn't even scratch the surface in all the non flying classes and training events you'll attend. The Army, like other services just isn't going to pay you to fly.

Edited by Velocity173
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Every pilot is going to have a second job/responsibility outside of flying... for every military aviator..

 

And I see what you are getting at by asking if it would include warrant officers as well, but the answer is yes. they will have other jobs/responsibilities//

 

At least that is my understanding..

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Armorer, Armament, EO, MRT, and ALSO are mine.

 

Also, staff dutyer, courtesy patroller, tent cleaner, container packer, vehicle PMCSer, formation stander, field exercise setter upper, range setter upper, equipment finder, etc.

Edited by SBuzzkill
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can you expand on that at all?

Certainly! Now, the caveat of course is I've been at the unit for a mere week, but also recognize that most of my friends graduated six months before me so I've been talking to them about their units the whole time. So far, my unit had been far and away the best in comparison.

 

What I mean by that is: everyone, I mean *everyone* has just been overwhelmingly kind and helpful. All the other pilots are W3s or higher (unique unit in that sense), and instead of treating me like a WOJG (in fact I haven't heard that term even once), everyone is bending over backwards to ensure I get settled in. One of our MTPs sat me down for 45 minutes just to chat and give his advice for the unit; very informal, just a super nice guy. The Commander is extremely squared away, very fair, all the pilots speak very highly of him, and he doesn't seem to treat any of his Soldiers like they are beneath him. The First Sergeant is very, very friendly and has also been helping me personally get situated and in-processed. The SP refuses to let me call him "Sir," has said "the only thing that separates me and you is experience, so none of that sir stuff." The other MTP is just goofy and a great guy, I mockingly keep volunteering to go be the RUB for him and he thinks it's hilarious.

 

A lot of this stems from the fact that we are 3 hours from the flagpole. We are the only unit at Yakima Training Center besides an EOD unit that is going away. We have literally three buildings and our aircraft right across from them. Because of that, we are all (to include the junior enlisted) treated like adults. Our schedule (since it's a Medevac TDA unit) is a 24-on, 24-off, working only one or two shifts a week and one weekend a month. When you're not on shift and not on your recovery day, you may have to come in for a training flight or for any additional duty stuff you have to take care of, but that's on you, and no one is hovering over your shoulder making sure you're at work or doing stuff. It's simply expected of you to do the right thing, and as a result, people do.

 

My SP and IPs already have me on the flight schedule for the second week of June, and say I'll be progressed to RL1 within 2-3 weeks of that. They are short on pilots and need more up on the schedule. I'm being sent to HAATS sometime between July and September. Oh, and I won't have ANY additional duties until I'm RL1, and even then it'll probably only be the fridge and one or two more. In fact, the fridge hasn't even been mentioned. Meanwhile, my buddy over at JBLM has no less than 8, yes 8, additional duties. And that's not uncommon.

 

This is a unit that has their priorities straight, with people that are mature, squared away, and exceedingly friendly. Oh, and did I mention we apparently fly A LOT?

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The only thing this place is missing is the ability to deploy. That being said, my PL is trying to deploy with JBLM since we fall under the same battalion, so maybe there's a thread of hope there.

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The only thing this place is missing is the ability to deploy. That being said, my PL is trying to deploy with JBLM since we fall under the same battalion, so maybe there's a thread of hope there.

 

Too lazy to go back and get a quote of you being upset about the TDA unit.

 

Get the hours and experience. The deployments will come. My TDA unit is currently <2 years home, and <1 year until next go. Especially busy for a Guard unit, too...

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Too lazy to go back and get a quote of you being upset about the TDA unit.

 

Get the hours and experience. The deployments will come. My TDA unit is currently

Yeah, I was definitely worried but now am as happy as a clam. Life's funny that way.

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Remember that YMMV. I'm also in a TDA unit as my first duty station out of flight school and I have 8 additional duties. And they're not all the "insignificant" ones like Energy Conservation and Voting Assistance. I am the ALSO and 1 of 2 (part time) ALSE Technicians for 70 crewmembers, the NVG Custodian, MRT Facilitator, IMO, OPSEC Officer, EO Officer, UVA, and Social Media Admin. Don't get me wrong, this is a pretty good unit in terms of flight time and mission tasks, but I work my ass off. I was working 12-14 hours a day and sometimes on the weekends for a couple of months when we were getting ready for an ARMS inspection.

 

I did have the same experience as Lindsey in regards to the WOJG games though. They are non existent here, other than a few comments here or there. I'm pretty sure holding off on additional duties until after making RL1 is standard. I wasn't given any until after progression anyway, and either was the other WO1 I arrived with.

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I did have the same experience as Lindsey in regards to the WOJG games though. They are non existent here, other than a few comments here or there. I'm pretty sure holding off on additional duties until after making RL1 is standard. I wasn't given any until after progression anyway, and either was the other WO1 I arrived with.

Pretty good group of folks out here as well. Not nearly as bad as I expected. I am sure the additional duties will start to rack up in the near future. Fair amount of turnover coming.

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Where are you at, Celica?

 

Fort Benning, GA. I'm in what was the sole flight company on post (now there's a Medevac company attached to us). It's a pretty sweet gig as far as flying. I'm qual'd on and frequently perform FRIES, SPIES, Rappels, Helocast, Paradrops, and External Loads. We do a lot of passenger (student) movements, some VIP flying, and we support missions in Eglin and Northern Georgia for Ranger School.

 

OPSEC officer and Social Media Admin? I would exercise the first duty to get rid of the second.

 

Hahaha. Good idea! When OPSEC was assigned to me, they said that's why they gave it to me. If I'm in charge of the Facebook page, then I should also have OPSEC. I guess now I know that I shouldn't have posted all those pictures a few months back! (I kid)

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Recently USAF separated--currently WOFT wannabe.

 

I understand the additional duties as they pertain to the unit itself, but I'm curious about any other obligations to the force as a whole. In my last AFSC my job prevented me from being assigned additional duties outside of normal C2 centers. This was not the case for most other shops. I knew quite a few med techs, and finance guys that got pulled for gate duty and other stuff when the Wing needed bodies. Is the climate similar in the Army?

 

Apologies in advance if it's a stupid question.

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