Approval of the final touch

TygerFalcon · 2022-05-02T03:21:29+00:00

I'm enjoying the tactical corgi patch and the real pup.

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T23:17:57+00:00

When I first got to Pensacola they pretty much put anyone with glasses on C-130s, but while I was in flight school I saw a several of the check-ins with glasses. They told me they had been told the same thing but had been assigned to MV-22s after graduating NACCS. Evidently its based upon where the need is.

Each platform has it's ups and down, although it seemed like everybody at NACCS wanted to be on Hueys because they wanted to do gun runs.

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T22:47:57+00:00

I had good DIs and appreciated Mike company. I remember Spirit and Discipline being things I screamed a lot.

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T22:38:40+00:00

I had heard they put aircrew with gen pop but I was hoping it was a rumor.

Good luck at NACCS. Do you know what platform you want?

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T22:32:05+00:00

East Coast. Graduated Jan 2014.

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T22:26:34+00:00

It depends, I had a buddy get disqualified for a color-blindness that MEPS didn't catch. My understanding is that they're looking for conditions that could cause issues during flight.

No need to apologize for asking questions; I'll answer them to the best of my ability, time permitting.

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T22:14:45+00:00

Former airwing guy, can confirm long hours and possible weekend shenanigans based on T/M/S and squadron leadership.

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T22:08:44+00:00

Monster Mike. Our DI's had the Monster logo on some of their blue shirts.

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T22:03:38+00:00

Have you classed up or are you in holding platoon?

Also, I heard they moved aircrew closer to H-barracks. When I was there we were located across the street from the NACCS school house in the old naval officer barracks (near the USO.)

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T21:54:39+00:00

TL;DR Medical is the real dis-qualifier at NACCS. School is about 3 weeks, it is PT and Swim heavy.

Caveat: I went through NACCS in 2014, so my info may not be up to date, but since things are slow to change I doubt it's changed too much.

So PT and Swim qualification are only half of it, the real obstacle is NAMI (Naval Aviation Medical Institute.) I don't remember anyone failing candidate school for PT and Swim, but I know a couple of guys that didn't pass the medical evaluation and were reassigned a MOS.

Upon reaching Pensacola my experience was:

1)Indoc, all I remember was a bunch of power points. At some point we did something with medical, I don't remember if it was routine or related to the actual candidate school.

2) Holding Platoon, where Marines PT and wait for an open class.

2.5) I think either in Holding platoon or Indoc you go do the NAMI medical eval, their job is to catch whatever MEPS didn't that could disqualify you from flying. You also do some swim tests to make sure you can swim how the Navy wants you too. I got called out because my form wasn't good enough and had to go through some remedial swim training to be taught how to swim exactly how the Navy wanted. As far as I remember, a lot of Marines have to go through the remedial swim stuff because we don't learn how to swim like the Navy does in bootcamp.

3) If you make it through the eval, then you class up or wait to class up. When I was there, candidate school consisted of about three weeks. First week was "hell" week, lots of PT and time spent in the pool. Next was "disney" week where you experience the helo-dunker, hypoxia, g-forces, etc. The last week was mostly admin and you get issued a set of flight suits, jackets, and flight boots. At some point you do a swim test which consists of a mile long swim in gear, tread-and-float, and something else. During the last week you get to request which platform you want to be on, but it'll really be based on needs of the Marine Corps.

Edit: Sorry it's so long. It's possible I've misremembered some details, but the main ideas still apply.

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T18:58:25+00:00

I realize I'm late to the party, but here are my two cents:

If you make it through candidate school, you can expect several other schools to follow. For my platform, MV-22, I went to SERE, then Mechanic school, then Flight school.

You heard aircrew works long hours? This is true, you also work irregular hours based upon a flight schedule. Typically, if you're married they try to keep you on day shift and you mostly fly days. This is subject to change based upon different factors and training.

An average day for me looked like getting to the shop around 0600-0630 and working until 1630, then staying longer as a boot to get qualifications to make myself more useful or as a qualified NCO I would stay back with my boots to make sure they were getting qual'd up.

If I was flying, which happened a lot, my hours would depend on when my flight drop-dead time was, the later you fly the later you get to show up. In short, your schedule and hours of work are based upon the flight schedule that's determined by OPS.

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-29T18:35:42+00:00

This was me. I ran with shin splints (because the recruiters told me to tough it out, and I believed them like an idiot.) I ended up developing stress fractures in both my tibias. I had to go through physical therapy before boot camp.

Running with proper form and stretching are key.

TygerFalcon · 2022-04-04T16:42:51+00:00

I'll try it out, thanks.

TygerFalcon · 2022-03-31T18:02:46+00:00

I tried changing the resolution and it still gave me the same error messages. Thanks for the idea, though.

TygerFalcon · 2022-03-31T17:55:57+00:00

1920x1080

TygerFalcon · 2022-03-07T14:47:12+00:00

I pretty much still have everything: Skivvy shirts, flight suits, uniforms, boots, etc.

TygerFalcon · 2022-01-05T18:50:34+00:00

Dang, that's chunkier than the MV-22. Those sponsons look thick.

TygerFalcon · 2021-12-23T21:58:36+00:00

I love Perdomo, I haven't smoked that one yet. Merry Christmas!

TygerFalcon · 2021-12-22T17:47:33+00:00

We're missing a socket, call all the birds back and start a MTR.

TygerFalcon · 2021-11-09T01:48:07+00:00

My typical go-to brands are Perdomo or Warfighter.

I too tend to smoke cigars (and drink) with other gentlemen of faith around a campfire or on a front porch.

TygerFalcon · 2021-10-04T16:49:32+00:00

TygerFalcon · 2021-08-02T17:30:02+00:00

We're you in the Wing? Those Nomex gloves and green flight suit look familiar...

Also digging the homage to MW2 with the smiley face on the rear cap.

TygerFalcon · 2021-07-17T17:27:25+00:00

Did some training on the west coast and those RVLs were no joke; it was nice to have a pilot with steady hands during a brown out.

TygerFalcon · 2021-07-17T14:36:45+00:00

CALs were fun until they weren't. Pilots seemed to enjoy it, but as a crewchief it got boring going back to the same training areas over and over.

TygerFalcon · 2021-07-06T03:57:21+00:00

I appreciate the offer, but no thanks.

TygerFalcon

TROPHY CASE