Naval Aircrewman | Navy AIRR | Navy Special Program | Navy Special Operations. Community Split
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- Опубликовано: 5 май 2023
- Naval Aircrewman. Navy rescue swimmer, Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer, SAR swimmer and AIRR are the many different titles we have within the navy special programs and navy special operations side of the house. Helicopter crewman are one of the most misunderstood jobs in the navy. Hopefully, I clear up some things many people get wrong about us. The ones who get it wrong the most are other crewman funny enough. I cannot think of a mission that a helicopter can do that I haven’t done besides putting out fires with a Bambi bucket.
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This is one of the best videos about how someone got their job in the military that I’ve seen. I’m 40 and trying to enlist and I don’t like the people who hate their jobs or don’t have pride in their job. Thank you for being honest and upfront
No problem
I could listen to you talk all day. Really great stuff man, you’re a natural storyteller. Thanks for your insight as I discern my own navy path
Love the video. Was an AW in a P-3 squadron. Never stepped foot on a ship, and our shop was at the end of the hangar with a big metal door that you need a code to enter. What AWs got away with was almost criminal, we felt sorry for the pilots. Man those guys have it way worse than us. Being an AW in the P-3 navy is the closest you can come to Naval royalty. Best job in the entire Navy.
95-98 VP-45 AW! Yes we got away with some shady stuff!😊
AW P-3 VP-22 here as well 87-92. Yes, we got away with a lot of stuff. It was a cool Navy job compared to the "Real Navy". The "Other Navy" is the way to go. The classic old saying from non aw's was ..." Those F'in AWs"
I concur - I was in VP-10 as an AO/IFO and some of my best friends to this day are AW's. We had the best crew. My sensor 3 taught me how to find surface contacts, send the flight station the fly to points, then at about a 1/2 mile out I'd go to the flight station to rig whatever ship it was & then go back to SS3. I felt bad that my SS3 was the only guy that couldn't sleep a little bit during the long, boring D&M missions so I did it to help him & keep myself from boredom.
Great story! I am PR in the navy and went on to become a Special Operations Parachute Rigger. Your story reminds me of the SO PR side of the house. A lot of people think we just pack parachutes, but we do a lot more and trained/ specialized in different areas in the special operations community. Enjoyed your story, would love to see more! 🤟🏽
Very interesting story Darien, and as I have said on some of your earlier videos thank you for serving!
I was an Army Airborne LLRP and Ranger back in the 1970s and can not tell anyone what the regular Army is like!
T.E.D. funny stuff, like a REMF!!
Thank you as well. We all have a story and this is only a small part that had such a major impact on me.
HS-14, HC-5 and HSL84 90-98. AWS6. Thank you for continuing to serve.
I was an AO. After two years SWA duty on a carrier, I accidentally became an Aircrewman in the reserves with a P-3 Squadron. Somehow I received orders to fill an air crew billet. The squadron trained me to be an observer and passed the helo dunker qualifications. Within a year I earned my wings and became an inflight Ordnanceman. Eventually I earned my NATOPS blue card check riding other Ordnanceman.
Excellent description of what we went through! I most definitely, going to show this to new applicants in DEP program that’s trying to make it through the pipeline.
Brennan. Didn’t even know you knew about my channel. I’m glad to help out the community.
@@PhDarien been watching for a while!! Going to show in a school and just stop before the definition of Ted!!😂😂😂😂
Haha! They’re learn that one on their own I guess. 😂
My son just qualified for aircrew and did the "warrior challenge” and got offered a rescue swimmer contract. Exciting times ahead for him
That’s awesome!
@@PhDarien Like you , money was the biggest motivator , but I’m sure that will change after he gets involved in it
Great video! Enjoyed it and it brought back some old memories. I was in RSS back in 1996 when it was a 4 week training class. Wished I could remember my class number...but that was a long time ago. I was in the HSL community on both coasts. HSL-41, HSL-45 and HSL-40. We graduated with 6. Many dropped to the side over that 4 weeks. Keep up the great work!
Thank you and thanks for paving the way for me. Although it’s a shorter course, it’s intense as hell.
Glad you prove them folks wrong rs some amazing stuff right here ong
You taught me about TEDS when you were my Instructor at SAR School haha I never forgot that. Awesome channel!
Dang! Glad you remembered. Thanks bud.
I was just a few month ahead of you going through NACCS and RSS. I was lucky enough to keep aircrew after rolling twice in RSS and joined the AMCM community in Norfolk flying H53’s. I got chills listening to your story considering we went through so many of the same experiences and were probably in the same building together at some point (graduated Great Lakes first week of Sept 2001). Now I’m doing flight medicine in the private sector, but definitely still lean on my experience from flying in the the Navy. Stay safe and keep your head in a swivel.
Hi, HM-12 1980, HM-14 81-84 hanger LP3. Norfolk. they just decommissioned my old squadron. HM-14
@steve-rr3nq what’s up brother!
@@PhDarien enjoying retirement. aggravating the kids and grand kids.
my youngest daughter has 5 girls. the third one came and stayed the summer. I sent her home with 5 harmonicas. the year before that, it was a cat.
as much fun as holding in the high EGT breaker on app start. I could see the maintenance chief, jumping up and down.
This brought back some funny memories. I can remember referring to others as sugs. Bugs. Cugs. Etc. Some uniformed guy. Black uniformed guy. Chinese uniformed guy. Etc. Cheers man. Good stuff.
I was a AW (Anti Submarine Warfare Operator ) from 1977 till I retired in 1997. Started out in P-3s after one tour I went to RSS . 3 days before final Multis I broke my ankle on a run. Well I went on to the same squadron as your first one but back when it was HS-11 out of Jacksonville stayed there till after Desert Storm in 91…great video my Brother very well done only thing I think you left out was maintaince types back in the day called us F.A.Ws. A term of Indeerment I still hold on to today. No one knew what we did except eat sleep and fly …it stood for Fucking Anti Submarine Warfare Operators….glad to see no one still understands what we do…Thank you again .
I love this, thank you for posting this video... from a- AWRAN SAR mom❤ Thank you Sir for your service🇺🇸💙
You’re welcome ma’am.
Great work..not much Air Crew info out there. My son: USMC Air Crew Chief, WTI, SGT, USS BATAAN (MEU26 SOC)/ V22, MCRD 2019 MIKE CO 3262, Expert Rifleman, Delayed Entry Program, California Golden State Seal Merit Diploma graduate, Max pull ups. Quiet, hard worker. Maternal grandpa fought Nazis. Passed away a few years ago. Paternal ancestors fount in the American Revolution.❤😎🤙
Usmc ac here. Damn, I’ve never been able to fully explain what I did. This made me feel seen. Very weird feeling. Thank you.
Anytime brother.
Great video brother. Been there done it old school as an AW/rescue swimmer with the HS-7 Dusty Dogs deployed onboard the USS John F Kennedy back in 1983. Nothing but fond memories and it laid the ground work motivating me to go on to college. I practice medicine now but look back on those times with fond memories and am still close to the other rescue swimmers from the squadron to this day. One of the first black Rescue Swimmers was Andy Renfro, we went through SERE school together at Brunswick in 1982. Cheers.
Thanks. I’m very well familiar of the dusty dogs. I’ve had my time onboard the JFK as well. I’m glad to know you’re doing what you you are with medicine. There is a small brotherhood of crewman and I know they keep at tight group.
@@PhDarien LLTB!
Combat Aircrew here Had them Gold wings for many years Then one day they gave me some funny looking silver wings. CH-46E and MV-22B! Thanks for all them Rides to the wars.
One of my instructors was black and known as the Black Dolphin. Class 8409. He also was one of the few people to rescue an enemy pilot. An F-14 splashed a Libyan jet and he rescued the Libyan pilot.
I joined May 2001 and the only reason I went Navy Aircrew was because the person at MEPS said aircrew was the person who works on the flight deck of a carrier. Fast forward to post Boot Camp, that was obviously not the case, so NAC and SAR was 100% coincidence but I have no regrets. The experiences and friends I met along the way are worth more than anything I would never give it up if I had to do it again.
Which squadron did you go to first? If you joined then doing the same job, we must know some of the same crewman.
As a former CH-53 crew chief in the Marine Corps, this all seems perfectly accurate and reasonable to me.
Some of the best swimmers I worked with were black. SAR HM NAS Whidbey Island 95-97.
Gonna be going to meps soon for my medical and contract. Been wanting to do GM but I’m definitely going to see if I can qualify for AWS as an option.
Thank you for your service.
That’s awesome! Have fun no matter what you do.
Great story I was in Pensacola for almost a year until I got dropped from RSS literally a week before graduation. Got injured and then didn't make the time on the 800 meter buddy tow my second time around. Shit happens, but all I think about is going back. I'd say the biggest thing I miss is just being with the community and all the boys going through training, you really meet the best quality guys in that rate. Stationed in Kauai now so its a pretty good first duty station and got a good place to train, but If you have any recommendations on how I can cross rate back please let me know.
My mini NAC along with the U.S. Flag is always part of my business attire. Corporate meetings, international financing conferences, chalking miles globally in a G-5 or a Global Express my wings are always proudly worn to this day, 30 years after getting them. Fly Navy.
Always been Gold Wings brother...AW1...76-86
Thank You fellow AW's for flying plane guard when I was a Senso in VS-28, has to be most boring job until it isn't. Was very tight with our fellow brothers in the H.S. Community as you said Aircrew is a very small and tight Fraternity of Brothers. And you forgot the the one remark all the Teds called us... Ass Wipes!!
Hilarious. As much crap as I’ve heard “ass wipe” wasn’t one of them. Good one though. You’re welcome for the plane guard brother.
Just signed my AIRC contract. Incredibly excited to take on the challenge.
Help me understand what you mean. AIRR or AIRC? I’m not tracking AIRC. Is that the fixed-winged aircrewman?
@@PhDarien from what I’ve gathered is it is just the name of the program to become aircrew now. Here is the quote from my Rate card I was given by the chief I signed my contract with “The Aircrew Program is a six-year enlistment program guaranteeing initial assignment as a flight crewmember in a fixed wing, helicopter or Unmanned Aerial System squadron. The program provides for training via various Class "A" Schools for a specific service rating within the Naval Aircrewman (AW) general rating. Candidates will undergo some of the most demanding physical training offered by the military service in this program. Candidates must volunteer for flying duty, be capable of passing a Class II swim test, and pass an aviation flight physical. Entrance physical examination will be verified for flight qualifications at Recruit Training Command and Naval Aircrewman Candidate School (NACCS).”
Nice. Let me know how it all goes for you.
@@PhDarien yessir! Thankyou for the information.
@CBackwardz so to get the rate what did you have to score on your asvap? as well as you just go to meps and told them you wanted to be an aircrewman ?
Swimmer HS-4, SENSO VS-29, Tactical Support Center CV-61
I just graduated NACCS last week. Class 2425.
I went to aircrew school in 2004. I remember all the SAR swimmers were more "badass" than us P3 guys. But fast forward to today and im glad I chose PER DIEM. Dang your from IB? Im from silver strand
We got per diem as well. Not all of us, but many expeditionary command get the opportunity to live the per diem lifestyle as well. $155 a day in Naples, Italy for a 6 month deployment. Did that det 3 times times my last command. $4150 a month extra and tax free for many of those months. I’m from IB. I went to Mar Vista High.
78-87 AMS2, Line division supervisor(home det) Ground support Supervisor(home det) Dispersed tech Liberian, AMCM/SAR Aircrewman. HM-12 1980, HM-14 81-84. Most defiantly the best job in the world.
I got told the same things as you about not making it. They said. " I was not black from the waist down?" I get the joke know. I classed up my first time and beat 80 people into the Rescue swimmer class.
dope vid, at naccs waiting to class up
Good luck. Are you going the AIRR route? Some of your instructors are prior students of mine or coworkers.
@@PhDarien yes i am. thats sick! been doing survivor training trying to get to know some of the PO’s. might not get into pre-load for another 2 weeks
There are a couple pictures of me at the SAR school building. I’ll make my way back there soon to see my old stomping grounds. Keep in shape and swim as much as you can.
Do you know if aircrew have a separate berthing on aircraft careers that is nicer than other enlisted sailors?
Depends on the carrier air wing. I’ve had some that were separate and some that were large berthings that had mixed personnel. Females for sure have shared spaces except for smaller ships.
so like im going to meps soon and besides going with DC, ive been looking into AIRR(AWS) but after watching most of your vids, im a little stuck if i should pick or not pick it. so i wanted to ask should i choose this job?. again i want too, and am very interested in choosing this but idk.
How soon is soon? What about my videos made you question if you should do it or not? Are you saying that you’d like to be a DC(damage controlmen) or AIRR? I’m a bit confused.
@@PhDarienby soon i will go to meps either beginning of sep or in the middle depending on how my cover up heals, and i was only choosing DC because nothing else catches my interest but beside AWS i wanna do it, an make sure my score is able to get that rate, i was also looking into the special wafare jobs like seal, sarc, n EOD. but i like this one alot more but after seeing your vids , i wanted to ask is it good to go in around these times and are the things you do everyday fun and actually make you wanna keep doing. yes i do have the passion for this job but i just dont wanna get throw in and they just fk me over or anyother bullcrap that comes with this job that people dont tell or let you know yk?, so i wanted to ask if i should?
I'm a prior BM3, got out last year but I'm really looking into getting into aircrew community, did flight quarters on a destroyer and always wanted to be on the other side of flight quarters😂😂
It’s a different world for sure. Make sure to research the differences between them. Everyone ignorantly thinks they know what we do.
Great story, thank you for your service. I graduated EM “A” school Monday September 10, 2001; then off to USS Peleliu LHA-5. Then I served with MDSU-1 Det-1 (small community) hahahahaha.
First and foremost thank you for taking the time to share this information. I’m 35yr and I go to MEPS Feb 1st. I’ve been working out for the past 2yr specifically to become a Rescue Swimmer. I even took a 8 week pre course that a couple Rescue Swimmers came up with to help me pass A School. My recruiter just recently told me that I was too Old to qualify to become a Rescue Swimmer, but I KNOW I’m in the shape that I need to be to not only make it through A School, but also Prosper. I REFUSE to accept that I’m too old to become a Rescue Swimmer. Any advice on how I can override what my recruiter said and become a Rescue Swimmer?
You’re welcome. I don’t think there is anything you can do to get into the AIRR community unless you get a waiver.
Coast Guard it is, thank you brotha. I knew my recruiter was lying
I can't believe they never came out with a rescue swimmer Insignia...
One of the dopest instructors I had. Class 1004 (2010). Hope all is well homie!
Haha! I’m glad to be impactful.
I about to graduate high school and am really looking into AIRR in the navy, do you regret anything or would not recommend it ?
Congrats on finishing high school. I regret some things for sure. You can’t have a perfect hand in your career, but you can do the best you can with what you’ve been dealt. I would recommend it to people, but the way things are now with drag queens being used for recruiting is when I wouldn’t recommend the military at all. Just a little rant on my end.
@@PhDarien thank you ! And yes I completely agree things for the military are getting worse and are getting out of hand, we can only hope for the best and for things to better. I’m meeting with my recruiter on wensday of this week to talk about jobs and along with taking my asvab, If you wouldn’t mind I have a cuple of questions about the job and stuff around it if I can Dm you some how that would be appreciated if not I understand, Thanks for responding !!
Sure you can. I’ll answer whatever questions I can. Good luck either way.
@@PhDarien what did you score on the asvab, if you remember? Also what was the schooling like when you got out of basics ?
I got something crappy I believe and never took it again. 52 or something. School was much different than it is today. Which part of schooling specifically? There were 5-6 schools after boot camp
When your in rescue swimmer school do u pick if u want aws or awr or do they just give assign it to you
Depends, man. When I graduated in 2010 there were 9 of us.. 1 set of orders for AWS and 8 AWR.
@@minikris00 so how did they determine who got the 8 awr contracts and who got the 1 aws is what I’m saying, and thank you for the info
@@riverpeterson12 It’s based on who has the highest gpa for orders. SAR school doesn’t have a gpa based scoring method so it’s based on who gets the honor man. Also disciplinary action plays a factor. I’ve done both and whatever route you choose will be fine. The community is swinging back to normal right now.
@@riverpeterson12 rn aws is overmanned at 130%. each class thats graduating from naccs rn is only putting out 1-2 AWS, and the rest are goin romeo. atleast from what ive been seeing
Love the content was wondering when you’re in the Navy is it mandatory to be vaccinated?
Thanks. It’s not mandated any longer.
Im a Masters Athletic Training student and wondering if it can translate to a career in the military. The ones that stand out are ARS, SARC, and maybe Navy Diver. Im just looking for some options where I can put the emergency medicine training and my collegiate swimming background to use potentially while the Athletic Training governing orgs figure things out
ARS is aviation rescue swimmer? I’ve never seen that for us. SARC isn’t what I’ve heard it cracked up to be, but I’d like to get more insight from my SAR Cospsman. If medical is a passion more than swimming, then go corpsman. If you like swimming more, go diver. We are swimmers for sure, but you’ll fly much more than you’ll ever swim. How young are you?
@@PhDarien I'm 23 currently. I'm not passionate about swimming but I am good at it. What I do have passion for is helping others. The career you talked about in your video definitely sounds awesome. I mentioned Aviation Rescue Swimmer because of the swimming background and my knowledge in emergency medicine. Any insight helps, thank you!
So you said your main MOS/Rate was Aviation Warfare Systems Operator, but you were also a rescue swimmer. So is there any way to be a rescue swimmer as your main mos? And have that be your sole job? Is it just like airborne in the army, ie. you can be a cook and have an airborne patch but you’re still just a cook.
Haha. I see the confusion, but it’s not too complicated like the Army MOS with cooks wearing Ranger tabs. All navy aviation rescue swimmers are aircrewman. Some of the navy’s rescue swimmers are surface guys and they may be a cook or some other job. Rescue swimmer is a qualification or designation for us aviation guys. If there’s nobody to save, we still do basic helicopter missions. Hopefully this helps.
Where is part 2?
Give me a couple days. 🤙🏾
I'm so jealous... you youngsters have all the tricked-out equipment... The Navy should send Aircrew Instructors to various public schools to show the kids what real service to this country means.
And the next Top Gun movie should show real world footage of Navy Aircrew in action... running mini-guns at night.
Sarcasm is strong with this one.
@@PhDarien An AW cannot be awarded "#1 of 80" in bootcamp without also excelling in sarcasm and profanity. It's just another fighting skill.
is this a hard rate to get?
I can ask my buddy who is a specops recruiter to see how long it takes to get that contract
@@PhDarien okay thank you.
So question about aircrew what I know order …boot, candidate school, A school, sere, frs…so after if you choose aircrew and want AWS do you sign up AWS and hope you pass it all or do they just needs of navy it meaning want AWS but get stuck with any AW they need
I’m confused a bit. Are you wanting aircrew in general, AWS, or AIRR?
to dumb it down. aws/awr are rescue swimmer rates (WET aircrew, AIRR) meaning youll have to PST and qualify for them. outside of those rates are your DRY aircrew rates, which you dont have to PST for and can select at meps. nobody ive known personally thats graduated rescue swimmer school recently has been able to select their their wet rate (awr/aws). most are given Romeo because Sierra is so overmanned. PhDarien is good ab answering everyone though and is way more decorated than i am lmao. i can only speak for what i know now which is naccs. lots of shit is confusing in the beginning. i know it was for me. i hope this helped.
Retired PR here, I was in helos in HC-11 and VC-5 back in the day. I have SAR crew and aviator freinds who died doing missios that are dangerous in war or in peace, and I miss them, so I respect what you do, and thats the truth. That being said, This whole "TED" thing is a recent development. I wonder if you guys have been watching too much "SEAL Team". Next thing ya know, ya'll will be calling the O'S cake eaters. Listen maybe it changed, but we maintainers and you A/C used to work, sleep, eat, shit shower and shave together, and were brothers who played as hard as we worked. There wasnt none of this "I'm an SO guy and your just support." Crap! If you pulled that back then, your PRs would probibly get intimate with your helmet, if you know what I mean. So tone it down a bit, OK, flyboy?
Coming on here telling me to tone down anything and calling me a flyboy is exactly what a TED would say. Deployment boredisms started that. I’ve been called worse and whenever someone got checked, they went and cried. I had friends in the Gunbearers. I’ve lost many friends in this job too. To be honest, everyone thinks that we are the same and the truth is that we aren’t. I remember maintenance had flyers, but I was never one of them. I didn’t come up with TED, but it made sense.
Any PR that thinks they’d could get intimate with my gear(professionally) if they didn’t like something with me(personally)is the reason they’d be a TED. Handle your business like a man and you’ll be treated as such. I have plenty of friends on the maintenance or support side and I love them to this day, but I will not have anyone dictate the way we do our mission and that is why the rates changed in the first place. Too many people tried to change our mission or tell us how to do our job.
It’s not us, but everyone else who tries to compare us to SEALs. If that’s what my goal was, I would’ve been that. I chose to fly instead.
@@PhDarien Don't mind me, shippmate, I'm just a lowly TED, yanking your chain, because you seemed to need it. Happy birthday by the way.
I’m sure. Thank you for the late birthday wishes and thank you for your service even more. I learned how to sew in the paraloft. Out of every rate, PR’s and AO’s are the ones I had to work with directly and had respect for.
I was an AWR and got out in 2020. I agree with your points. I enjoy the fact no one knows much about the AWR/S communities. "Spec ops boooooi". I miss the boys but I don't miss the Navy.
Pretty dope you were HS, I'm sure we know some of the same guys who went R over S
I think it’s normal to miss your shop or coworkers, but not the military overall. The misconceptions of our jobs do hurt other growth opportunities within the communities. I know many R’s and S’s since I was both.
Awesome story. Was an AW early 70’s. Bless you.
Theodorez 😂😂😂
How hard is AIRR school?
Not too hard, but not a breeze either. The overall pipeline is hard though
@@PhDarien Ok thank you, I'm going to AIRR school after bootcamp, I just hope make it through because I eventually wanna cross rate to SEAL.
Good luck. I’m about to upload a video tomorrow and your comment will be answered.
@@PhDarien appreciate you , You got main tips for AIRR school though ?
Duddits!!!!
That’s right.
How is naccs?
NACCS is the first part last I checked prior to AIRR if that’s that route you’re doing? What specifically do you want to know?
@@PhDarien how was it physically, I’m extremely comfortable in the water so I have no issues there and I am going AIRC not AIRR
Nothing impossible. It’s about a 6-7 on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst. It’s not hard to make it through that school. AIRR will challenge you more of course. Being comfortable in the water is good, but you’ll be doing normal stuff on the ground. Most people get dropped for stupid stuff. Getting caught underage drinking or skipping muster. Just get through the process and it’s smooth afterwards. Good luck.
@@PhDarien well I had a knee surgery recently and I was wondering how hard it would be to pass. I’m trying for AWO.
As long as you give yourself time to heal properly, you’ll be fine. If not, you’ll risk getting rolled back or disqualified medically.
class 9133 here... For the record I didn't think aircrew and sar were that difficult. SERE seriously sucked though...
Hooyah
@@PhDarien Roger that
brother!!!
Hey dude, I'm signing my contract to be an AWR (not doing AIRR pipeline) Is there any tips you have to prepare for NACCS? Also, would I go through SERE still and what is that like (tell me what you can lol)
@jayhawkbosun not sure what your contract states, but all AWR’s are also AIRR. Get comfortable swimming is my biggest tip and develop the mindset of the job. SERE is what you make of it. I’m about to post a video on SERE this week.
@@jayhawkbosun When I was in in all 7841's 91-92 onward your were always wet coalified and specialized in Acoustic or Radar etc... From what I understand about it now it has all changed. For example my NEC was 7841 Acoustic...
This guy is full of himself. 😂
Whatever bro. Watch the video and have a good day.
VR-55 Minutemen
I was one too, also at VR54.
Hey man, do you have a instagram? I have some questions about the rate over all and I’m thinking about a life change
300_blk_guy
Great work..not much Air Crew info out there. My son: USMC Air Crew Chief, WTI, SGT, USS BATAAN (MEU26 SOC)/ V22, MCRD 2019 MIKE CO 3262, Expert Rifleman, Delayed Entry Program, California Golden State Seal Merit Diploma graduate, Max pull ups. Quiet, hard worker. Maternal grandpa fought Nazis. Passed away a few years ago. Paternal ancestors fount in the American Revolution.❤😎🤙
Can never find what you’re looking for I guess. I decided to take my experience and share it for those who’d like to know.
Just trying to figure out if there’s really anything special happening. It’s good to know. Just discovered your channel today searching for “air crew chief” and “air crew candidate school”