Anybody:What are the differences, between being assigned to a ship or squadron? What do most Airdales perfer?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Thomas P. MacGeorge on February 26, 2010 at 6:11am

any aviation rate i.e. AD, AO, AT, AME, AM AE, etc. can be assigned to either a squadron, or a ship. there are two functional working levels in naval aviation. Intermediate level (I Level) or Operations level (O level) 99% of I level airdales will either be assigned to a ship or, on shore duty, a maintenance workcenter working as a technician on aviation related gear (i.e. AD I level works on the Gas Turbine Engines that naval aircraft use.). Being assigned to a ship (ships company) simply means that you go where the ship goes. period. O level on the other hand is what 100% of squadron assigned airdales will work. These are the guys and gals who work with the actual aircraft. be it Jets, Props, or Helos. Squadrons are attached to Carrier Air Groups, or CAG. usually between 2 and 5 squadrons to a CAG. When the carrier in the CAG deploys, those squadrons go with it, bringing along all the squadron personnel. where ships company goes with the ship, squadron personnel stay with the aircraft. but to answer your question when finished with his technical training, your son will be a rated AO and he can get orders to either a ship or a squadron, but will most likely go to a squadron. (which is where he wants to be. he'll get the best of both worlds. my son is an AD in Strike Fighter Squadron 31 out of Oceana Naval Air Station in Oceana, Virginia. His squadron maintains 12 F/A-18E Super Hornets, and is part of Carrier Air Wing 8, attached to the Nimitz class nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush. He loves it. Hope that answered your question.

snooky said:

My son if he gets through BC and A school will be AO rate. Can this rate be assigned to a ship?

MarkM said:

In the Navy, Airdales, also know as "brown shoes" are the folks that actually work with the planes in one regard or another. Ship's crew are the folks that run the ship. The airdales are assigned to a particular squadron, not a ship. The squadron gets assigned to various carriers (although usually the same one) for deployments. The airdales go wherever the squadron goes and ship's company (crew) stays with it. There are certain aviation rates that are assigned to a carrier as ship's company, such as air traffic controller. I hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Cora on April 20, 2010 at 5:59am

My Sailor prefers to be on Land and assigned to a Squadron (Which she is) she is about to deploy for 6 months and not looking forward to it as she has a tough job on the flight deck and knows she has her work cut out for her!! She takes her job very seriously and she is home on leave right now and its almost time for her to go back and she wants to stay home with the family and knows she has no choice. I think she is already getting homesick!!

Permalink Reply by snooky on April 20, 2010 at 8:42am

Hey Cora, Please,thank your sailor for her service! My son thinks he'd rather be in a Squadron if he gets a chance to pick. Johns recruiter was an AO and was attached to squadron and explained all the ups and downs of both. He's got to get through all his training first. He ships out to BC in six days(26th)!!

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page