Thank you for posting this video. I am contemplating whether I want to join the US Army but my stutter has always been that fear that either I will not be accepted or that I will struggle during basic training.

Great video!

EXTREMELY good info to know, I want to be in in a 4 year contract, and it was between a job as aircrew, or submarine intelligence. If aircrew is a 6 year, that makes my decision easier

Do you choose first station as FTS?

So theirs no rate to go into this ?

Currently active duty as an AE and I want to be stationed back home at the NOSC Chicago to be closer with family. Does that mean I have to rerate to be stationed there because they don’t have an air base? And what are my chances to be at a NOSC? Is it guaranteed?

hey bro is this rate hard to get?

Are you still in the Navy or you got your DD214

What is the best way to go about getting a AW rate? I’m a 5’1 126 pound female so I know it’s the furthest thing from easy. Im worried since it’s not guaranteed. I would really hate to be stuck with a job I hate.

Can you do fmf corpsman fts?

This gives a good general idea but if you have questions about AW, talk to someone who is rated as one. There’s so much more that goes into AW. NACCS is a basic step into AW. A-school isn’t that bad. FRS is where it got a little spicy for most of the other AWs I came through with. Every command is different but for my experience, The schooling is a little harder, the PT is harder. They hold you to such high standards and are picky about little things like what color socks you wear. Uniform inspections are frequent, boot shine is a must, and medical is not your friend when it comes to being an AW in training. You will be told it’s okay to go to medical and go med down but be careful bc if you stay down too long or if it’s an injury, they will drop you, especially at NACCS. They work with you a little more the further you are into it but it’s always a risk. Overall it’s been a great experience for me but it definitely has its challenges. It’s very mentally and physically demanding. You’ll have to be squared away at all times. Also, they can drop you for things that just aren’t in your control, you can be the most fit, the smartest person there but if you fail a uniform inspection, room inspection, etc. they can drop you for “loss of confidence” I’ve seen multiple people get dropped for that one simply because they failed 3 room inspection over a course of an entire year. Room and uniform inspections aren’t always as simple as you think they are. It’s all about standards and if you think those guys aren’t holding rulers, magnifying glasses and on their hands and knees looking at your stuff. You’re sadly mistaken. They go in there WANTING to find something wrong. Just know going into it, it’s a very long process and very demanding. But it’s the best feeling when you finish. I promise you that. Don’t sign those papers if you aren’t willing to commit 100% 24/7 for AT LEAST 2 years. They tell you that 2 years is the timeline and that may be true if you go straight through getting classes up right away, etc. but you’re never classed up right away. You sit there for several weeks/months sometimes waiting for your turn. And once you’re through your student phase, you go through a qualification process which takes up to 16 months. YOU DO NOT GET YOUR WINGS UNTIL YOURE FULLY QUALIFIED. It’s taken most of us 2-3 years after enlisting to get our wings and get that E-4 pay. I watched females I went through boot camp with get E-4 before I did. Just know you’ll be living on that E-3 pay for a long time.

This gives a good general idea but if you have questions about AW, talk to someone who is rated as one. There’s so much more that goes into AW. NACCS is a basic step into AW. A-school isn’t that bad. FRS is where it got a little spicy for most of the other AWs I came through with. Every command is different but for my experience, The schooling is a little harder, the PT is harder. They hold you to such high standards and are picky about little things like what color socks you wear. Uniform inspections are frequent, boot shine is a must, and medical is not your friend when it comes to being an AW in training. You will be told it’s okay to go to medical and go med down but be careful bc if you stay down too long or if it’s an injury, they will drop you, especially at NACCS. They work with you a little more the further you are into it but it’s always a risk. Overall it’s been a great experience for me but it definitely has its challenges. It’s very mentally and physically demanding. You’ll have to be squared away at all times. Also, they can drop you for things that just aren’t in your control, you can be the most fit, the smartest person there but if you fail a uniform inspection, room inspection, etc. they can drop you for “loss of confidence” I’ve seen multiple people get dropped for that one simply because they failed 3 room inspection over a course of an entire year. Room and uniform inspections aren’t always as simple as you think they are. It’s all about standards and if you think those guys aren’t holding rulers, magnifying glasses and on their hands and knees looking at your stuff. You’re sadly mistaken. They go in there WANTING to find something wrong. Just know going into it, it’s a very long process and very demanding. But it’s the best feeling when you finish. I promise you that. Don’t sign those papers if you aren’t willing to commit 100% 24/7 for AT LEAST 2 years. They tell you that 2 years is the timeline and that may be true if you go straight through getting classes up right away, etc. but you’re never classed up right away. You sit there for several weeks/months sometimes waiting for your turn. And once you’re through your student phase, you go through a qualification process which takes up to 16 months. YOU DO NOT GET YOUR WINGS UNTIL YOURE FULLY QUALIFIED. It’s taken most of us 2-3 years after enlisting to get our wings and get that E-4 pay. I watched females I went through boot camp with get E-4 before I did. Just know you’ll be living on that E-3 pay for a long time.

im going in as a AW/FTS....Im really hoping i stay out on ships and deployments longer and not behind the desk being a paperpusher...(no disrespect for those who do it, just me personally). Was upsold on being a FTS because of the big bonus i was getting

I enlisted air crew but I’m not going rescue swimmer. I can swim very well but I was wondering how many people fail out of this rate I was told air crew is much easier than going rescue swimmer. Do people fail out of the A school knowledge portion or the candidate school not being able to handle the swimming?

Very good information. Thank you.

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Thanks for sharing. What you described hit home on a few major instances on my end. I passed NACCS. One of the biggest achievements of my life. Afterwards, went straight to A school but couldn't pass it. I was in the AE school house. After a couple of Chief boards I ended up being stripped of my flight gear and ready to be kicked out the Navy. A former Army enlisted detailer changed my orders from Aircrew to Corpsman. I gave it a shot and passed that school. I learned a lot. Glad I got the experience and finished my contract as a corpsman. But leaving Pensacola for Great Mistakes was probably one of the hardest moves to make. I enjoyed my time in Pensacola.

great video, very helpful information. thank you.

I left for boot camp in March of 1990. I told my recruiter that I wanted a flying job. When I was at MEPS I signed an Aircrew contract (this is 1990 so it's totally different then today). It stated that I am guaranteed a flying job in ONE of the following rates; AD, AME, AMS, AT, AO, AW (which back then if you were an AW you were specifically an Anti-submarine Warfare operator either acoustic or non-acoustic, AX (and maybe I'm missing one or two. It said I am guaranteed one of those rates if I pass all the qualifications & it was a mandatory 5 year contract. So half way through boot camp (company 927 in Great Lakes) I am informed that I am going to be an AO. So after boot camp (after a week of leave) I had to report to Naval Aircrewman Candidate School in Pensacola. The course then was 5 weeks including a couple days of land survival training at Eglin AFB. I originally (at MEPS) also volunteered to be a rescue swimmer (that school was 4 weeks). So once in Pensacola & I start learning a little bit more about my job - I decide I don't want to be a rescue swimmer. One of my aircrew instructions (I had a PH1, an AO2 & an AW2). The AO instructor would say "who are my AO's here?" I was the only one. So he started telling me how much I'll love it in a P-3C squadron. They are only land based (so no ship ever) but it counts as sea duty. But then he'd say "Oh wait, you're going to rescue swimmer school? Yeah....ummm then you are going to be on a helicopter on a ship more then likely. So one day during class, we go into a room & they show us a video called "P-3 Orion - Guarian of the Seas". As soon as I saw that I said "Now that looks cool" (plus no ship). He also told me the only choices I had to be home based out of was Hawaii, California, Maine and Florida. And also said as a flying AO - the only place I can go is to a P-3 squadron (as long as I wasn't a rescue swimmer). Sounds good, right? So when I got to rescue swimmer I DOR'd within the first 15 minutes (they made me the class leader immediately after graduating aircrew school) haha. So after graduating NACCS I get sent to Millington, TN for "A" school. After that I get sent to NAS Jax to go through the P-3C pipeline as an AO who is designated as a Naval Aircrewman. After around 6 months or so & getting my feet wet in the air with VP-30 - I graduate as the class honorman. So I get first choice where to go for my duty station. I chose Maine figuring I could continue snowboarding. And Maine I got. I was there two days then deployed for Sigonella during the Gulf War. Did another deployment to Puerto Rico (drug interdiction missions). And then a final deployment to Sigonella & flew combat missions over Bosnia (operation Deny Flight) and also flew operation Sharp Guard missions with live missiles & bombs. Also the IFO (which is me - Infilght Ordnanceman) on each crew is also the inflight photographer. I had a great time in the Navy & got to go to so many amazing places - including launching the SAR kit out of the main cabin door while flying to rescue a civilian helicopter crew that ditched in the ocean. I got out in 1995 with around 1700 hours logged in the P-3C. What an experience. Cheers!

So if I go to rescue swimmer school and pass am I guaranteed AWS? Also do I get to choose my rate or do they just give it to me

Hey man I’m in the same exact boat but I’m in DEP I want my rate changed, I want to be a IT if I can’t get it before I ship any advice?

Hey! I live stream milsim gameplay in a team. I have had a stutter / stammer since a very young age. I forced myself to do something which required me to talk regularly. It has really helped. I commend your decision to make KZbin video. I hope all goes well. Would be great to play alongside you if you ever want to Milsim 👍

Did they teach you the 4 survival stroke techniques before testing you?

P p p p p p pensecola .. i loved that part

Hey man I’m currently in the reserves as LS but I’m considering going FTS. What do you do as an LS in FTS? Also where can I look for these billets to do FTS? I want to be in Cali!

Hey man. I will go to army basic training soon. I am so worried about it.

How does sea and shore rotation work for FTS?

Fts corpsman sucks. It's dealing with idiot reservists trying to get 100% VA disability and trying to get "retired early". So you deal with people trying to play the system and they aren't aware of all the work that comes on the backend. They walk all over you and you're probably going to be understaffed. I am currently at a NOSC with 3 corpsmen and can't fill out 3 other billets. So we are constantly overworked, burned out, and getting yelled at by some shit bag E3 who doesn't understand how medical retirement works.

Do FTS automatically get BAH

What c schools

I leave in December for boot, I signed for AW. This is good information. Thank you!

this is my dream career im just really worried about the physical aspect being that i’m only 5’2 and 110lbs😵‍💫 especially not having been able to swim for a while because of covid. been weight training for a while so hopefully it helps one question, what’s the difference between regular swim strokes and “survival swim strokes”?

how did it go when you had to swear in? thats what im mostly worried about

Superb video man, many thanks for your knowledge

Can a RS be FTS

Fully qualified crew chief (AWF2) here. Any questions feel free to drop them in the comments

How is it even possible to do a mile in full gear. I’m a good swimmer but damn

Shorten the name, HSsailor, SSsailor

after passing air crew school can you volunteer for rescue swimmer school?

I’m active duty E5 looking into go to FTS EM. What they do ? Go to NOSC still or expeditionary

How did you change from going to reserves to FTS? My paperwork is for reserves and I want to change but my Recruiter has no idea how to go FTS so he said to go reserves first and then look for an FTS position later on but I don’t want to do that. I heard from someone that since I have “officially sworn in” yet at MEPS that I still have time to change all my paperwork to reflect FTS instead of reserves as long as my recruiter is willing to be patient and do it. Pls tell me that’s possible because I reeeaaaalllly don’t want to go reserves. Btw I can’t do active duty because I’m prior service army so they won’t let me unless I have a really important job which I don’t 🙄

Do you receive BAH as an FTS or do you live on base?

Hey dude, I swore in for FTS AIRC and have had a ridiculously hard time getting answers. Hoping you could help a bit. Do fts receive the same tuition assistance and gi bill as active duty? Also as an awf how much time would we spend flying? Does this look like being gone for several days/ weeks on end? Love to see another fts guy making content. Thanks bro.

Should I even go the Aircrew route if my endurance has always been my struggle? Even though I’m in good shape and played sports my whole life, long distance has always been my weakness

Rated AWF. I would recommend people with questions regarding AW rates reach out to someone who is rated. There is a lot that goes into this process. NACCS, A-School, SERE, FRS. They are all apart of AW training and that is why you contract for 6 years. Aircrew is a push button E-4 Rate. AW is also a "special military rate." FTS is a legit way to go as well. That will assign you to a VR squadron for your permanent duty station. They do legit missions with detachments. Also, PT is extremely important, yes. The second week of NACCS is only referred to as "hell week" by the students the instructors don't call it that. We are not SEALS. For A-School, you will either get assigned AWF, AWS dry, AWO, AWV. Rescue swimmer will get AWR and AWS after RSS. You cannot be FTS for RSS. That is only open to active duty. All Reserves and FTS will be AWF. AWF A-school is 9 weeks consisting of 14 tests. NACCS is 5 weeks with no holds. I started and graduated with my original NACCS class. Same with my A-school class. Aircrew is a great rate. You will have a great quality of life in the military if you can stick it out. Hope this helps.

When u dropped from AW did u get to pick HM or did they give u whatever and it just happened to be exactly what u wanted? And also when u switched rates did u still have 6 years on ur contract?

Do you know where I’ll be going I’m in Pensacola for a school rn and I’m ati fts

How's it work going to AW school with glasses?

I’m a retired AW1. I was in HS-14, VQ-3, and NASNI NC-12b flight ops. Those were the birds I flew on. I can barely walk or eat now because of my job. I joined in the 90s and served through the entire war. I’m destroyed from this.

I want to do aircrew specifically AWF AWO or AWS dry side but im afraid of failing and getting reclassified into a rate im going to hate