ClarkCent533
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2022
- Messages
- 4
DS reports to Pensacola next month. What should he expect when he gets there? How long of a wait to start flight school?
Flight School
- Thread starter ClarkCent533
- Start date
I'm NROTC class of 2022. My wait turned out to be just under 10 months after checking into Pensacola for SNA. I have several friends who checked in from OCS November 2022, they were told they won't class up until at least January 2024...
The queue order is based on several factors, but here's the main 2:
-Your commissioning (fiscal) year: FY22 ensigns go before FY23 ensigns. They have to get through all of FY22 before starting on FY23
-Your Pensacola check-in date (i.e. when your orders are stamped in Pensacola): if 2 ensigns commissioned in the same FY, then the one who checked into Pensacola earlier is ahead in line.
Things will be different for c/o 2023, but my waiting experience was this:
I checked into Pensacola, did some prereqs like PRT, medical, swim, etc. Stood watch like thrice. A couple weeks after I checked in, I was given a stash job with another command on base to work at until I classed up for NIFE academics. This was an amazing experience actually, and I learned so much from it. Many months (and fun events) later, classed up for NIFE academics. Unfortunately, the schoolhouse isn't really sending ensigns to stash jobs anymore
Instead, they're having everyone take 4-6 months of grad courses followed by a 3-month course called SNAJOC while they wait, and there might be a couple months after that to wait before academics depending on the queue. I'm guessing they'll also have ensigns stand watch occasionally throughout their wait as well.
Feel free to DM me with more questions.
The queue order is based on several factors, but here's the main 2:
-Your commissioning (fiscal) year: FY22 ensigns go before FY23 ensigns. They have to get through all of FY22 before starting on FY23
-Your Pensacola check-in date (i.e. when your orders are stamped in Pensacola): if 2 ensigns commissioned in the same FY, then the one who checked into Pensacola earlier is ahead in line.
Things will be different for c/o 2023, but my waiting experience was this:
I checked into Pensacola, did some prereqs like PRT, medical, swim, etc. Stood watch like thrice. A couple weeks after I checked in, I was given a stash job with another command on base to work at until I classed up for NIFE academics. This was an amazing experience actually, and I learned so much from it. Many months (and fun events) later, classed up for NIFE academics. Unfortunately, the schoolhouse isn't really sending ensigns to stash jobs anymore
Instead, they're having everyone take 4-6 months of grad courses followed by a 3-month course called SNAJOC while they wait, and there might be a couple months after that to wait before academics depending on the queue. I'm guessing they'll also have ensigns stand watch occasionally throughout their wait as well.Feel free to DM me with more questions.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2017
- Messages
- 9,392
What about housing? Plentiful? Any advice there?
Seems like there's tons of options for housing, I wouldn't be worried about that. I know people that live on Peridido Key, in and around the downtown area, by the back gate, and some even live by Whiting Field (and many other areas of course)! Apartments, houses, condos, etc.
Usnavy2019
10-Year Member
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2013
- Messages
- 878
Biggest advice I can give for housing is if you want to go Whiting for Primary, I'd pick some place that is commutable to both NAS Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field. Ferry Pass and Pace are good places for that. You don't get PCS orders to go from NASC to TAW-5 so if you live in Perdido, you will either have to eat an hour plus commute or move closer completely out of pocket. If you want to go to Corpus or you are an SNFO, Perdido or East Hill are really cool spots!
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2017
- Messages
- 1,293
There was an awesome thread about it last December.
Navy Flight School Q and A
Just wanted to drop a thread and provide a write up and answer questions related to the flight school process for Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard students. I am one flight away from completing flight school, so I am at the tail end of my time in the orange and white (color of Navy training...
www.serviceacademyforums.com
alboul23
Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2021
- Messages
- 16
Is there any common space to find a roommate/housing? I am also showing up next month and I am wanting to set up a good training/living household before we all show up.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2017
- Messages
- 9,392
There is a very active FB page that is currently a hotbed of posters looking for roommates. I’ll PM you. My Ensign found his current set up there!
Usnavy2019
10-Year Member
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2013
- Messages
- 878
As @justdoit19 said, the SNA/SNFO Housing Swap FB page is the gold standard outside of word of mouth agreements. Some good advice for picking good roommates:
1. Just because you are best friends, doesn't mean you will automatically be good roommates. Part of this will take some feeling out if you haven't lived with each other before, but if you can compromise, then things will be okay. Issues usually come from people just doing their thing without regard for the impact it has on other roommates.
2. Pick people to room with who will have similar training timelines. Obviously things happen like someone going med down, someone keeps getting unlucky with the weather, etc. However, you should try to be as close as possible. This will allow you to bounce concepts off your roommate if they are in the same syllabus as you. Also, if one moves out considerably early, you will either have to eat that rent until you find someone to fill the vacancy or you'll all get out of the lease and you are stuck finding a new place and moving.
3. Remember that your roommate(s) will have an influence on you. Yours might want to go out all the time, not study, etc. If you want to do well, then you will have to devote time outside of what's required to master the concepts taught. Just know it might take some willpower to overcome that influence. There is definitely a time and place to have fun, but you'll only have one chance to select the platform you want.
My son did Flight training in OK (Air Force) and they did a cross-country flight to Pensecoloa and stayed overnight. He said it's a really nice town. Your son will enjoy it there
As for housing, i don't know what costs to rent in the area but it typically pays to rent a house or apartment with roommates. The military gives you a housing allowance; depending on the situation, if you rent with roommates, you will wind up spending much less than what the military gives you and you get to keep it.
As for housing, i don't know what costs to rent in the area but it typically pays to rent a house or apartment with roommates. The military gives you a housing allowance; depending on the situation, if you rent with roommates, you will wind up spending much less than what the military gives you and you get to keep it.
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2015
- Messages
- 46
I second this. However, I lived back gate and when I got NASW moved to Milton. Cost $58 bucks for the Uhaul that day and offered beer and steaks for help, so not too bad. With that said I was admin for the TW5 attrites for close to a year and there was a definite connection between long commutes and poor performance. The command will give you a letter to break your lease if you need it to move closer.