Coast Guard Auxiliary

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Dustin, Jan 5, 2022.

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  1. Charles Fout

    Charles Fout Active Member

    Keeping it light III

    Rich said:

    "When I was in Korea, enlisted personnel could not cook in their rooms, but..."

    Wow! rooms!


    Reminds me of a time I was at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa.

    Often, Air Force Enlisted Clubs require a paid membership. So, this kind Staff Sergeant or Tech Sergeant was kind enough to sponsor me along with a few of our sister services NCOs in for a beer. I was a Second Class Petty Officer at the time. Joking around, like we do, Someone ask what would you do if you roll over in your tent and there was a scorpion right in your face? Ipiped up and said - boondocker post! I would grab my boot and smashed that SOB. The Army dude said - yeah I would stomp it out. The Marine said he would pick it up, look it in the eye an swallow it whole. Our host laughed at all of us. She said she would immediately call the front desk and ask - WHAT THE HELL IS A TENT DOING IN MY ROOM? ;)
     
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2022
    Rich Douglas likes this.
  2. BruceP

    BruceP Member

    Well obviously specialists would have to be recruited amongst those with the proper qualifications... whereas a sharp Infantry, Combat Engineer or Field Artillery, etc. NCO would most likely make an outstanding Platoon Leader, etc...

    I suppose being a prior enlisted NCO I am rather partial to mustangs... and yes, I have encountered many fine officers who were not enlisted...

    Maybe this option is best for only certain career fields... however I believe it would produce outstanding results in the Combat Arms and perhaps even Combat Support career fields.
     
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2022
  3. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Air Force people like those jokes because they're almost true. We know. We're good with it.

    How do you design an Air Force base? First, you figure out where the golf course will go. Then the officers' club, base housing, then the commissary. If there's still room, try to squeeze in a runway somewhere.
     
    Charles Fout likes this.
  4. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    The Marine Corps is experimenting with direct enlistment to E-6 while skipping boot camp for experienced cyber professionals, similar to the way the band is recruited. Fleet Marines are nervous.

    The Navy offers direct commissioning for lawyers, chaplains, public relations(?!) and intelligence officers.
     
  5. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    In the Air Force, direct commissions are offered to licensed professionals (medicine, nursing, psychology, law, dentistry, etc.) and to chaplains.

    The only advanced enlistees (beyond the one or two stripes offered some enlistees as an inducement) are drum and bugle corps. When I was in, those people went to boot camp but had their own, walled off from us. They also enlist at E-6 and advance regularly from there.
     
  6. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    I read somewhere that the Navy is considering a W-1 recruitment level for cyber experts. Don't know if it went anywhere. Pinstripers, so called because their gold chin strap is 1/4" wide instead of the 1/2" for all commissioned officers (including CWOs) reappeared briefly when the Navy began recruiting physician assistants in the 80s. Didn't last long; the PAs soon started coming in at CWO2. The W-1 has a different cap device, too. It's the gold crossed fouled anchors of the commissioned officer without the silver shield and eagle. I think Army warrants also have a distinctive cap device?
     
  7. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    During the 1970s, the Air Force began sending enlisted medical technicians to PA school (a bachelor's degree at the time). Upon graduation, they were promoted to E-7, then quickly to E-8 and E-9. Then, c. 1980, they commissioned them all overnight. E-7s became O-1s, E-8s to O-2, and E-9s to O-3. They've entered as commissioned officers ever since (direct commissioning). Also, PA's now typically complete a master's program.
     
  8. BruceP

    BruceP Member

    Yes, Army warrant officers wear a different hat device than commissioned officers.
     
  9. Charles Fout

    Charles Fout Active Member

    Old Navy Career Information Program Advisor here; During my entire time in the Navy the PA-CWO program was, and apparently still is an enlisted to commissioned program. Unique in several ways. During my day, every other Sailor selected for promotion to CWO-2 was required to be a Chief, Senior Chief, or Master Chief ( paygrades E-7, 8, or 9) before going to the selection board. Applicants could have been, and apparently still E-4(with a waiver) through E-9. Active duty Marines may also apply. I am unaware of any Navy direct accession PA CWOs ever. Navy medical professionals are awesome. In my opinion Navy Independent Duty Corpsmen can do anything done by a PA or Nurse Practitioner. During my service every CWO started with a commission to CWO-2. Only before and after my service did the Navy have W-1s. At the very end of my service, we began to see the first CWO-5s. Pure bad ass! Even Flag officers were afraid to challenge one of those crusty old Sailor's.
    https://www.med.navy.mil/Navy-Medicine-Operational-Training-Command/Surface-Warfare-Medical-Institute/Physician-Assistant-Program-Phase-II/
     
  10. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I think the Air Force really erred when they eliminated the warrant officer grades. I think the concept is perfect for pilots. Many pilots simply want to fly; they don't want "career broadening" assignments nor command assignments. But what if they all started as W-1s during flight training. CW2 upon graduation, CW3 when they become fully qualified on their aircraft, and other gates for CW4 and CW5. Let me explain further.

    A CW5 makes about the same as an O-4. Well, O-4 (major) is right where pilots get pulled out of the cockpit to do other things--and they may not fly again for years. But what if they dual-tracked these people; some become CW5s and some become majors. The CW5s keep flying and the majors go on to become unit commanders, first on the ground and then back to flying units. That way, we don't lose a bunch of pilots who leave because they just want to keep on flying, yet we still groom others for command.

    But what about pay? Well, we can offset promotions (because CW5 is the top) with bonuses. Besides, these men and women fly because they love it; the money has to be sufficient, but isn't normally the thing that drives their decisions--or their motivation.

    Or, what about officers who do not continue up the ladder, but would be valuable to remain as warrants? If someone would have offered me CW5 instead of retiring as a Captain, I would have snatched it up, especially if it meant I went from being a commander (in aircraft maintenance) to leading a team in my professional specialty (education and training). Hey, I'd still be there! :cool:
     
  11. Charles Fout

    Charles Fout Active Member

    Through the eyes of the old Navy Chief (Retired) and DoD Fourth Estate Legal Administrator (Retired), What you suggest is nonsensical. Vacancies and projected vacancies are always the primay drivers of manpower planning. By design career paths are so very different. Line officers as well as staff officer are expected to fill certain billets during exact gates. Should one go from encumbering a billet in one career trajectory, directly to encumbering a different billet in a completely different career trajectory, you have at least erected one roadblock to others needing a tour in that billet to progress. From there it dominoes. Unfortunately up or out and High-Year-Tenure are necessary thins. If there are no vacancies, what reason would there be to promote anyone?
     
  12. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    This is rude. And it is inaccurate.

    You are out of your depth regarding the Air Force and it's staffing (not "manpower") issues. I'll leave it at that.
     
  13. Charles Fout

    Charles Fout Active Member

    BLUF (a little Joint Service acronym for everyone) Bottom Line Up Front:
    1. I'm dismayed that you take offense. I made no attempt to disparage you or your service.
    2.Warrant Officer programs were never intended to be a parachute for twice passed over junior officers.
    3. The world does not revolve around Dr. Douglas.
    Sincerely wishing Dr. Douglas peace.

    All: I will continue to engage in conversation. Please do not be offended should we disagree
     
  14. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    You're trying to make this about me. It is not. As for your opinions, I think they speak for themselves.
     
  15. Charles Fout

    Charles Fout Active Member

    Very well. May peace be upon you.
     

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