Becoming An Aerial Gunner, Navigator, Or Crew Chief For The Air Force

I have interviewed an Air Force Crew Chief: "Whatdesire to learn or willingness to help out with
are the criteria for becoming a aerial gunner/navigator?maintenance effort - you will gain no credibility or
Is it better than being a crew chief? First, you need torespect and your aspiring dreams to be a fly-boy will
join a unit that flies helos if you want to be a gunnerbe squashed to the amount of a mis-formed cat turn
(aka Aerial observer A/O). You can't be a Crew chiefthat missed the litter box."
unless you lat move and go to the schoolhouse for the"Delta probably included the most info. First you need
MOS - there is an exception to that in the case ofto be in a squadron that 'need' aircrew. You can
'homegrown', but that's not in your cards unless you'veimagine, like working at a tanning booth rubbing
been flying as an A/O previously."massage oil on hot ladies, Flying jobs are easy to fill.
"Second - there has to be a need to have you as an'Make yourself marketable'! You have to be able to
AO - squadrons only have so many people they canswim and you WILL need to be a Plane Captain. If you
have on flight orders at one time (it's all about thedon't know what a Plane Captain is then you should
money) and number of aircraft vs. T/O - it's all spelledprobably give up now."
out in the Training and Readiness (T&R) manuals. Third"It depends on the squadron. I was a Huey Crew
- you need to be recommended by the squadron inChief. We had the following chain of Learning. Get on
the form of a Standardization Board (Stan Board) -Flight Orders. Observer (Go to NVG Classes)
which consists of the XO, Ops O, Natops O - and aResponsible to keep your side of the aircraft from
few of the more senior SNCOs who have been flyinghitting stuff at night. You really got to fly at night unless
for a long time)."needed for another mission. Gunners (Take the Gun
"Fourth - you need to be fit for the duty - swim quall,Syllabus) are responsible for shooting all targets on
physiology and a flight physical. Fifth - If you make ityour side. 'Also', responsible to 'not' shoot remember ,
this far - you should be able to start flying an initial A/Oyou get whatever gun the Crew Chief does 'not' want
flight syllabus which includes different types of flightto shoot that day."
regimes.""We had 3 gun quails M60, .50 cal, and Mini Gun. Crew
"It depends on aircraft maintenance, aircraft availabilityChief are responsible for 'every' thing. You are the
and scheduling - and if you don't show your mentors,senior guy in the back and make 'all' decisions from the
the'gods', the crew chiefs, a desire to learn orback of the pilots head to the rear of the bird. You are
willingness to help out with maintenance effort - youthe go to guy for the pilots for mechanical issues and
will gain no credibility or respect and your aspiringmake sure nothing falls out. "
dreams to be a fly-boy will be squashed to the"You are equally responsible to keep the plane in the
amount of a mis-formed cat turn that missed the litterair as the pilot". Each mission is different. As a Crew
box."Chief you can fly as an observer -- but, as an
"There is a gunner/observer that is part (part time thatobserver you 'cannot' fly as a Crew Chief. My
is) of a helo crew. No it is not better than being asquadron did not wing you until you finished the Crew
Crew Chief. Although if you are in another shop andChief syllabus. We had guys in fight suits with EGA's
not a Crew Chief, then yes, it is a cool extra gig to do."instead of wings because they were gunners 'not'
"Remember, Crew Chiefs are god like. And if you don'tCrew Chiefs. I 'think' the C-130 may use an enlisted
show your mentors, the gods, the crew chiefs, anavigator.