From the shores of Annapolis to Pensacola to Highway Patrol

[chopper2004]

Having seen a lot of threads / posts on what do do post military aviation careers in particular over here in UK, however I came across this article years back and what caught my eye was two out of these former Annapolis graduates are aviators. One is a USMC F/A-18 driver and the other USN H-3 Desert Storm veteran (though I don't think they're flying for CHP Air Support??)

Untitled Document (http://www.chp.ca.gov/recruiting/annapolis_to_chp.html)

Cheers

[GreenKnight121]

The condensed version, omitting details of military assignments and their CHP service.

Tom Phelan, Charlton Adams and Vince Pagano work in different parts of California, but they have three important things in common. They are former military officers, attended and graduated together from the United States (U.S.) Naval Academy (class of 89), and they are currently officers in the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

Tom Phelan was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps upon graduation. He chose to become a Combat Engineer Officer with emphasis in light construction, demolition, and minefields. ... Further training included the U.S. Army Airborne School and the U.S. Navy S.C.U.B.A. School. Phelan spent his last tour of duty at Lemoore Naval Air Station in California as the Deputy Security Officer for Operations.
.....
Charlton Adams was commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps upon graduation. After completing The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, he began flight school in Pensacola, Florida. Adams received his Aviator wings in October of 1992 and was assigned to fly the F/A - 18 Hornet. He was then transferred to Lemoore Naval Air Station in Lemoore, California.
.....
Vince Pagano was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy upon graduation. He reported to Pensacola, Florida for flight school and received his Aviator wings in November of 1990. Pagano's first assignment was to fly the SH-3H Sea King helicopter from the aircraft carrier USS RANGER. ... Pagano served as Assistant Operations Officer at the North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego. Phelan left the USMC in the summer of 1994, graduated from the 6-month CHP Academy in January of 1995 and was issued Badge #13775.

Adams left the USMC in February 1995, graduated from the 6-month CHP Academy in October 1995, and was issued Badge #14393.

Pagano separated from the Navy in June of 1998, graduated from the 6-month CHP Academy in January of 2000, and was issued Badge #15934. Pagano had the additional distinction of serving as class president.

The three's CHP experiences vary from road patrol, high speed and foot pursuits, arrests and the investigation of traffic accidents - mild to serious. While all three are currently "working the road," future opportunities include motorcycle, canine and equine officer, air operations (fixed wing and helicopter), and SWAT.

[orca]

Three years from Wings to outside. The military didn't exactly get their moneys worth there! (With a RAG being about a year of that!)

Incidentally (and not that it matters) but the article doesn't specify whether or not their aviators' wings have one or two anchors. Flight school at Pensacola might indicate two.

[West Coast]

That caught my eye as well. Can't help but think there's a subplot there.

[charliegolf]

Incidentally (and not that it matters) but the article doesn't specify whether or not their aviators' wings have one or two anchors. Flight school at Pensacola might indicate two.


What is the significance?

CG

[FOG]

Orca,

Minimum contract at that time was 4 years after wings for rotary and 6 years after wings on the fixed wing contract.

These years not necessarily being flying but commissioned service.

It would take something interesting to be able to resign one's commission early.

S/F, FOG

[orca]

Charliegolf,

The only significance is that the thread was started with the assertion that the person in question was a Hornet driver...and I was simply pointing out that this might be incorrect.

[500N]

I also noticed the short length of times in.


FOG

Or he possibly trod on his xxxx very early on in his career
and had a meeting, hats on, no tea resulting in him leaving ?

[charliegolf]

Orca,

My interest was in the badge significance- one anchor or two- is it one for RIOs and 2 for Pilots? Or have I fallen for something? Cheers.

CG

[charliegolf]

Were the Marines related to HRH the Eal of Wessex, perchance?:E

CG

[orca]

USN/ USMC pilots have a single vertical anchor in the middle of their wings, back seaters have two crossed in the middle.

[Brian Abraham]

USN pilots wings 1968

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m56/babraham227/P133.jpg

[charliegolf]

The other possibility (shock horror) of course, is that it just, well, wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I seem to get the shock horror treatment evrywhere I go. I don't like curry!:eek:

CG

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

what do do


Did you just say 'do do'?

[aergid]

The Yanks make me laugh... I spent longer in the NAAFI queue that these guys did in the US Marines....

Just shows the turnover and inexperience involved inthe US Military. Could this be a factor on the number of Yank Blue on Blue encounters over the last few yrs?

[FOG]

500N,

I'd bet a bottle of 18 year old Scotch it was something along those lines. Just nothing that would be along the lines of a Court Martial, etc.

S/F, FOG

[500N]

Was just basing it on what happens to the odd person in Australia
- my main experience was with SF, not pilots but it's all the same
- cost heaps to train but if unsafe or tread on dick and the whole
thing can be sorted out quietly, then it is, regardless of ROS.

Sometimes better off out than causing problems elsewhere
in the system, even if it is just a desk job.

[charliegolf]

There was a Harrier guy in one of the Gutersloh squadrons, early 80s, who walked into his boss and chucked it in. He explained that he felt on the edge, at full capacity every time he flew; and was an accident waiting to happen.

He was 'qualified' and accepted on the squadron- they accepted his position without question, I believe. Most felt his honesty commendable. (I don't he joined the 'black rats' mind!)

Possibly similar?

CG

[GreenKnight121]

Note that he graduated the Naval Academy (and was commissioned) in the first half of 1989... and left the USMC in the first half of 1995.

That's 6 years on active duty, so the only issue would be his flying status.

As I have known a number of aircrew whose medical clearance was pulled through no fault of his own, I find it highly insulting to the Corps that the first thing you Brits seem capable of considering is bad conduct or some nefarious side-deal... with "down-checking yourself" as the only other option mentioned.

I spent 6+ years fixing the things, and most of the pilots who left early were due to medical issues that developed after they were with the squadron... from one who developed "bends" at altitude to the one who suffered a detached retina during high-G maneuvering to recurrent virtigo and other unexpected problems.

[FOG]

GreenKnight121,

I was an active duty Marine for 30 years and was medically retired. I have over 2,800 hours of FMF instructor time in the FMF and more than a passing familiarity with the USMC fixed wing communities and officer corps.

The six years from wings starts from the date of winging. It runs concurrently with other obligations; i.e. the average time to earn wings from commissioning at that time was four years so his six year obligation would have started June of 1993.

On the medical side recurrent vertigo back injuries would have, and in all cases I am familiar with, results in a MOS change if the officer was physically capable of service. In cases where the pilot was bottom line not up to flying in the FMF again a MOS change.

A serious medical problem such as detached retina would preclude the physical requirements of being a cop.

I intimately familiar with cases where an officer stepped all over his d*** with golf spikes and was allowed to resign for the good of the service and other reasons being given, the most (in)famous being a general officer.

For the record I am not a Brit.

S/F FOG

[GreenKnight121]

The six years from wings starts from the date of winging. It runs concurrently with other obligations; i.e. the average time to earn wings from commissioning at that time was four years so his six year obligation would have started June of 1993.

Actually, 3 1/2 years.

Adams received his Aviator wings in October of 1992

[FOG]

GreenKnight121,

Air contracts given out were 3 ½ and 5 ½ years for the helo and fixed wing pipelines respectively. These obligations were from the early 80s and held for those who commissioned through fiscal year 88. I was a 5 ½ year type.

Starting in FY 89 the obligations were increased to the 4 and 6 year terms. Those in the commissioning pipelines were given choices. OCS types (no obligation to this point) were allowed to either voluntarily withdraw, choose a different career path in their service or accept the new obligations. The academy and ROTC scholarship types were given the last two options or withdraw and pay back money owed.

More than a few stashed Lt.s who were not happy. Most accepted the new terms, a few checked with lawyers and decided not to fight (paying a civilian lawyer however many $ plus putting yourself how many months back plus…) which makes sense.

Is possible that the officer in question did not sign the new contract at the three stages it was checked (and reported to HQMC)? Possible but not probable as it would take three different units both admin and Ops (who report through different chains) to not do their job plus checks at CNATRA and HQMC.

Even accepting that the new contract was not signed that is 98.

S/F, FOG

[KenV]

I served during the early 90s and I remember those times as the Navy being severely undermanned and having insane optempo. The RIFs (Reduction in Forces) just prior to the Gulf War gutted Navy manning, especially aviation. Those manning problems were not resolved post Gulf War, yet the Navy had lots of commitments, driving up the optempo. Reservists like me were called up and activated for long periods and even deployed. It was not a happy time.

[Lonewolf_50]

Ken: Rummy was trying to cut manpower in the Navy, and drastically trying to cut PTR at CNATRA when 9-11 happened, and then that same (censored) decided he might not want to cut PTR when he advocated for the Iraq addendum to the War on Terror. *sigh* The shenanigans never stop.

[FOG]

Ken,

Just before the Gulf War the Navy was pumping out pilots and was actually offering Marines transfers with regular commissions and immediate start of flight school. We (USMC) had a pretty long wait to start AI. A few took the offer, including an OCS classmate of mine who didn’t get his wings but get to get his Budweiser.

While I was in the pipeline CNATRA wanted, and had, Marine 2ndLt.s as his writer. I had the “honor of being one of those writers. During that time it came to be that USN was over about 700 aviators and had been using funds appropriated for USMC for USN. This resulted in USN students being RIF’d and their progress slowed with USMC studs being pushed through much faster, say less than a year from start of primary to wings.

Ops tempo for USMC fixed wing (except Harriers) from mid to late 90s was quite high. It was not unusual for people to be gone from home over 300 days a year with dets, cross decking, etc.

S/F FOG

[KenV]

Ken, Just before the Gulf War the Navy was pumping out pilots..... Yeah, I was the beneficiary of that race to refill the over RIFed USN aviation ranks in the late 80s. I was a RIFed P-3 pilot and that race got me an invite to return to TACAIR. (To make a long story short, I was a Scooter driver, had a bad ejection and told I could not fly ejection seat aircraft, transitioned to P-3s, and then got RIFed when the Maritime Patrol mission went away when the Soviet Navy went away. I reminded them of my ejection seat prohibition and they said they had a shiny new airplane called the Hornet that solved my problem and would I like to come back?) I qualed just in time for Desert Shield. Timing is everything.