Aviation Safety Officer

[BAMCIS]

Does anyone have any experience in this collateral duty? It sounds interesting, but I have also heard it sucks and nobody wants it. My degree leans heavily towards this topic and I find it of great interest. I would like to tell my command that I am interested in it before I check in to my new squadron in a few months... But thought it would behoove me to inquire why it seems to be universally loathed before I volunteer.

 

[///AMG]

I dunno how they do it in Herk land, but in VFA, ASO is a department head job and filled by an O-4. I know in the RAG, our ASO was a senior Capt/IP, but it ain't gonna be a new guy job in any case I'd imagine. I'd temper your roll if I were you.....you will be gainfully employed sufficiently without volunteering for anything. I just picked up my 4th job in addition to being a pilot, and I've only been in my sqdn for 2 months. Might not be quite as intense for you not being in a single seat wardroom, but in the flavor of other multicrew commands, I'm sure enough non-essential/extraneous jobs have been created to go around. Also, I wouldn't suggest anything before you check-in......the FNG job is pretty much to STFU for 6 months and do as you are told. This applies to all areas of professional life, not just jobs you think that you might want. Hope that helps

 

[MikeD]

What AMG said.

Plus, as a safety officer in a unit or a Wing, your day-to-day job is more program management rather than any kind of field investigation of major accidents; thats why many guys don't like it because they went into the job thinking it was the other way around. That's the job of the pilots assigned to the Safety Center, however there are times when you can get called to be a Pilot Member of an investigation (of same aircraft type) or Investigating Officer leading an investigation, of which Ive had to do both, both on a SIB (safety board - white hat) and AIB (accident board - black hat).

Still, for you BAMCIS and as AMG said, it's nothing you need to worry about for awhile. Your worry right now is how to properly employ the KC-130, and continually getting smart on that.

 

[bunk22]

You will be busy if that's your job. Though it's usually a DH billet with an assistant ASO as a LT.

 

[MercFE]

In my command, the head ASO is of course an O4. However, there are always two or three O3s working as ASOs at any time as well.

Agree with the others. Primarily an administrative type job. Seems like planning safety stand downs are their most time consuming pay of their job.

Sent from my DROIDX using Forum Runner

 

[///AMG]

My phrog buddy was the natops o at his first squadron, and I think that was a cool job for him since it directly involved his job (at least in a non-tactical sense). Natops generally falls under the safety o umbrella so it's got that going for it. In my community, this job is filled by a senior first tour JO, but YMMV of course. I do know that of the half dozen class a's and otherwise major mishaps my last command had, the safety and natops o's were directly involved with the SIR process, though I think in more of a facilitator role than a field investigation.

 

[C-182 flyer]

If you want to get ahead in your career, don't listen to these guys. Tell your skipper that you studied aviation safety in college, and you should probably be moved into the safety officer position sooner rather than later. It would be a waste having someone with a safety background doing PAO or coffee mess.

 

[bunk22]

If you want to get ahead in your career, don't listen to these guys. Tell your skipper that you studied aviation safety in college, and you should probably be moved into the safety officer position sooner rather than later. It would be a waste having someone with a safety background doing PAO or coffee mess.

Doesn't matter your background, as you know, the Navy will train you anyway. Chances are, this kid will do the PAO, coffee mess, ASO, etc in his time. I did

 

[///AMG]

If you want to get ahead in your career, don't listen to these guys. Tell your skipper that you studied aviation safety in college, and you should probably be moved into the safety officer position sooner rather than later. It would be a waste having someone with a safety background doing PAO or coffee mess.

Maybe I should have phrased my earlier a little differently. Don't hesitate to show initiative, but DO realize that there is probably a logical flow of jobs for new JO's already in place in your new command, and they may very well already have other plans for you. That was the case for me, and most other people I know. You're going to work in some capacity in just about every major department during your JO tour, so while being coffee mess/PAO/etc might not be the coolest use of your skills right off the bat, eventually you will find yourself in more meaningful jobs. The best piece of advice I can give with this (and I will defer to guys like C-182, Mike, bunk with a lot more career experience than you or I) thought is that they are going to care more about the fact that you can take whatever job(s) you are given and run with them, than just focusing your energy on the areas that you might be more experienced with. Learning to employ your aircraft is a challenge, but the real one is learning 3 or 4 different and completely new jobs, and figuring out how to time manage well enough to stay on top of them all. All that BS you hear about being "well-rounded" starts to make a lot more sense when your job is no longer just learning to fly airplanes all day long. The days are long, and the expectations are high, but I have never been more fulfilled in my life than I am right now, and that has almost nothing to do with the flying.......going flying now is just an awesome way to not worry about other stuff for a couple hours of my day, and go have fun. You're going to love it, regardless of what jobs you start out with.

 

[MikeD]

Again, worry about all things related to employing the KC-130 as the weapons system (especially now) that it is. Stupid fluff like additional duties, master's degree, and professional development courses will all mean nothing if you can't do the first job.

Truthfully though, you'll likely rise higher and faster in the service if you are completely incompetent in your primary job, but have the other fluff BS completed......sadly.

 

[C-182 flyer]

I was just joking about telling the skipper anything. I will bet he could care less what you studied in college, nor will anyone else. Just remember to show up and act like a sponge. Big ears, little mouth. Have fun with PAO and make sure your articles are submitted on time.

 

[MikeD]

I was just joking about telling the skipper anything. I will bet he could care less what you studied in college, nor will anyone else. Just remember to show up and act like a sponge. Big ears, little mouth. Have fun with PAO and make sure your articles are submitted on time.

No, actually your original advice was very sound.......

......to get him a good first callsign at least.