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I'm between the two, but I'm a little fuzzy on the roles of each respective MOS. My understanding is that a crew chief IS a mechanic but who is also a part of the flight crew. So in the day to day what are the respective roles? Do the flight line guys just do more of the mundane stuff getting dirty in hangers? Do the crew chiefs spend more time just prepping the aircraft for operations etc?
Be a crew chief. Trust me.
Man, first things first if your a regular mechanic you can put in an AO package and fly, it's a little harder and some shops/squadrons have their own requirements before you can even do that. Now crew chiefs do maintenance, when they don't fly. Outside of that they work. But their primary concern is to do daily, turn around and other inspections on the aircraft before flight etc. Each has it's pro's and con's it's just whatever route you would rather do.
Knowing what I know now, I'd pick crewchief.
Can you swim? Well?
Good question to pose for him.:)Quote:
Originally Posted by DuckSauce
Spending lots of time in choppers I'd prefer crew chief too.
There is some exhilaration with riding in choppers, strapped in and looking down at the canopy.....when one is NOT being shot at.
To qualify, I'm speaking from no experience in either MOS.
Good luck OP....
Yes actually, I'm an excellent swimmer and I intend to qualify for first class given the opportunity, although I believe second class is the qualification for crew chief. I'm actually quite looking forward to the aquatic portions of recruit training..
Thanks for the advice Marines.
I know (I'm looking into putting in my package and my friend just went through there) when you go through AO school you have to pass the navy 2nd class swim then you go to ours which you have to get Intermediate if I am not mistaken and then the dunker. For crew chief I would imagine the swim requirements would be the same if not a little harder.
It's been a few years since i went swimming at cherry point so my terminology may be a bit off, but to get on flight orders as an AO you have to pass the navy 2nd class swim qual before being admitted to the 3 day swim course they offer. The 2nd class qual requires you to do (IIRC) a 100-yd swim, and then w/o exiting the pool you tred water and then drown proof.Quote:
Originally Posted by thezero
The meat and potatoes of the 3 day swim/survival course consists of a 75-yd swim in full flight gear, tredding water and drown proofing, and then the dunk tank.
...oh, and if you get seat 4 in the dunk tank at CP the seatbelt likes to jam.
If I could choose again, I would go Crew Chief. Crew Chiefs basically do what I do, but get to fly.
Well I got word last night that I was able to secure a Mechanic contract. Crew Chief was not available for my period. I'm pretty psyched about it now though. It actually was what I wanted at the very beginning before I changed my mind a hundred times.
I have a few questions for current Marines in this MOS.,..
At some point do you become A&P certified?
Would it ever happen that along the way I might have an opportunity to move over to Crew Chief?
During the course of my enlistment and during the time I am working as a mechanic, would I be able to take B billet assignments that would allow me to do something completely different altogether (like embassy guard duty for example)..
Thanks in advance!
the A&P is something you'll have to do on your own time, after you have a few years in and most of your quals. You'll need the maintance officer's signature, so worry about that first! focus on learning your job and you'll put yourself in position for that when the time comes. good luck tho, i enjoyed my wrenching time and it sounds like you will to.
my buddy was a mech and aerial gunner and re-enlisted for crewchief. he was sent over to the training squadron for a few months, then was made a "homegrown" crewchief and came back. Pretty much a joke; he knew more and was a better flyer and mech than all the instructors, haha.
As long as you're not a critical MOS you can do B billets w/o too much hassle.
Join the lofty and godlike position of crew chief we ruled the flight line and all who enter the line shack without permission shall feel the wrath crew chief hml 167 cc hmla 369. And years later i became an A&p