# Spec ops aviation unit seeks mechanics, others



## Ravage (Nov 28, 2012)

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/...seeks-mechanics-112812/#.ULYY66QVIXQ.facebook







Calling all Chinook mechanics: The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment wants you.
The 160th, the Army’s elite special operations aviation unit, needs 100 to 125 CH-47 repairers to join its ranks this fiscal year.

“We are critically short 15Us,” said Sgt. Maj. Jimmy Wilson, from the 160th, which is based at Fort Campbell, Ky. “We haven’t, in the last seven to eight years, been full on 15U.”

The regiment also is seeking hundreds of applicants for a variety of military occupational specialties — from unmanned aerial vehicle maintainers and operators to electricians — to join its ranks.
“It sounds like small numbers, but we don’t have a lot of [these soldiers], so when we come up short, it gets critical,” Wilson said.

Soldiers in the 160th can get re-enlistment bonuses, Wilson said. For example, E-4s who qualify have been receiving about $10,000, on average, which is paid after they graduate from Enlisted Green Platoon.

The regiment, which has more than 2,200 enlisted personnel, is always seeking qualified applicants in 56 MOSs, Wilson said. This year, it is focusing on six:
• 15U — CH-47 repairer.
• 15N — avionic mechanic.
• 15F — aircraft electrician.
• 15G — aircraft structural repairer.
• 15E — unmanned aircraft systems repairer.
• 15W — unmanned aerial vehicle operator.

This marks the first time the regiment is seeking UAV repairers and operators, Wilson said.
“We’re standing up two companies, and we’re looking for all interested applicants up to E-7,” he said.
The regiment typically doesn’t accept applications from soldiers who are staff sergeants or higher, but because the UAV units are new, Wilson and his team are trying to widen the candidate pool.
For the other MOSs, the regiment is seeking specialists and sergeants with one operational assignment under their belts, Wilson said.

However, newly promoted staff sergeants with less than one year time-in-grade should apply if they’re interested, Wilson said.

“Our target group is E-4, E-5, but we will review E-6s,” he said. “We don’t deter anyone from applying. The problem is, it takes so long to train someone. If they’re making E-7, we can’t take them. We have a lot of E-6s [in the regiment], but we can only have so many E-7s. We don’t want to spend all this time training an E-6 only to lose them.”

Sergeant first class slots within the regiment are highly coveted and very limited, Wilson said.
“We lose a lot of very experienced soldiers,” he said, adding that the enlisted force in the 160th sees 12 percent to 15 percent attrition each year.

“We work with [Human Resources Command] to keep them, but the Army needs those E-7s,” he said. “We can try to hoard them all we want, but that means some unit going on deployment needs that E-7.”

Soldiers who apply and are selected to join the regiment must complete Enlisted Green Platoon, a five-week program at Fort Campbell.

“Green Platoon is the first step in becoming a Night Stalker,” said Wilson, using the moniker for soldiers in the 160th. “If, during that time, they quit or don’t demonstrate the proper motivation that we’re looking for, they can be reassigned depending on the needs of the Army.”
On average, about 59 percent of the soldiers who are assigned a training seat for Enlisted Green Platoon will graduate, he said.

Once soldiers graduate from Enlisted Green Platoon, they typically attend follow-on training programs to learn about the special operations equipment used in the regiment, Wilson said.
For example, CH-47 repairers can expect 26 to 27 weeks of follow-on training. This includes the regiment’s Basic Maintainers Course, the Nonrated Crew Member Course, Helicopter Underwater Egress Training, and Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training.



> *HOW TO APPLY*
> 
> Go to the 160th SOAR’s website for an application form or for more information.
> It takes an average of four weeks after applying to hear back from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, said Sgt. Maj. Jimmy Wilson.
> ...


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## DA SWO (Nov 28, 2012)

I can't imagine not wanting an assignment with the 160th.


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## Marauder06 (Nov 28, 2012)

The Regiment has UAVs now?  That's interesting.


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## AWP (Nov 28, 2012)

SOWT said:


> I can't imagine not wanting an assignment with the 160th.


 
No kidding.


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## Ravage (Nov 28, 2012)

https://shadowspear.com/vb/threads/uav-company-to-wear-usasoc-patch.6646/

More infos here.


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## 104TN (Nov 28, 2012)

UAV operator with the 160th would be a pretty sweet gig.


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## Salt USMC (Nov 28, 2012)

So now USASOC not only has organic RW support but organic armed preds??  'Tis a great day to be in SOF!


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## Marauder06 (Nov 28, 2012)

I would have LOVED to have had organic UAVs when I was an S2 in the 160th.

Don't SF Groups have a UAV unit organic now as well?  Thought I read an article on that.  If they don't have one, they should.


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## AWP (Nov 28, 2012)

And people wonder why I rail about "you kids these days" and how damned lucky they are.


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## SkrewzLoose (Nov 28, 2012)

Just wait until Mr. MMA hears about this.  He'll shit!!


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## LimaOscarSierraTango (Nov 28, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> I would have LOVED to have had organic UAVs when I was an S2 in the 160th.
> 
> Don't SF Groups have a UAV unit organic now as well? Thought I read an article on that. If they don't have one, they should.


 
When I was there, I hadn't heard of any specific UAV unit.  We had guys on the ODAs and ODB that were Raven pilots (or in the process of getting qualified).  That's about as far as we had gotten.  Not sure how it is on the AD side.


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## Swill (Nov 29, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> I would have LOVED to have had organic UAVs when I was an S2 in the 160th.
> 
> Don't SF Groups have a UAV unit organic now as well? Thought I read an article on that. If they don't have one, they should.


 
They belong to SF, essentially. USASOC owned, intended for TSOCs ("only!"). SOAR just keeps 'em flying. The MI guys got excited when we first heard about 'em because we thought it would command opportunities. Nope. Have to be a pilot.

PM inbound for some more back story.


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## Rapid (Nov 30, 2012)

Does anyone else want to pilot a UAV for a day and just bomb the shit out of some targets (preferably in Pakistan)? Can anyone hook me up? At the very least, let me pull the trigger a few times.

I'll bring my portable MP3 speakers and loop "Highway to the Dangerzone" the whole time.


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## Ravage (Nov 30, 2012)

I know of a lot better song for the MQ-9


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## Marauder06 (Nov 30, 2012)

Swill said:


> They belong to SF, essentially. USASOC owned, intended for TSOCs ("only!"). SOAR just keeps 'em flying. The MI guys got excited when we first heard about 'em because we thought it would command opportunities. Nope. Have to be a pilot.
> 
> PM inbound for some more back story.


 
Thank you for that PM.  Very educational.  And, IMO, "typical."


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## Marauder06 (Nov 30, 2012)

Rapid said:


> Does anyone else want to pilot a UAV for a day and just bomb the shit out of some targets (preferably in Pakistan)? Can anyone hook me up? At the very least, let me pull the trigger a few times.
> 
> I'll bring my portable MP3 speakers and loop "Highway to the Dangerzone" the whole time.


 
Nah, too much chance of PTSD, compared to what we normally do for a living.  Plus there's the "residual risk" involved.  Can't forget about that.


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## AWP (Nov 30, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> Nah, too much chance of PTSD, compared to what we normally do for a living. Plus there's the "residual risk" involved. Can't forget about that.


 
Yeah well, YOLO, I'd fire a missile or 50 into PK and sort out the emotional damage later...


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## Marauder06 (Nov 30, 2012)

Freefalling said:


> Yeah well, YOLO, I'd fire a missile or 50 into PK and sort out the emotional damage later...


 
Surely you picked up the sarcasm and epic crossthread winningness of my previous post?


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## AWP (Nov 30, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> Surely you picked up the sarcasm and epic crossthread winningness of my previous post?


 
Indeed I did, hence the use of "YOLO" and my almost patented "..." to indicate only the driest of delivery and sarcasm.

Now, under "professional development" I'd like to offer the following constructive criticism: I think your post would carry more punch had it included mention of a new award, medal, or "bling" for those traumatized UAV pilots, an award to recognize their sacrifice and shared danger while in a climate controlled trailer an hour or so away from Vegas.

None of this ultimately matters because at the rate amlove21 is progressing you and I will be out of a job soon enough anyway, our commentary neither witty nor funny.


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## amlove21 (Nov 30, 2012)

Freefalling said:


> Indeed I did, hence the use of "YOLO" and my almost patented "..." to indicate only the driest of delivery and sarcasm.
> 
> Now, under "professional development" I'd like to offer the following constructive criticism: I think your post would carry more punch had it included mention of a new award, medal, or "bling" for those traumatized UAV pilots, an award to recognize their sacrifice and shared danger while in a climate controlled trailer an hour or so away from Vegas.
> 
> None of this ultimately matters because at the rate amlove21 is progressing you and I will be out of a job soon enough anyway, our commentary neither witty nor funny.


 Let me put a little real world twist on this, and illustrate the lengths of which I will go to illustrate this UAV double standard/medals/PTSD thing.

Lots of times, UAV's (actually referred to as RPA or Remote Powered Aircraft), have trouble like any other plane. Engine trouble, lost computer link, etc. Well, Pararescue teams are tasked with the recovery of sensitive items. Ipso facto, we get the call every time one of these things _might_ crash into something. So, an entire SOF team and SOF Enabler team get woken up because these things limp home, and almost every time they make it home with no issue. Well, except that we stay up for 8 hours watching it fly home without incident.

Well, we started a little joke. We take one PJ and make him run, in full kit, to the trailer where the actual pilot sits. Sometimes we call, sometimes we show up in person- but every single time something happens, we send someone for the "pilot". This was hilarous the first, I don't know, 40 times? Some RPA pilots have not found it funny. The solution? Our commander, in hilarious straight faced seriousness said, "Hey, they want in the game, they play by the rules. No plane goes down without the pilot being saved by a GA Team."

We do this every time. We take their job very, very seriously.


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## Marauder06 (Nov 30, 2012)

Freefalling said:


> Indeed I did, hence the use of "YOLO" and my almost patented "..." to indicate only the driest of delivery and sarcasm.
> 
> Now, under "professional development" I'd like to offer the following constructive criticism: I think your post would carry more punch had it included mention of a new award, medal, or "bling" for those traumatized UAV pilots, an award to recognize their sacrifice and shared danger while in a climate controlled trailer an hour or so away from Vegas.
> 
> None of this ultimately matters because at the rate amlove21 is progressing you and I will be out of a job soon enough anyway, our commentary neither witty nor funny.


 
I bow before your superior cynicism.  Further, I agree that you and I should step down and make room for new blood.


Hahahahaha, I almost said that with a straight face.  We are NEVER giving up power.  Long Live the Admins!!!


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## Ranger Psych (Nov 30, 2012)

That's Fucking Awesome, Amlove.


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## LimaOscarSierraTango (Nov 30, 2012)

amlove21 said:


> Let me put a little real world twist on this, and illustrate the lengths of which I will go to illustrate this UAV double standard/medals/PTSD thing.
> 
> Lots of times, UAV's (actually referred to as RPA or Remote Powered Aircraft), have trouble like any other plane. Engine trouble, lost computer link, etc. Well, Pararescue teams are tasked with the recovery of sensitive items. Ipso facto, we get the call every time one of these things _might_ crash into something. So, an entire SOF team and SOF Enabler team get woken up because these things limp home, and almost every time they make it home with no issue. Well, except that we stay up for 8 hours watching it fly home without incident.
> 
> ...


 
That is awesome.


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## amlove21 (Nov 30, 2012)

LimaOscarSierraTango said:


> That is awesome.


It's taken on a life of its own, really. Some guys just the the cc to call, some guys get full on battle ready and ride a quad, one guy got the pilot a coffee and a card for the chaplain (if he needed to talk)


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## amlove21 (Nov 30, 2012)

Oh and long live the admins indeed! Cien don! Ill quietly wait and perfect my tasks until the time comes for me to step up and save the world. Like that quarterback in San Fran or that small furry gentleman in the book about midgets and eagles and little angry dwarves or whatever.


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## Polar Bear (Nov 30, 2012)

amlove21 said:


> Oh and long live the admins indeed! Cien don! Ill quietly wait and perfect my tasks until the time comes for me to step up and save the world. Like that quarterback in San Fran or that small furry gentleman in the book about midgets and eagles and little angry dwarves or whatever.


Wizard of Oz


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## amlove21 (Nov 30, 2012)

Polar Bear said:


> Wizard of Oz


Hmmmm, nope. It had the long walk for something? A piece of jewlery I thought.


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## LimaOscarSierraTango (Nov 30, 2012)

amlove21 said:


> It's taken on a life of its own, really. Some guys just the the cc to call, some guys get full on battle ready and ride a quad, one guy got the pilot a coffee and a card for the chaplain (if he needed to talk)


 
Has anyone put any dressings on any of the pilots?  How has this gone over with their command?  Maybe someone should print up a satirical certificate for a purple heart or a phony medal and start giving those to pilots that damage or crash and burn their UAV.

Remember though, it's all fun and games until someone gets hot coffee spilled on their joy stick... and/or joystick.


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## Worldweaver (Nov 30, 2012)

amlove21 said:


> It's taken on a life of its own, really. Some guys just the the cc to call, some guys get full on battle ready and ride a quad, one guy got the pilot a coffee and a card for the chaplain (if he needed to talk)


We had to do a UAV "recovery" one time.  I wish we would have thought about doing that but everyone was pretty pissed, may have turned into a birthday party :die:


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## Marauder06 (Nov 30, 2012)

Wait a minute, your pilots are actually forward?  Our "pilots" were back in Nevada, IIRC, the only people forward were the maintainers and the like.  We had people "directing" the UAVs (yes I said UAVs) forward, I even got to do it sometimes, but the people who were actually "flying"  the UAVs were back CONUS.  Nellis, maybe?


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## Worldweaver (Nov 30, 2012)

The guy in the JOC that's been on the joystick for 12 hours mumbling under his breath, "please Christ...just once".  That's the pilot right :-"


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## LimaOscarSierraTango (Nov 30, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> Wait a minute, your pilots are actually forward? Our "pilots" were back in Nevada, IIRC, the only people forward were the maintainers and the like. We had people "directing" the UAVs (yes I said UAVs) forward, I even got to do it sometimes, but the people who were actually "flying"  the UAVs were back CONUS. Nellis, maybe?


 
There are civies in theatre flying UAVs also.  Granted these are all aerial surveillance types of remote controlled planes (ie RQ-4s) and nothing with armament.


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## Marauder06 (Nov 30, 2012)

Worldweaver said:


> The guy in the JOC that's been on the joystick for 12 hours mumbling under his breath, "please Christ...just once". That's the pilot right :-"


 
lol, that's every UAV pilot I've ever worked with.  "Just to let you know... I've got two Hellfires..."  Um, good to know dude, but this is a recon, and even if I did want you to shoot something, I'm the S2, I don't give clearance for fires.  "Oh, OK, that's cool...  but just so you know I've got these two Hellfires..."


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## Grimfury160 (Dec 2, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> The Regiment has UAVs now? That's interesting.


My understanding since I left in 08 is that Regiment has grown considerably with plans to expand. When I was told fixed wing applications were already being implemented, I knew they weren't kidding. It is good to see that funding and support with the special operations aviation is in strength. If you were to be asked to apply yourself, it would behoove to do so. Great opportunities to better your career in army aviation or just in support.


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## DA SWO (Dec 2, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> Wait a minute, your pilots are actually forward? Our "pilots" were back in Nevada, IIRC, the only people forward were the maintainers and the like. We had people "directing" the UAVs (yes I said UAVs) forward, I even got to do it sometimes, but the people who were actually "flying"  the UAVs were back CONUS. Nellis, maybe?


Take offs/landings need to be done by a guy in-theater.

Amlove-awesome, except they are Remotely Piloted, vice Remotely Powered, though remote power would be awsome too.

Do you get to punch a pilot who crashes the damn thing? ya know, so he knows what it is like to crash a real airplane?


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## Grimfury160 (Mar 3, 2013)

*"ARMY*
Muth offered no timelines or budget details, but he noted that the Army plans to equip each of its two Aerial Exploitation Battalions with nine General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. MQ-1C Gray Eagles, an Army derivative of the Air Force MQ-1B Predator that carries an advanced version of the AGM-114 Hellfire missile. *Over time, the Army also plans to put a company of nine Gray Eagles in each of its 12 Combat Aviation Brigades (CAB) and two in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.* CABs will take three more Gray Eagles with them when they deploy, as the second CAB to receive Gray Eagles did when it deployed to Afghanistan as part of the 1st Infantry Division in early February.

The Army is also creating what it calls "Full Spectrum" CABs that have fewer manned Kiowa Warrior and Apache helicopters but also have small AAI Textron Systems RQ-7 Shadow UAS whose video can be seen in the cockpits of the manned aircraft, a technique known as Manned-Unmanned Teaming, or MUM.

"How do we pay for it? That's the big question," Muth said of the Army's UAS plans.  http://defense.aol.com/2013/02/22/war-or-peace-drones-market-will-grow-especially-for-infantry/"


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