MPF24
Unverified
This seems like the most appropriate place to post, as it has the most recent activity.
I'm currently in my retrain window and split between SERE and SOWT. I know the SERE career field intimately and fully understand that portion of the equation. My knowledge regarding SOWT is less complete. I know that I would attend the full weather tech school before beginning the more "special" portions of the special operations weather training. Army Airborne and SV-80 at Fairchild are the same as SERE instructors experience so I know what to expect there.
The Hurlburt/Pope sections I can readily enough research on my own time. What I'm curious about is how the Weather school at Keesler differs for a prospective SOWT than a "normal" student and what the "rigorous" PT program that's included entails (hearing some perspective about doing this as a TDY versus fresh out of basic would also be helpful, if available).
More importantly I'm curious about job satisfaction and what an accomplished SOWT feels is truly the core of his AF duty. I've heard mixed things. I've heard that SOWT is "so much more than weather" and that the online descriptions only scratch the surface of what an actual special weather operator does and I've heard that "my buddy is SOWT and he hates it; says they don't do shit, just monitor the weather". I'm sure that neither paints a very reliable picture and that's why I'm seeking to hear things from the horse's mouth, so to speak.
For my own part, I don't mind the academic and scientific aspects of being a weather operator. I have bachelor's degree, have historically been a strong student and enjoy pushing myself to embrace conceptual and intellectual challenges every bit as much as the pursuit of physical prowess. At the same time, I don't have a desire to simply be a meteorologist. I have a feeling (fueled by rumor and testimonies that are of iffy repute) that there is indeed more to it and a promising career path lies in SOWT, but I need to understand the job more intimately in order to determine which path will ultimately be right for me.
I'm currently in my retrain window and split between SERE and SOWT. I know the SERE career field intimately and fully understand that portion of the equation. My knowledge regarding SOWT is less complete. I know that I would attend the full weather tech school before beginning the more "special" portions of the special operations weather training. Army Airborne and SV-80 at Fairchild are the same as SERE instructors experience so I know what to expect there.
The Hurlburt/Pope sections I can readily enough research on my own time. What I'm curious about is how the Weather school at Keesler differs for a prospective SOWT than a "normal" student and what the "rigorous" PT program that's included entails (hearing some perspective about doing this as a TDY versus fresh out of basic would also be helpful, if available).
More importantly I'm curious about job satisfaction and what an accomplished SOWT feels is truly the core of his AF duty. I've heard mixed things. I've heard that SOWT is "so much more than weather" and that the online descriptions only scratch the surface of what an actual special weather operator does and I've heard that "my buddy is SOWT and he hates it; says they don't do shit, just monitor the weather". I'm sure that neither paints a very reliable picture and that's why I'm seeking to hear things from the horse's mouth, so to speak.
For my own part, I don't mind the academic and scientific aspects of being a weather operator. I have bachelor's degree, have historically been a strong student and enjoy pushing myself to embrace conceptual and intellectual challenges every bit as much as the pursuit of physical prowess. At the same time, I don't have a desire to simply be a meteorologist. I have a feeling (fueled by rumor and testimonies that are of iffy repute) that there is indeed more to it and a promising career path lies in SOWT, but I need to understand the job more intimately in order to determine which path will ultimately be right for me.
