I arrived at NAS Pensacola for AOC class 05-79, (Aviation Officer Candidate School) March 5, 1979. Hand picked Marine Corp Drill Sergeants made us Officer material in 16 weeks. 1500 guys nationwide applied for that class, 49 were selected, 24 graduated with 12 being designated pilot candidates. The others were Naval Flight Officers (back seaters) and 4 aviation intel officers. Of those 12 pilots 3 went on to fly jet fighters. I managed to be one of the three. It was the greatest adventure of my life. I was awarded my Navy Wings of Gold by my father (Winged in 1935) 17 April of 1981.

After my fleet tour in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, I went on to instruct intermediate and advanced jet at NAS Pensacola. We also trained foreign students. I agree 100% with the following article even though the author went through years after I did.



https://apc01.safelinks.protection.o...%3D&reserved=0

 

Cos, damned impressive resume. Very alarming article.

 

Was Emil Foley (Lou Gossett) your DI?

-- Chuck

 

My DI, Staff Sargeant Macias USMC had ice water in his veins. Tradition has it you give a silver dollar to the first person you salute as an officer. He was standing in dress uniform outside the Naval Aviation Chapel after the commissioning so he would be the first without worrying about a random encounter with anyone else. I wonder how many silver dollars he accumulated during his tenure there!

 

We didn't have that attrition at Infantry OCS -- AKA Benning School for Boys -- and the first sergeant was right there to collect the silver dollars. No DIs by that stage of training and the 1SG outranked the 3 or 4 enlisted members of the company, Pretty sure the silver dollar tradition continues. Another silver dollar tradition was to sew one behind the glider patch on our garrison/overseas/other-rude-name caps. (Now that I recall that I gotta go look for mine!).

-- Chuck

 

Congratulations on being one of the few to get the Navy Wings of Gold. Navy here too. I served in an air anti-submarine warfare squadron. Our pilots flew P3's and were referred to as "Sub Hunters".

 

That is one pretty whack-a-doodle website but I can't say that I really disagree with the article.