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Each side of that helps the other side.
the guys panicked and kicked me square in the face with his Navy Issue Flight Boots. Fortunately for me it was not in my Glass Jaw!
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That used to be a requirement to graduate, and all freshmen had to take swimming lessons as their physical education requirement if they could not swim.
I never understood it. You know if you can't swim. They give you the option of not testing and just taking a semester of swim for your P.E. credit.
And yet every year, students elect to take and fail that test in front of hundreds of their classmates who are standing in line watching.
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Link: http://courses.cornell.edu/content.php?catoid=31&navoid=7939
Fortunately, I was on my H.S. swim team and a lifeguard, so no problem with the requirement.
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deployed for the first time as a Navy helicopter Pilot. Because of my own interest in aviation, and of course him being family, I've followed his training closely and learned that more than a couple of folks (Navy and Marine) "wash" out from what would normally seem easy tests...kind of like a scene from "An Officer and a Gentleman". It's an exciting life, but apparently not one you can put on "cruise control" ;-).
Good thing I was the door man.
I was impressed with this training. Very disorienting and panic inducing the first time in, I'm sure, even in ideal circumstances of crystal clear water in daylight. But, I'm sure by the end, the guys could handle it. You just need to know the steps...immerse yourself (so to speak) in the details so that the global terror of the situation is held at bay.
I'm told that the military is looking for pilots, at least for fixed wing aircraft, but I imagine that may be the case for rotor craft as well.
defense of the country. As for my nephew, he'll be serving "watches" around the clock, sometimes in 'challenging' weather...will be very interested to hear his stories when he returns. His type of squadron is trained for everything from carrier duty to Seal missions (enough said) from what I've read about them.
Sounds like your nephew is part of a different type of unit, though.
BTW, I travelled to Pensacola for his "Winging" ceremony and while there, he arranged for those who wanted, to 'fly' in one of their simulators...pretty fun...found out there's a limit to how much you can bank those things ;-). Also got to meet several of his squadron mates...they know how to enjoy themselves. The Naval Aviation Museum there is very impressive.
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