Sequester Notwithstanding, Recruitment Goes Forward

Maybe this is a hopeful sign that the grounding of the Blue Angels due to the sequester will only be a temporary thing. But regardless of the fact that the Blues will apparently not be flying many air shows this year, the team is seeking highly motivated Navy and Marine Corps enlisted and officer applicants, officials said March 26.

"The mission of the Blue Angels is to enhance recruiting and credibly represent the Navy and Marine Corps to the United States and around the world," said Senior Chief Aviation Structural Mechanic (AW) Brian Williamson, Blue Angels detailer, Navy Personnel Command (NPC).
 
Enlisted Sailors in the following ratings and pay grades are encouraged to apply:

• Aviation Maintenance Administrationman, E-5
• Aviation Machinist's Mate, E-4 and E-5
• Aviation Electrician's Mate, E-4 and E-5
• Aviation Support Equipment Technician, E-5
• Aviation Electronics Technician (AT), E-4 and E-5
• Aviation Structural Mechanic, E-4 and E-5
• Aviation Ordinanceman, E-5
• Aircrew Survival Equipmentman, E-5
• Mass Communication Specialist, E-4 and E-5
• Logistics Specialist (LS), E-5 and E-6
• Yeoman (YN), E-6

Applications are also being accepted for an AT senior chief petty officer, and chief petty officers in the LS and YN ratings. The Blue Angels will also select officers for the following positions:
 

• Three F/A-18 demonstration pilots (Navy and Marine Corps pilots are encouraged to apply) (2015-2017 show seasons)
• One Marine Corps C-130 demonstration pilot (2015-2017 show seasons)
• One administrative officer (2014-2015 show seasons)
• One supply officer (2014-2015 show seasons)
• One public affairs officer (2014-2015 show seasons)

Williamson said applicants will spend about five days working with the Blue Angels either at a show site or in their homeport of Pensacola, FL. After all applicants have been interviewed, the team will gather together to make final selections.

According to NAVADMIN 354/12, personnel selected for this unique and demanding duty represent the hundreds of thousands of Sailors and Marines serving throughout the U.S. and abroad. Applicants must meet certain requirements to be considered for duty with the Blue Angels and waivers are not normally considered. "The Blue Angels' training is pretty rigorous," said Williamson. "Although each selected applicant is highly specialized in their own job field, there's a lot of cross-training that takes place. Newly hired enlisted team members spend about the first 90 days that they're attached to the Blue Angels doing all the cross-training, and as soon as the training is complete, that's when they receive their Blue Angels crest."
 
The squadron deploys every year to Naval Air Facility El Centro in Southern California from January to early March for winter training. The show season starts in mid-March and ends with a homecoming air show aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola later in the year. Because the team is a deployable squadron homeported in the U.S. and requires members to operate away from their permanent duty station in excess of 150 days per year, it is considered a Type 2 Sea Duty for rotational purposes.
 
During the show season, the team performs at an air show almost every week, but only about 45 members of the nearly 130 member squadron travels to any one show site, so all personnel do not travel every week, said Williamson. The required obligated service for enlisted personnel is 36 months. Navy officers must have completed one operational fleet tour and pilots are required to stay on active duty for two years after completing their assignment with the Blue Angels.
 
Enlisted personnel with a projected rotation date of September 2013 through April 2014 are eligible, but others may apply with command and detailer approval. Navy officer applicants are required to contact their detailer or monitor prior to applying to ensure adequate timing to complete a two- or three-year tour without impacting career milestones.

"Applicants do not necessarily have to have F/A-18 experience to apply for the Blue Angels," said Williamson. "Every season we hire Sailors from helicopter backgrounds, and O-level (organizational) and I-level (intermediate) technicians. We just hire stellar Sailors and Marines who want to represent the Navy and Marine Corps team."
 
Special Program detailers assign Sailors to more than 20 special programs Navy-wide, including recruit division commander duty and recruiting duty, service on the USS Constitution or the USS Arizona Memorial, and assignment to the Navy Ceremonial Guard. MILPERSMAN 1306-900 contains a complete list of special programs available.

ANN Salutes Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Andrea Perez, Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs

FMI: www.blueangels.navy.mil