MCAS New River - NCA

YEEDAWG8 · Posted: 09-14-2009, 10:28 AM

I was wondering if anyone has been stationed at MCAS New River? I just got a DOD job offer and want to get details about the facility an area.

Admin · Posted: 09-14-2009, 11:45 AM

I was there and no a few of the DOD guys that are there now. Ill give you some info on it when I get a second. What specific things are you looking to know?

MYKLE · Posted: 09-14-2009, 11:54 AM

If you like hunting, fishing, golfing, and lake activities then this is the place for you. Not much of the big city night life but it's enough to get you by. If you have a family it's a great spot.

YEEDAWG8 · Posted: 09-14-2009, 12:54 PM

I do love all of that, so that is a good thing. Also, I just want to know what their facility consists of and what their operations are like.

Admin · Posted: 09-14-2009, 05:52 PM

If you don't like Marines, don't take the job...there are about 50,000 marines and sailors and then add their families in Jacksonville, NC...the total population is only 76,000....you will see Marines everywhere....if you have short hair, people will mistake you for a Marine and probably yell at you if you are out in town wearing out of regulation civilian attire...ha...I'm actually being very serious. If you are single...you don't really have a chance of finding a girl...if you do...it will be when a deployment has just left and all the Marine wives start showing up at the clubs a week later looking for guys.

Down to NCA...the traffic is very very very slow. It is primarily a helo base....you get occasional C-130, A-10s, E-4s, F-18s, Gulfstreams, and King Airs...you are also home to the MV22 Osprey's training squadron. The radar is old as dirt....they use the TPX-42A as their primary radar scopes and they have GCA's there as well. You will train a lot...you will train a whole lot....so get used to always training. The basically just run an arrival pattern...not really considered an approach control anymore because they don't own hardly any airspace...when I was there, they were a TRACON...now just an arrival.

The tower is actually pretty new...about 5 years old....at least you can look forward to that. New River is an old crappy base...just like every Marine base...

I still know a few that work at NCA...I might know a Marine or two there, but not sure if they are are Cherry Point (NKT) or not now. There is a civilian woman there and her husband that are DOD (Steph and Brad)...they are both pretty cool, former Marines...there is another civilian guy there, he was former Air Force (Dan)....he is cool too....then there is Metz...a complete idiot. He was a retired Gunny (unfortunately I got to work with him when he was still in as a Gunny and I was only a Sgt.).....absolute no question about it, the stupidest guy I have ever met. Maybe he has changed a bit since he became a civilian, but I seriously doubt it...I believe that guy has some kind of stupid disease that can't be cured. He is loud and dumb...makes no sense and thinks he is always right. He was one of those Gunny's that made sure you were prepared to go to battle every second of the day. Again...a complete tool...if you see him, slap him in the face for me and tell him it's from me.

I lived on N. Topsail Island...about 40 minutes from base, but well worth it because I was away from the majority of the Marines around that place. Lived on the beach for 2.5 years and loved it out there...some of the best times in my life at that house on the beach. Wilmington, NC is not too far away and is a nice getaway from all the Marines.

I can't overstress the Marines in that town....oh....as well as the strip clubs, pawn shops, tattoo parlors, and bars...that is what makes up the rest of the city of Jacksonville.

That is all I got time for now...if you have any other questions, let me know.

arun · Posted: 09-29-2009, 05:01 PM

yup he is right on the money. We are here now stationed at MCAS New River, we don't care for it here

me98 · Posted: 11-01-2009, 03:11 AM

Hi. Im Mike Echo (sometimes referred to as Crash Echo). I am a retired USMC GySgt ATC Chief and Radar Approach Controller. I worked at MCAS New River a long time ago (back when Randy Bowen and Herb Price were civilians there). I later worked at NAVAIR (MATCALS; AMSIP; JPALS; etc.), then ARINC, then a Japanese aviation electronics company, then started my own aviation consulting company.

I am familiar with MCAS New River as it was 15-years ago, and also with Jacksonville, NC. I have many really good and bad memories of this town, as well as Havelock/MCAS CherPt., MCALF Bogue, and others. I would be very curious to hook up with someone actually working ATC at New River; CherPt; or Bogue just for catching up on old sea-stories. I probably worked with all of your Marine Corps bosses in the past. I can tell you alot of stories about their past. hahaha.

Regards, ME

ShawtyMane · Posted: 11-18-2009, 09:21 PM

Admin is right on point about Jacksonville. I lived there most my life and man i couldn't of said it better myself. he forgot to mention all the barbershops though. but its not bad if your from the south and have a family. I loved it as a kid,teenager, and young adult. but whenever i go back now, I'm like damn how did i stay here. Wilmington is south and Greenville is north both good getaway spots.myrtle beach isn't too far away either. The marine thing, you'll get used to. Just curious, how much are they offering you to work there? Cost of living is low in Jacksonville so i cant imagine them paying you more than bout 60k maybe 70k.