Calling All US Army ATC

[FoggyWindow]

I see the chance to get a CTO being used as a reenlistment tool in the future, or perhaps as a reward for serving time overseas or winning best soldier or some other sort of thing. A perishable(sp?) skill needs to be kept current, and not having a chance to apply your schooling to real world traffic in a standardized ATC facility is gonna create a generation of *ATCers that dont actually know ATC, they'll know parts of ATC and know what the book says but they wont have real world applicable knowledge or experience. I like how the Air Force uses their controllers.

 

[FoggyWindow]

"I'm an air traffic controller"

"Where did you get your CTO?"

"I dont have one, but I have a flight following rating, thats the same thing, right?"

 

[danielatc81]

"I'm an air traffic controller"

"Where did you get your CTO?"

"I dont have one, but I have a flight following rating, thats the same thing, right?"

LOL!!! Heard that in one form or another more times than I can count!
My other favorite is "I have a CTO......from a helipad." WTF?!?!?

 

[NovemberEcho]

In the AF you hear Air Battle Managers (MRU and AWACS type stuff) tell people how they're air traffic controllers. I loved calling them on that, although it's risky because they're officers, and at my base they were all just-out-of-the-Academy new and power-tripping.

 

[flybyfive]

What's the point in sending soldiers overseas with no training? I read AR 95-2, under controller certification:

(1) Upon assignment to a tactical unit, all controllers not holding a previous ATCS/CTO installation facility rating should receive a special duty assignment to a local installation ATC facility within 30 days for ATCS/CTO facility
training and rating. Ratings are required for tactical controllers to ensure they are worldwide deployable.

According to doctrine, aren't all controllers, tactical and non-tactical, receive some type of training, 7A, TTCS, CTO etc?

 

[planetalkerkp]

Foggy, maybe you can help me. Why has the Army shifted from using soldiers to staff towers and ARAC's to contractors?

They're actually government employees not contractors.

 

[planetalkerkp]

What's the point in sending soldiers overseas with no training? I read AR 95-2, under controller certification:

(1) Upon assignment to a tactical unit, all controllers not holding a previous ATCS/CTO installation facility rating should receive a special duty assignment to a local installation ATC facility within 30 days for ATCS/CTO facility
training and rating. Ratings are required for tactical controllers to ensure they are worldwide deployable.

According to doctrine, aren't all controllers, tactical and non-tactical, receive some type of training, 7A, TTCS, CTO etc?

The tactical units usually won't let the controllers go to the fixed base facility long enough for them to get qualified.

 

[ATCTYLER91]

Not so true, plenty of people there are at HLR tower and I got rated in GRK tower

 

[planetalkerkp]

Not so true, plenty of people there are at HLR tower and I got rated in GRK tower

That's why I said usually, there are many complaints right now about controllers deploying to the desert with little or no live traffic training. Most fixed bases will train controllers if the units will allow the trainees to train consistently.

 

[mgcb]

Got a hypothetical for anyone who wants to weigh in...I'm talking with a recruiter to join the Maryland ARNG as a 15Q. It sounds like I could be moving pretty quickly through the process and shipping out within a month or two. I was wondering with the bid coming up in March that I am able to apply to with this new age related legislation, what will the chances be that I will be able to take a day for the AT-SAT while in AIT at Rucker assuming by some crazy luck it actually gets that far. I'm thinking I may be near the end of the 4 month AIT when they will be doing the AT-SAT, by a rough estimation based off of last years bid.

I am worried this will finally be the time I get picked up, and don't want to have to miss out on moving forward because I am in training and restricted to post and not able to take the AT SAT, etc etc. On the other hand I don't want the FAA to dangle the carrot over my head yet again and I'm stalling to do other things thinking I *may* get picked up when I'm all reality I probably won't...again.

 

[Samsquatcho]

15Q stationed at Fort Rucker.. have 2 CTO's at Skelly Stagefield and Highbluff Stagefield and am currently working at the latter. I personally don't really consider either of them 'real' CTO's, as both only receive rotary wing traffic and don't operate in IFR conditions. I'm going to Korea soon and am trying to get a slot at Desiderio Tower to gain experience at a busier airfield. But I'm sure the civilian side of ATC is a whole 'nother animal compared to Army as most of the Army ATC is tactical

 

[ReasoningwithATC]

15Q Currently Stationed at the wonderful Fort Bragg. PCS to Korea within a few months.

 

[KeelowJay90]

Former 15Q here. Got my first rating in 2012 downrange at a non-CTO worthy tower in Farah, TTCS, AIC and TAIS. Man, I loved the job until the last two years - TAIS and AIC.

Would've had a CTO, but I spent my time being at the wrong part of Germany, and the wrong post in Afghanistan. Plus, it doesn't help having TAIS experience as my first inital, "air traffic" training.

I hate my life.

 

[Bravo Delta]

Farah could have been a cto had somebody done the leg work.