The Errant Ensign

Aviation Featured

5 Things Formula 1 Racecars and Military Fighter Jets Have In Common

When it comes to speed, noise and the uncanny ability to make you stop what you’re doing and gawk, two mighty machines stand out: Formula 1 racecars and military fighter aircraft. Despite their distinct domains, these high-performance vehicles share surprising similarities—both in the machinery themselves as well as

Aviation

Acing Flight School: The Power of Anki and Spaced Repetition for Memorizing Anything

Anki changed my life. Combined with some of the techniques discussed in Joshua Foer’s Moonwalking with Einstein (see my review of the book here) my memory ability has gone from “Dory forgetting her own name in Finding Nemo” to never forgetting what I had for breakfast again. Anki is

Military

EExplained: Aircraft Carriers

How big are aircraft carriers, anyway?

Aviation

Flight School Life: Living Arrangements

When you're moving every year, how do you figure out where and who to live with?

Aviation Featured

How to Succeed in Flight School

Whether you dream of becoming Top Stick at the Navy Fighter Weapons School or an international long-haul pilot for Delta Airlines, everyone starts somewhere. And that “somewhere” for most people is in flight school, being reminded by your instructor that you forgot the base leg radio call for the fifth

Books

Military Books: The Like Switch

⭐️4.8 out of 5 ⭐️ How can we get people to like us and accelerate relationship development?

OCS Featured

10 Things You’ll Love About Navy OCS

What if I told you that there are some things you'll actually miss about Navy OCS?

Aviation

Top 8 Gift Ideas for Pilots

The ultimate gift guide for the pilot in your life!

Aviation

Navy Primary Flight Training: Contacts

Contacts Phase is the first phase of Navy Primary Flight Training. It’s where you learn the basics of flying the Navy way and where you can start your grades off on the right foot. Although under the Charlie syllabus Contacts is only worth 25%, it still provides a great

Aviation

Navy Primary Flight Training: Preparation

If you’re even vaguely familiar with the current state of Navy Flight School, you’re probably well aware of the various bottlenecks currently plaguing NIFE and Primary. While waiting to start training there’s definitely some ways you can spend your time to maximize your performance once the inaugural

Aviation

Back, Complete✈️

After six months of being in the blender, I can finally say I am Navy Primary Flight Training complete. I’m excited to be back writing again and have done my best to respond to all the emails I’ve gotten. My plan is to do a bunch of writing

Aviation

Navy Flight School: NIFE Phase 3

Phase 3: Flight Side In case you missed my write up of Phases 1 and 2, you can access them here [https://www.errantensign.com/navy-flight-school-nife-phase-1/] and here [https://www.errantensign.com/flight-school-nife-phase-2/]. What NIFE is doing (and really well—I might add) is providing a great example of what

Books

Military Books: Moonwalking With Einstein

⭐️4.5 out of 5⭐️ Why is it so damn hard to remember some things and so easy to recall others? The key, it turns out, is the Memory Palace.

Fitness

The MAF Method: Maxing Out the Navy PRT

Running has never been something I’ve excelled at, which probably explains why I never do great on that portion of the Navy PRT. I’ve always thought of myself as a below-average runner and on a scale from things I love to things I hate, I would put my

Military Finances: Navy OCS and Beyond

My experience with military finances so far has been a lot like when that one neighbor asks you to dog-sit for the week while they’re on vacation: you are happy to do it, not sure how much exactly you’ll get paid, and worry they’ve completely forgotten to

Aviation

Navy Flight School: NIFE Phase 2

In case you missed it from my first post covering Phase I [https://errantensign.com/navy-flight-school-nife-phase-1/], the US Navy moved from the old program known as API and is now using NIFE (Naval Introductory Flight Evaluation) as the first stop in the journey to becoming a Naval Aviator / Flight Officer.

Featured

Navy OCS CandiO Boxes: The World Is Not Enough

CandiO boxes are a much-anticipated aspect of the Navy OCS experience, where at times you think your family couldn’t possibly send you enough chocolate to ease your addiction withdrawals. Although everyone quickly becomes familiar with what they are when they arrive at Newport, it was made clear to me

OCS

The Real FEMALE Navy OCS Packing List

Ever wondered what a female OCS graduate recommends you bring to Navy OCS?

Aviation

Navy Flight School: NIFE Phase 1

Congratulations on finally making it to Pensacola, Florida to start flight school. The cradle of Naval Aviation and home to hundreds of newly minted Ensigns buying brand new Tacomas and engagement rings. I’m kidding, obviously. Everyone knows if you’re smart you get legally married immediately for the BAH

Candidate

Navy OCS Workouts and How to Prepare

If you’ve ever wondered what Navy OCS Workouts are like and what you should do to prepare for them, this is the post for you. The workouts are nothing crazy and if you can already meet “Excellent Low” standards for the PRT then you have nothing to worry about

New Author: Welcome, Unidentified Female

I am pleased to announce the addition of a new writer to the Errant Ensign Media (just made that company up) team: Unidentified Female! Unidentified Female, UF, went to OCS with me and is now an Intel Officer pursuing being a nerd professionally with the Navy! UF will be able

OCS

Life at OCS: What are the Rooms Like?

> “Hi there. Navy wife and mom here. I’ve got a son headed to OCS. My older son and husband both commissioned through college, so OCS is on the unfamiliar side to us. Can you give some insight into the area of the rooms where personal gear and miscellaneous items

OCS

Yelp Review: Ney Hall's Food at Navy OCS

Your first few meals at OCS will be “bag nasties”—or cold, boxed lunch. At best: egg burritos and a Pop-tart. At worst: a hamburger bun with one slice of Kraft cheddar and deli meat. As a new recruit, eating your first hot meal at Ney Hall sounds like everything

OCS

Navy Stereotypes You Meet at OCS

Part of what makes OCS great is that it introduces you to a diversity of people that you may never have been exposed to before. Looking back on the personalities I met while undergoing training, I created my own Navy Stereotypes of the more common people I was acquainted with.

Candidate

Understanding Your Chain of Command at Navy OCS

The Navy, like every other branch of military, utilizes a chain of command system and Navy OCS is no different. In your first few weeks as an INDOC Candidate, you’ll be required to memorize your chain of command. However, knowing who’s who in your COC will also prove