The Watch Monster

Perhaps upon hearing that I will not start ground school until 26 Oct, you may have asked yourself what I plan to do with all that time. The answer to that question: WatCh! Yes, I have been standing a 12 hour 6pm to 6am non-sleeping watch just about every 3 days. I now (like Papa) am on HAWAII time!!(said in a slightly high voice with a crazed look on your face). The benefits to this job: 1. I get to catch up on my ESPN scoreboard since its always on television 2. I get to sneak all the weights into the front office and lift at 3am and 3. I get to lurk around the squadron at night and get to know the place without anyone being there. For this reason, I have taken many nice pictures of what it looks like on the inside. Unfortunately, it took me quite a while to figure out that there are actually many many cameras attached to the ceiling of all the hallways. No more whistling and skipping or blowing the picture of the CO kisses as I go past.
The squadron spaces are actually above a giant aircraft hanger.

This is what the hanger looks like on the inside. The jet is called the T-45 Goshawk.

The squadron keeps all the soft name tags with wings on them in this cabinet until the students eventually finish.

These are the patches made after students land on the carrier ...your own conclusions

The long hallway above the hanger with all the squadron spaces attached.

The student ready-room. Every squadron has a place for students to relax and study before/after flights and briefs.

Carrier qualification or "going to the boat" is done a little after half-way through training.

Some front-office motivation.

The schedule board (with T-45 in the background) is where the entire schedule of flights is written up each day.

Left is the briefing spaces, on the right is an actual briefing room where students and instructors sit down before every flight. Every single flight has an oral, practical exam attached in place at the beginning.

This is the front office where instructors hang out, students stand duty, and general operations of the squadron take place. The window behind the desk has a direct view of the flight line.