tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post923393502587000581..comments2024-01-03T05:18:54.650-05:00Comments on CDR Salamander: Diversity ThursdayCDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-79817541770382817462010-09-08T14:21:17.000-04:002010-09-08T14:21:17.000-04:00For many years, in Navy flight school, the helicop...For many years, in Navy flight school, the helicopter community was always given the students who completed Primary Training with the lowest flight grades. Most student naval aviators do not want to fly helicopters. It was as if poor performance was being punished. Some might say, "That's not fair to the helicopter community; that they should get only the worse of the crop. They deserve to get some high achievers, too. It's discriminatory to the detriment of the helicopter community."<br /><br />But the reason, as I've had it explained to me, is one of practical economics. High performance in Primary Training is an outstanding indicator for future outstanding performance. It is also a good indicator that the student will make it through flight training, instead of being washed out. Jet training is much more lengthy and expensive than helo training. It is for THIS reason that the low performers are sent there. If they wash out, it is not that big of an expense on the Navy. To send a low performer into the jet pipeline, only to find out that the air-to-air gunnery pattern is too fast-paced for them -or- that landing on an aircraft carrier is too difficult for them; is a very expensive mistake after investing all that time and jet fuel on their training up to that point.<br /><br />Dividing the talent equally into the various pipelines, although seemingly fair, is actually a big money loser for the American taxpayers.<br /><br />I think this analogous to this whole diversity issue. Place low performers (regardless of race) into an occupation that inherently requires high performance is a bad plan.David Emerlingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-10157342417483531692010-03-05T01:11:33.000-05:002010-03-05T01:11:33.000-05:00There is another third-order effect: After some ti...There is another third-order effect: After some time has passed, a less competent Navy will no longer seem appealing to top performers. No competitve person wants to belong to a losing team. With a weak foundation, the Navy will fall under its own weight.visitornoreply@blogger.com