Aviation Commander Overlay

Why an Overlay

Aviation commanders are commanders first. Every obligation in the Turnover, Incident Playbooks, Force Preservation, Battle Rhythm, Audit Posture, and Discipline topics applies. Aviation does not replace the ground commander framework. It overlays additional requirements driven by the operational environment, the platform, and the safety regime.

The overlay covers four substantive areas:

1. Pre-CoC requirements. Mandatory training at MAWTS-1, the 6-month arrival window, flight refresher.
2. Safety program execution. Aviation Safety Officer (ASO) appointment, climate survey, OPNAVINST 3750.1B compliance, mishap reporting.
3. Readiness and training. T&R Manual cadence under NAVMC 3500.109A, NATOPS evaluations, FRS qualification tracking.
4. MAWTS integration. Use of the weapons school for command-level support, not only WTI students.

This page is the index. The three deeper pages cover each substantive area.

What the Mentorship Handbook Says

The CMC Safety Division publishes the Aviation Commander's Mentorship Handbook (Version 10/17 at last verification). It is mentorship-focused, not procedural. Worth reading once before assumption and once at the 6-month mark of command.

A representative pass from the handbook's Command Proverbs:

• "When in Command, COMMAND."
• "Be demanding and fair. Do not let people off the hook."
• "Have the courage to check. Things seem to improve when leaders effectively supervise."
• "Trust but verify which requires you to personally inspect what you expect."
• "Bad news never gets better with age. Keep the Commander informed."
• "Hope is not a course of action."
• "I have never lost any sleep over grounding someone or removing an individual's wings. I have lost sleep for not doing it."
• "Use MAWTS. It is not only for the WTI class. It is your weapons school and your source for academics, additional instructors, and ACE integration expertise."

These are voice and posture, not procedure. The procedural backbone lives in the MCOs, MARADMINs, and OPNAV instructions referenced in this topic.

Pre-CoC Requirements at a Glance

The 6-month arrival window is a hard requirement. Waiver authority is at the M&RA level. Squadrons failing to land an incoming CO 6 months before CoC need to flag the issue early.

Safety Program Requirements at a Glance

The ASO is not the SACO and is not a collateral duty. The ASO is school-trained and appointed in writing. The MCAS climate survey is aviation-specific. The Ground CAS climate survey does not substitute.

Readiness and Training Requirements at a Glance

T&R Manual compliance is platform-specific. The NAVMC 3500 series has aircraft-specific volumes. A CO commanding a TYPE-1 squadron and a CO commanding a TYPE-2 squadron read different T&R Manuals.

How the Overlay Interacts With Other Topics

The overlay does not create new chairing obligations. CMG and FPC chairing rules are the same. The overlay adds appointment, training, and reporting requirements.

Common Failures in the Aviation Overlay

1. Treating MAWTS-1 attendance as optional or post-CoC. MCO 5100.29C requires it before assumption.
2. Missing the 6-month arrival window. Aviation CoC scheduling is tight. Late arrival of incoming CO compresses MAWTS-1 and flight refresher attendance.
3. ASO appointed without NPS course completion. Procedural defect. Inspection finding.
4. Ground CAS climate survey substituted for MCAS. Aviation safety climate is a distinct survey requirement.
5. T&R Manual treated as administrative tracking instead of operational readiness driver. Aircrew assignments made without T&R currency check.
6. MAWTS-1 used only for WTI nominations. The handbook explicitly calls this out as a common underuse. Academics, instructor support, and ACE integration are available command-wide.
7. Flight refresher deferred to first month of command. Compresses the Day 0-7 window. Plan for completion before assumption.

Related Pages in This Topic

• Aviation Pre-CoC Requirements (this topic, order 2) - MAWTS-1, arrival window, flight refresher in detail
• Aviation Safety Program (this topic, order 3) - ASO appointment, climate survey, mishap reporting
• Aviation Readiness and Training (this topic, order 4) - T&R, NATOPS, FRS, MAWTS integration

Related Pages Outside This Topic

• Incoming CO Pre-CoC Preparation (Turnover) - the aviation-specific section
• First 30 Days Policy and Appointments (Turnover) - ASO appointment within 30 days
• Outgoing CO Master Checklist (Turnover) - aviation-specific Certificate of Relief content
• Audit Posture Overview (Audit Posture topic) - the framework wrapping aviation-specific FACs