Flight in the military

[B767]

I was looking at joining the Marines (OCC school) as I'm currently in college. If I could get someone to guarantee (in writing) that I will have a flight slot upon graduation, would that paper hold as much weight as say a contract, or would the Marines find a way around the jerry-rigged contract and thus put me where they want?

[scramjet]

Well the recruiting stuff I have received from them says you can enter OCS with a pilot track...

[falconvalley]

Nobody's going to trick you into doing something that you don't want.

[Doug Taylor]

I think the Marines are pretty good about their word. If you'd like, there's a token Marine or two around the training department that I can probably convince to email you about Marine Aviation.

[woodreau]

I don't know if they still have this program around, but I believe it is PLC - Platoon Leader's Course - it is for people who are already in college and you sign for an aviation guarantee or not.

You do have to do Bulldog (OCS) during the summer of your junior year. After college you're commissioned a 2nd Lt and off to The Basic School to learn to be an infantry platoon commander - it's just that after that you go off to flight school in Pensacola if you did the aviation guarantee.

[B767]

That's what I was reading...and it seems as though they still do have the PLC program. Then the Basic School and 16 months in Pensacola. What if I already have all my ratings and such? Would it still be 16 months?

[MDPilot]

Just remember, "aviation" in the Marines includes a lot more rotorwing slots than fixed wing.

[woodreau]

I've never gone thru Pensacola - I just spent my career being a shoe -driving ships, and shot airplanes down for a living. Although I did do a disassociated 2 year tour with a Marine Corps artillery regiment - best tour out of my whole deal I think.

Having your ratings won't shorten any of your flight training I don't think, but it will make it easier for you to get through the flight training because you already have a conceptual understanding of the principles involved.

The Marine Corps has nothing to do with the flight training syllabus - the Navy (CNATRA) comes up with the training syllabus - you're in the pipeline you do all the training they want you to do. You just have to spend less time picking it up versus someone who has no aviation background whatsoever.

[B767]

That's ok because I know that at Skywest, and maybe some other airlines, they will credit half of your total rotor time towards your hiring mins. You just can't add more than 250hrs

[frog_flyer]

I just talked to a guy that's in college and has a guaranteed flight slot. He goes to some form of "field training" for the next 2 summers, then hits OCS.

He said he's getting his medical done before OCS, so if he can't hack it as a pilot, he can choose to not go to OCS, and not commission.

He said once you commission, you're locked in: on to 6 months of being a grunt!

As for MD, the guy said it's 60/40 rotary. You've got to kick ass at pilot training to get the hornet.

[BagNasty]

Originally Posted by B767

I was looking at joining the Marines (OCC school) as I'm currently in college. If I could get someone to guarantee (in writing) that I will have a flight slot upon graduation, would that paper hold as much weight as say a contract, or would the Marines find a way around the jerry-rigged contract and thus put me where they want?

It actually works just like a contract. You hold up your end and the Marine Corps will hold up its end. Obviously, there are quite a few things that you can do to void your contract, so make sure you understand them before you sign the training agreement.

Like you stated, you have to do 10 weeks of OCS and 6 months of TBS. Then API is 6 weeks and from there training time depends greatly on what you end up flying. Expect about 6 months in primary/intermediate. Then helo advanced is about 6 more months while props is a little longer and jet guys have a year or more of advanced training. I don't know how long advanced is for Ospreys, it's pretty long as they do some multi-engine prop stuff, plus all or part of the helo syllabus. I've heard of some people with several hundred hours getting into an 'accelerated' program in primary but at best it cut out a handful of flights. It's not like you'll skip out on any major part of training.

Somebody mentioned PLC earlier. OCC and PLC both end up the same way (with a commission) but each is designed for different target audience. How far along in college are you?

Side note: Marines do not have Rhinos or any plans to get them. We still have A, C, and D model Hornets.

[B767]

Originally Posted by frog_flyer

As for MD, the guy said it's 60/40 rotary. You've got to kick ass at pilot training to get the hornet.

It's ok, they have KC-130's too

Bag, I'm almost done with my freshman year.

[BagNasty]

Originally Posted by B767

I'm almost done with my freshman year.

Don't know how much you know about our different commissioning programs. OCC is normally aimed at college seniors and graduates. It's one ten week summer session and you get commissioned upon finishing OCS. PLC is more directed at freshmen and sophomores. You can work with your OSO to do two six weeks periods over two summers or do PLC-combined which is one ten week summer session. For PLC you will finish OCS but won't get commissioned until you graduate college. They all produce the same result and neither one is "better" than another program, it's just about which one fits you better.

[captainflyguy]

As a former (devil-dog) I can tell you as stated in a previous post ...
Just remember, "aviation" in the Marines includes a lot more rotorwing slots than fixed wing. However if you want to fly in the military you have came to the right place, because remember most guys and gals that join the corps want to be groundpounders. As a result that leaves a lot of opportunity for us "zoomies" (pilots). So heres some advice... A. GET IN SHAPE!!!!! And be prepared to do a LOT of running!!! B. study study study... Also the hornet slots are pretty competitive, as you may imagine but much easier to come by than being in the navy. good luck! Hopefully in the near future we will see you in the "pipeline".

[skywestseth]

Why in the world would you want to be a Marine Pilot when you could be an Army pilot?

[USMC-SGT]

because its the Marines..speaks for itself

[skywestseth]

Originally Posted by USMC-SGT

because its the Marines..speaks for itself

It does doesnt it....

besides in the Army we get to fly helicopters and shovel sand!!

[skidz]

[skywestseth]

Seriously I love everyone in the military...almost, One Team, One Fight!

But the last time I had an encounter was with some Marine Reservist's doing there "2 weeks" last summer close to White Sands Missile Range, I was a previous Indirect fire infantrymen (mortar's). Anyways we were shooting from the gun line mind you, down a 7000m range, when I heard a loud voice over the radio "Cease Loading, Cease Loading!!!!!" which turned out to be my Platoon Sergeant when he observed a group of Marines walking about 200m shy of our impact area... They killed the range for about 4 hours until they were led back to there firing point, they had simply "got lost on the map," or so they said...

Later that night the same group of Marines drove through our firing area, and got there 5 ton all wrapped up in TWO coils of C-wire that was flagged and chemlighted!!!!

Needless to say, after we cut them loose, my platoon sergeant cut our field exercise a day short...

silly marines...

[Velocipede]

Having your licenses doesn't shorten up flight school. There is some benefit to having flown before...most guys with previous flight time are more comfortable in the airplane initially and get better grades in their earlier flights. That translates into jet grades and fighter/ attack slots out of primary. However...

There were a couple guys in my day who had so much civilian time, they couldn't adjust to military flying. Remember, there's only one way to fly in Pensacola...the Navy way. Forget that at your peril.

One more thing. The Navy/Marines don't fly for fun. They operate airplanes and helicopters as weapons platforms. The only thing that matters is getting the ordinance on the target on time. Or shooting down enemy airplanes. Or moving the cargo to the beach/ship as expeditiously as possible. Or having your tanker on station on time. Flying is secondary to the mission.

[captainflyguy]

VERY.. VERY... VERY well said VELOCIPEDE!!!!! Yes you are a (in my case) a marine officer first and pilot second.. (or a rifleman) LOL. I have buddies that still fly the Hornet and they give me the gouge on Naval Aviation;they tell stories of Navy guys who get to the (Boat) to report for duty and they are told that "we dont need pilots right now so you will have to fill a maintenance duty officer billet for the moment". Sooo another point to be made in military aviation is that you have to be very flexible!!!!!! SEMPER GUMBY!!!!!!

[Tele_Pilot]

The PLC program is a good way to go. Two 6 week summers. Like stated earlier, the 10 week OCC class is geared more toward seniors or people that have already graduated. You sign up under either a ground or air contract. If you get an air contract, you are guarnteed flight school as long as you pass your flight physicals. You are not obligated to serve until you are officially commissioned. So if you go the first summer or second summer and decide it's not for you, there is no obligation. Definitely be in good shape before you go. The OSOs (Officer Selection Officers i.e. recruiters) will usually help prepare you for PLC. They aren't looking for guys that want to be aviators. You are a Marine Officer first, aviator second. The general ratio is about 60% end up flying helos, 30% jets, 10% props (C-130s). Every week trainees that complete primary training (about 6 mos), list their choice of which pipeline they want and depending on what slots they have and your grades, your pipeline is assigned. Some weeks, guys that have jet grades don't always get jets, some weeks guys that just barely got jet grades get them. So sometimes it ends up being the luck of the draw as to what pipeline you get. Helo training is about another 6 mos, props about 6-7 mos, jets about 1-2 years.

[Joseph]

Hey guys what's up, I'm a senior in HS now and I was thinking of just committing to the marines right after I'm done, doing my 4 years and paying for a flight school with the GI Bill.....But after reading this I'm kind of reconcidering....Here's my question for you fellas, would it be wiser to go to college for 4 years and try to earn a pilot slot my senior year with the Navy or Marines that way? Or should I just join now?

Also, how long would the commitment be if I did indeed get a pilot slot? I'm assuming 6-10 years right.

[N826AW]

Originally Posted by Joseph

Hey guys what's up, I'm a senior in HS now and I was thinking of just committing to the marines right after I'm done, doing my 4 years and paying for a flight school with the GI Bill.....But after reading this I'm kind of reconcidering....Here's my question for you fellas, would it be wiser to go to college for 4 years and try to earn a pilot slot my senior year with the Navy or Marines that way? Or should I just join now?

Also, how long would the commitment be if I did indeed get a pilot slot?
I'm assuming 6-10 years right.

Have you given any thought to applying for an ROTC scholarship?

[Boom Boom]

Originally Posted by Joseph

Hey guys what's up, I'm a senior in HS now and I was thinking of just committing to the marines right after I'm done, doing my 4 years and paying for a flight school with the GI Bill.....But after reading this I'm kind of reconcidering....Here's my question for you fellas, would it be wiser to go to college for 4 years and try to earn a pilot slot my senior year with the Navy or Marines that way? Or should I just join now?

Also, how long would the commitment be if I did indeed get a pilot slot? I'm assuming 6-10 years right.

Yes!

Right now.. 8 years from wings!

NOTE: GI Bill is somewhat limited in what kind of flight training they will pay so becareful with that option!