Marine Aviation Community Culture

[Duc'-guy25]

Disclaimer: I used the search function, and I couldn't find a thread on this.

Strongly considering making the jump from the Navy Reserve to the Marines on a flight contract if it is extended to me. Recruiter is telling me I'll have to go to OCS and TBS (no problem, a year is a just a year). My big question is how does the Marine Aviation community culture compare to the Navy's aviation community, and how does it compare to your ground counterparts. My only interaction with Marines has been with the ground guys, so I'm just curious on how they compare once you're actually in The Fleet. I'd like to think I'm a pretty decent officer, but I'm also a pretty laid back guy and I just want to make sure I'm making right choice in communities that I will work well with. Thanks for the help Marines.

 

[hlg6016]

Marine air is a little more laid back than the ground side, But the culture thrives on both sides of the house.

 

[hlg6016]

To add you will be expected to be an officer first then a pilot, it all revolves around supporting the ground side.

 

[whitesoxnation]

Disclaimer: I used the search function, and I couldn't find a thread on this.

Strongly considering making the jump from the Navy Reserve to the Marines on a flight contract if it is extended to me. Recruiter is telling me I'll have to go to OCS and TBS (no problem, a year is a just a year). My big question is how does the Marine Aviation community culture compare to the Navy's aviation community, and how does it compare to your ground counterparts. My only interaction with Marines has been with the ground guys, so I'm just curious on how they compare once you're actually in The Fleet. I'd like to think I'm a pretty decent officer, but I'm also a pretty laid back guy and I just want to make sure I'm making right choice in communities that I will work well with. Thanks for the help Marines.

HAHAHA that's a funny a joke man... no really tell it again. I think it took me around 22-23 months to go from commissioning to API, and not because I was injured or had any other set backs that were of my own doing. I was on the fast track.

I don't think any real attempt is made to streamline the process.

 

[Duc'-guy25]

To add you will be expected to be an officer first then a pilot, it all revolves around supporting the ground side.

As in the Navy, Divo/DH/other fun billet first, pilot second. Roger that.

HAHAHA that's a funny a joke man... no really tell it again. I think it took me around 22-23 months to go from commissioning to API, and not because I was injured or had any other set backs that were of my own doing. I was on the fast track.

I don't think any real attempt is made to streamline the process.

A year is just a year. Still good? I understand the process from commissioning to API is long, I was just trying to state the fact of going through another commissioning pipeline, then TBS was a non-issue to me. I just want to get in the door.

 

[81montedriver]

My experience was more in line with what the OP suggested. I was in API within a year of commissioning.

I just finished up a year long FAC tour with an infantry battalion so I can give you a good perspective of both.

The air side does their job well. As a whole they are more chill and the officers are a tighter knit group. Lt's and Capt's are usually on a first name basis. The air side is also very good at multi tasking since we have a number of collateral duties in addition to flying. Less opportunities to lead Marines and definitely not in the way leading Marines is on the ground side.

The ground side does their job well too. Officers hang out less with each other. Also there is no daily flight schedule so information does not travel well and usually does not make it to most people. Work days are shorter. Most dudes spend their mornings working out, working on MarineNet and BSing with SNCO's. Most are out of the office by 15 or 16. Company commanders address platoon commanders as "Lieutenant." However in combat, that Lt is leading 38 of the meanest motherfuckers in the entire Marine Corps who will do whatever that platoon commander says. (If he is good at his job.) It is a more strict environment as a whole but there is a lot of downtime. In the field, dudes sleep about 12 hrs a night.

Both sides do their job well and there are pros and cons to both. Fat asses still exist on the ground side and there are plenty of pilots who could be better platoon or company commanders . Everyone is a Marine Officer first and pilot second.

Good luck!

 

[Duc'-guy25]

Thanks for the info monte. That's pretty much what I was looking for and hoping to hear. I read up on the FAC tour thread and that's a pretty good concept. Definitely seems like it gives Marine pilots a perspective that their Navy and Air Force counterparts never get.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

My experience was more in line with what the OP suggested. I was in API within a year of commissioning.

I just finished up a year long FAC tour with an infantry battalion so I can give you a good perspective of both.

The air side does their job well. As a whole they are more chill and the officers are a tighter knit group. Lt's and Capt's are usually on a first name basis. The air side is also very good at multi tasking since we have a number of collateral duties in addition to flying. Less opportunities to lead Marines and definitely not in the way leading Marines is on the ground side.

The ground side does their job well too. Officers hang out less with each other. Also there is no daily flight schedule so information does not travel well and usually does not make it to most people. Work days are shorter. Most dudes spend their mornings working out, working on MarineNet and BSing with SNCO's. Most are out of the office by 15 or 16. Company commanders address platoon commanders as "Lieutenant." However in combat, that Lt is leading 38 of the meanest motherfuckers in the entire Marine Corps who will do whatever that platoon commander says. (If he is good at his job.) It is a more strict environment as a whole but there is a lot of downtime. In the field, dudes sleep about 12 hrs a night.

Both sides do their job well and there are pros and cons to both. Fat asses still exist on the ground side and there are plenty of pilots who could be better platoon or company commanders . Everyone is a Marine Officer first and pilot second.

Good luck!

Where were you/what were you doing when people slept 12 hours a night in the field?

 

[81montedriver]

South Korea and the ROK Marines were only doing daytime training. That's just one example. Literally every time I was in the field I could have slept 12 hrs.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

I slept pretty much whenever I felt like it, but that was definitely not the case for virtually anyone else in the battalion.

 

[John Folsom]

HAHAHA that's a funny a joke man... no really tell it again. I think it took me around 22-23 months to go from commissioning to API, and not because I was injured or had any other set backs that were of my own doing. I was on the fast track.

I don't think any real attempt is made to streamline the process.

If we get ramped up like we did under President Reagan, stand by.

I was commissioned in August, 1980 and winged in April, 1982. I was on my first WESTPAC (HMM-165) in May, 1983.

Will we see those days again? Maybe. Depends on who's the President and appropriations. If the Corps gets snapped back to 215,000 again, watch out.

 

[Duc'-guy25]

And by the way gents, I'm out in San Diego for a bit, I was going to start calling squadrons, but if anyone here wants to volunteer for it first, I'm looking to get a closer look at a squadron operates if anyone is interested in showing a young buck around. I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Duc'-guy25]

I will take that as a negative...and understandably