How many pilots are prior enlisted?

Is there some sort of statistic that shows percentage of pilots who were prior enlisted compared to pilots who went through OCS straight after college?

I doubt such a summary statistic exists. I commissioned through STA-21, but my "commissioning source" is listed as ROTC (STA-21 isn't a coded option.) This is the field usually pulled to show distribution and attrition rates by commissioning method.

I really want to be a Marine pilot. However I was not selected for PLC two years in a row and I only have one year of college left. I was also told that for this year and next year there are no active duty pilot slots for OCC. I have not considered anything else after college other than military and was contemplating enlisting in the Marines first and then try for officer, or try to go officer in the Air Force or Navy instead.

Read the other post on this forum. You will see that's a terrible idea. Enlisting DOES NOT = becoming an officer in any way, shape, or form. If you want to be an officer and aviator, then that's what you should do. Enlisting will not get you closer to that goal.

I guess it's just bad timing. I found out they have basically stopped all air contracts out of OCC for the next two years.

Then go fly for someone else if that's what you want to do. Air Force, Navy, and Army are all good options.

If you really want to fly, don't take being an Army Warrant Officer off the table. To some, it may not seem as sexy as flying that jet and dropping bombs, but I assure you, those guys do some amazing things.

Also, as jtmedi pointed out, if you want to be an officer, do not enlist unless you're comfortable with the idea that you may never be able to become an officer. Being accepted off the street or fresh out of college is difficult enough. Getting the necessary evals/quals/recommendations as an enlisted member just to consider applying is even more difficult. I won't say it's impossible, because there are those who have done it on this board, but think very carefully before you sign any papers and understand the consequences. Read up on the forum, and you'll see there are a number of other threads and posts that discuss this very same topic.

I have considered that. I'm setting up to take the AFOQT in a few weeks and I've heard that Navy is getting full on pilots as well.

I don't know why, but I told myself that I wouldn't join the after having considered the Marines because I would feel like I wasn't good enough, no disrespect for the Army. That's just not the uniform I want to wear and tell other people that I'm apart of. I wouldn't want to be a Warrant Officer as I considered dropping out of College at one point to do that. I'm finishing college this year and going back to Warrant Officer would be like going backwards to me. If I don't go Officer or at least Marine enlisted I'll feel like I've failed myself.

To be honest, I am not comfortable with the idea that I may never become an officer. I always thought that enlisting first would get me more experience and how to be a marine along with physical fitness to go with my college degree to help me eventually get accepted to be an officer.

At this point, if being a pilot simply isn't in the cards for me, I could convince myself to go Ground Contract for OCC.

This is just me speaking, since I was a prior Army guy, but you should never judge the Army by what you 'think' you know. Having a college degree and becoming a warrant officer doesn't mean that you're "going backwards" at all. If you were good enough to be selected for WOCS and the flight training program, you would find many of your peers have college degrees. A flying warrant is probably one of the best gigs you'll find in the Army. Furthermore, if you feel that being enlisted in the Marine Corps is a better option than being a W.O. in the Army, then I think your logic isn't something I can begin to understand.

Best of luck to you, and I hope you get what you want. If you're dead set on being a Marine, and don't care about flying, Semper Fi. Otherwise, Semper Gumby.

Army Warrant Officer is going backwards but enlisted Marine is not..... Give me a fucking break.

The brainwashing is deep in this wanna-be with no clue about real world military service.

I think there is a good reason you keep getting rejected for Marine PLC.

Ventus, everyone has their own motives for joining (or not joining) the military, and it's no harm, no foul if you decide that the Army is not for you. That said, Army WO helicopter pilots are some of the best, most experienced helicopter pilots in the military. I serve with quite a few of them, and not a day goes by where I don't learn a thing or two from them and their experiences.

While I have no regrets with my career, "If I had known then know now," I could quite possibly be an Army WO right now.

I'm just guessing that NFO is probably off the table here...

Yeah, I wouldn't want to be an Army WO Pilot either man, too much flight time, not enough ground job stuff, and it seems like they just do way too much troops in zone and warheads on foreheads...

Seriously, I think the Army is probably at the very least worth looking into. I think that just about everything they fly either has a sexy aircraft, a sexy mission, or both (looking at you MH-6's!)

Of course...there is a downside...

I dunno, my Army buddy often tells me that he wishes he had joined the Marine Corps. He's an officer with multiple deployments and just finished SF selection.

I sure as hell am happy I am not in the Army. Color me brainwashed.

He's not Aviation.

A few things/Questions:

1) Why would I go Army WO when I would have my degree and could go regular Army Commissioned Officer?

2) @Hal Pilot, with respect sir, the only reason I would go Marine Enlisted is to earn that title of Marine, pick up experience for a few years, and hopefully wait out this "no air contracts for OCC" thing. Then I could submit my package for OCC if and when they opened up Air Contracts again. By then I would be even more physically fit, know how the Marine Corps works, and I would have some leadership experience under my belt.

3) I've always thought it would be cool to serve at least one tour on a Navy ship as part of an MEU or fly off of one. Also most Navy/Marine Corps bases are on the coast and places I would like to live later in life where as there are Army bases peppered all throughout the middle of the U.S.

3) @Renegade One, Absolutely not. I would be very happy with NFO if I could not be a pilot first. Hornet, Prowler, or second seat in a Cobra would be excellent I think. I actually contracted in Marine OCS as an NFO first but failed to be selected by the board.

4) @ HueyCobra, I agree that Army aviation is something worth looking into if my only goal is flying. And I do have to admit, many of my "brainwashing" against the Army is the whole "people who join the army weren't good enough for the marines" deal, which I know is not the case comparing the whole of one service to the other. But, that picture...lol. Haha but man I think flying MH-6's for Special Operations would be one of the coolest jobs.

I also confess, every time I do one of those "career apps" on military sites to figure out what you're most interested in, Aviation and Combat are the top two choices. So basically I want to shoot guns AND fly. (very juvenile, i know) The Marines seems like a way for me to have my cake and eat it too...if Air Contracts were still up.

Also MasterBates I like your thing under your name about article 88 haha.

Have you seen the competition for WOFT? Most WOs would laugh in your face, they get more time shaking sticks and supporting their ground guys from the air than any other service and they don't need a TAC to fall on the sword in order to pull the trigger. A large portion of WOs have their degrees, they have professional career schools, and their own degree completion program. OH and not to mention they can go to Navy test pilot school and they have their own special operations aviation regiment that fly their asses off. I remember hearing that there is an exchange program for the Marines to go fly with the 160th even and the Army has even gotten a few converts out of the deal (mainly because they fly their asses off!) A very close friend of mine just got picked up for NTPS, he is a WO with almost 4k hours after 8 years of flying, did I mention he was a Marine before becoming an Army aviator? I get it, you have your degree and think you are too good for something, so be it. My old BN commander was an LT who switched to WO ranks to fly for the TN guard and then jumped back to O ranks to go to staff work and later lead our BN in OEF. Crock of shit right there but let's see if you put your money where your mouth is. I'm not bitter but this bullshit of treating Army pukes like they are terds is enough, I don't see any other branch turning out 15-18 month deployments and keeping their retention up. F&*(#me sideways.

I have not seen the competition for WOFT. I had no idea it was as competitive as you say it is. I always assumed it was what high school kids did who didn't want to or couldn't get their degree first. The "High School to Flight School" program or something. And yes I understand that the 160th SOAR has a highly skilled group of pilots, but it sounds like those are very specific circumstances your friend went through. Also, I had no idea they could go to navy test pilot school.

I never implied or stated that I was "too good" for WOFT. Only that I had considered it before but decided against it so I could get my degree and fly in another branch. I was always told that "if you can go officer, then go officer." The only real solid things I have against the Army are that I have interests that I can't do in the Army. Fly off of or serve on a ship at least once for example. Or have a higher chance to live on the coast. Also I would prefer not to turn out a deployment longer than 15 months but so be it. I understand that Army Aviators are a highly elite part of the Army, but I don't think the "treating Army pukes like they are terds" part is against the Aviators.

Bottom line, my preferences of service have the Army listed at the bottom. No disrespect to anyone who is in the Army or has served the Army, but it just doesn't feel like it is for me.

Bull shit. You said being an Army Warrant Officer would be a step backward and that if you went that route, you would have failed.

BTW, WOs are officers. W-1 holds a warrant (hence the name) and W–2 through W-5 are commissioned.

I think you guys are being a bit harsh and dog piling on this kid. Give him a f'ing break. He has some legit questions and is excited, albeit highly misinformed about some aviation career fields. I don't mind having fun and squashing d-bags, but this seems to be a thread where people are picking on this guy just because he doesn''t prefer your path. He has been pretty tactful. Cut him some slack.
BREAK BREAK
There are a lot of different ways to skin this cat. If you do some searching around, you will see that going Enlisted is a long, difficult road if being an officer and flying are your goals. You will have to prove yourself with years of difficult service prior to even applying, and the competition these days is extremely tough. Lots of enlisted troops have their degree. You also don''t want to be the PFC who won't shut his suck about being a pilot. It will earn you nothing but grief and won't do anything to help you along your path.
My advice would be to search around the different services. Army WO is a great field if you want to fly a lot of hours and be in the fight, the Navy is still hiring, Marines may decide to start taking Aviation contracts next week. Fact of the matter is, you may go to flight school, find out you suck at flying, and end up either flying something totally different (without guns) or driving a desk full of boot chits as a supply officer.
Do some searching of old threads on this site, there is a wealth of knowledge there. Good luck.

Clearly, the answer is 3.

Who knows - If he enlists in the Corps, OP might become the next LCpl Foote (who, BTW, has done very well for himself since his Marine Corps aviation career came to an end).

Not so juvenile at all!! Just remember to never, NEVER EVER, disregard your Rules of Engagement!! ROE's are crucial to winning battles and/or wars. ;-)

And don't forget to excel in performing your ground/collateral duties as well.

And "I is capitalized ...and "seems" is correctly seem ...