Being a Recon Marine and a pilot

[phrogpilot73]

Which, of course, you got through the WTI Non-Resident course

Shhhh, next thing you know everyone's going to be asking me for photocopies of my answer sheets...

There was a time that I thought I should be looking for property in Yuma. WTI for Academics/Tac Support, followed by WTI, followed by Desert Talon, followed by the Air Officer's Course. In 2 1/2 years, I ended up spending close to 5 months in Yuma.

 

[KBayDog]

In 2 1/2 years, I ended up spending close to 5 months in Yuma.

Yuma is a fact of life for SoCal squadrons.

In a perfect world, the Afterburner would be open until the field closes, would have its own freq, and would have an EZ-Go to deliver the Bunker Buster that you ordered at the Sand Pits directly to your bird.

I can dream, can't I?

 

[JTB7]

I was disappointed when they told me I couldn't be a Marine pilot AND a porn star, too.

LOL

Was this you?
http://www.10news.com/news/8855207/detail.html

Actually, contrary to popular belief it is possible to have 3 MOSs at one time. Right now my primary MOS is beach bum, secondary is beer drinker, and tertiary is student naval aviator. I'm in the process of submitting a package to HQMC to get a 4th MOS as a porn star, i'm just waiting to get cleared by NOMI.

I envy you

 

[phrogdriver]

LOL

Was this you?
http://www.10news.com/news/8855207/detail.html

That's just sick.

 

[JTB7]

That's just sick.

Yeah it is.

 

[Stearmann4]

Suuuure... It'd probably be easier to switch from SEAL to Navy pilot too. I'm sure NSW is ALL about it!

Upon my transfer from the Team to flight school, my C.O. patted me on the back and said "Chief, just remember if you're not a SEAL, you're just SEAL support."

It's rarely ever a happy parting.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Let me throw out this gem of wisdom:

All the young Midn I have been around that just want a ground MOS, (usually 0302) seem pretty good-to-go.

All the young Midn I have been around that show up all gung-ho wanting to eat snakes and be a Recon-warrior-ninja-pirate or some trash have failed miserably.

One decided to stay up all night playing World of Warcraft for a term, and couldn't hang at PT and finally quit after a 6mi/50lbs pack hike... The others went out to the field for ONE NIGHT and came back talking about putting in flight contracts or being an engineer or something.

If you are indecisive about what you want, you might not really want what you think.

 

[SemperGumbi]

Oh for crissakes, it was a rhetorical example! How about rodeo clown and professional cricket player?

Would you believe there is an international Association for exactly that?

http://www.National-CricketPlayer-and-Rodeo-Clown-assn.org

Amazing...

 

[JTB7]

Upon my transfer from the Team to flight school, my C.O. patted me on the back and said "Chief, just remember if you're not a SEAL, you're just SEAL support."

It's rarely ever a happy parting.

Wow. Sad, but I would love to be in your shoes. Get the best of both worlds. Did you enlist then become an officer?

Edit: Read your profile-thigy, and says your an army aviator. Just wondering, why didn't you become a naval aviator?

Let me throw out this gem of wisdom:

All the young Midn I have been around that just want a ground MOS, (usually 0302) seem pretty good-to-go.

All the young Midn I have been around that show up all gung-ho wanting to eat snakes and be a Recon-warrior-ninja-pirate or some trash have failed miserably.

One decided to stay up all night playing World of Warcraft for a term, and couldn't hang at PT and finally quit after a 6mi/50lbs pack hike... The others went out to the field for ONE NIGHT and came back talking about putting in flight contracts or being an engineer or something.

If you are indecisive about what you want, you might not really want what you think.

wtf what seal or recon plays WoW? Probably some fatass mommas boy. In scouts, we do a lot of those 50bs 7 days over the summer. I think I would prepared...

I guess your right on not knowing what I want, but I am leaning toward just being a pilot

Would you believe there is an international Association for exactly that?

http://www.National-CricketPlayer-and-Rodeo-Clown-assn.org

Amazing...

Clicked it, just this showed up

LOL repped

 

[Spekkio]

The bottom line that everyone is hinting at here is that if you really want to go spec ops, you should enlist. Just be aware that saying that spec ops school is "hard" is a huge understatement. Attrition rates approach 70-90%. It has nothing to do with physical fitness, and everything to do with the stubborn will to never ever quit. As such, spec ops isn't something you just "do" as a stepping stone for another career option like pilot.

If you want to be a pilot, apply for a commission. The training is still rigorous, but passable if you work at it.

 

[phrogdriver]

The bottom line that everyone is hinting at here is that if you really want to go spec ops, you should enlist. Just be aware that saying that spec ops school is "hard" is a huge understatement. Attrition rates approach 70-90%. It has nothing to do with physical fitness, and everything to do with the stubborn will to never ever quit. As such, spec ops isn't something you just "do" as a stepping stone for another career option like pilot.

If you want to be a pilot, apply for a commission. The training is still rigorous, but passable if you work at it.

Keep in mind that there is no "spec ops school." Special Operations encompasses missions from psychological warfare to hostage rescue, and as such, different units have very different requirements. To use MARSOC as an example, their support elements and certain parts of the Foreign Military Training Unit are just regular Marines with some additional classes, such as languages. The Special Operations Battalion units do special reconnaisance and direct action and are more along the commando lines people think of.

I'd venture to say the 70-90% is an overstatement of the attrition rate, though, unless you start with the number of everyone who filled out an application and dropped by the wayside for any reason. By the same standard, if you started with my freshman NROTC class through MOS training, we probably had 70% attrition.

 

[Spekkio]

I was speaking generally about "spec ops" school; I realize that the training pipeline is different depending on the spec ops community one is trying to join. The attrition rates I quoted were from Ranger and SEAL school. I presumed that Recon would have a similar attrition rate.

 

[Rasczak]

I heard the main cause of attrition was not being able to steal bikes from NFOs.

 

[JTB7]

I heard the main cause of attrition was not being able to steal bikes from NFOs.

wtf? lol

 

[Slammer2]

wtf? lol

just a little glimmer from the AW archives