Best way to PCS back to flight school for instructor duty???

["The Brick"]

Looking to get the insight of some of you who have been there and done that in regards to getting back to flight school for an instructor tour on the USMC side of things...I know you start talking to your monitor one year out or so, but I have looked at the billet selection list and you never see a spot for the training commands on there. I am currently a little more than one year out from rotating...I've heard that most helo guys go back to the HT's now with the VT's flying T-6's and that most helo guys don't go there...is that true? I have heard that they are also limiting PCS moves to the max extent due to funding woes...Either way my goal is to get back to Whiting regardless of what I fly...thoughts? Apologies if this is a thread jack in any way.

-Semper Fi

My Bio:
53' pilot w/ 750 hours (100+ HAC Hours)
2 deployments (currently on my second)
Still have one year on station with the possibility of a third deployment

 

[zippy]

Looking to get the insight of some of you who have been there and done that in regards to getting back to flight school for an instructor tour on the USMC side of things...I know you start talking to your monitor one year out or so, but I have looked at the billet selection list and you never see a spot for the training commands on there. I am currently a little more than one year out from rotating...I've heard that most helo guys go back to the HT's now with the VT's flying T-6's and that most helo guys don't go there...is that true? I have heard that they are also limiting PCS moves to the max extent due to funding woes...Either way my goal is to get back to Whiting regardless of what I fly...thoughts? Apologies if this is a thread jack in any way.

-Semper Fi

My Bio:
53' pilot w/ 750 hours (100+ HAC Hours)
2 deployments (currently on my second)
Still have one year on station with the possibility of a third deployment

As I understand it, Marines get billeted to the MATSG that covers each location. From there they get detailed to the the respective wings and squadrons.

 

[FlyBoyd]

Not a Marine but I did the VT thing for a bit...

I remember talking to TW-4 Marines and they said they wanted Corpus to guarantee fixed wing. According to them, the monitor would tell them they would go fixed wing but upon reporting to TW-5 they often were redistributed to shore up the HTs if their IP numbers got low.

Just food for thought...

 

[ARAMP1]

Not a Marine, but I'm in VT3 and the T6B is a pretty sweet lil hotrod. Got several helo guys that I know of spread out throughout the VTs, though I don't know how many are Marines. Expect to fly A LOT after you get out of the FITU. I got around 500 hours my first year, and thats not really trying to pick up any extra flights.

 

[webmaster]

I got around 500 hours my first year, and thats not really trying to pick up any extra flights.

I got ~three hundred on my last 83 day det.

 

["The Brick"]

Thanks for all the info...when you guys talked to the monitor were the spots hard to get? Talking to people on the green side of things it appears to be hit or miss...

 

[squeeze]

Thanks for all the info...when you guys talked to the monitor were the spots hard to get? Talking to people on the green side of things it appears to be hit or miss...

My buddy just finished a Monitor tour and gave me some gouge, so let me pass it on. (Disclaimer: I have never been a monitor (ins'allah I never will be), so this is all hearsay.)

1) First, don't send him your life story in an email. If it's more than a couple lines or a short paragraph, he's not going to read more than that. They get hundreds of emails per day. Of all of these, this is probably the most important.

2) Fill out a mover data sheet if your monitor has one. Look on the MMOA website for this.

3) Realize that the monitor deals with every FW or RW mover that cycle (hundreds) and every one thinks his orders are the top priority.

4) Guys coming off DIFDEN have dibs on orders. Deploying FAC tour, then FAC/EWS, then everyone else. Guys on DIFOP are somewhere after that.

5) When the billet list comes out, find specific gigs you want. If you want MATSG-21, there will be openings. The Marines get assigned to the MATSGs and Group divides you up from there.

6) Around now the monitors are taking leave and PCSing themselves. Once the big summer move slate happens, they take a break before diving into the off-cycle and next FY slate. Don't freak out because the monitor doesn't respond to you within a day or two.

7) Never be afraid to tell someone what you really want to do because of some misguided "career path" belief, but don't forget the old "needs of the Marine Corps" mantra.

Good luck.

 

[Slingblade]

Got orders to MATSG-21 that I am about to execute in a couple of weeks. Check in NLT 19 July. I already know from talking to the MATSG XO that I am headed up to TW-5 in Whiting. Won't know if I go VT's or HT's until I check in there. Flight school was the most appealing option for me based on the other 3 options the monitor was presenting me with. Not the best timing for me career wise as a soon to be hinge, but if you have the option to fly or not fly....Ill take flying orders any day.

 

[picklesuit]

Got orders to MATSG-21 that I am about to execute in a couple of weeks. Check in NLT 19 July. I already know from talking to the MATSG XO that I am headed up to TW-5 in Whiting. Won't know if I go VT's or HT's until I check in there. Flight school was the most appealing option for me based on the other 3 options the monitor was presenting me with. Not the best timing for me career wise as a soon to be hinge, but if you have the option to fly or not fly....Ill take flying orders any day.

Welcome back to the promised land, you won't regret moving here.
Pickle