Finding out where you'll be stationed

[usmcmeg24]

I just want to say thank you to those who answered my last question. I'm really glad that I found this forum since my boyfriend has an aviation contract and it's good to know about the process.

I'm wondering when during or after training do you find out where you'll be stationed? Is it some point during flight school that you'll get an idea for where you're going, or is it something you find out after flight school is complete?

Again, thanks so much!

 

[Jay]

You won't find out where you'll be stationed until you're finished with Advanced. It's safe to say you'll be in Quantico for 10 weeks for OCS, and then another 6 months for TBS, and then possibly another 2 months for IFS if your husband needs it, so that's almost a year in Quantico. And then 1-6 months in Pensacola for API, at the beginning of which you will find out it you're going to Whiting, Corpus, or Vance AFB. Then you'll pick Helo's, Jets, C-130's, or V-22's and their's another combination of places you'll be. End result, you'll have no idea where you'll be stationed until you're done.

 

[usmcmeg24]

Well he completed OCS, he's completing IFS right now and will be going to TBS in November. I had thought that flight school was a year and a half of training? Will this depend on what he's flying?

Thanks again Jay!

 

[crysmc]

Yeah, flight school length is dependent upon which aircraft your boyfriend will fly and if there's a back-up in that training pipeline or not.

My husband and I find out where we're getting stationed next february/march, so we're super excited.

 

[usmcmeg24]

Does he find that out once he starts flight school?

 

[ben]

Does he find that out once he starts flight school?

It's like this:

• IFS
• API - find out where you go to primary
• Primary - find out where you go for Advanced (and which kind of plane you fly)
• Advanced - get your wings and become a designated Naval Aviator. Find out the location of your first duty squadron. Timeline: about a year and a half since you started, depending on backups and type of plane (jets take longer).

Does that all make sense? You will not find out where you're going to eventually be stationed until you wing at the end of advanced. The exception is that if you select MV-22 Osprey out of primary, you can bet on being stationed at the one base where those aircraft operate. I'm navy and can't tell you where that is, but I know all the Osprey guys are limited to one base in
particular.

Also, for Marines, throw in an extra 6 months for TBS as mentioned by someone above. Basically, you're not going to know where you're going to be much more than 6 months in advance at any given time.

 

[usmcmeg24]

Yes it does! Thank you!

 

[GT Propjock]

Be aware that while you can find out where you are going at the end of flight school, the FRS can make changes as needed to suit the needs of the Marine Corps, it happens, but not often.

Locations of aircraft types:

Jets:

Harriers: Cherry Point (East Coast), Yuma (West Coast)
Hornets: Beaufort, SC (East Coast), Miramar (West Coast), Iwakuni (Japan)
Prowlers: Cherry Point

Helos:

46s: New River (East Coast), Miramar/Pendleton (West Coast), Futenma (Japan)
53s: New River (East Coast), Miramar (West Coast), Futenma (Japan, UDP)
Hueys/Cobras: New River (East Coast), Pendleton (West Coast), Futenma (Japan, UDP)
Ospreys: New River

C-130s:

Cherry Point (East Coast), Miramar (West Coast), Futenma (Japan)

Pretty sure these are correct, if anyone knows that I am mistaken, please correct me.:icon_smil

 

[skidkid]

you can substitute UDP Iraq for UDP Japan but other than that on the money

 

[TheOldMan]

Locations of aircraft types:

Helos:

46s: New River (East Coast), Miramar/Pendleton (West Coast), Futenma (Japan)
53s: New River (East Coast), Miramar (West Coast), Futenma (Japan, UDP)
Hueys/Cobras: New River (East Coast), Pendleton (West Coast), Futenma (Japan, UDP)
Ospreys: New River

You missed one, CH-53D's in Kanehoe Bay, Hawaii (MAG-24)

 

[skidkid]

I dont know that they are still taking RACs, not sure though

 

[GT Propjock]

You missed one, CH-53D's in Kanehoe Bay, Hawaii (MAG-24)

Yeap, forgot about those guys. I heard a rumor that they were either suppose to get a SLEP for their birds, or be on board for whatever the 53 upgrade (53K I think?). Any one know for sure?

 

[KnightNArmor]

they are still taking RACs... my best friend from college/tbs/advanced is a 53D guys right now...

 

[TheOldMan]

Yeap, forgot about those guys. I heard a rumor that they were either suppose to get a SLEP for their birds, or be on board for whatever the 53 upgrade (53K I think?). Any one know for sure?

CH-53D's in Hawaii are slated for replacement by the MV-22, no SLEP is in the works for the venerable Delta.

 

[phrogdriver]

Not to digress too far on the D thing, but last I heard, students were going to the CH-53E FRS, then doing OJT in K-Bay, since they killed the D FRS. Kind of lame, but the Corps figured it was wasting airframes maintaining the Delta FRS.

It's the Es that will eventually be replaced by the 53Ks, not the Ds, which will be replaced by the Osprey.