Marine Air contracts

[EA-6B1]

"I'll give you a topic... marine aviation."

Ok. there's probably a lot of you that didn't get that opening line, but it's from a famous saturday night comedy. Anyways...

I've been interested in Marine Aviation now for about a year and a half. Is the MC in a huge lack of aviators? I'm just curious because I didn't know that the Marines needed pilots as bad as it seems. I hear that at Marine OCS ground contracts aren't even being accepted. Thanks.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.
-Col.3:23-

 

[utrico]

I heard something similar. My recruiter told me that they have more pilot spots than they do ground spots. Imagine that...

 

[Adrenaline Rush]

my recruiter told me the marines has more air slots than any other branch including the air force,,, Can anyone verify that?? seems strange, if theres any way it can be true it must be because the marines mainly use helo's which require two pilots..but i could be wrong

I'd Rather Be A Lion For One Day, Than Be A Sheep For A Thousand Years

It Is Our Duty To Protect The Best Nation In The World

 

[ltjhoward]

I'm at TBS and my company is about 240 with about 70 flight contracts, so no there are not more air spots than ground spots, however, they do need as many potential pilots as possible. They keep trying to get the physically qualified ground guys to take the ASTB. The funny part is that most people here just want to be Infantry. It makes me feel a lot safer knowing we have so many hard core leaders for our infantry.
MAGTF

 

[Lt_SNA_USMC]

Howard--what platoon are you? I'm Alpha 5th plt. Lt Williamson and yeah--you're right--the few air contracts we have, a lot of them want out of their air contracts to go ground.

 

[EA-6B1]

I envy the guys that have all the qualities of a SNA, but don't want it. It kind of makes me mad that just "used" the flight contract to get in. I know this is not unusual, but this also my .02 cent. I hope that I can have everything they're looking for.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.
-Col.3:23-

 

[E5B]

Yep, and a lot of the Lt's that WANT to fly aren't physically qualified.

LAND MINES are equal opportunity weapons!!!

 

[Frumby]

Always remember,
Every aviator can be a grunt but not every grunt can be an aviator!
IOC(Infantry Officer Course) graduate Sept 89! Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMCR

 

[topher1235]

Frumby, were you on a ground contract or did you elect to go to IOC before API?

 

[Frumby]

Air contract and elected to go before AI. Figured if I washed out of flight school at least I still had a combat MOS. Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMCR

 

[Adrenaline Rush]

Frumby that sounds like u made a smart "just in case" decision..So if you go to IOC you can most likely get an infantry MOS if you wash out of flight school? what are the least desired MOS's if there are any?

I'd Rather Be A Lion For One Day, Than Be A Sheep For A Thousand Years

It Is Our Duty To Protect The Best Nation In The World

 

[Frumby]

Least desired is a professional way to put it. There is no bad MOS just poor effort. Now these are my opinions because of my desires and will obviously be different per individual: Motor T, Admin, Logistics and supply, Data Dinks and Communications. The funny thing is that if you can excell in these MOS, you will certainly excell in the Marine Corps. If you decide to get out of the active duty, you have training for a very good job on the outside unlike your infantry brethren. If you have an MOS before flight school and wash out you then revert to your old MOS. Actually, it wasn't a smart decision rather dumb luck. I just did not want to work doing BS duty in Mike Company while I waited for orders to flight school. Let's see paint Land Nav boxes on the Land Nav course or SPIE rig, repelling and firing every weapon in the arsenal. I found out about the rest (wash out revert to MOS) later. Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMCR

 

[Lt_SNA_USMC]

For whoever cares, there are several air contracts in A co now with me who want to go IOC before flight school (Not me). But our CO (who we were talking to one morning at the rifle range) said that there may be 1 slot possibly for IOC after our cycle. I guess slots have been tough to come by lately. I suppose there are more slots sometimes than other times. Free information. Personally, I have NO DESIRE to go to IOC after TBS, before flight school. I've been frost bit one too many times this year. Not to say I would not go if I had to. Just don't want to. I actually met a Lt a month or so ago who washed out of primary and is now at IOC. There was a slot open and he got it. He's lucky. There are 5 flight attrites slated to go Financial Management this year. OOH RAH finance!

 

[BRM21o]

Marine Flight Contracts at USNA

How does getting a pilot slot through the USNA work? Thanks Devil Dogs!

Semper Fi

 

[Taxman2A]

I went through PLC, but I had a Naval Academy buddy explain the process to me, so I'll pass that on.

Basically, your senior year at the Academy, you make your final decisions as to what you want to do in the Navy or Marine Corps, rank them in a list and submit it. The choices are things like:
Navy Seals
Navy SWO
Navy Pilot
Marine Ground
Marine Pilot
Marine NFO
and a bunch of other communities

You submit this list, and you will be invited to interviews where your academic performance, leadership performance, military bearing, and reasons for wanting to do what you are applying for will be evaluated by a board of Officers who will decide whether you will be welcomed into that particular community or not. There is no guarantee going to the Naval Academy that you will get selected for Marines, as there is no guarantee that you will get selected for flight.