Marine Air vs Air Force or Navy

[dreamhigh]

I am considering becoming a pilot in the Marine Corps - I would like to know from you fellow men what are the disadvantages to being a pilot in the Marines as opposed to being a pilot in the Air Force or Navy. I understand that the Air Force and Navy have more differents kinds of planes I believe than the Marines do. Is that true? Should I consider fly for the Air Force or Navy instead since they offer more choices? Thanks for your time.

Eric L.

 

[MarineAir]

I understand that the Air Force and Navy have more differents kinds of planes I believe than the Marines do. Is that true?

True. Airforce has widest selection of platforms.

Should I consider fly for the Air Force or Navy instead since they offer more choices?

Well, that depends on which service you ultimately wanna fly for. Whichever you chose, a pilot slot will be available to you if you work hard and bust your a$$ to get it. As far the first part of your question, I'll leave it to the the experts to fill it. I'm a college senior and not yet a marine pilot but working towards it. Good luck. Semper fi

 

[dreamhigh]

Thanks, it's good to hear from other Marines.

 

[SteveG75]

It's not the platform, it's the culture that makes a big difference.

I can't speak to our brothers in green (though I have deployed with some great ones), but as for AF vs. Navy, Bob Norris said it best:

USN or USAF? by Bob Norris

Bob Norris is a former Naval aviator who also did a 3 year exchange tour flying the F-15 Eagle. He is now an accomplished author of entertaining books about US Naval Aviation including "Check Six" and "Fly-Off". Check out his web site at his web site. Click Here. In response to a letter from an aspiring fighter pilot on which military academy to attend, Bob replied with the following.

12 Feb 04

Young Man,

Congratulations on your selection to both the Naval and Air Force Academies. Your goal of becoming a fighter pilot is impressive and a fine way to serve your country. As you requested, I'd be happy to share some insight into which service would be the best choice. Each service has a distinctly different culture. You need to ask yourself "Which one am I more likely to thrive in?"

USAF Snapshot: The USAF is exceptionally well organized and well run. Their training programs are terrific. All pilots are groomed to meet high standards for knowledge and professionalism. Their aircraft are top-notch and extremely well maintained. Their facilities are excellent. Their enlisted personnel are the brightest and the best trained. The USAF is homogenous and macro. No matter where you go, you'll know what to expect, what is expected of you, and you'll be given the training & tools you need to meet those expectations. You will never be put in a situation over your head. Over a 20-year career, you will be home for most important family events. Your Mom would want you to be an Air Force pilot...so would your wife. Your Dad would want your sister to marry one.

Navy Snapshot: Aviators are part of the Navy, but so are Black shoes (surface warfare) and bubble heads (submariners). Furthermore, the Navy is split into two distinctly different Fleets (West and East Coast). The Navy is heterogeneous and micro. Your squadron is your home; it may be great, average, or awful. A squadron can go from one extreme to the other before you know it. You will spend months preparing for cruise and months on cruise. The quality of the aircraft varies directly with the availability of parts. Senior Navy enlisted are salt of the earth; you'll be proud if you earn their respect. Junior enlisted vary from terrific to the troubled kid the judge made join the service. You will be given the opportunity to lead these people during your career; you will be humbled and get your hands dirty. The quality of your training will vary and sometimes you will be over your head. You will miss many important family events. There will be long stretches of tedious duty aboard ship. You will fly in very bad weather and/or at night and you will be scared many times. You will fly with legends in the Navy and they will kick your ass until you become a lethal force. And some days - when the scheduling Gods have smiled upon you - your jet will catapult into a glorious morning over a far-away sea and you will be drop-jawed that someone would pay you to do it. The hottest girl in the bar wants to meet the Naval Aviator. That bar is in Singapore.

Bottom line, son, if you gotta ask...pack warm & good luck in Colorado.

Banzai

PS Air Force pilots wear scarves and iron their flight suits.

The Cliff Note's version is simply, "Flare to land, squat to pee."

But if you must have a platform list (at least to the best of my knowledge):
USN:(ar eat the biggies)
F/A-18C ... to be replaced by the JSF, F-35
F/A-18E
F/A-18F
EA-6B ... to be replaced by EA-18G
E-2C
C-2
SH-60B/F/R/S (lots of -60 models out there)
MH-53
CH-46???
P-3C
E-6A TACAMO
Reserves have C-9, C-40 and C-130

USMC:
AV-8B
F/A-18C
F/A-18D
EA-6B
H-53
H-46
V-22
KC-130
UH-1
AH-1

USAF:
F-16 CG/CJ
F-15C
F-15E
KC-10
KC-135
E-3 AWACS
E-8 JSTARS
C-130, multiple variants, cargo, Compass Call, ABCCC, gunship
H-60 spec ops
U-2
F/a-22 (saw one of these in the pattern at Langley last month)
A-10

And my last piece of wisdom, chose the service you want to be an officer in because you are an officer first, then an aviator.

 

[Gatordev]

And my last piece of wisdom, chose the service you want to be an officer in because you are an officer first, then an aviator.

And therein lies another difference. There's definitely been anecdotal evidence that you're a pilot first in the AF. I can't confirm that, maybe someone like Scab can confirm. I used to think that this would be a good thing. In hindsight, with all the amazing people I've been able to work with, I'm glad I've had to lead, as well as fly.

 

[dreamhigh]

And therein lies another difference. There's definitely been anecdotal evidence that you're a pilot first in the AF. I can't confirm that, maybe someone like Scab can confirm. I used to think that this would be a good thing. In hindsight, with all the amazing people I've been able to work with, I'm glad I've had to lead, as well as fly.

Are you sir, in the Air Force?

 

[Gatordev]

No, Navy. That's why I can't confirm that this is the way they do things. But I work around a bunch of AF guys right now, as well as what I read here on the boards. Scab is an exchange pilot over w/ the AF right now. Not sure if he'll see this thread, but I'd be interested to hear his thoughts.

 

[dreamhigh]

No, Navy. That's why I can't confirm that this is the way they do things. But I work around a bunch of AF guys right now, as well as what I read here on the boards. Scab is an exchange pilot over w/ the AF right now. Not sure if he'll see this thread, but I'd be interested to hear his thoughts.

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly does an exchange pilot do? Does he fly interchangeably for AF or Navy?

 

[mules83]

With the exchange tours, can they count as shore duty?.

As in, can i do my first operation (aviation) tour as normal, then do a exchange tour like scab (keep flying), then come back to the navy for my second operation (aviation) tour. I know it would kill making above O-5 but just wondering.

 

[MarineAir]

With the exchange tours, can they count as shore duty?.

I wonder if that's also true if one wants to get an exchange tour with a foreign air force

 

[lowflier03]

Actually, exchange tours typically count as shore tours. I was asking around trying to see about some sort of tour with the German Navy and assumed it would count as a sea tour since you deploy with them, etc. However I was told that it normally is treated like a good deal shore tour.

 

[MarineAir]

That's a good deal. Do you know if one gets to pick where to go or its just take what you can get. Also will fluency in a foreign language get one what one wants? I have five languages under my belt and would definitely be interested in that when the time comes.

 

[dreamhigh]

Going to my campus AF detachment center to talk to a major about doing the ROTC program and getting my flight school in sight. *cross fingers*

 

[HueyCobra8151]

The AFROTC here runs with mats, so that when they stop to do pushups, they won't get dirty...

 

[dreamhigh]

Haha, good humor - good humor indeed