Marine Corps Aviation Career

[HMM265GS]

I just entered my NROTC unit at Georgia Tech as a Navy Option midshipman. Immediately I have been bombarded by the Marine Options saying "Go green!". I am strongly considering this since I am informed (thanks to all you AW folk) about guaranteed flight contracts, etc. I am less than proficient PT wise but I am working with the Marine Options and I know I will do decently within a year (which is when I would look at switching my options since I would have done Marine week at CORTRAMID).

All this leads up to, when I informed my folks of this situation, they said that it was a terrible decision since the Marine Corps supposedly treats their officers poorly and it is supposedly hard to stay in for a whole career. My late grandfather, a Marine Aviator, also said that the Corps has changed (how, though, I don't know). But, through my research, I have not seen too much of a difference and I have ZERO issue with being a Marine first. I am very full of pride for what I am going to do (regardless of which service I end up going). But, the Marines have a larger platform variety for helos and their missions seem to be more up my alley.

I am trying to do a Pro and Con balance of switching to a Marine Option. Academically, we just had a bunch of Marine Options receive awards, our BNCO is a Marine Option, clearly the Marine Options rule PT, and have guaranteed flight contracts. Also, out of all 22 of us 4/C midshipmen, all Navy Option, 10 want to fly. That also seems like it might push me to the become one of Uncle Sam's misguided children. I don't see a downside except for the unknown that may lie in actually serving after pinning on wings (since I know they go through the same pipeline up until a specific airframe is chosen).

Can any of you Marine Aviators please give a little bit of info on how the Corps works for aviators? Is it hard to stay active duty as an aviator past O-4? I know about B-billets and an FAC tour seems interesting, but I don't know much about Navy B-billets, so do any Navy guys (or Marines who know) have info on what are available should I choose to stay Navy Option?

NOTE: I know not to make a decision based on what people I don't know say (even as qualified they may be). I just want to get some additional information to make an educated decision on my career path.

NOTE: I have made extensive use of the search bar (since I have seen people get pretty torn up for not using it). But, this is pretty specific and I have had a hard time finding any definitive and concrete answers.

Thanks to anyone who can help!

 

[nukon]

I just entered my NROTC unit at Georgia Tech as a Navy Option midshipman.

I am very full of pride for what I am going to do (regardless of which service I end up going). But, the Marines have a larger platform variety for helos and their missions seem to be more up my alley.

Thanks to anyone who can help!

Which alley is that, exactly?

 

[pourts]

Which alley is that, exactly?

Maybe that's his way of saying he doesn't find flying 6 hours of starboard D particularly intriguing.

 

[pourts]

All this leads up to, when I informed my folks of this situation, they said that it was a terrible decision since the Marine Corps supposedly treats their officers poorly and it is supposedly hard to stay in for a whole career. My late grandfather, a Marine Aviator, also said that the Corps has changed (how, though, I don't know). But, through my research, I have not seen too much of a difference and I have ZERO issue with being a Marine first. I am very full of pride for what I am going to do (regardless of which service I end up going). But, the Marines have a larger platform variety for helos and their missions seem to be more up my alley.

On what basis are your parents saying that the Marines treat their officers poorly? Please be more specific.

I am confident that both the Navy and the USMC have changed dramatically since your grandfather's time. Some of that change has been for the better.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Old guys always say that stuff. I'm sure this Navy/Marines/Air Force/Army is different than theirs, but it is what it is, and doesn't necissarily make this a bad place to be. I'm sure I'll be flabbergasted about what Naval Aviation will have become in 30-50 years, but that won't make it a bad deal for the guys flying at that point. This is all I know, and what you see will be all you know when the time comes. I'm sure you would still enjoy it even if it isn't your Grandfather's Corps.

 

[Brett327]

Some sociologist or psychologist HAS to have studied this phenomenon (which is fascinating to me). I'll have to hit the academic journal database and see what the literature says.

 

[Criminal]

Do it.

I'm still in Primary but have not heard any bad things about pilot opportunities in the future, well unless you suck, are unsafe, get in trouble, or are a complete asshat.

Good job on the well thought out and formulated story/question.

Go for it dude. You will kick yourself in the ass when you are 40 and bald and fat and telling people what ' I couda been' in a bar one day

 

[HMM265GS]

Which alley is that, exactly?

I have always been a fan of CAS, so I might try Cobras. And the Super Stallion seems like an amazing platform to fly. Honestly, I wouldn't want to fly (almost) exclusively over water. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like having terrain might be a little more interesting.

On what basis are your parents saying that the Marines treat their officers poorly? Please be more specific.

(Please don't apply what they said to my beliefs, this is just my parents) They said that the Marine Corps doesn't take care of their officers and it is hard to have a long career in aviation. They said that there are not many benefits. They basically implied that living conditions and housing pay, etc went beyond not being cushy and nice, but was down right crappy. The one that bugged me is that they outright asked if I wanted to work with stupid people all day. I couldn't believe they said it since my mom grew up as a Marine brat and my grandfather was one of the smartest men I have ever known.

NOTE: Sorry I wasn't specific enough on the first time around.

 

[HMM265GS]

They basically implied that living conditions and housing pay, etc went beyond not being cushy and nice, but was down right crappy.

Before anyone says anything, I know I'm not going to live in the Taj Mahal, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to have to play poker with the sewer rats.

 

[KBayDog]

Honestly, I wouldn't want to fly (almost) exclusively over water.

If you don't want to fly over water, you need to run like hell from the Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard.

Have you considered the CAP?

They basically implied that living conditions and housing pay, etc went beyond not being cushy and nice, but was down right crappy.

News to me. My condo in San Diego and my house in Pensacola are both pretty nice, but I guess if your parents say they are down right crappy, I guess they're down right crappy.

The one that bugged me is that they outright asked if I wanted to work with stupid people all day.

I have worked with stupid people everywhere I have ever been employed, both in the civilian and military worlds. Hell, a lot of the time, I are one of them stupid people. Stupid people, like "____ is continuous" sayings, are continuous.

 

[HMM265GS]

If you don't want to fly over water, you need to run like hell from the Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard.

I didn't mean that flying over water was bad, just it would be nice to switch it up and do both. Sadly, I did CAP for quite a while. There is a reason I am not doing AFROTC.

Exactly, I had a hard time believing them about housing. I just didn't have anyone with experience to go off of. Thank you.

I definitely know stupid people are always there. But, they were perpetuating the "All Marines are idiots." thing that I have heard before (growing up with my AF dad around his buddies, never knew if they were kidding). And from the Marines (enlisted and officer) I have met on my own, I have nothing but good things to say.

Thank you very much for the info.

 

[BACONATOR]

I have always been a fan of CAS, so I might try Cobras. And the Super Stallion seems like an amazing platform to fly. Honestly, I wouldn't want to fly (almost) exclusively over water. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like having terrain might be a little more interesting.



(Please don't apply what they said to my beliefs, this is just my parents) They said that the Marine Corps doesn't take care of their officers and it is hard to have a long career in aviation. They said that there are not many benefits. They basically implied that living conditions and housing pay, etc went beyond not being cushy and nice, but was down right crappy. The one that bugged me is that they outright asked if I wanted to work with stupid people all day. I couldn't believe they said it since my mom grew up as a Marine brat and my grandfather was one of the smartest men I have ever known.

NOTE: Sorry I wasn't specific enough on the first time around.

Well, all due respect, but your knowledge of Navy Aviation is probably pretty lacking, especially in helo land (as is pourts'). And beyond the "gung ho Navy" teasing people like to do around here if I even obliquely mention some of the cool stuff we get to do, I'm not talking about me and what I've done specifically. Plenty of people do plenty of things besides "just flying exclusively over water" and you can hear about them if you do some searching. I spent 6 months in Iraq flying MEDEVAC. Plenty of dets split time between the boat and flying in Japan with outside units (think SOF etc), or doing HADR stuff. My advice is if you are thinking about helo aviation, ask helo pilots, not a bunch of ignorant jet dudes. If you want to fly jets, then I'm sure they'll be a wealth of knowledge.

 

[Brett327]

But, they were perpetuating the "All Marines are idiots."

Let's set the record straight: All Marines are thieves. They can't all be idiots.

 

[Harrier Dude]

Let's set the record straight: All Marines are thieves. They can't all be idiots.

Only one of us is a thief. Everybody else is just trying to take their stuff back.

 

[MIDNJAC]

FWIW you are talking a lot about "housing" which in my experience has been limited to unavailable to most folks, ie you have to get on a waiting list until someone moves. That said, I know very few officers (myself included) who have ever lived in on-base housing during their commissioned careers, aside from maybe during OCS or something like that. You get BAH which is extra money in your monthly paychecks to pay for rent or a mortgage off-base. It is normally a pretty fair amount of money. I got $2200/mo in San Diego for rent when I lived there, which was more than enough for a nice place.

This is just a common misconception among my non-military friends.....folks always think everyone in the military lives on base in the barracks, and that we all get up at 0500 every day to PT, and that we have weird curfews at night and room inspections and other such non-sense. This does not apply to all.