When CNATRA threatens to shut down Marine SNA production due to lack of Marine IPs in Flight School it tends to get people's attention. I have a hard time believing we should be making the Navy pony up manpower for self-induced manning issues. The appropriate and honest conversation should go like this: "There are 7523 billets at VT-86, but due to the needs of the Marine Corps there is a snowball chance in hell of you going there right now, so congrats here's your extension."
Some guys want to goto flight school and some guys don't. The idea of flying 1.5s of fam and instruments everyday makes me want to gouge my eyeballs out with a spoon. I'd rather sit on a hill and watch it rain GBU-12s, 20mm, and minigun than do that - to each their own. Then again I'm not trying to bounce to the airlines anytime soon.
I wasn't advocating making the navy pick up the slack due to marine manning issues, I was just pointing out that it seems to be the strategy. I think we are on the same page here. It would be super neat if monitors gave people the real information, but of course that would make their jobs harder, so don't count on it.
I thought sitting on a hill making shit explode was pretty cool too, but when it came time to fly again, I did what I could to avoid being greeted back to a MAG with an IA to bullshitistan. To each their own.
VT-86 is a desirable option, so rather than saying "sorry my dude, I have that saved for someone else" it's easier to say it's not an option so don't ask.
