Need Advise on Air/Ground Contract Problem

[E4toO1]

This is the situation. I am trying to go into the Marines with a flight contract. However, the Marine isn't accepting OCC air contracts this fiscal year. If I want to get a definite spot in flight school I have to wait until next October at the earliest.
The problem with waiting is that I turn 27 in August. My OSO said I should switch to ground and compete for an air spot at TBS. I know the competition is fierce and I may not get it. He informed me that my package will not be competitive with 22 year old freash out of college. I beg to differ. I am prior service and have a 290+ PFT.
I need some advise on if I should wait until next year or risk going in ground now and praying for a miracle. Any pilots, OSOs, or anyone that could give insight would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[SWOHopeful]

If you're prior service your cut off age should be 29...

 

[bob88899]

I would def not go ground if you want to fly... def NOT (unless ground pounding is somthing you would be happy doing).... i would atleast apply for the navy for a spot in the meantime, and if you dont get a spot, apply for the marine SNA slot... and if that doesnt work and you still want to go ground, then by all means do that.. My point is you can always go ground after the magic 28yrs old... i wouldnt risk going to tbs ground and having to compete for a air slot if air is what you really want to do.

 

[jtmedli]

Dont rule out NFO...pretty awesome job if you ask me. I'm seriously considering it myself since the pilot slot seems to be out of the question.

 

[radkindoical]

Yup, I'm in the same situation, I have to wait till October 2010... luckily i'm younger but I'll be unemployed for months...

 

[trkracer]

Usually the competitive air spots at TBS are available because of others who dropped their Air contract in your Company or something along those lines. Since the Corps is not recruiting any SNA's right now, any spots that may have been available would just be absorbed and never make there way to being competed for at TBS... Dont take the chance of there even being a air slot to compete for and you being the one to actually get it. If flying is what you really want to do, just wait it out. If not, then go for it now. There are many rewarding jobs in the Marine Corps

 

[Pepe]

I beg to differ. I am prior service and have a 290+ PFT.

Getting that SNA slot is base more on your brain then your body. Your PFT score will have little to no bearing on your selection. If I were in your shoes I would study my ass off for the ASTB. I don't honestly believe that the Corps is going to keep the SNA pipeline closed for the entire year. I do believe that when they do open it back up it's going to be slow at first. The ones most qualified go first.

 

[Clux4]

Usually the competitive air spots at TBS are available because of others who dropped their Air contract in your Company or something along those lines. Since the Corps is not recruiting any SNA's right now, any spots that may have been available would just be absorbed and never make there way to being competed for at TBS... Dont take the chance of there even being a air slot to compete for and you being the one to actually get it. If flying is what you really want to do, just wait it out. If not, then go for it now. There are many rewarding jobs in the Marine Corps

Negative.

 

[FLY_USMC]

I typically don't answer any of the "help me" threads mostly because every situation is different and inevitably someone on a keyboard can't answer such an important question for you. What I can say is that my roommate at TBS got an Air Contract competitively. At the beginning of TBS, our Air Contract Rep....a volunteer 2NDLT position who's job was to disciminate aviation info to the other Air Contracts..... needed a list of what Ground Contracts where interested in trying for Air. To make a long story short, of the 70 or so people interested, only about 25 actually had the ASTB and Flight Physical completed by the end of TBS. The others were either lazy or couldn't find the time. So what I'm saying is if you do decide to go ground, get ALL THE BOXES checked for Air prior to OCS and TBS, this will help you out in the long run. Lastly, before I have peeps asking about the "Aviation Rep" position at TBS....ours attrited out of IFS....so don't think you fucking cool for volunteering to do work vice drink beer. You don't get Jets out of API.....nor TBS for that matter.

 

[Clux4]

I typically don't answer any of the "help me" threads mostly because every situation is different and inevitably someone on a keyboard can't answer such an important question for you. What I can say is that my roommate at TBS got an Air Contract competitively. At the beginning of TBS, our Air Contract Rep....a volunteer 2NDLT position who's job was to disciminate aviation info to the other Air Contracts..... needed a list of what Ground Contracts where interested in trying for Air. To make a long story short, of the 70 or so people interested, only about 25 actually had the ASTB and Flight Physical completed by the end of TBS. The others were either lazy or couldn't find the time. So what I'm saying is if you do decide to go ground, get ALL THE BOXES checked for Air prior to OCS and TBS, this will help you out in the long run. Lastly, before I have peeps asking about the "Aviation Rep" position at TBS....ours attrited out of IFS....so don't think you fucking cool for volunteering to do work vice drink beer. You don't get Jets out of API.....nor TBS for that matter.

Attrite out of IFS? There has to be more to this story.

 

[yodaears]

Attrite out of IFS? There has to be more to this story.

I knew a marine that attrited out of IFS. He just couldn't get his head wrapped around the whole three dimensional thing. It was too bad, he was a good guy and a prior hornet plane captain.

I typically don't answer any of the "help me" threads mostly because every situation is different and inevitably someone on a keyboard can't answer such an important question for you. What I can say is that my roommate at TBS got an Air Contract competitively. At the beginning of TBS, our Air Contract Rep....a volunteer 2NDLT position who's job was to disciminate aviation info to the other Air Contracts..... needed a list of what Ground Contracts where interested in trying for Air. To make a long story short, of the 70 or so people interested, only about 25 actually had the ASTB and Flight Physical completed by the end of TBS. The others were either lazy or couldn't find the time. So what I'm saying is if you do decide to go ground, get ALL THE BOXES checked for Air prior to OCS and TBS, this will help you out in the long run. Lastly, before I have peeps asking about the "Aviation Rep" position at TBS....ours attrited out of IFS....so don't think you fucking cool for volunteering to do work vice drink beer. You don't get Jets out of API.....nor TBS for that matter.

Yup, shitty job. I know from experience (not a volunteer though, a voluntold). And the only guy that was given an air slot was the only one that actually went to all the appointments I made for him to check his boxes. Good gouge.