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Reality Check.

Njc242

New Member
Thanks guys, really helping me. I guess I was just so set on being a Marine Pilot that I would do anything and he made it sound good. He put on extra icing and it worked.

Anybody else have a say please share =)
-Nick
 

OUSOONER

Crusty Shellback
pilot
now all you have to do is channel that enthusiasm and drive into your school work and preparation to be a USMC officer and aviator..soak up anything you can on this sight and ask questions...and like everyone else said start getting to know your local officer recruiter.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
You're getting great advice, but here's my one question: Do you want to be a pilot or a NFO? You repeatedly say "pilot" but you said your goal is to be a NFO.

...I will work on my reserve base until I reach my goal (NFO, I want to go PLC Air).

They are different. Both fly around in the gray airplane, but just want to make sure you know what exactly it is you're so motivated to do.
 

skim

Teaching MIDN how to drift a BB
None
Contributor
I took the same path as Jackass, although I took a few years off of school. I didn't bother with the ACT or SAT. I went to a CC, then a 4 year and got my commission. Anyways, if you're not ready, tell him to back off. He's not evil, he just has a job to do. The reserves might be a good deal, but realize you could be called up to serve thus delaying your graduation.
 

E2Cougar

NFO
None
Only advice I got for you is to read EVERYTHING before you sign ANYTHING. The story you've put forth sounds pretty shady on the surface. Why would you enlist, only to become an officer later on? What benefits do you get by being in the reserves for the four years you are in college (assuming you don't get activated and sent to the sandbox)?

A 47 is *not* competitive on the ASVAB. If you got scores broken down, check here: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marines/l/blusmcasvab.htm for score information about "competitiveness". Hell, a 31 is "passing" (http://www.baseops.net/militarybooks/asvab/asvabresults.html).

I'd really hate to see you enlist, thinking you're heading off to college right after boot, only to find out halfway through boot that you're going to be an infantryman heading to the sandbox immediately. I intend absolutely no disrespect towards our enlisted men and women, but if you intend to be an officer (as has been said here many times), why would you enlist?
 

LOSLOAR

don't bring your coffee to FOD walk
He said that he will stop by my house tomorrow and talk to my parents and try to get them to sign the papers for the Delayed Entry Program which after graduation I will be heading to boot camp than I will work on my reserve base until I reach my goal (NFO, I want to go PLC Air).

Anyone smell the green weenie comin' round?
 

JSF_Dreamer

Busted Head
Bogey: Basically I trust him, I talked to all four recruiters at the same time and they all were telling me about PLC. I want to live a normal life before I start doing what I want to do.

What I am nervous about is this. In order to get into PLC you have to go to a University (correct?, not a community college) and you have to have a combined score of 1,000 on the SAT's for just the math and reading. I have a combined score of 800 (wow totally shit yes I know) This is the first time I have ever said this to people, I have a GPA of 2.0 I am a C and D student (now your asking, HA this kid wants to fly) but its my goal and I am going to strive for it, sure I fucked myself over in HS and I realized that but its not over until its over.

I am leaning towards going to college, talking to an OSO than trying to get into PLC.

Any other thoughts guys?


Get into college do your first 2 years at a CC if you have to, but then transfer to a local university. Don't piss your chances away while you're in college. Realize that college is a means to an end and not an end unto itself. Bad grades in HS can be overcome in college... bad grades in college will hose you. I pissed away the first 2 years of college and have to work 10x as hard now to bring up my GPA and graduate next fall (which is still a year and a semester later than I was supposed to).

If you want it, go get it. But don't enlist. Yeah, you can do college while you're enlisted, but in the marines your ass is going to get deployed and you'll have little to no options for taking classes.

College, OCS, future... in that order. Best of luck.
 

Harrier Dude

Living the dream
FWIW.....I wish that I had done the Marine Reserve gig in high school like you are outlining. It builds experience and character which would have helped me in college. Then again, there wasn't a war going on that threatened to get me yanked from college for a year back then.

Think it over, talk about it with your parents and maybe a counselor at your school, and make an informed decision. Good luck.
 

Njc242

New Member
Hey guys, great advice. Thanks much, really appreciate it.

At Gator: I want to go NFO, I am just used to saying Pilot for some reason.

At OH-58: My total score was between 1,000 and 1,500. My math and writing combined was around 800

At E2 Cougar: They said they like to promote from within, so not only would reserves build structure and get me ready but it would "help my chances of getting a slot"
 

armada1651

Hey intern, get me a Campari!
pilot
At E2 Cougar: They said they like to promote from within, so not only would reserves build structure and get me ready but it would "help my chances of getting a slot"

I'm very skeptical of that, but I'll defer to someone with more knowledge of Marine air contracts. I think what the recruiter meant to say was, "You signing this paper will help MY chances of meeting quota and getting a good FITREP."
 

Raptor2216

Registered User
I'm very skeptical of that, but I'll defer to someone with more knowledge of Marine air contracts. I think what the recruiter meant to say was, "You signing this paper will help MY chances of meeting quota and getting a good FITREP."


And you would absolutely be right about being skeptical. I know way too many guys, to include myself, who picked up the PLC slot just as easily as any of the priors. The majority of the guys you will go to OCS with are NOT prior enlisted...they are civilians who went into an OSO office and signed up.

By the way, why do you want to be an NFO over pilot?
 

Crowbar

New Member
None
He said that he will stop by my house tomorrow and talk to my parents and try to get them to sign the papers for the Delayed Entry Program which after graduation I will be heading to boot camp than I will work on my reserve base until I reach my goal (NFO, I want to go PLC Air).

So have you done any paperwork to get your PLC application started?

Like everybody has said, enlistment is not required to get commissioned. What rank is your recruiter? Is he a canvassing recruiter or does he work for an OSO?

Recruiting is a hard job. Some just honestly don't know about officer programs. They might get a guy who comes in and tells them that he was a reservist and got into PLC and they think that's how it always works. Hell, some officers don't know any officer program other than the one they did. That being said, do your homework. If you feel like you're being pressured, you probably are. Be polite to the recruiter but don't be embarassed to tell him that you aren't looking to enlist. It's not a sleight against enlisted Marines, unless make it one.
 

Njc242

New Member
At UBHI: Good question. I guess I always liked Goose more than Mav :)

At Crowbar: He is a Staff Sarg. The other guy I was talking to today was a Gunny

I flat out told him tonight that I told him on my very first visit that I came into the recruiting office to get my boat load of questions answered I did not want to sign the papers.
 
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