Pwrdbyhorses are you an aggie? You sound familiar
Talked to my OSO heard the same thing, no air contracts. I have been putting all my effort for the past several months towards studying for the ASTB and stuff so I am bummed to hear the news for myself.
Dose this no air contracts apply to every recruiting district? I am on the boarder between two districts, is it worth calling the other district to see if they have any?
I've actually decided to switch and try to get selected ground now. What about everybody else here? Anybody gonna wait and try later? I'm hoping for a competitive air slot but I've resigned my future to fate....
I've actually decided to switch and try to get selected ground now. What about everybody else here? Anybody gonna wait and try later? I'm hoping for a competitive air slot but I've resigned my future to fate....
How old are you? If you really want to be a pilot then I wouldn't give up on it unless age is an issue or there is something else stopping you. I went for my pro-rec for Navy OCS due to the fact that I'm 25 and waiting until FY12 is just not happening for me (it would make me 27 before I commissioned). I also had a little more "in it" so it was more than just giving up the air contract. Family was involved and whatnot.
OTOH if being a Marine Officer means more to you than flying or anything else, then by all means, go ground and go get some.
Just know that competitive air slots aren't a guarantee. They give them out when they need more air contracts. I agree with jtmedli, if you want to be a pilot then wait for a contract. Odds are against you in the best of times, and right now there may be a larger than normal group going ground to try to compete for an air contract. If your number one goal is to be a Marine officer, and flying isn't a huge priority then go ahead.
I spoke with the OSO at the Marine Corps Recruiting Office in Los Angeles and yeah... no air contracts for a long time although some may come up in October... I guess it's either Navy or Chair Force, I mean Air Force.
I got an AIR contract from the LA selection station, but I am a freshman PLC. Why can they give contracts to PLC but not OCC?
Guys and Gals, here's the latest down and dirty on air contracts. Im stationed in Pensacola, FL waiting to class up for API but happen to be on PTAD for 30 days at my old OSO in Raleigh, NC. There is no longer an air mission for the rest of this fiscal year for OCC; at least until the next fiscal year. The new mission for the next fiscal year usually is sent to the OSOs in August, even though the fiscal year doesn't start until 1 October. The reason there are no more air contracts for OCC is that the waiting pool for starting API is f'ing huge, due to the T-34 maintenance issues and signing more and more OCC air contracts is only going to make the pool larger. Also, as our CO told us, the Marine Corps just really isn't hurting for pilots right now. I think the pool down here in Pensacola is right around 250-300 Lts. The Navy's is even worse; up around 500. The average wait time to start API from the date you check in here is 7 months. This means that there STILL ARE air contracts for PLC and the new PLC-GRAD programs, just not for OCC. Make sure to ask your OSO about the new PLC Grad program, we just managed to contract a guy on an air contract just as he was accepted to a grad school program.
Guys and Gals, here's the latest down and dirty on air contracts. Im stationed in Pensacola, FL waiting to class up for API but happen to be on PTAD for 30 days at my old OSO in Raleigh, NC. There is no longer an air mission for the rest of this fiscal year for OCC; at least until the next fiscal year. The new mission for the next fiscal year usually is sent to the OSOs in August, even though the fiscal year doesn't start until 1 October. The reason there are no more air contracts for OCC is that the waiting pool for starting API is f'ing huge, due to the T-34 maintenance issues and signing more and more OCC air contracts is only going to make the pool larger. Also, as our CO told us, the Marine Corps just really isn't hurting for pilots right now. I think the pool down here in Pensacola is right around 250-300 Lts. The Navy's is even worse; up around 500. The average wait time to start API from the date you check in here is 7 months. This means that there STILL ARE air contracts for PLC and the new PLC-GRAD programs, just not for OCC. Make sure to ask your OSO about the new PLC Grad program, we just managed to contract a guy on an air contract just as he was accepted to a grad school program.