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FAC Tour: The good and the bad

pourts

former Marine F/A-18 pilot & FAC, current MBA stud
pilot
Minor point: I don't think your FAC fitrep will have any impact on your follow-on orders. That fitrep won't have been written by the time you get your orders.
 

TD690E

New Member
pilot
Gents,
Can anyone provide any good gouge on the current state of getting a FAC tour? Specifically, for someone coming from a VMM, whats the typical time at the squadron before they will send you away? Is there a minimum hours/quals before you'll even get considered? Is it a PCS deal or a TAD stint and could you realistically request to switch coasts? Following a FAC tour what is like trying to get back to a VMM vice going to Pcola/corpus? Is a FAC tour a door opener or closer? Thanks
 

whitesoxnation

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Gents,
Can anyone provide any good gouge on the current state of getting a FAC tour? Specifically, for someone coming from a VMM, whats the typical time at the squadron before they will send you away? Is there a minimum hours/quals before you'll even get considered? Is it a PCS deal or a TAD stint and could you realistically request to switch coasts? Following a FAC tour what is like trying to get back to a VMM vice going to Pcola/corpus? Is a FAC tour a door opener or closer? Thanks

One recent change I've heard of is that non-ANGLICO/MARSOC tours are now 24 months, that's word of mouth though.
 

Treetop Flyer

Well-Known Member
pilot
In the past they haven't sent many osprey guys in FAC tours but that must be about over. Switching coasts isn't likely since FAC tours are assigned to MAGs except MARSOC and Japan and Hawaii. The monitors assign those, although there is a screening process for MARSOC. Generally it should be pretty easy to go back to a fleet squadron after a FAC tour, but each community probably values them differently.
 

DocT

Dean of Students
pilot
VMM guys are able to get FAC tours. Typically they look for you to be section lead but that isn't a requirement. Usually the monitor will try and get you back to your MAG for a few years but that's not set in stone either. They would be PCA or PCS orders based on the location of the battalion you get sent to. If you wanted to go elsewhere after you'd work that through the monitor. Going to flight school post FAC tour would be an unusual step as you'd typically be looking to get back into the fleet to continue to build MOS credibility as a 7532.
 

pourts

former Marine F/A-18 pilot & FAC, current MBA stud
pilot
Depends on the community, but flight school orders after FAC tours definitely happen. It all depends on the monitor. I know 1 Osprey guy PCS-ing on a FAC tour in a couple months

It opens zero doors, except to further FAC-ery. For instance, if you want to be the Air Officer department head at MAWTS, then you probably need to do at least 1 FAC tour, but you are never going to get that as a Osprey guy anyways.

Do it if you want to, because its not required and doesn't open any doors.
 

pourts

former Marine F/A-18 pilot & FAC, current MBA stud
pilot
Who's that coming from? MEF? Monitor-land? Deploying or non-deploying tours? Significant impacts for refreshing pilots at the FRS vice fleet squadrons.

MMOA would be working at cross purposes if that is the case. There aren't enough 75XX captains to fill seats in the fleet, yet they are extending FAC tour lengths, thereby extending FRS refresh times. That would be a textbook example of making the problem worse.
 

whitesoxnation

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Who's that coming from? MEF? Monitor-land? Deploying or non-deploying tours? Significant impacts for refreshing pilots at the FRS vice fleet squadrons.

It's what has been told to several guys that I know who were up for b-billets recently. I also remember seeing a b-billet list - I don't remember who created it - that had battalion FAC tours listed as 24 months as well.
 

DocT

Dean of Students
pilot
MMOA would be working at cross purposes if that is the case. There aren't enough 75XX captains to fill seats in the fleet, yet they are extending FAC tour lengths, thereby extending FRS refresh times. That would be a textbook example of making the problem worse.

Maybe they're going to fill the gap with all the 2P 75XX Captains they're going to extend for three years. That'll be a motivated group. ;)
 

pourts

former Marine F/A-18 pilot & FAC, current MBA stud
pilot
What the heck is going on? Is everyone so distracted by transgender integration that they are letting all other manpower issues just go to shit?
 

SpankenStein

When you're here, your Family.
pilot
I just volunteered for a FAC tour, and will be reporting to TACP school in January of next year. I'm an Osprey guy, and am trying to get Pensacola orders on the backside. The monitor asked me how many Quals, I would have by the end of my tour. I wasn't sure how to answer. Would he want me to have fewer Quals, to send to Pensacola? Or more? Anyone have any thoughts?
 
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