Why are you Leaving?

[pourts]

The more I think about this, the angrier it makes me.

So you have to get counseled by some random O5 regarding continuation. How is the USMC making sure that O5 knows what he is talking about? If they are giving the O5's a memorandum that explains the details... why don't they just publish the memorandum so the Captains can read it?

We are getting out because at 33 years old after flying $45 million airplanes for 7 years the organization doesn't trust us to make our own decision about getting out.

 

[RobLyman]

... If they are giving the O5's a memorandum that explains the details... why don't they just publish the memorandum so the Captains can read it?

Because it would be in bad form to send you a memorandum that refers to you as a piece of cattle.

 

[jarhead]

A continued 2-p'd Captain is nothing more than expendable IA fodder for the Marine Corps. No commanding officer wants a 2-p'd officer in his command. You will not get promoted if you continue and you will be separated from the MC in three years so why would a squadron waste flying hours and quals on you. You're not going to get any "sweet" flying orders to the VT's or to station. You will fill the shit-deals for the MAG or Wing which will allow the squadrons to extend their "promotable" Captains an extra year or two on their current orders.

It's beyond fucked up that the MC would rather address the current low "company grade aviator inventory levels" in this shady manner instead of offering bonuses as an incentive to keep company grade aviators around. One would think leadership would try to entice the folks who are "promotable" and are on the fence to either jump ship or stay in rather than target the folks who have basically said they want out.

 

[sevenhelmet]

It's worse than that, @jarhead , the USMC is targeting people that they chose not to promote for continuation. It's a self-created problem.

Personally, I hope every 2xFOS Captain turns it down flat.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

A continued 2-p'd Captain is nothing more than expendable IA fodder for the Marine Corps. No commanding officer wants a 2-p'd officer in his command. You will not get promoted if you continue and you will be separated from the MC in three years so why would a squadron waste flying hours and quals on you. You're not going to get any "sweet" flying orders to the VT's or to station. You will fill the shit-deals for the MAG or Wing which will allow the squadrons to extend their "promote-able" Captains an extra year or two on their current orders.

I couldn't agree with this more. A terminal captain (that's been a captain 7-9 years) that gives zero fucks about fitreps is not an attractive propect to a fleet squadron except to soak up IA's and other bad deals.

The ONLY way this makes sense is if someone needs flight hours, has a "promise" from the monitor to go to station or a VT, and thinks the higher paycheck (than a regional) is worth the risk. Of course a promise from a monitor is work exactly dick, so good luck with that, and even at station you're not free from the threat of IA's and other bad deals like boards. If I were in that position I would rather go to a regional or ISR operation and use the seps pay to cover the difference in pay.

Obviously if someone isn't planning to fly professionally, or is planning to and already has competitive hours, the choice is very obvious. I'd like to Xerox my middle finger and fax that in as my page 11 entry.

 

[squorch2]

I'd like to Xerox my middle finger and fax that in as my page 11 entry.

 

[BarrettRC8]

I couldn't agree with this more. A terminal captain (that's been a captain 7-9 years) that gives zero fucks about fitreps is not an attractive propect to a fleet squadron except to soak up IA's and other bad deals.

The ONLY way this makes sense is if someone needs flight hours, has a "promise" from the monitor to go to station or a VT, and thinks the higher paycheck (than a regional) is worth the risk. Of course a promise from a monitor is work exactly dick, so good luck with that, and even at station you're not free from the threat of IA's and other bad deals like boards. If I were in that position I would rather go to a regional or ISR operation and use the seps pay to cover the difference in pay.

Obviously if someone isn't planning to fly professionally, or is planning to and already has competitive hours, the choice is very obvious. I'd like to Xerox my middle finger and fax that in as my page 11 entry.

I wonder if there is any way to get a guarantee of no IAs or PCS.

Life is actually decent at the only squadron with working jets. And I imagine as flight hours continue to decrease the available number of DLs to send to the RAG as IPs will follow...

 

[whitesoxnation]

I wonder if there is any way to get a guarantee of no IAs or PCS.

There is... execute your EAS.

 

[silver236]

If the corps is seriously hurting for company grade aviators, how come they didn't select anyone from last year's field accession board? I am just a wannabe aviator with PPL and a 6/9/6 ASTB score. I'd love to be a contributing factor in assisting with the low company grade aviator inventory.

 

[phrogdriver]

They aren't short of applicants. They're short of qualified pilots. You're at least 3 years from being able to help out with that problem.

 

[Randy Daytona]

A continued 2-p'd Captain is nothing more than expendable IA fodder for the Marine Corps. No commanding officer wants a 2-p'd officer in his command. You will not get promoted if you continue and you will be separated from the MC in three years so why would a squadron waste flying hours and quals on you. You're not going to get any "sweet" flying orders to the VT's or to station. You will fill the shit-deals for the MAG or Wing which will allow the squadrons to extend their "promotable" Captains an extra year or two on their current orders.

It's beyond fucked up that the MC would rather address the current low "company grade aviator inventory levels" in this shady manner instead of offering bonuses as an incentive to keep company grade aviators around. One would think leadership would try to entice the folks who are "promotable" and are on the fence to either jump ship or stay in rather than target the folks who have basically said they want out.

If those IA's are needed and the active duty can't fill them, wonder what the odds are that a reservist is going to be pulled away from his civilian job to be IA fodder?

 

[BarrettRC8]

If those IA's are needed and the active duty can't fill them, wonder what the odds are that a reservist is going to be pulled away from his civilian job to be IA fodder?

Not likely, we will still fill them despite being at 49% manning at the O-3 level, at least in the Hornet. Around 2012 we were handed a couple, and even though we were short aircrew, we filled them. Prior to that, in the 2008-2010 timeframe, dudes fresh out of the RAG were filling them. The absolute worst time to take someone out of a tactical cockpit.

That being said, I know other communities have been taking IAs and billets that typically would have been reserved for the Hornet community simply due to the fact that we are legitimately reaching the absolute minimum number of bodies.

 

[phrogdriver]

For the Corps, anyway, what have they done lately with the aviation bonus? I haven't heard much about it lately, which is surprising, since the USAF decided to rain money on its pilots like they're dancing at the Sapphire Club.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

For the Corps, anyway, what have they done lately with the aviation bonus? I haven't heard much about it lately, which is surprising, since the USAF decided to rain money on its pilots like they're dancing at the Sapphire Club.

Non-existent. I don't get the feeling that it will be back in the immediate future, either. People should just be happy they get to wear the uniform and occasionally fly grey planes. More with less. Expeditionary.

 

[Griz882]

Non-existent. I don't get the feeling that it will be back in the immediate future, either. People should just be happy they get to wear the uniform and occasionally fly grey planes. More with less. Expeditionary.

True, as to the USAF, but not many are taking it with fighter pilots being the smallest number of those accepting. I imagine (meaning "I guess") that for most of those guys more hours in the cockpit is far more attractive than more money in their wallet.