Can I make it through OCS?

[Fallonflyr]

So you failed PLC academics and think another service would waste their time on you? I’m with Hal, YHGTBFSM.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Moderators, please remove this thread.

Another YGTBSM. Harden the fuck up. You posted your pussiness now live with it.

 

[Jim123]

the whole "kill kill kill" mentality just didn't sit well with me.

I wouldn't say it sits well with a lot of us- but you're gonna have to come to grips with it.

USMC OCS Navy OCS AF OTS
Haircut. Same. Same. Same
Bull Shit. Same. Same. Same
Uniforms. Different. Different. Different

This goes against everything I've gathered from doing research online, and talking to priors in my platoon.

Griz is looking at it from an old man's point of view and he's had a few more decades to think about it than your platoon mates.

 

[Swanee]

First of all, allow me to provide some self-introduction. I'm an aspiring naval aviator who went to Quantico this summer for the USMC PLC Air program. I attended PLC Junior's and failed academics and leadership, ultimately being disenrolled a few days before I would've finished. Throughout the training I discovered a few things about the Marine Corps that led me to believe it was the wrong branch for me, and after talking to a few of the priors in my platoon, began to stick with me and I started losing motivation to become a Marine officer. I didn't feel any regret when I was disenrolled because I thought I had been in the wrong place. On the other hand, I love the experience that Marine OCS provided for me. I'm a lot more resilient and more confident in myself; getting destroyed all day for the littlest things really toughens you up. I've always had a desire to serve in the military, and when I started looking at branches to fly in (flying was my biggest motivation) I felt the Marines would be the best choice for me given their ideals, morals and values - I was wrong. I'm an engineering student who loves flying, and a bit more the nerdy type, and I'm not quite sure if I'm articulating this the right way but the whole "kill kill kill" mentality just didn't sit well with me. I also am not really the infantry type, and the thought of going to TBS for 6 months even though I would just be a pilot gave me significant doubts. That being said, I have immense respect for those that choose this route as it is not for the faint of heart.

I've looked to other branches, either with the plan of going to Navy OCS or Air Force OTS with a pilot contract and I just wonder - could I make it through? People always say that the only motivator that will get you through OCS is the desire to be an officer in that branch first, but I know of various people who only did it because they wanted to fly, and that's the boat I'm in. I'd love to fly with the military, whether it was fighter jets, transports or helicopters. I don't really want to do anything else. I was one of two runts in my platoon at OCS (I honestly don't think I studied enough military knowledge and procedures). I failed my first billet as candidate company first sergeant, but did well my first day on my second billet, candidate platoon sergeant. The second day was disastrous, as I completely messed up an enlisted to officer formation. I had failed LRC 1, but passed SULE 1. I failed my first two inspections, but got an 87 on the third platoon sergeant's inspection. What I noticed is even though I was doing terribly at first, I got better over time by working with the priors and asking questions, but I just didn't want to be a Marine. This is probably why I failed my commander's evaluation time and time again.

It's important to note that this was only PLC Junior's, not even a combined or senior session. My question is, can someone make it through Navy OCS or Air Force OTS with the only motivator being serving your country as a pilot? My Marine recruiter said to me that Navy OCS is nothing like Marine OCS, and I'm wondering if this is true. How does Air Force OTS compare, if anyone here has been through it?

Every service has their way of getting rid of the candidates who don't belong.

There was a guy I went to OCC with who was dropped at the end. He ended up enlisting in the AF, and then getting an AF OCS slot after a few years. It seems that recruiters don't really want to take a chance on someone who didn't make it through a few weeks of basic military training when they have plenty of folks to send who didn't fail out.

Oh, and if you can't pass OCS academics you'll never get through API or whatever the Air Force calls their preflight academics...

 

[mad dog]

YGTBSM

There’s no “T”, dude.

 

[HAL Pilot]

YGTBSM from the original Weasel root YGBSM. Current vernacular has added the “T” to more correctly reflect the inclusion of the word “to” thereby easing translation from the acronym to the associated words. Tradionalists resist the modern usage frequently posting pictures of the same watch on websites.

 

[AllAmerican75]

A bunch of words that have got to be trolling.

Yes, you can make it through! The caveat is that you are likely not going to do well and are also likely not to enjoy the military. I wanted to be a pilot more than anything else in the world and get NPQ'd from flight at OCS. That was a real kick in the nuts, but I also really wanted to serve my country in the Navy and have had a fulfilling career as a SWO and now an EDO. In the military, you will be expected to do officer things and do them well. If you have absolutely zero interest or ability to suck it up and deal with that (and it sounds like you cannot live with having other duties than flying) then you are going to have a bad time.

Also, let's compare Navy and Marine Corps OCS:
Has USMC Drill Instructors? Check and check.
Has lots of bullshit? Check and check.
Forces you to embrace the suck? Check and Check.
Has USMC uniforms? No and Yes.
Are you going to get yelled at? Yes and Yes.
Be the judge about whether or not the differences are enough to make you apply.

It sounds like you don't really want to be in the military so my recommendation is to go fly for the airlines.

 

[cfam]

^^^what he said, plus you could be medically disqualified from flying at any point in your military career. You need to be still excited about your career if that happens.

Serious question time:
Why do you want to “fly in the military?” What about flying in the military appeals to you more than a civilian flying job? What did you learn from your experience that will ensure your success in another OCS style program?

You need to have answers to these questions ready to go, because, given your history, they’ll certainly be asked by the next officer recruiter you speak with.

 

[mad dog]

YGTBSM from the original Weasel root YGBSM. Current vernacular has added the “T” to more correctly reflect the inclusion of the word “to” thereby easing translation from the acronym to the associated words. Tradionalists resist the modern usage frequently posting pictures of the same watch on websites.

OK...I’ll let you win...this time. ?

 

[Spekkio]

I've looked to other branches, either with the plan of going to Navy OCS or Air Force OTS with a pilot contract and I just wonder - could I make it through?

No. Based on your post, you seem mentally ill and need to seek psychological help.

 

[picklesuit]

If you can’t handle OCS, you won’t be able to handle flight school (much more stressful) and your first job is to be an Officer, not an Aviator.

You should consider another line of work. OCS 18-06 grad...

 

[picklesuit]

Wish we could send this guy’s screed to the leadership at PLC to let them know they are doing a good job as a filter and not a pump...solid attrite.

 

[Austin-Powers]

OK...I’ll let you win...this time. ?

View attachment 23591

Why does Mad dog get all the cute girls?

 

[Brett327]

Why does Mad dog get all the cute girls?

Dude, you’re from SoCal. That isn’t a cute girl.

 

[mad dog]

...mad dog get...