Do Marine Aviators Get Reassigned?

[UCbearcat]

I just started to consider Marine Aviation rather than Naval Aviation. While looking through OCC/PLC info I came across MOS descriptions for pilots. After looking through them I read in the section that said "Where Might I Go After My First Tour?" that most aviators get reassigned to something like Forward Air Controller. I would have no problem with something like this because you are a Marine first, but how long would you be out of the cockpit? Do you ever get to come back? It sounds like if you want to fly again you have to be a flight instructor.

Here's a link to this website:
Go down the page to where it says "Naval Aviator MOS Descriptions"

Here's a link to the EA-6's page:
Go to where it says "Where Might I Go After My First Tour?"

 

[FlyMikeFly]

Most of the time, you will do one "fleet tour" after all of your flight schooling. This lasts for 3-5 years depending on your platform. After the fleet tour, you will be able to do a B-billet, i.e. OSO duty, MOI duty, FAC, etc. There are many options for B-billets, I don't know all of them. I do know that FAC is only one of them, and it is usually taken by those motivators who like doing infantry stuff. I think you can be a flight instructor after your first tour, but I'll let the more knowledgable and more experienced pilots on this forum tell you the real scoop. I just wanted to weigh in with my two cents. Good luck!

Here's a link that might help to explain some of what I was trying to explain:
https://www.tbs.usmc.mil/Pages/MyMOS/All_Career_Progression.asp
*(Scroll down to the part that shows the rotary wing and fixed wing pilot career progression).

 

[Nose]

Waaay back when I was still on AD, the Marines would send a pilot to a
FAC tour for 357 days. The day they checked out of the squadron, they gave him a NATOPS Check (good for a year) and when he got back 358 days later, he was still qualed! Just another NATOPS check, couple of BITS simulators and off ya go. That way they didn't have to send anyone to the RAG for CAT II/III training.

Don't know if they still play that game or not.

Nose

 

[FlyMikeFly]

Yes, if you choose to go on a FAC tour. I don't know how long ago that was, but these days you pretty much have to volunteer to be a FAC.

 

[UCbearcat]

So you get reassigned for about a year? Does that mean you can start flying again when you get done?

 

[FlyMikeFly]

Yes, visit the link in my post above and you'll see that pilots DO return to flying after their B-billet time.

 

[phrogdriver]

Believe me, there are still a lot of volun-tolds FAC'ing right now. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1/4 to 1/3 of guys go FAC after or during their first flying tour. There are all sorts of jobs you can try for, and depending on your abilities and timing, you might get what you want. Flight school or FRS IP are the biggest 2, but there's all sorts of odd ones running the gamut from OSO to general's aide. After the "B" billet, expect to go back to a fleet squadron or group.

 

[HH-60H]

paging phrogpilot73 ..... paging phrogpilot73

 

[phrogpilot73]

paging phrogpilot73 ..... paging phrogpilot73

You rang?

Phrogdriver is right, these days you don't have to volunteer for a FAC billet... They're still being handed out the old-fashioned way, a mix of volunteers and a mix of those that couldn't dodge the bullet. Truth be told - I went kicking and screaming, but I wouldn't trade my FAC tour for a million bucks. It was just that good.

FlyMike is also right, there are a number of billets available as "B" Billets to do after your first tour. Some you probably even haven't imagined. They include (but are not limited to): FAC, VMR-1, FRS IP, Flight School IP, Flying OSO, OSO, MOI, EWS, Acquisitions, TPS, etc... The job list is not only endless, but remarkably also limited in as much as what the monitor has to offer you when it's time to move. Timing is everything in this game.

As for how long you are out of the cockpit truly varies. FAC orders are open-ended, but are generally assumed to be 1 year long. Most pilots depart the FAC tour off to a "good deal" B-Billet (I had orders to VMR-1 before I decided it was time to get out), and some want to go back to the fleet (both of the other guys did this). Either way, you can go right back to flying after that year.

As for how long you can be out of the cockpit, that all depends on your T/M/S and it's T&R Manual. I can only speak from what I know, but the F/A-18 guy in our squadron said their T&R dictates no more than 365 days out of the cockpit before a full refresh, whereas the Phrog guys can be out of the cockpit for 485 days before they have to do a full refresh. Don't know about Skids/Harriers/Shitters.

Any more questions?

 

[UCbearcat]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the replies. I didn't really understand if you would get to fly again or not. I actually really like the fact that I could have the opportunity to do something like that as a Marine and then go straight back to flying. I've always seen myself doing something like FAC if I didn't get a pilot slot.

 

[phrogpilot73]

I've always seen myself doing something like FAC if I didn't get a pilot slot.

FAC billets are only for pilots (and Infantry dudes, but those school seats are hard to come by at best). If you wanted to do something similar to FAC if you don't get a pilot slot, then your best bet would be Air Support Controller. Gaijin can talk more on that one, but I'm pretty sure he's deployed, or close to it...

 

[HueyCobra8151]

As for how long you are out of the cockpit truly varies. FAC orders are open-ended, but are generally assumed to be 1 year long. Most pilots depart the FAC tour off to a "good deal" B-Billet (I had orders to VMR-1 before I decided it was time to get out), and some want to go back to the fleet (both of the other guys did this). Either way, you can go right back to flying after that year.

So can you do FAC and then do another non-flying B-Billet such as FAO/RAO?

What kind of B-Billets are considered the "good deals"?

 

[phrogpilot73]

So can you do FAC and then do another non-flying B-Billet such as FAO/RAO?

Yup. There's no requirement that you go back to the cockpit, ever. Flying is a completely voluntary MOS. I knew guys that turned in their wings after their first deployment. You could theorhetically do a FAC tour, followed by FAO/RAO and then transition to another MOS. Or, you could go back to the fleet as a pilot...

What kind of B-Billets are considered the "good deals"?

It honestly depends on the person, but the "good deal" ones are generally flying ones. For a Phrog guy: VMR-1 (flying the Phrog and a Cessna Citation), Flight School, FRS, Flying OSO, UK Exchange Tour. That was my list of good deals, other people may think that instructor at EWTGLANT is a good deal, or MAWTS-1...

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Yup. There's no requirement that you go back to the cockpit, ever. Flying is a completely voluntary MOS. I knew guys that turned in their wings after their first deployment. You could theorhetically do a FAC tour, followed by FAO/RAO and then transition to another MOS. Or, you could go back to the fleet as a pilot...

I hope these aren't dumb questions, but, would these be considered "career killing moves?"

In other words, can you have a diverse background with plenty of flying and non-flying billets and still avoid retiring as a Captain? Are you screwing over other Marines if you wind up needing to refresh at the RAG?

 

[HH-60H]

In other words, can you have a diverse background with plenty of flying and non-flying billets and still avoid retiring as a Captain?

Unless you are prior enlisted it is almost impossible to retire as an O-3.