Enlisted to pilot?

[FMRAM]

Yea I have actualy been thinking about the academy quite a bit... I did a semester of college... I didnt do so hott (2.0 gpa) but its mostly because of not being motivated...I really didnt want to be there... but none the less, I still didnt do so hott so I am going to have to do some classes when I first get in and get stellar grades to show i have what it takes academicly... any other advice regarding this would be great! also I was wondering why I shouldnt take a C school? I was thinking about trying to get a HM-8401 which is search and rescue medical tech... which would put me in helos... so atleast then I would be around the air community... but either way... why should I try to avoid ships or c schools?

Do you have a dual personality? Just curious.

 

[hm2anderson]

also I was wondering why I shouldnt take a C school? I was thinking about trying to get a HM-8401 which is search and rescue medical tech... which would put me in helos... so atleast then I would be around the air community... but either way... why should I try to avoid ships or c schools?

I didn't say don't take a "C" school. I said dont take a "C" school that will lock you up in a hospital. i.e. Ortho Tech, Cardio Vascular Tech, Respiratory Tech, Nuc Medicine Tech, etc...With SAR your "C" school will be short an will get you to the fleet asap. Could be a good choice. I'm not to familiar with 8401's.

As to going to the ship all the career advantages of going early are all available by going to the "green side." You will get your FMF designator. There is a good chance you will still do a shipboard deployment with the marines and most likely the CMC of the boat will let you participate in the ESWS program so you can potentially get both (sometimes three on a large deck amphib) designators in one tour.

As to flying time-you will not get to fly as a corpsman if you are ships company. When the helos do vertreps they do not take HMs (this is good). i got all my helo flying time in by volunteering to go with Landing Force Shore Party when they practiced the hooking up Humvees and Howitzers on the 53's and 46's before the MEU deployment.

Hope some of this helps...

HM1(FMF) for 10 more days...

 

[superman80]

haha as far as duel personality... no haha i was copy and paisting and then it messed with the font...

 

[ivillarreal]

superman80, take HM1 Andersons advice. I too am a prior HM now in the STA-21 program pilot option. When I finished field med, I was attached to the 13th MEU, and there I was able to knock out my SW/AW/FMF warfare quals. I took a second deployment with the marines to Iraq during OIF 1. Once I got back from deployment I was able to focus on going to school during the evenings. It took time to build up my package, but all the hard work paid off. Stick your goals of becoming an aviator, stay focused, stay away from all the bad influences (FTN attitudes), and stay motivated.

Semper Fi
HM2(FMF/SW/AW) Villarreal

 

[S.O.B.]

Superman80,

In addition to being in the STA-21 program I am an HM of 10+ years.

Some initial advice - think about your first duty station. DO NOT GO TO A HOSPITAL. I suggest taking orders to a Marine Corps Air Wing out of "A" school if possible. If that is not available the Marine Division, Marine Support Group, then a Ship. Also DO NOT take a "C" school that will lock you up in a hospital either. Keep your grades above a 90 and this can help. Graduate first in your class and this could help even more.

Secondly, don't put aside the Naval Academy. You have to decide early if you want this. I think the age is 22 by time of appointment. No family, etc... EVERY enlisted person who I have seen who was qualified was selected for appointment at the Academy and I hear they never fill the 80-90 seats reserved for this program every year for AD Sailors/Marines. It also looks that you could get a recommendation if your parents are retired AD which it looks like they are based off your profile.

PM with any questions.

Good luck in Boot Camp/HM "A" School.

I agree with you on the "C" school but if this guy's end game is to get to flight school he's going to be able to knock out credits far quicker at a Hospital then deployed with the Marines or underway but these days he probably doesn’t have a choice. Just my 2 cents.

 

[hm2anderson]

I agree with you on the "C" school but if this guy's end game is to get to flight school he's going to be able to knock out credits far quicker at a Hospital then deployed with the Marines or underway but these days he probably doesn’t have a choice. Just my 2 cents.

No Warfare Pin @ the Hospital. And I worked more hours @ the Hospital than I did with the Marines when not deployed. Also Junior Corpsman works twelve hour rotating shift on a ward 4 on, 3 off, 3 on, 4 off for 18 months+. Can't go to school like that. Once you do a six month pump w/ the Marines the Battalion will give you a skate job if you are a quad zero (NEC 0000/8404).

 

[S.O.B.]

Also Junior Corpsman works twelve hour rotating shift on a ward 4 on, 3 off, 3 on, 4 off for 18 months+.

That's exactly what I did, I nearly finished my associates as an HA on the wards in Naval Hospital Orlando working that exact schedule. It was perfect especially if you were on nights, if I would have had another 18 months I would have completed my Bachelors. I had to wait until I returned to shore duty to finish my degree but ultimately it all worked out. Don’t get me wrong, going to a hospital is about as weak as it gets for an HM but it’s a perfect place to go to school IMHO.

 

[superman80]

how did you manage to go to school with a schedule like that... dont you need to sleep sometime? i know this probably sounds dumb but im just trying to figure it out incase i end up getting put on a similar schedule

 

[FMRAM]

It really isn't THAT hard superman80. I did it for a couple of years on Active duty...sea and shore. The trick is not to procrastinate and use one's time management skills.

 

[Top_Gun_101]

STA-21 is hard to get, only 200 pipzzz a year gets it,( the so called"STA jockies")

BTW, my recruiter told me that its hard to get to OCS even though you have good grades, he told me just to get STA-21 down... I'm not sure what the best option is right now,

Good luck to the poster!!! i'm also shipping out to RTC this may 9

 

[S.O.B.]

how did you manage to go to school with a schedule like that... dont you need to sleep sometime? i know this probably sounds dumb but im just trying to figure it out incase i end up getting put on a similar schedule

It really wasn’t that difficult. I actually finished my degree while on active duty and went to OCS, granted I had great jobs (stationed SAR in Key West and Instructor at RSS in Pensacola). I actually had to drive from Pensacola to Eglin four days a week for almost a year and a half to compete my degree. That part sucked but it all worked out in the end.

 

[MCDGexx]

Wow I'm almost in the exact same situation as Superman. I leave May 22nd for RTC then I'm off to HM "A" school. I was planning on going FMF anyway, but how could I shoot toward getting with a Marine Corps Air Squadron? What kind of work would I be doing there? Also what type of degree is needed to become a pilot? Could I become a pilot with a pre-med degree?

 

[S.O.B.]

Almost any degree will do, I actually know a guy that was a Navy RN and trasitioned to pilot.

 

[MCDGexx]

Almost any degree will do, I actually know a guy that was a Navy RN and trasitioned to pilot.

Awesome, good to know. Would I be more qualified with an aeronautical degree?

 

[e6bflyer]

Awesome, good to know. Would I be more qualified with an aeronautical degree?

No. The old saying "poly-sci to fly" is definitely true. Cheers.