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Marine Air contracts

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Jay,

If you are the average student who is physically fit, getting into the PLC program is not exactlly difficult. There is always the chance that you may not be accepted but from what I know, that chance is fairly low. I don't know of anyone who was not accepted to the PLC program and for someone in your position who is just starting college, time is on your side. When I went though the application process, my OSO told me that they accept 3 candidates for every one candidate who is expected to complete the program and actually be commissioned.

If you want to be a Marine pilot, then this is your best bet at this point in the game. If you are just dead set on becoming a Marine before you do anything else then you can definately go the enlisting route. Personally, I would never go that route no matter how much it improved my chances. Goodluck.
 
Jay06 said:
I have also talked over the phone with a Capt. who is a pilot in the Marines. He told me that the first thing I should do is go to college first, but what do I need to do to get into the PLC from there? Is it through the ROTC unit?
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ROTC and PLC are distinctly different paths to commissioning. Check other threads on various programs and talk to an OSO. That's how you get wired into process, but do your homework on Air Warriors first.

My opinion for whatever that is worth: anyone trying to get you into a reserve outfit fist is probably trying to fill a quota and a lot of things could happen to you on that path, some of them will lead to commissioning and some might even slow you down ultimately.
 
Same problem confused kid.

I too am a little skepticle about this enlisted Marine to PLC scholar deal. I was more or less convinced of the benefits and my chances of getting in to this program, via enlistment. My recruiting officer has told me time and again that by enlisting I will get a heads up on the competion for this PLC slot. However this seems far to chancey without a the guarentee I won't be shipped out before I have a chance to wear the wings of gold. Does anyone know of the basic index of acceptance into PLC (e.g. test scores, GPA, ect.)?
 
When I originally applied for the Marine Corps I also went to the enlisted recruiter first not knowing what OCS was or even existed. I had already signed the contract to be a reservist and was scheduled to goto PI that summer. My recruiter, being a good Marine, told me to look into the PLC program. Coincidently, I found a PLC flyer at my school and after talking to the OSO, decided PLC would be the better option for me. While it is true that going to boot camp might give you a slight advantage on getting accepted and being prepared for OCS, I don't think the 'juice is worth the squeeze'.

Just as previously mentioned, you'll incur extra obligations such as MOS school, MCT as well as the possibility of missing school due to operational demands. Recruiters are supposed to send all applicants in college to an OSO but I think they might be overzealous in making their mission requirements and don't push the officer route. While on PTAD for an OSO, I was surprised to see how many recruiters weren't telling applicants all their options. To make this short, talk to an OSO and get all the information you can. Then you can make the best informed decision for yourself.
 
I'm pretty new in the PLC program, just graduated Jrs. in august. I have a 2.48 GPA, and my signing PFT was a 227. I was not prior enlisted, and I still got in. I don't think that it would harm your application if you tried to go straight into the PLC program. Also, the ROTC program is not part of the PLC program.

That being said, there were about 15 guys in my platoon who were in the reserves. Some of them were really locked on, and knew some stuff that the rest of us didn't know. Some were not quite so locked on. But as far as PT goes, there were reservists who were behind guys who had never seen any part of the Corps until they came to OCS. Just because you go to boot camp first doesn't mean that you will be the top dog. That depends entirely on who you are before you arrive.
 
More help and varification

I have been told numorous times, that by going to boot camp I will be an 85-90 day wonder. I will graduate 1-2 weeks early in order to get me to school in ample time. By going through this process, so I'm told, the OSO will most likely accept me because I shown inciative by taking a step up to become a marine. Therefore the "good 'ole boys" system comes into play. Now will I be putting my foot in the door for this program?

I've also been told that I will un-deployable due to the fact that I will have had no job training. Is this true?
 
mjcIII said:
I have been told numorous times, that by going to boot camp I will be an 85-90 day wonder. I will graduate 1-2 weeks early in order to get me to school in ample time. By going through this process, so I'm told, the OSO will most likely accept me because I shown inciative by taking a step up to become a marine. Therefore the "good 'ole boys" system comes into play. Now will I be putting my foot in the door for this program?

I've also been told that I will un-deployable due to the fact that I will have had no job training. Is this true?
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No. God no. I have a feeling that people here are about to give you an edumacation.
 
I can't keep quiet any longer. You DO NOT have to go through enlisted boot camp to get into PLC. One has nothing to do with the other. PLC is specifically geared towards college undergraduates. OCC is geared towards those that have already graduated college. MECEP is geared towards enlisted Marines that want to get a degree and get commissioned while still maintaining all pay and allowances that they had prior to getting in the program. Essentially, college is their appointed place of duty. MCP is geared to enlisted Marines that earn a meritorious commission. They have get their degree within a certain time frame after getting commissioned. That's about all the Marine Corps commissioning paths I can think of.
 
I enlisted in the reserves 5 yrs ago with the intention of going the PCL route. I was told I would miss "at most 1 semester of college" I ended up missing one full year b/c I had a 3 month wait for the new MOS class to pick-up that the recruiter failed to mention, and I had difficulty getting into PLC because I was a reservist will a high probability of being deployed. OSO's will have a hard time taking a reservist who is likley to deploy, b/c they will no loger be included in the OSO's recruitment mission. As a reservist though, once in the PLC program you can drop into the IRR for no more than two yrs which makes you un-deployable. Additionally, your recruiter has no way of knowing exactly what the deployment schedual is for your local reserve unit. I doubt the CO of the unit even knows exactly.

Being an 80-90 day wonder is not a garuntee, do not count on graduating 1-2 weeks early, and it certainly doesn't me you are un-deployable.

The added benifit of enlisting is different for each person. I personally am very glad I chose to enlist, but I accepted the chance I would not get into the PLC program on my own personal timeline. You are likley to be better prepared for OCS as a prior, but as others have said, it does not mean you will be a better Marine Officer than someone with no military experiance prior to OCS.

Your surefire bet to get into PLC is to have a good PFT score, no leagal issues, and a good GPA (2.0 in min, to be competative you should get the highest possible2.7-3.2 is average for the Denver, CO OSO)
 
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