Marine Air contracts

[MIDNJAC]

.....but he said that I would be leading the ROTC with the PT. If I do get into this program, am I required to lead the ROTC instead of attending reserves?

Nobody in PLC leads "the ROTC", nor does any sort of newbie in the NROTC program. If you did choose to participate in NROTC and earn your commission and air contract there, you would eventually work your way up to more senior levels of "leadership" along with increasing weekly time commitments. That said, at my old unit some of the PLC dudes did PT with our Marines though they were in a completely different chain of command.

 

[TakingFlight]

Looking for some advice

Hey all,

Just looking for some advice. I'm a freshman (female) in my second semester at college and I'm on an activated scholarship with AFROTC. Recently...I began looking at other service branches to serve as an officer. I looked at the Marine Corps PLC program; I definitely want to fly and I didn't think I was tall enough to fly for the AF but just found out I meet the minimums just fine. So I went and researched what the USMC/USN require for the heights to fly and I believe I'd be just fine passing that part of the physical as well.

My main question is...if you were in my position, would you stick with AFROTC and maybe chance at getting a pilot's slot, or give up a scholarship and go into the PLC and have a much more concrete chance at getting into the aviation field...and above all be a Marine Corps Officer?
Does anyone know when the "financial assitance" they offer would actually go into effect? I would hopefully go to the first 6 weeks of PLC this summer.
A near-by recruiter has my information but I have yet to sit down and call him because I want to get some information from the folks who are actually going through this route and have heard what they say before. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[OUSOONER]

Hey all,

Just looking for some advice. I'm a freshman (female) in my second semester at college and I'm on an activated scholarship with AFROTC. Recently...I began looking at other service branches to serve as an officer. I looked at the Marine Corps PLC program; I definitely want to fly and I didn't think I was tall enough to fly for the AF but just found out I meet the minimums just fine. So I went and researched what the USMC/USN require for the heights to fly and I believe I'd be just fine passing that part of the physical as well.

My main question is...if you were in my position, would you stick with AFROTC and maybe chance at getting a pilot's slot, or give up a scholarship and go into the PLC and have a much more concrete chance at getting into the aviation field...and above all be a Marine Corps Officer?
Does anyone know when the "financial assitance" they offer would actually go into effect? I would hopefully go to the first 6 weeks of PLC this summer.
A near-by recruiter has my information but I have yet to sit down and call him because I want to get some information from the folks who are actually going through this route and have heard what they say before. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Peruse the archives, you will find plenty on USAF vs Navy/USMC. If a "pilot" slot is what you want...I would think the odds of getting a pilot slot are somewhat better in the USAF...considering, that's your main role and all.

Naval Aviation is a vital part..but only a part of the Navy and Marine Corps.

 

[TakingFlight]

I think my main concern right now is which path to either continue pursuing or start a new course to becoming an officer. AFROTC is a good program...but sometimes it seems as if we aren't doing anything that's preparing us to officers in the military...everything is centered around "Field Training" and then becoming an officer/manager takes place in the classroom a few hours a week. I just wonder if taking on the PLC program would be much more engaging and worthwhile...something to certainly be proud of the day I earn my commission.

 

[phrogdriver]

Your chances of getting a pilot slot would likely be much higher in the Corps. The differences in the experiences are covered in other threads. If you want to switch, the question may become, "How badly do I need the scholarship money?"

 

[OUSOONER]

I think my main concern right now is which path to either continue pursuing or start a new course to becoming an officer. AFROTC is a good program...but sometimes it seems as if we aren't doing anything that's preparing us to officers in the military...everything is centered around "Field Training" and then becoming an officer/manager takes place in the classroom a few hours a week. I just wonder if taking on the PLC program would be much more engaging and worthwhile...something to certainly be proud of the day I earn my commission.

You'll be proud either way. For PLC...you have to throw out the pilot stuff and the officer stuff. Do you want to be a Marine and all that goes with being a Marine?

Look at the missions of each branch and find what appeals to you the most. Don't judge a branch by your experience in an ROTC. I am headed for Navy OCS..and that is NOT the Navy or Naval Aviation for that matter.

What is your personality like? It's like with any job, you want to work for a company who's culture best suits you. Find where you fit and go with that.

You can achieve your goals through any commissioning source, some are more likely than others..but the satisfaction of attaining a commission are just as gratifying in each.

 

[TakingFlight]

I'm actually an AF brat. What really sparked my interest was last semester when a group of marines came to visit my campus. I talked with a female officer for a bit and she asked me "Well do you want to be elite among the average, or average among the elite?" which for some reason has stuck with me.

 

[capitoljake13]

Along the same note as most of this thread seems to be... I've gone through some crucial steps for OCS... PFT, ASTB... but tomorrow (under the laser) I start the 6 month wait required before I can waiver. Therefore, I'm hoping to be at OCC in Jan '10. (will just miss October)

My question to those who might possess the knowledge is: My OSO left me a message this afternoon and wishes to Ground Contract me now, wait the six months, then switch to Air after the waiver clears. The reason, he states, is that he can then save a seat at OCS.. guaranteeing a spot that can be changed to Air before I leave.

I trust that my OSO wants to help me get to where I want to be.. but why the rush to contract? even if there weren't any Air left in Jan.. could I not just wait till the next class? Or, is this truly the best route... and I should simply have complete faith that my ground contract WILL be changed to Air.

 

[2ndGen]

Along the same note as most of this thread seems to be... I've gone through some crucial steps for OCS... PFT, ASTB... but tomorrow (under the laser) I start the 6 month wait required before I can waiver. Therefore, I'm hoping to be at OCC in Jan '10. (will just miss October)

My question to those who might possess the knowledge is: My OSO left me a message this afternoon and wishes to Ground Contract me now, wait the six months, then switch to Air after the waiver clears. The reason, he states, is that he can then save a seat at OCS.. guaranteeing a spot that can be changed to Air before I leave.

I trust that my OSO wants to help me get to where I want to be.. but why the rush to contract? even if there weren't any Air left in Jan.. could I not just wait till the next class? Or, is this truly the best route... and I should simply have complete faith that my ground contract WILL be changed to Air.

Is this for PRK? I think that is what I figured out. Its up to you whether or not you want to go to OCS, suffer through all that training, just to find out that your only choice is something you might not want. I want to be an officer of Marines, ground or air, I don't care. But thats me. I wouldn't sign a contract that I was not willing to fulfill.

 

[CumminsPilot]

Is this for PRK? I think that is what I figured out. Its up to you whether or not you want to go to OCS, suffer through all that training, just to find out that your only choice is something you might not want. I want to be an officer of Marines, ground or air, I don't care. But thats me. I wouldn't sign a contract that I was not willing to fulfill.

I signed a ground contract to go to OCC 200 while waiting on my flight physical to clear NAMI. I was "guranteed" that it would go through within "2-3 weeks of you being there."

I signed my ACTUAL air contract, making me a 7599, the day before graduation. Talk about a guy getting a little nervous.

My OCS platoon commander talked with me during week 6. His advice was "go through the 10 weeks. If your air contract doesn't go through, don't commission and come back and try again." Guess what my thought was at week 6? "YOU ARE INSANE!" I had already decided that I would take my ground contract and do competitive air at TBS. After just a few weeks at OCS, I found that the Marine Corps was about more than just flying for me, and that being on the ground would be almost as rewarding.

Lastly, at OCS, they promised all NAMI pending air contracts that by the end of OCS we would have an answer. We'd either have our contracts, or we wouldn't be eligible to fly...I didn't hear of one person who didn't have an answer.

 

[Swanee]

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Lastly, at OCS, they promised all NAMI pending air contracts that by the end of OCS we would have an answer. We'd either have our contracts, or we wouldn't be eligible to fly...I didn't hear of one person who didn't have an answer.

I know of 2 guys at TBS in Mike Co who are still waiting, they went ground and were told they could switch to air when it comes through... We'll see what happens.

 

[FLY_USMC]

I haven't read but a few posts on this thread, but I would like to share one of the most memorable experiences I had at TBS....which fits in line to the above subjects.

My roommate got an Air Slot the competitive way at TBS. He found out right in the middle of FEX 3. Our fireteam, he and myself included, were about to set out on a night movement to replace an LP/OP....like 0200 or something like that. We were all dreading it. Like 10 minutes before we stepped off our SPC came up to him and said, "Hey, congratulations you got one of the Air Contracts!" "Wanna give it back and go Ground!" I just remember him being SSOOO happy, even in the dark through the cammy paint you could see his smile for the next couple hours.

It then commenced raining on us.

 

[cavu185]

If my vision does not meet the 20/40 at the time that I sign up for PLC, will they refuse to give a guaranteed flight contract?

 

[ru838434]

Cannot be guaranteed an SNA contract, but as long as your corrected vision is 20/20, you can be guaranteed SNFO.

You also have the option of having PRK surgery if you have your heart set on SNA.

Link to NAMI Physical Standards:

http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/nomi/nami/arwg/documents/waiver%20guide%20-%20physical%20standards.pdf

 

[capitoljake13]

If my vision does not meet the 20/40 at the time that I sign up for PLC, will they refuse to give a guaranteed flight contract?

Check out this thread at MarineOCS.com (specifically the post from ICTHRUCHAOS, he's a doc)... PLC PRK procedure is a bit different from OCC

http://marineocs.com/portal/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=10832

And thanks all for the feedback. I just had PRK four days ago and can finally open my eyes and see my computer screen. I had also already decided that if I failed my flight physical for one reason or another that I would accept a ground.

The only reason I hesitate to sign a ground contract now, then switch to air before OCC-Jan-'10 .. is that as long as I'm not nearing the age cutoff.. why put myself in a situation that could 'force' me into ground. By that I mean, what if there weren't any AirContracts left, but I had already signed a ground. Rather than wait till the next class, i would be forced to go ground correct?