Marine Officer Selection

[squatrrs]

The site looks GREAT!
Anybody know or heard any rumors if the marines have closed ground selections for OCS? Also, how are the flight applicants doing, is it closed like the Navy? Any info and all info is appreciated!!

Josh

 

[Adrenaline Rush]

At my OSO they have told me that they are only processing Air Contracts, and they dont know when they will be accepting ground again..I really dont know if there is a huge "need" for aviators in the marines because i get mixed signals from everyone at the OSO

I'd Rather Be A Lion For One Day, Than Be A Sheep For A Thousand Years

 

[kimphil]

Originally posted by Adrenaline Rush
At my OSO they have told me that they are only processing Air Contracts, and they dont know when they will be accepting ground again..I really dont know if there is a huge "need" for aviators in the marines because i get mixed signals from everyone at the OSO

I'd Rather Be A Lion For One Day, Than Be A Sheep For A Thousand Years

Here are some things to consider. I decided to join the USMC in September. I was shooting for class 182 (January 2003 OCS). I didn't make it but I was able to try because the selection board extended the application deadline for air contracts. I've heard from other posts on this board that anywhere from 60% to 70% of Fox Company (newly commissioned officers who started TBS in September 2002) were on air contracts. I believe since only about 20% of all USMC billets involve aviation, Fox Company's disproportional number of air contracts, if accurate, along with the extended deadline for air contract applicants indicate to me that USMC needs aviators, or a least wants a lot more aviators. Can anyone out there, perhaps some USMC aviator tell me why?

 

[charger]

I orginally was trying for a ground slot. I switched to NFO because ground was full. My OSO told me it was possible to switch back to a ground contract at TBS. He said it is not easy to do and you have to jump through alot of hoops but it can be done and every TBS class will have ground Lt's who now want to go air or nfo, and air and nfo lt's who now want to go ground. Has anyone else been told this?

 

[kimphil]

Originally posted by charger
I orginally was trying for a ground slot. I switched to NFO because ground was full. My OSO told me it was possible to switch back to a ground contract at TBS. He said it is not easy to do and you have to jump through alot of hoops but it can be done and every TBS class will have ground Lt's who now want to go air or nfo, and air and nfo lt's who now want to go ground. Has anyone else been told this?

I heard the same thing from my recruiter. People who enter with an air contract can switch later to ground. When I was considering going into the Marines, aviation was not on the table for me. Not that I wouldn't like to fly, on the contrary, I'd love to fly. I just assumed the qualifications were too high for me to consider it (I would need a technical degree, 20/20 uncorrected vision, etc.) When the recruiter told me that the only way I could get in for class 182 or 183 was to go in under an air contract, I jumped at the chance. While I'm sure that Marines wants and/or needs NFOs, my recruiter told me that the Marines needs pilots. Since I'm qualified for a pilot slot he has impressed upon me that I have a very good chance of making the next class. Has somebody heard something similar?

 

[Ghish]

I am in Fox Company at TBS. Our company has about 110+ air contracts out of 196. Just to let you know, starting with Fox Company no one is allowed to drop their air contracts, at all.

-Ghish

 

[kimphil]

Originally posted by Ghish
I am in Fox Company at TBS. Our company has about 110+ air contracts out of 196. Just to let you know, starting with Fox Company no one is allowed to drop their air contracts, at all.

-Ghish

Thanks, that's good to know.

 

[bigfig]

According to http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/AVN/documents/ACPlan2002.pdf:

In FY01, the Marine Corps experienced 57 pilot/NFO resignations, versus 62 resignations for FY00 and a high of 108 in 1997.

Unless resignations have more than tripled, where are all these new air contracts going? Wouldn't ~100 per TBS class mean ~400 new SNAs/SNFOs in FY03? Where are all these guys going? Or, am I missing something here?

 

[davidsin]

looks like the Corps is building an Armada of birds. Speaking of birds...at the rate technology is going all pilots may be behind a computer controlling drones--who knows maybe they got hidden plans for the new air contracts.

Maybe they found a planet that is inhabitable by man, and they need some Marine corps spacemen to invade

--

Semper Fi

 

[jet_ifr]

I think I know what's going on...Due to the war on terror, the increased demand for JDAM super-accurate weapons has caused a shortage. I bet the Marines are going to use all the new air-contract LT's instead of JDAMs. The LT would be strapped to the 2000lb bomb, and would guide it to the target via a hand-held Garmin GPS...from a financial standpoint it makes more sense, a JDAM costs ~$50000? for the guidance package alone?, and a O-1 makes ~$28000/year? Let's see...$28K plus $299.99 for the Garmin, does anyone know how much a 2000lb bomb costs?

I fly. Me pilot?

 

[kimphil]

Could be that the Marines are anticipating a surge of retirements in two to three years. That's about how long it takes a newly commissioned SNA/SNFO to go through TBS, API, primary, intermediate, advanced flight, and fleet replacement.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mongol General: ...Conan, what is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!
Mongol General: That is good.

 

[E5B]

Originally posted by bigfig
Wouldn't ~100 per TBS class mean ~400 new SNAs/SNFOs in FY03?

The "average" per class is around 50. Fox Company is the exception. Who knows what the future holds for #'s.

"You forgot your fortune cookie"

Dirty Harry