Zarathustra
New Member
All,
I will first describe what I have done up to this point and then my current situation with the hope for further advice,
Like every pilot before me im sure it was their dream since they were a kid. This was the same for me but i did not realize i could accomplish this dream until my brother 2nd LT Ian Thomas McVey was killed in 2008. He taught me many things including honor and patriotism. But what he taught me more than anything was that if you wanted to accomplish something never make excuses for your situation, take responsibility and go out and conquer.
He was killed my Sophomore summer in college and instead of taking time off from school i focused on finishing college and moving on to my career in Marine/Navy Aviation. Although i was never the best student my grades suffered tremendously. After burying my brother I dropped from a 2.85 to what i finished with, a 2.23 GPA. I do not make any excuse for my academic performance and if i could go back and change it i would. But i did what was best for me at that time, for my family, and just focused on graduating above a 2.0 and applying for OCC once i graduated.
Since i graduated I had trouble with the ASTB the first time i took it i got 4's and 5's and only a 48. I refused to accept this as my "potential" and took the test again after working day and night for a few months and got 7/8/8 60. I realize this is not the best score in the world and i know if given the opportunity i can do better. But given my circumstances of never touching a physics or math book in college and not knowing anything about aviation prior, i think i did decently.
I then needed eye surgery to be able to get through the flight physical for the Marines but couldn't even read the 20/20 chart with my vision corrected in the doc's chair. I got the surgery anyways and had a number of complications from a staph infection in my eye to my eyes not healing properly post-surgery. I had to wait 6 months to be reviewed and by the grace of god my vision today is 20/10 R 20/13 L. I was lucky there is no doubt about that.
Unfortunately I was not picked up for Aviation through the Marines this past summer because my glaring GPA 2.23 so i applied through the Navy this past winter as well. In a week's notice i managed to assemble a polished application with proper recommendations and thoroughly written essays regarding my undergrad academic performance a week before it was due. Unfortunately for this past December board my application was kicked back because my GPA was below the 2.5 minimum for Aviation applicants.
My only option was then to take enough classes to raise my overall GPA to the Aviation minimum of 2.5 and re-apply. I need a minimum of 22 credits at a 4.0 scale, something i without a doubt believe i am capable of if i was given the opportunity. However i cannot take this many credits to raise my GPA before the summer board deadline in May 2013 and if i wait until next December after finishing the credits raising my GPA, by the time i leave in March 2014 i will graduate from OCS not even a month past my 27th birthday (turn 27 May 27th 2014) and therefore be too "old".
And to add insult to injury, my office just had an applicant picked up for Aviation in the December board my application was denied. He had 5's and a 48 on the ASTB and a 2.5 GPA...
What's done is done and I cant go back. I still wish to pursue my dream of being a Naval Aviator but do realize that this is slowly slipping away more and more out of my grasp. My only option would be to commission as a SWO and after 2 years re-designate. I do wish to serve my country and it would be an honor to serve as an officer virtually under any MOS even if it wasn't as a pilot but I also want to do anything and EVERYTHING i can to pursue this dream before it's too late and the opportunity is gone forever and I am an "old man filled with regret".
I do not know much about SWO and the lateral transfer process from what ive read is very hit or miss. I wouldn't go into being a SWO only with the intention of being a pilot. If i was given the opportunity I would be the best damn SWO I could be for my country, my superiors and myself. I would earn the respect of my superiors through my work ethic with the hope of one day being able to transfer to pilot.
Another issue is that if it takes 2 years and I do get picked up for this March OCS class I wouldn't be able to re-designate until i was 3 months past my 28th birthday and from what i understand the age waiver is ONLY up to 29 for pilot if you're in service? I know it's 31 for NFO?
Is there really NOTHING i can do about my GPA?
What would you suggest about joining the other branches as a pilot? what about air national guard even?
I realize this is a long document and thought it better to lay everything out on the line so that nothing is misunderstood about myself or my intentions to be a pilot,
Thank you,
I will first describe what I have done up to this point and then my current situation with the hope for further advice,
Like every pilot before me im sure it was their dream since they were a kid. This was the same for me but i did not realize i could accomplish this dream until my brother 2nd LT Ian Thomas McVey was killed in 2008. He taught me many things including honor and patriotism. But what he taught me more than anything was that if you wanted to accomplish something never make excuses for your situation, take responsibility and go out and conquer.
He was killed my Sophomore summer in college and instead of taking time off from school i focused on finishing college and moving on to my career in Marine/Navy Aviation. Although i was never the best student my grades suffered tremendously. After burying my brother I dropped from a 2.85 to what i finished with, a 2.23 GPA. I do not make any excuse for my academic performance and if i could go back and change it i would. But i did what was best for me at that time, for my family, and just focused on graduating above a 2.0 and applying for OCC once i graduated.
Since i graduated I had trouble with the ASTB the first time i took it i got 4's and 5's and only a 48. I refused to accept this as my "potential" and took the test again after working day and night for a few months and got 7/8/8 60. I realize this is not the best score in the world and i know if given the opportunity i can do better. But given my circumstances of never touching a physics or math book in college and not knowing anything about aviation prior, i think i did decently.
I then needed eye surgery to be able to get through the flight physical for the Marines but couldn't even read the 20/20 chart with my vision corrected in the doc's chair. I got the surgery anyways and had a number of complications from a staph infection in my eye to my eyes not healing properly post-surgery. I had to wait 6 months to be reviewed and by the grace of god my vision today is 20/10 R 20/13 L. I was lucky there is no doubt about that.
Unfortunately I was not picked up for Aviation through the Marines this past summer because my glaring GPA 2.23 so i applied through the Navy this past winter as well. In a week's notice i managed to assemble a polished application with proper recommendations and thoroughly written essays regarding my undergrad academic performance a week before it was due. Unfortunately for this past December board my application was kicked back because my GPA was below the 2.5 minimum for Aviation applicants.
My only option was then to take enough classes to raise my overall GPA to the Aviation minimum of 2.5 and re-apply. I need a minimum of 22 credits at a 4.0 scale, something i without a doubt believe i am capable of if i was given the opportunity. However i cannot take this many credits to raise my GPA before the summer board deadline in May 2013 and if i wait until next December after finishing the credits raising my GPA, by the time i leave in March 2014 i will graduate from OCS not even a month past my 27th birthday (turn 27 May 27th 2014) and therefore be too "old".
And to add insult to injury, my office just had an applicant picked up for Aviation in the December board my application was denied. He had 5's and a 48 on the ASTB and a 2.5 GPA...
What's done is done and I cant go back. I still wish to pursue my dream of being a Naval Aviator but do realize that this is slowly slipping away more and more out of my grasp. My only option would be to commission as a SWO and after 2 years re-designate. I do wish to serve my country and it would be an honor to serve as an officer virtually under any MOS even if it wasn't as a pilot but I also want to do anything and EVERYTHING i can to pursue this dream before it's too late and the opportunity is gone forever and I am an "old man filled with regret".
I do not know much about SWO and the lateral transfer process from what ive read is very hit or miss. I wouldn't go into being a SWO only with the intention of being a pilot. If i was given the opportunity I would be the best damn SWO I could be for my country, my superiors and myself. I would earn the respect of my superiors through my work ethic with the hope of one day being able to transfer to pilot.
Another issue is that if it takes 2 years and I do get picked up for this March OCS class I wouldn't be able to re-designate until i was 3 months past my 28th birthday and from what i understand the age waiver is ONLY up to 29 for pilot if you're in service? I know it's 31 for NFO?
Is there really NOTHING i can do about my GPA?
What would you suggest about joining the other branches as a pilot? what about air national guard even?
I realize this is a long document and thought it better to lay everything out on the line so that nothing is misunderstood about myself or my intentions to be a pilot,
Thank you,