New to Marines/Military

[Slaps22]

Hey guys, few questions here. I'm a college junior right now down in Baton Rouge, La. I have 48 hours towards my private pilot license and I am interested in the Marines. I spoke with an OSO recently and brought home a packet to fill out. My ultimate goal is to become a pilot. F-18, Harrier, Cobra...anything would do really. I just wanted to get a few answers from you all. I hear recruiters can lie sometimes.

When I apply for OCS, will I find out if I got a pilot or NFO slot before I leave for OCS? How valid is the "guarantee" they offer that says you will be flying some sort of aircraft if you qualify? Are there any exceptions that breach the guarantee? At what point am I officially commited to the military? I believe it is when I am commisioned at the end of my senior year but just want to check. Now if I apply for an air slot and get rejected, am I sent to ground or do I re-apply for air? Also, I was told PRK and soft contacts are the way to go as far as vision is concerned. No Lasik correct? Can it hurt anything to apply right now? The more chances I have to apply the better right?

Thanks for the help guys. I'm brewing up some more questions for later.

 

[scotty008]

When I apply for OCS, will I find out if I got a pilot or NFO slot before I leave for OCS? How valid is the "guarantee" they offer that says you will be flying some sort of aircraft if you qualify? Are there any exceptions that breach the guarantee? At what point am I officially commited to the military? I believe it is when I am commisioned at the end of my senior year but just want to check. Now if I apply for an air slot and get rejected, am I sent to ground or do I re-apply for air? Also, I was told PRK and soft contacts are the way to go as far as vision is concerned. No Lasik correct? Can it hurt anything to apply right now? The more chances I have to apply the better right?
[/QUOTE]

Yes, you apply and get accepted with a particular contract. If you want air, you apply for an air slot. If they reject you, you improve your package and try again. If you're a junior, you could go either PLC or OCC depending on your preferences and those of the Marine Corps. If you go OCC, your obligation begins once you pin on your bars. PLC, I have no idea. Applying now will not hurt you... they like initiative. Good luck with everything.

 

[Slammer2]

If you go OCC, your obligation begins once you pin on your bars. PLC, I have no idea.

PLC obligation begins after you graduate and accept your commissioning (if you do) and pin on the bars.

 

[Zilch]

Cool thing is, they don't want you to be an officer if you don't want to be there. If you finish OCS and think it's not what you want you can decline the commission.

I don't know how you'd make it thorugh OCS without motivation, though. It's pretty intense.

At my old job, I mentioned to someone I was going to Marine OCS. They laughed and said something like, "Oh, that knife-and-fork school? Whatever, real men go to boot camp."

...Right. I love ignorance.

 

[ArkhamAsylum]

I hear recruiters can lie sometimes.

Don't think of it as lying; it's willingly volunteering misinformation.

When I apply for OCS, will I find out if I got a pilot or NFO slot before I leave for OCS? How valid is the "guarantee" they offer that says you will be flying some sort of aircraft if you qualify?

It's called a contract, and you'll be sent to OCS on an Air, Law, or Ground contract. You should know several months before you go.

Are there any exceptions that breach the guarantee?

Yes. At any point, you can become NPQ, or "Not Physically Qualified". This usually applies to eyesight before flight training, airsickness during flight training, or a severe injury at any given time.

At what point am I officially commited to the military?

Until you are wearing 2ndLt bars, you can walk out at any time. If you take money for college (take the FAP, not MCTAF), you'll have to pay it back either monetarily or with X number years of enlisted service.

Now if I apply for an air slot and get rejected, am I sent to ground or do I re-apply for air?

If you get disqualified for Air, re-applying will probably be pointless (unless you can change the condition that got you DQ'd).
If the air quotas are full or no slots available, you can wait another year or two and see if one opens up. If you're on the OSO's good side, he should give you preference to the "new recruits" walking in his door.

PRK, Lasik, etc.

There's an entire forum on this site about PRK, and I'm sure they address Lasik too. Check that out (at the bottom of the forum page, select the view to all threads from the beginning, as opposed to the last month).


All members on this thread encourage intelligent questions. An unintelligent question, such as "what are the chances of getting jets", is one that has been answered numerous times, so use the Search function to see what info you can find before creating a new thread. You'll find that many of your questions from this thread have already been covered elsewhere.
One last thing: beware of a guy on here named Brett.

 

[Slaps22]

Ok thanks everybody. That answered the bulk of my questions. Does the Navy have any similar kind of guarantee that the Marines do? I just don't want to join something and be stuck on maint. or something and I feel if I go Marines I will be flying something...just don't know what yet. Thanks again.

 

[Spin]

One last thing: beware of a guy on here named Brett.

Funny .....

 

[ArkhamAsylum]

I'm surprised he hasn't found this yet. I thought he searched the forums for his name thrice daily.