OCC January or PLC Sr. next spring?

[Phrost_Bite]

I'm in a bit of a bind and not sure what I should do. Maybe you guys can give me some helpful advise. I'm graduating from school in December and was supposed to commision right after. Only problem is I was supposed to go to PLC Sr. This summer but hurt my foot like a dumb ass and couldn't ship. I just got word from my OSO that he could get me into the OCC January class which is great. Here's where I'm indecisive; my wife and I are expecting our 2nd baby in November. If I ship in January, I'd be leaving my wife for ten weeks to handle a new born baby and a 2 year old, very energetic toddler. Do you guys think I should just bite the bullet and go in January, or wait until May and go to Sr. and commision then? There are pros and cons to both, but I'd like to make the decision that will benefit myself and my familiy the most.

 

[CumminsPilot]

The sooner the better? I was OCC 200, so I'm kinda partial to winter. If you're going to be a Marine, she's going to be without you for a lot longer than 10 weeks at a time...may as well train her up now.

 

[capitoljake13]

Yea... I pushed back applying for Oct. to Jan. for much smaller reasons but I wasn't in any particular hurry. If you were gangbusters moto and couldn't wait I suppose it might be worth it. But if you're more like me a few more anxious nights waiting might give ya more time to hang with the new little dude (plus it'd mean four less weeks at OCS yea?)

Regardless you'll probably be back sitting around for six months to get to TBS!

Also I just noticed we're both in Saint Paul ... Does that make us competition? ha

 

[yodaears]

The sooner the better? I was OCC 200, so I'm kinda partial to winter. If you're going to be a Marine, she's going to be without you for a lot longer than 10 weeks at a time...may as well train her up now.

You will indeed be away longer than 10 weeks in the future. I would suggest asking her and going with that, seeing that this might be one of the last times she has any real say in the matter. Unless of course you are up against an age restriction for aviation or something along those lines. Family first when you have the option. My two cents. Good luck.

 

[CumminsPilot]

Regardless you'll probably be back sitting around for six months to get to TBS!

or not. Graduated OCC 200 on Saturday, commissioned at 1 PM, checked into TBS at ~3 PM, showed up Monday morning for zero-week, and should graduate in 7.5 weeks. No waiting for most of OCC 200.

 

[sanders]

Do you have a job already? If not then it might be tough to graduate school in December and be unemployed until you graduate seniors in July. Keep in mind that PTAD is f'ed up right now, and the wait for TBS is kind of ridiculous. If you wait till summer, you could very well end up waiting until late 2010/early 2011 to go to TBS. Can you afford to wait that long without a paycheck?

 

[HAL Pilot]

If I ship in January, I'd be leaving my wife for ten weeks to handle a new born baby and a 2 year old, very energetic toddler.

If she can't handle it in January, she won't be able to handle it later on in your career. Better to find out now.

 

[Rocketman]

Do you have a job already? If not then it might be tough to graduate school in December and be unemployed until you graduate seniors in July. Keep in mind that PTAD is f'ed up right now, and the wait for TBS is kind of ridiculous. If you wait till summer, you could very well end up waiting until late 2010/early 2011 to go to TBS. Can you afford to wait that long without a paycheck?

+ 1. Get it done and get on Uncle's payroll. An OCS complete Lt is between a rock and a hard place job wise. Do you work a relatively low paying job (if you can find one) or lie about your status to a company looking to fill a perm position ? Not to mention you don't want a wife, a two year old and a newborn without good medical insurance.

 

[Phrost_Bite]

I think I'm leaning more towards just waiting till the spring... My wife has her degree and a job w/ benefits. I also have a job that pays pretty good too (more than some newly college grads). Plus the extra few months will give me time with the youngsters and to make sure my foot is fully healed up. My OSO has assured me that I won't be booted out of the PLC progaram or anything like that even though I will have been graduated from school. Besides, 6 weeks of OCS is better than 10! LOL! Doesn't Quantico get pretty cold in January? I have heard that the Quiggly freezes up and they have to break the ice open so candidates can go through it... doesn't sound like too much fun to me!! I've been in Minnesota all my life and still HATE the cold. Hell that is almost reason enough for me to wait until the spring.... Yup decision made. Spring it is! Thanks for all the input guys.

 

[AJB37]

I think I'm leaning more towards just waiting till the spring... My wife has her degree and a job w/ benefits. I also have a job that pays pretty good too (more than some newly college grads). Plus the extra few months will give me time with the youngsters and to make sure my foot is fully healed up. My OSO has assured me that I won't be booted out of the PLC progaram or anything like that even though I will have been graduated from school. Besides, 6 weeks of OCS is better than 10! LOL! Doesn't Quantico get pretty cold in January? I have heard that the Quiggly freezes up and they have to break the ice open so candidates can go through it... doesn't sound like too much fun to me!! I've been in Minnesota all my life and still HATE the cold. Hell that is almost reason enough for me to wait until the spring.... Yup decision made. Spring it is! Thanks for all the input guys.

You'll experience the winter cold anyways, be it OCS or TBS, it will get you. And others are right about the wait for TBS sucking, those of us who just commissioned 8 Aug have to wait until the Oct class at the earliest. We are on IRR status right now and not getting paid for the next 60 days, so it could be a similar situation next summer. It probably won't be, but just something to be aware of.

 

[CumminsPilot]

Doesn't Quantico get pretty cold in January? I have heard that the Quiggly freezes up and they have to break the ice open so candidates can go through it... doesn't sound like too much fun to me!! I've been in Minnesota all my life and still HATE the cold. Hell that is almost reason enough for me to wait until the spring.... Yup decision made. Spring it is! Thanks for all the input guys.

really? So, you want to be a Marine, but are afraid of a little ice in the Quigley? It was absolutely the coldest I've ever been in my life, but we all recovered just fine.

Very well...enjoy digging your fighting pos for FEX3 in the snow...oh, and all your water freezing too. You will get to see the cold in Quantico...no way around it.

 

[Rocketman]

Sounds like the wait won't hurt you money wise. You are a lucky guy. Just be sure you use your time to get in super shape and rehab your foot.

 

[Swanee]

really? So, you want to be a Marine, but are afraid of a little ice in the Quigley? It was absolutely the coldest I've ever been in my life, but we all recovered just fine.

Very well...enjoy digging your fighting pos for FEX3 in the snow...oh, and all your water freezing too. You will get to see the cold in Quantico...no way around it.

Just trade the Quigley for Beaver Dam Creek while doing night land nav in December.

You will get wet. It will suck. Who cares?!

 

[CumminsPilot]

Just trade the Quigley for Beaver Dam Creek while doing night land nav in December.

You will get wet. It will suck. Who cares?!

At least you can see 20m in the tree-line in December.

 

[Swanee]

At least you can see 20m in the tree-line in December.

Heh, yeah. I had a box in TA-16 on Thursday that was surrounded by really thick veg. Freaking pine trees and thorn bushes everywhere... Gotta love land nav.