OCS first few days question

[Kraftwerk]

Hi guys and gals!
OCS is drawing nearer and I've gotten a lot of good info from various sources.
I'm still wondering about the first physical you get at OCS by NOMI, is this the actual
flight physical or just a cursory once-over to allow the DI's to start on you?
All answers are appreciated!

 

[vicki]

The program Matt is refering to is the ACES program. It is my understanding that anybody accepted as SNA or SNFO after February 1, 2000 is required to have completed ACES prior to OCS. (If anyone has heard anything different from this please jump right in). Don't know if this helps.

Vicki



Edited by - vicki on 10/19/2000 21:14:21

 

[Kraftwerk]

Thanks, that sheds some light on the subject. I wasn't told I had to complete ACES prior to OCS, from what I understand it's a "try before you fly" program, to let see for yourself if aviation is your thing. I wasn't told to go down there for it, so I'm not sure that its a requirement. At least not yet?

 

[vicki]

It may just be my NRD (Buffalo, NY) that is requiring all their folks to go down for ACES. If you have the opportunity to do I would. You get your class I physical out of the way so there are no unpleasant surprises later and it is a good time. You meet other people that may be in your OCS class, get questions answered from people who there doing it and get stick time in a T-34 ('nuf said). Good luck.

Vicki

 

[Kraftwerk]

Spoke to my friendly neighborhood recruiter on friday and there was no fundage available this late in the FY for me to go to ACES...that's why.
So, therefore; I proceeded to the Wings Over Houston airshow this weekend for a little ACES of my own, spoke to and got good heads-up from a Marine student aviator in his T-34 C, cockpit fit check (tight fit at 6'-2" regarding headroom, but the seat would go down a good deal further). I even managed to talk my way onto the secured-off flightline and spent a good deal of the saturday and an hour on sunday shooting the breeze with the F-14 demo team (Shoe and Roll from VF-101), who were really great guys. So what my recruiter cannot provide...well it wasn't ACES but it made my weekend enjoyable.

 

[Dave Shutter]

Good deal Kraftwerk!

That's been my thing all along. Go to an airshow and actually talk to someone who flies, the higher ranking the better. I had a great conversation with a USMC LTCOL. who was a Prowler SQD commander about the politics behind the superbug vs. the supertomcat decision. They're not inclined to give you a recruiter pitch and tell you flat about the things that suck, and there are many.

D