Options for Aviators to serve in the field

[JSF_Dreamer]

What I didn't know what that even Marine Pilots can serve as ground pounders if needed. And I think that KICKS ASS. I'm 22, married, and have a son. My whole life I've wanted to fly. But recently I've had a really strong desire to go infantry (sniper if I could manage it there later on). The wife isn't thrilled about the military, but she is supportive and knows that's it's all I've ever wanted to do. She is fine with me being a pilot, but really not OK with me doing infantry.

I assume that if I went pilot and ended up doing a tour as a ground pounder, that sniper wouldn't be an option, but that's fine. I would really enjoy doing either and although my wife wouldn't like it, she would accept it if I had to do an infantry tour.

I'm a mathematics major with 1 year left of college so I've got some time to decide. It's a really hard choice. Not because I don't know what I want to do, but because I'll be happy in any way I serve (sans cook or something like that).

 

[Clux4]

How about a Marine pilot and a tour with ANGLICO. That sounds like fun!! I met a guy recently who had the pleasure of doing an ANGLICO tour. He had good things to say.

I am not sure of what the deal is with the MARSOC guys but they might need some FAC's every now and then. In a community like that, they might just send their guys to the JTAP school.

 

[JSF_Dreamer]

How about a Marine pilot and a tour with ANGLICO. That sounds like fun!! I met a guy recently who had the pleasure of doing an ANGLICO tour. He had good things to say.

I am not sure of what the deal is with the MARSOC guys but they might need some FAC's every now and then. In a community like that, they might just send their guys to the JTAP school.

Too many acronyms... thank you, google.


I'm a little confused as to what happens when a marine pilot is deemed needed in an infantry position. Do they go through PLC so they can lead a platoon or do they just fill in a spot in a platoon?

I'm searching around a bit, but there's much more gouge on here for Navy pilots.

 

[Swanee]

Too many acronyms... thank you, google.


I'm a little confused as to what happens when a marine pilot is deemed needed in an infantry position. Do they go through PLC so they can lead a platoon or do they just fill in a spot in a platoon?

I'm searching around a bit, but there's much more gouge on here for Navy pilots.

All Marine Officers go through TBS. TBS has it's very own subsection in the forum.

 

[JSF_Dreamer]

Yes it does... with about 3 threads in it.

 

[fuzzywuzzy]

Yes it does... with about 3 threads in it.

just go to "display options" menu, which is under the threads section.

And switch the "from the" drop down menu to "last year" or "beginning", and then hit show threads :thumbup_1

took me a minute also to figure this out when I was first browsing. I kept asking myself how it was showing 200+ threads but when I entered there were only a couple.

 

[phrogdriver]

The Marine or pilot first thing always leads down a rabbit hole.

Do you need to be prepared to do a lot of difficult ground-oriented training to be a Marine Officer? Yes.

Do you need to learn to carry yourself as a Marine, and lead other Marines according to the (high) standards of the Marine Corps? Yes.

That said, this "provisional platoon commander" business gets carried on a bit too far. Yes Marine aviators get non-flying jobs, many involving doing grunt stuff, e.g. Forward Air Controller. By the same token, though, Navy pilots end up doing lots of sailor stuff on disassociated sea tours and such, yet the phrase "every Navy pilot a sailor" never seems to get much traction.

I've been in 13 years, and have flown for the entire time since graduating API. That's one way to do it. Not the only, or even the best, but if flying's your thing, you shouldn't be scared of the Corps because you don't have "Born to Hump" tattooed on your shoulder.

Just be aware that you will have to do a lot of that on your way to earning your place in flight school, and that you have to be prepared to lead Marines, not necessary a platoon, but a bunch of 20-year-old mechanics, or an office full of clerks, or whatever.

 

[phrogpilot73]

How about a Marine pilot and a tour with ANGLICO. That sounds like fun!! I met a guy recently who had the pleasure of doing an ANGLICO tour. He had good things to say.

I am not sure of what the deal is with the MARSOC guys but they might need some FAC's every now and then. In a community like that, they might just send their guys to the JTAP school.

So maybe I'm missing something, or maybe there's a typo... What is JTAP?

 

[JSF_Dreamer]

I'd be much more eager to serve in a platoon in a combat area than in an office somewhere if I had to for a tour away from flying. Is that a possibility? If I had to fly a desk for a tour it'd be an ok consequence of flying for a living, but I'd take a platoon tour over a desk tour.



I searched JTAP in google and didn't really get anything back on it. A couple hits from personal pages, but that's it. I just chalked it up as something to be learned later.


Also, thanks for the tip on finding the other threads. I thought it pretty odd that there were so few in some of the sections on here.

 

[phrogpilot73]

I'd be much more eager to serve in a platoon in a combat area than in an office somewhere if I had to for a tour away from flying. Is that a possibility? If I had to fly a desk for a tour it'd be an ok consequence of flying for a living, but I'd take a platoon tour over a desk tour.

You may get to be a MWSG Platoon commander or some such ilk, but stop dreaming of Infantry jobs. The only job for a pilot in an Infantry battalion is Forward Air Controller. If you stick around the battalion long enough (tour lasts about 1 year) you may get to be the H&S Company Commander, but you're not going to be a platoon commander.

 

[Clux4]

So maybe I'm missing something, or maybe there's a typo... What is JTAP?

Yeap, typo. JTAC

 

[HeyJoe]

Yeap, typo. JTAC
Sometimes called Tac-P

Not the same. TACP is an Air Force term and "entity". TACP are big blue Air Force folks wearing Black Berets principally in support of the big green army. Are you confusing ETAC with JTAC? However, Marines, SEALs, Naval Aviators, both officer and enlisted as well as coalition forces can obtain a JTAC qualification to control aircraft providing Close Air Support (CAS) and other fires.

 

[Clux4]

Not the same. TACP is an Air Force term and "entity". TACP are big blue Air Force folks wearing Black Berets principally in support of the big green army. Are you confusing ETAC with JTAC? However, Marines, SEALs, Naval Aviators, both officer and enlisted as well as coalition forces can obtain a JTAC qualification to control aircraft providing Close Air Support (CAS) and other fires.

Thanks
All mixed up tonight

 

[phrogpilot73]

Not the same. TACP is an Air Force term and "entity". TACP are big blue Air Force folks wearing Black Berets principally in support of the big green army. Are you confusing ETAC with JTAC? However, Marines, SEALs, Naval Aviators, both officer and enlisted as well as coalition forces can obtain a JTAC qualification to control aircraft providing Close Air Support (CAS) and other fires.

Actually TACP is not an exclusively Air Force term. The class you go through at EWTGLANT/PAC is TACP school. We use the term TACP in the Marine Corps as well.

In the USMC there's a difference between a FAC and a JTAC. Two separate MOS's - a FAC is a pilot who is JTAC qualified and assigned to an infantry battalion. A JTAC is an officer/SNCO from the combat arms world (arty or infantry) that is JTAC qualified.

 

[HeyJoe]

Actually TACP is not an exclusively Air Force term. The class you go through at EWTGLANT/PAC is TACP school. We use the term TACP in the Marine Corps as well.

In the USMC there's a difference between a FAC and a JTAC. Two separate MOS's - a FAC is a pilot who is JTAC qualified and assigned to an infantry battalion. A JTAC is an officer/SNCO from the combat arms world (arty or infantry) that is JTAC qualified.

Concur..what I meant by that is the Big Blue Air Force treats TAC-P as their niche even though influence of JFCOM has established common temrs across the services and internationally. I've actually heard Air Force guys say only they can control aircraft therefore they have to be embedded even with NSW. They've even tried that line in rhe sandbox.

AIR FORCE TACP Beret and crest

EWTGLANT says:

TACTICAL AIR CONTROL PARTY COURSE of INSTRUCTION

PURPOSE
To train U.S. Marines in the joint tactics, techniques and procedures used for controlling and integrating the broad spectrum of fire support and air power available to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) or Joint Task Force (JTF) Commander with a focus on Close Air Support. USMC Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers who successfully complete the course of instruction will be certified as Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC), will receive the 7502 skill designator MOS, will be eligible for JTAC qualification and will be prepared to serve as a Forward Air Controller (FAC) or staff Air Officer (AO). USMC Ground Combat Arms Officers and SNCO's who successfully complete the course will be certified as JTACs and receive the 8002 skill designator MOS.

SCOPE
The course encompasses the concepts, doctrine and principles used in the employment of air power in support of MAGTF or JTF operations. The curriculum prepares students to accomplish eight broadly based mission-essential duties and includes instruction in both planning and employing air power as an integrated fire support asset or force multiplier in support of the ground combat scheme of maneuver.

The TACP Course curriculum meets the requirements outlined by the Joint Close Air Support (JCAS) Action Plan Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) 2004-1 Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) (Ground) and NAVMC 3500 Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) Training and Readiness (T&R) Manual.

Note: NSW puts SEALs and Aviators assigned as Air Liaison Officers through the course to obtain their JTAC qual (SEALs do not have to be a senior NCO).