1. Do you have a choice whether you go to Kingsville or meridian
no ... you will go where the next class is starting ... i requested meridian, they sent me to kingsville
2. Same q, for VMFAT 101 vs oceana or leemore
no ... same as above, you go where they have room for you in the next starting class (the wait for Marines to start the Hornet RAG, or FRS for you politically correct folks, is generally 3-4 months for all 3 locations), and you don't get to request which RAG location you want, you find out when your orders arrive 2-4 weeks after you get your wings.
3. At the RAG how much choice do you have for F-18D vs C.
when you are finished at Meridian/Kingsville & are selecting, you will write down, in order, which aircraft you want as well as which coast you want to be stationed once you are done with the RAG. for Hornets, your choices are either MCAS Miramar CA or MCAS Beaufort SC. i dont know of anybody who didn't get their choice, i wanted & got Beaufort. you dont have a choice in which fleet squadron you will go to. again, it depends on which fleet squadron needs you when you finish up the RAG ... but, if you have a good reputation coming out of the RAG, you could probably swing it with a few phone calls (your Skipper or OPS O will make those calls, not you) and get you the Hornet squadron you want, i.e. single seat or two seat. while at the Hornet RAG you will fly F-18 A's, B's, C's, & D's.
4. Can you switch back and forth.
yes, you can switch between single seat squadrons & two-seat squadrons. the avionics in the single seat & two seater's are pretty much the same, with a few differences in limitations & a different fuel load
5. how long did each stage of training take for you?
i started API in Oct 2000 ... Primary @ Whiting took me 6 months, Advanced @ Kingsville took me 11 months, and i'm currently 1/3 of the way through the RAG.
