Should I throw the dice?

[blavin]

My situation: I found out yesterday from my OSO that I have been selected for OCC this summer, with no air contract. When signing the contract before the board, he asked if I wanted to sign both air and ground. I thought signing the ground contract would be a good idea, to show the board that I wanted to be a Marine more than an aviator. Bad move.
The question: When in TBS how difficult is it to get aviation? I have also thought about disenrolling for this summer, and try reapplying for the winter board, this time only signing the aviation contract. Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[skidkid]

Not easy but not impossible to get air at TBS. Not sure how disenrolling then reapplying will lookk to the board or if they even see it. Take the air test prior to TBS so if you ahve qualifying scores that is one less obstacle. Good luck

 

[d_bossart]

It is going to be pretty difficult to get air at TBS because they are not letting air contract DOR's select an MOS anymore. Gone are the days of "just take the air cotract to get into OCS, then drop it when you get to TBS." However it is not impossible, a Lt in my platoon just picked up an NFO contract. There were several air contracts up for grabs out of a company of about 150 ground contracts. Good luck man.

 

[SLU_fly_girl]

I thought signing the ground contract would be a good idea, to show the board that I wanted to be a Marine more than an aviator. Bad move.

Do you want to be a Marine more than an aviator? If so, GO TO OCS. Trust me! If you don't ship to OCS as scheduled because you chose not to, you could be kissing the Corps goodbye! Maybe that's a bit extreme, but skidkid is right. If you drop and reapply, the board will question your commitment. Chances are, they aren't going to want to waste their time on someone who isn't committed.

Just something to think about.

 

[reapergm]

I think the underlying position of this young motivator has been overlooked. If you wanted to show how bad you want to be a Marine, then consider dropping your slot because it isn't air, are you really doing the right thing by even applying or going to Marine OCS? Maybe you should consider the other services where they don't require six months of The Big Suck. Before you ever see an airplane, you will go through 10 weeks of body checks. From there it is six months of humping through the Quantico woods with a pack that looks comfortable but feels like you're being butt humped by a friggin rhino. You will lay out in the snow, freezing rain, and clean the same damn hallway for what seems eternity. You have to want to be a Marine to but up with all of this before flying. Take the easier route if there is even a question in your mindm - Cross into the Blue, Fly Navy - do what you are passionate about. Don't fake yourself into something you will regret - that you don't love with all your being, even on the crappy days.

Kiss your chance of acceptance good-bye if you reject your slot.

good luck in your decision!

 

[USMCSNA]

For Fox Company, 06-04 (Just graduated in March), there were two pilot, and four NFO slots open for competition. It all depends where you fall within the "thirds" if you get it or not. My company had 55+ 0302 slots, so it is possible for you to fall into one of those just as easily as it would be for you to get pilot. Remember though, there are no bad MOSs!

 

[riley]

jmw,

any word on how many SNAs are going to Vance and how they were selected to go to Vance? Those of us in Bravo are just a little curious....

 

[lucky1899]

MOS selection

to those in alpha that got their MOS, I know you're probably sick of this question by now, but here goes- how did things pan out? specifically, did most get one of their top 5? and if not, did they get a better duty station? basically what Im asking is, should I expect any surprises? (crossing fingers for camp pendleton)

 

[Taxman2A]

to those in alpha that got their MOS, I know you're probably sick of this question by now, but here goes- how did things pan out? specifically, did most get one of their top 5? and if not, did they get a better duty station? basically what Im asking is, should I expect any surprises? (crossing fingers for camp pendleton)

Duty station selection is completely independant of MOS selection.

Headquarters Marine Corps gives its needs to TBS, which get distributed to your company. Every Lt puts in their selection, and then MOSes are electronically distributed, using the three tier system you undoubtedly know of. Once this is done, the SPCs and Company Staff get together to "trade" for certain MOSes between Lts. This is where it helps for your SPC to like you, or at least think you are well suited for the job you want.

Each MOS has a "monitor". The Monitor is Captain whose main job in life is to put every member of the MOS they are monitor of into billets that best suit the needs of the Marine Corps. After MOS selection is completed the monitor will receive a spreadsheet that has every new Lt who was selected to their MOS, what # choice the MOS was, what their TBS ranking is, and what their duty station preferences are. The monitor can use any one of a number of methods to assign duty stations with the information he was provided. When I went through, our monitor sat us down in a room and said "These are the duty stations, who wants what?" That's the first time I ever saw or heard about the spreadsheet I just described.

 

[Slammer2]

Is it any easier to switch from NFO to Pilot (since they're both air contracts at OCS) than it is from Ground to PIlot? The reason I ask is because I still need PRK but I am qualified to go in as NFO should I get selected.

 

[PSno23]

You cannot switch from NFO to Pilot at TBS, even if you get the surgery. "A contract is a contract" is what we were told when MATSG came up to brief us.