The Long Wait

[pjxc415]

For those of you who have gone to TBS and later to flight school: i'm graduating in May and have put in for alpha company in november. My question to you: do you think it would be better to go to an earlier class? I'm thinking 6 months is going to be a really long time to wait for TBS only to wait another couple of months after to begin flight school. Reading about the time in between tbs and flight school it seems like you have ample time to do whatever you like to do and get your life squared away.

I'm thinking it might be a better idea to talk to my MOI to see about going to the July tbs class and then heading down to pensacola after that. Any thoughts?

 

[USMCBebop]

So how come you're scheduled for July? (I take it you're NROTC since you mentioned MOI.) E Co which usually convenes in July is usually made up of NROTC and USNA. However, no one TBS Co. is (offically) specific to any commissioning source, it just depends on the time of year.

B, C and F Cos. are predominantly OCC grads because they start right after OCC. A Co is mostly PLC, and D seems to be a myriad of all commissioning sources.

But in each class, there will always be Lts. from all the commissioning sources.

Anyways, if you can get started right away, then see what you can do.

My 2 cents.

 

[jamnww]

Ok in theory then your idea might be a good one, HOWEVER the way the process works is that you don't get slated to start flight school till you get there so if you delay TBS (supposing of course they will let you which is not absolute) then your wait for flight school gets delayed as well NOT eliminated. You will still have to wait for flight school and you will just be put further behind.

If however you are talking about moving UP your TBS date, well then forget it because there is only 0.1% chance they will move you UP to July with a current Dec TBS class. The PLC guys / gals that Bebop is talking about are people who were DELAYED past their initial start time or had special circumstances which are VERY VERY rare.

Think of it this way, they don't have to pay you for the wait between May and Dec if you start with Alpha but they will have to pay you for the wait for flight school which will likely get shorter the later you go.

 

[KBayDog]

If you indeed have the options of starting TBS in the fall or summer, it would be wise for you to have your MOI discuss if/how the different class dates could affect you down the road with promotions, pay, etc.

The administrative aspects are too involved for this forum, but your MOI will be able to explain the pros/cons of the different TBS dates (beyond your immediate concerns of wait times before and after).

Good luck.

 

[pjxc415]

interesting .. i didn't realize when you started tbs could affect pay and promotion rate. yes i am nrotc and what my MOI told me when I was putting in for TBS dates was that alpha would be the first upcoming class with available slots for those on aviation contract, althought he wasn't 100% on it. So i ended up requesting alpha although i'm not officially slated for it yet. I'm just starting to think it may have been a good idea to request foxtrot even if i had minimal chance of getting it. Oh well, guess i better start looking for cool sh*t to do during the wait. Any recommendations??? Anyone know if u can do IFS during this time???

 

[KBayDog]

interesting .. i didn't realize when you started tbs could affect pay and promotion rate...Anyone know if u can do IFS during this time???

It may or may not affect your pay/promotions - that's what you need to discuss with him.

You should be able to do IFS during your wait. Doing so will lessen your delay after TBS.

 

[jamnww]

It may or may not affect your pay/promotions - that's what you need to discuss with him.

You should be able to do IFS during your wait. Doing so will lessen your delay after TBS.

IF you are able to do IFS during the wait for TBS then they will issue orders for you to do so, otherwise you won't be able to...

 

[KBayDog]

IF you are able to do IFS during the wait for TBS then they will issue orders for you to do so, otherwise you won't be able to...

Orders don't just magically appear out of thin air, or by way of some voodoo magic. Orders aren't just spewed from the Orders Cauldron when your number is up. "THEY" issue you your orders, sure, but how do you think "THEY" know what you are doing and when you need to do it? It's rather easy - you talk to them. All this guy needs to do is have his MOI make a few phone calls, and he should be on the fast track to IFS before TBS. It's not really that hard.

I was approved for IFS during the spring of my senior year (because I asked...), but there was a SNAFU with the flight school (mainly, they let their certification expire). I asked my MOI if there was any way I could do IFS between graduation and TBS. He made a phone call to Quantico, and within minutes, my TBS class date was moved back, and I was issued orders to check in early to begin IFS. It was quick an painless, but just required some initiative.

I guess what I am getting at is that you have a little more control over your orders than you may think.

 

[jamnww]

Orders don't just magically appear out of thin air, or by way of some voodoo magic. Orders aren't just spewed from the Orders Cauldron when your number is up. "THEY" issue you your orders, sure, but how do you think "THEY" know what you are doing and when you need to do it? It's rather easy - you talk to them. All this guy needs to do is have his MOI make a few phone calls, and he should be on the fast track to IFS before TBS. It's not really that hard.

I was approved for IFS during the spring of my senior year (because I asked...), but there was a SNAFU with the flight school (mainly, they let their certification expire). I asked my MOI if there was any way I could do IFS between graduation and TBS. He made a phone call to Quantico, and within minutes, my TBS class date was moved back, and I was issued orders to check in early to begin IFS. It was quick an painless, but just required some initiative.

I guess what I am getting at is that you have a little more control over your orders than you may think.

I was under the impression that they aren't allowing IFS to be done at flight schools near colleges anymore because of some problems they had. As for a persons control over their orders, yes there is some however I know a LOT of guys who requested IFS pre-TBS and were told no because the slots filled up. It is always best to be proactive and to demonstrate initiative but we shouldn't give him the idea that all he has to do is tell them what he wants to do and they will accomodate him.

Obviously someone writes the orders so no they don't just magically appear but often THEY have a better idea about what you need and when you can do it then you do (at least at the pre-TBS stage where many Lts only have their OSOs to obtain information from), remember these people write thousands of orders for people in similar circumstances each year so they know a thing or two about how to get things done.

Best advice of course is for him to talk to his MOI and work things out from there...

 

[Crowbar]

often THEY have a better idea about what you need and when you can do it then you do (at least at the pre-TBS stage where many Lts only have their OSOs to obtain information from), remember these people write thousands of orders for people in similar circumstances each year so they know a thing or two about how to get things done.

No, they know how to pull up the standard format orders, change the name and SSN, and hit print. 'They' know what 'they' need. 'You' should know what 'you' need, even if you don't always know the proper procedure or terminology to get it. Both as an officer and an enlisted Marine I've had my orders changed just by making a phone call or two.

 

[jamnww]

No, they know how to pull up the standard format orders, change the name and SSN, and hit print. 'They' know what 'they' need. 'You' should know what 'you' need, even if you don't always know the proper procedure or terminology to get it. Both as an officer and an enlisted Marine I've had my orders changed just by making a phone call or two.

Yes, again I am not saying to just sit idle while you wait for others to decide what you need...the situation is slightly different though for new PLC Lts who have only ever seen OCS and have no idea what they need. In that situation (the basis for this particular thread) the new Lt has much less control / knowledge then is otherwise the case. Examples being - no air slots for TBS till Dec...no IFS slots for the pre-TBS group...etc... and must out of necessity rely on others to help.

Ignorance is never an excuse, everyone needs to KNOW what they need and the possible timetables but realize that for fresh Lts who aren't even on active duty yet there is a little less of this...and less capabilities to improve it depending on the OSO.

 

[JZAB]

Yes, again I am not saying to just sit idle while you wait for others to decide what you need...the situation is slightly different though for new PLC Lts who have only ever seen OCS and have no idea what they need. In that situation (the basis for this particular thread) the new Lt has much less control / knowledge then is otherwise the case. Examples being - no air slots for TBS till Dec...no IFS slots for the pre-TBS group...etc...

Ignorance is never an excuse, everyone needs to KNOW what they need and the possible timetables but realize that for fresh Lts who aren't even on active duty yet there is a little less of this...and less capabilities to improve it depending on the OSO.

I will be a new PLC LT and I would like to know as much as possible before I graduate. I have less control as a PLCer? No Air slots for TBS till DEC? No IFS before TBS? So on and so forth?

So, I guess my question is what do I really need to expect and what do I need to be proactive about? Also will living within a stones throw of Quantico help out any with the before mentioned Q's? (15 miles)

 

[Crowbar]

Examples being - no air slots for TBS till Dec...no IFS slots for the pre-TBS group...etc... and must out of necessity rely on others to help.

In other words, they know what they need...am I speaking Swahili here? No, a brand new non-prior service individual is not going to know the ins and outs and what have yous of getting orders, but if you just sit back and take whatever comes your way without making your wishes known, well, enjoy life, it will probably be full of surprises.

I say if you want to go it can't hurt to ask. If you get told 'no' you'll live with it, right? But don't ever just sit around thinking magic things will happen to you. If you do get moved up you'll miss out on some of that beautiful Quantico winter weather.

 

[jamnww]

I will be a new PLC LT and I would like to know as much as possible before I graduate. I have less control as a PLCer? No Air slots for TBS till DEC? No IFS before TBS? So on and so forth?

So, I guess my question is what do I really need to expect and what do I need to be proactive about? Also will living within a stones throw of Quantico help out any with the before mentioned Q's? (15 miles)

Its not that you have less control, just you don't know as many of the ins and outs of the system and can't take avantage of things as easily.

Talk to your MOI about your questions. If he can't then just keep on him and ask him if he could find out for you.

Crow - I think most of this is miscommunication here and the rest I guess depends on who you talk to (MOI) because some are a great deal less helpful then others in answering questions. Case in point mine (back then) said that they would tell me when they got things worked out and so I called and talked to him every week or so with tons of questions and so forth but was given the run around till 1 week before my report date. Luckily I had already moved because of my wife.

 

[JZAB]

MOI? sorry for all the questions.