Too late in life to start as a USMC pilot?

[theoldguy]

I trying to decide if I should go ahead with a USMC aviation career or not. I went and took the ASTB about a month ago, and the recruiter told me I was too old to make it under the age deadline (I turned 27 in May). I just got a message today that I passed the test and they wanted to know if I was still interested in pursuing it.

Like I said, I'm 27 and have a wife due with our first child any day now. I graduated from college in 2000. I've always thought about being a military piliot, but never seriously looked into it until recently, when I discovered I was about to hit the age deadline. I'm still very interested, but I don't want to jump into this, and I'm thinking it may be the wrong point in my life for such a decision, especially if I need to rush everything through for October.

Any thoughts anyone can give me would be HUGELY appreciated. What's a Marine pilot's life like? How much would I expect to be away from home? What would life be like for me wife? Positives and negatives?

 

[squeeze]

Just a heads up to anyone thinking about it... if you start derailing this thread with "You have to want to be an officer first" type reply, I'm going to delete it.

 

[T-man]

First thing I'd say is do a search on this site. the lifestyle of the USMC has been discussed many times. Also, keep in mind that you are at the age limit, but not over it just yet. At the time of your commissioning, you will but just barely over the age limit. For this, it is possible to get an age waiver. If this is something you truely want to do I would say go for it b@lls to the walls bro. I was (am?) in the same boat you are. I turned 27 in July. I'm hoping to get selected for the next OCS class in 2 weeks under an Air contract.

As far as the wife/child go... it certainly will not be easy on them or you. This is something you'll need to discuss with your wife, and in the end, do the sacrifices outweigh the rewards for you and your family. This is where yours and my situation differ the most... I'm not married and have no children, so the decision was much easier for me. I wish you the best of luck in your decisions, and if you do decide to apply/join, make sure your wife supports you in that decision 110% otherwise you're in for a very very bumpy ride (imho).

 

[squeeze]

On topic though...

I've had a blast in the Corps thus far. Sure, a lot of it sucks, and probably will continue to suck. It's essentially a brotherhood forged in suffering (as someone on here so eloquently put it). It's a long and difficult road to earning those wings, but well worth it -- from commissioning to wings took me 10 days shy of 3 full years. The first step is to see if you qualify for the age waiver - I do not know what it is (I think it's wings by 30 or somesuch... someone else will know). Then, you must succeed at OCS. After that, you are commissioned and go to TBS.. a 6 month haze-ex that teaches you all the basics of being a Marine officer. From there, you start into flight school. Depending on the pipeline you select out of primary, it can take anywhere from a year to 2+. After wings is the RAG where you learn your airframe (you're still not a fleet- qualified pilot). Then the fleet.

Positives: coolest job in the world, work with the best people in the world, feeling of real satisfaction, see the world, blow stuff up, rewarding yet demanding tasks.

Negatives: lots of time away from home (when deployed), lots of bs to put up with along the way, long days.

It's been a long road to get where I am, but it was worth it and I wouldn't change it for a million bucks. It's something that will require dedication like nothing else, because when stuff starts to really suck, that's all you're going to have sometimes.

s/f and good luck with whatever you choose

edit: and damn you for calling yourself 'oldguy'... 27 is not old
/almost 27

 

[T-man]

Negatives: lots of time away from home (when deployed), lots of bs to put up with along the way, long days.

... It's something that will require dedication like nothing else, because when stuff starts to really suck, that's all you're going to have sometimes.

These are reasons why I say your wife will need to support you 110% in your decision. The road to wings will not be easy, and the career after wings I'm sure will be just as demanding. Having to deal with sh!t at work then coming home to an unsupportive wife dishing out more sh!t will only set something (your career, your marriage, or both, etc.) up for failure. Granted, there will be times of tension and stress, as I'm sure you've already experienced them. The best weapon against such things is communication - I would venture to say that this decision shouldn't be yours alone, but it should be a decision that both you and your wife make together. if your wife has questions, get her on this board as well. There is a plethora of wives, girlfriends, spouses on this message board who have been or are going through similiar circumstances and are more than willing to help and provide whatever information they can.

Again, best of luck in whatever you decide.

 

[phrogpilot73]

First rule of thumb with regards to the military - EVERYTHING is waiverable. A buddy of mine from TBS had an air contract and an age waiver (he was 29 in TBS). He's now a Phrog pilot on the West Coast. If you want to fly for the military - DON'T let something silly like age stand in your way. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Keep asking if you don't get the answer you want first.

As for daily life as a pilot in the USMC, I'll offer you my thoughts. This may piss off some ground pounders, but you will generally work longer hours than if you are on the ground side. This is because you have to balance your "ground job" and your flying. It's not unusual to be eating lunch while working at your desk, or while flying. You also don't have a schedule that you can count on. While back at the rear, you could be flying nights all week, or you could be flying days, or a combination. You're a slave to the flight schedule, and only on the best of days does it come out at 1700. Once on deployment you'll generally be on days or nights for 2 weeks solid (or thereabouts). However, the schedule usually won't come out until 2100 or later while on deployment.

In regards to time with your wife - it will be great during TBS and Flight School, lots of time off when compared to the fleet. Once you hit the fleet however, your job really starts. Expect to deploy. A LOT. I would say that most people average 12-18 months at home before deploying for 6 months. If you're with a MEU, out of those 12-18 months, another 6 months will be for workups. You have to have a very strong, independent wife to survive. My Mom did it for 29 years, and my sister's been doing it for 11. You'd be surprised how women can adapt. However, she should be involved in the decision. My suggestion is to have her read the poem "High Flight", because that's honestly how I feel every time I pull pitch. Hopefully, she'll understand.

Hope this helps.

 

[teufelsurfer]

Old Guy,

What are you doing now? Is your personal and professional life so great that taking a chance on a life-changing decision isn't worth trying? The fact that you're even contemplating such a path seems to speak something about your present life situation.

Sounds to me like someone is looking for something more fulfilling than what they have now.....

re: the lifestyle and family issues, your family will be taken care of medically and pretty much financially for as long as you are in the corps.

Your wife has to be ready to go through months without seeing you, raising the kids without you around. We have a pilot in our squadron who until coming to the training squadron, had spent 30 out of the last 50 months of his life on deployment.

As far as contingency planning, would you be happy to be a regular ground officer if for some reason you were medically or academically disqualified from the flight program, or is being a pilot a make-or-break part of the deal?

 

[Whalebite]

Read that thread concerning a late apply board for OCS 190

 

[theoldguy]

I've looked over this site about as much as I can, I think. I didn't see a whole lot about the actual life of a pilot. I'd love to fly, but I don't know if I want to voluntarily put myself in the position that I will have to leave my brand new family more often than not. It would be different if I had started this years ago and a family came later. I think that's my biggest issue. I'm not worried about my age or the job, I know I'd excel and enjoy it. The hard part is weighing the time away and the changes it would put my family through. I'm not worried about my wife. She supports me no matter what and can take care of herself. I'm not sure I want her to have to though.

Still, it's good to know I wouldn't be the old fool out there with a bunch of 20 year olds.

Thanks for everyone's help though. I greatly appreciate it.

 

[phrogpilot73]

I've looked over this site about as much as I can, I think. I didn't see a whole lot about the actual life of a pilot. I'd love to fly, but I don't know if I want to voluntarily put myself in the position that I will have to leave my brand new family more often than not. It would be different if I had started this years ago and a family came later. I think that's my biggest issue. I'm not worried about my age or the job, I know I'd excel and enjoy it. The hard part is weighing the time away and the changes it would put my family through. I'm not worried about my wife. She supports me no matter what and can take care of herself. I'm not sure I want her to have to though.

Still, it's good to know I wouldn't be the old fool out there with a bunch of 20 year olds.

Thanks for everyone's help though. I greatly appreciate it.

You wouldn't be the old fool... I would say that approximately 40% of Marine Officers are prior enlisted. In my squadron we have Capts and Lt's that run the gamut, from 25-34... So you wouldn't be the old guy!

As for time away, your first tour there's going to be a good bit of time away (after training of course), but it gets better after that...

 

[DocT]

I have a similar situation. I also turned 27 in May and I graduated from PLC seniors in July. I won't commission till two months after my 28th birthday. I'm an NFO contract. I wasn't the old fool at Seniors even, there were two other guys who were 27 and one who was 29.

 

[Grant]

Kinda off topic, but...

If the age thing doesnt work out for you with the USMC, if you're still interested in military flying, you could look into Army aviation, namely the Warrant Officer programs. As far as I know, you'd be good to go age-wise, since alot of the WO's are former senior NCO's, so they're up in age too...

 

[usmcecho4]

We had a Lt in my company that was 36! There were also a lot (15+) of 30 year olds (at least 3 were aviation contracts in my platoon alone). It's amazing what waivers will do for you.

s/f,
usmcecho4

 

[theoldguy]

My big concern is being away from my family

Thanks for everyone's help. I'm not too concerned about my age...I guess my biggest concern is the everyday life and more importantly, the effect on my family. With the exception of being sent to war, obviously, how long is normal to be away from where you are stationed with your family?

I have no concerns about the job...but I just won't willingly sign up for something that will definately keep me away from my family more than not. Unexpected or prior circumstaces would be different, of course, but it's just not for me to be expecting a baby and be married for two years, and just tell your wife "see ya, see you in 8 years.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Thanks for everyone's help. I'm not too concerned about my age...I guess my biggest concern is the everyday life and more importantly, the effect on my family. With the exception of being sent to war, obviously, how long is normal to be away from where you are stationed with your family?

I have no concerns about the job...but I just won't willingly sign up for something that will definately keep me away from my family more than not. Unexpected or prior circumstaces would be different, of course, but it's just not for me to be expecting a baby and be married for two years, and just tell your wife "see ya, see you in 8 years.

You can pretty much expect in a 4 year tour, expect a 1 - 1 1/2 years away, and 2 1/2 - 3 years home.