Two 6 weeks PLC vs OCC for air contract...

[mike0]

Hello everyone, I'm close to having my packet all together, but I came across a problem. I was told today that all the slots are full for this summers 10 week PLC (I'm a junior in college), which was what I was intending on doing. So I have two options: (1) go through the 6 week program leaving one college class to take after the second session, or (2) graduate Spring 2012 and do the OCC program.

The OSO told me something about the flight physical process could take 6 months to a year when going the OCC route, but it was implied that the 6 week program would take less time for the flight physical and that somehow overall (even w/ graduating a semester later) I would be off sooner to TBS.

I just wanted to run this by you guys and hopefully get someone who has experience a similar situation to inform me on whether this is correct.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[Treetop Flyer]

I was in a similar position and I did PLC. There was no room in OCC so I went PLC. I actually finished my last college class before going to PLC Seniors and commissioned the day of OCS graduation. I was one of maybe two in the company who commissioned that day instead of going back to school.

 

[Skirmisher]

You need to have done the flight physical before doing OCC, but it's a little more flexible for PLC. I've heard people doing it after juniors, I was told to get it done after seniors and am waiting on its approval before I can commission. If you go the OCC route, you will go to TBS almost immediately after its completion. And given that you are a junior, I think you would have sufficient time to get a flight physical done in time before the summer of 2012. OCC guys' flight physicals are also bumped ahead of PLC. For many of us PLC types, our commissionings have been pushed back due to waiting on getting medically approved, and most guys have at least a several month wait before going to TBS, sometimes up to 6 or 8 months. I think you would get to TBS much sooner if you go the OCC route. But keep in mind that OCC is generally more competitive than the PLC program. Another thing to keep in mind is that your time in service begins when you first go to OCS. So if you did PLC, you'd be making more money when you start getting paid as a Lieutenant than you would if you do OCC.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

But keep in mind that OCC is generally more competitive than the PLC program.

How do you figure?

 

[AJB37]

I did not have a similar situation, but one thing to remember is that your pay entry base date will start from the day you report to OCS. My advice would be to go with the PLC slot if it is available because that can give you a pretty decent bump in your pay. Some of the tuition assistance programs they offer to the PLC kids will reset your PEBD, so I would pass on those if you don't need them. Just my two cents.

 

[mike0]

I was in a similar position and I did PLC. There was no room in OCC so I went PLC. I actually finished my last college class before going to PLC Seniors and commissioned the day of OCS graduation. I was one of maybe two in the company who commissioned that day instead of going back to school.

Hmm, very interesting. Did you actually graduate before leaving for PLC Seniors or did you finish the last of your classes then went to Seniors and then applied for graduation and graduated after Seniors?


Thanks for the feedback everyone. I have no further questions at the moment, but feel free to add anything else that you think might be helpful.

 

[Swanee]

How do you figure?

I've heard the same thing, albeit without a definitive answer. I think it has to do with the fact that there are just a lot more OCCers given that OCC is for college grads as opposed to PLC. But that's just my speculation.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

Hmm, very interesting. Did you actually graduate before leaving for PLC Seniors or did you finish the last of your classes then went to Seniors and then applied for graduation and graduated after Seniors?

I applied for graduation before I left for Seniors. The actual graduation ceremony took place while I was at OCS.

Swanee, the information at this site says almost twice as many commission through PLC than OCC. It says 35% come from PLC, plus 16% from NROTC that go to PLC Seniors (or at least they did in 2006) compared to 24% from OCC.

http://officer.marines.com/path/col_grad_air/0

 

[Skirmisher]

How do you figure?

Obviously I'm no OSO, but I think it has to do with the area that OCC boards are responsible for. It's my understanding that the OCC regions are larger than a recruiting district, and there's more applicants to choose from. I was also under the impression that the Marine Corps was selecting fewer candidates for OCC as a quick fix to having met their end-strength growth a year or so back, and due to an abundant number of Lieutenants nowadays.

 

[candidate2010]

I was in a similar position and I did PLC. There was no room in OCC so I went PLC. I actually finished my last college class before going to PLC Seniors and commissioned the day of OCS graduation. I was one of maybe two in the company who commissioned that day instead of going back to school.

Treetop, do you mind providing a little more information on how your situation worked? I am planning to do something similar. I am graduating college before I go to seniors in July and I am currently scheduled to commission the following week after graduation from Seniors. Basically, I'm curious about what kind of ceremony you did, was it short and sweet with your digi's or did you get your dress blues ahead of time like I'm doing? Thanks for the info...

 

[Treetop Flyer]

Treetop, do you mind providing a little more information on how your situation worked? I am planning to do something similar. I am graduating college before I go to seniors in July and I am currently scheduled to commission the following week after graduation from Seniors. Basically, I'm curious about what kind of ceremony you did, was it short and sweet with your digi's or did you get your dress blues ahead of time like I'm doing? Thanks for the info...

I took two classes in the first summer session which then applied for graduation and went to second increment PLC. We got fitted for alphas toward the end (you report to TBS in alphas), so on the day of graduation I marched in the ceremony then changed and got commissioned by the CO in alphas. You can do it in any uniform you want, and you can get someone to come and commission you or have someone there do it. I then went home for a couple months and showed up to TBS in Oct or Nov for IFS and started getting paid.

 

[Sonog]

If you have the chance to do PLC, do it. The amount of OCC slots fluctuates and disappears and you don't want to be in the position of sitting around waiting for things to open up.

 

[candidate2010]

I took two classes in the first summer session which then applied for graduation and went to second increment PLC. We got fitted for alphas toward the end (you report to TBS in alphas), so on the day of graduation I marched in the ceremony then changed and got commissioned by the CO in alphas. You can do it in any uniform you want, and you can get someone to come and commission you or have someone there do it. I then went home for a couple months and showed up to TBS in Oct or Nov for IFS and started getting paid.

Ok, so were you NROTC or something? Because I was under the impression that we wouldn't be getting fitted for and wouldn't be getting any other uniform at seniors. Also, I understand that they don't let you go to IFS before TBS anymore on account of they may be getting rid of IFS...or did they already do that? I'm confused.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

I was not ROTC. I don't remember if everyone got fitted or not, but I don't know how else you would get your uniform to show up to TBS in. It was towards the end once it was pretty clear you were going to make it through, although the other guy from my platoon that was supposed to commission on graduation didn't graduate. I'm not sure what the deal is with IFS, it seems to change fairly often so my experiences there probably aren't worth much. I was in a different situation going to PLC after my junior year of college and finishing after graduation. I am just now starting to run into some guys I went to OCS with.

 

[candidate2010]

Thanks for the input, Sir. That does answer a few questions for me.