USN or USMC

[hobbs053]

Suppose, hypothetically, you applied for recall to active duty and recieved an SNA slot, but then you go the hairbrained idea of becoming a Marine. Do you think applying for an aviation contract for Marine OCC 190 would be successful? Would the board see you've already turned down a Navy flight slot and would that work against you? Or should you take the navy pilot slight and run?

Just hypothetically, of course....

 

[T-man]

Personally I'd take the Navy slot and then apply for interservice transfer to Marines. That way if you're denied Marines, you still have Navy to fall back on.

 

[phrogdriver]

Two contradictory cliches here. One,"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." You have an SNA slot, which is pretty coveted. However, if being a Marine is really important to you, then go with then, i.e. "Follow your heart/bliss/insert gay emotional catchphrase here."

Don't count on being able to start and transfer later. The current move to allow transfers/exchange tours after Advanced may not continue, and under normal circumstances, transferring to the Marines is damn hard. I know of 2 exceptions, and they are of the "exception proving the rule" category.

 

[saltpeter]

Do it man. Just remember to write a statement to the OPO office declining the first pilot slot. Good luck getting a marine pilot slot and trying to explain the difference between being a pilot in one serice vice the other.

 

[Malice 1]

Personally I'd take the Navy slot and then apply for interservice transfer to Marines. That way if you're denied Marines, you still have Navy to fall back on.

I keep reading about interservice transfers into the Marines. Has anyone ever done an interservice transfer OUT of the Marines? Did they get thier ass beat afterwards?

 

[BoxerCLC]

Once winged, what are the major difference? in terms of deployment, living conditions, assuming the pilot is fixed wing. Major differences other than "supporting the grunts on the ground".

 

[mmx1]

Marine aviators do B-billets between fleet deployments - FAC, instructor, etc. Dunno if the Navy does a similar thing but I'm sure the options are quite different between the services. That and unless you're flying hornets or prowlers, I'm sure the deployments are different as well.

 

[phrogdriver]

I keep reading about interservice transfers into the Marines. Has anyone ever done an interservice transfer OUT of the Marines? Did they get thier ass beat afterwards?

In aviation, I've seen two guys transfer to the Coast Guard. They actually had to take a reduction in grade to do it. I know others have gone to the USAF, but did not know any of those guys from personal experience.

Who's going to beat their ass? They're gone. Besides, the Marine Corps can take care of itself. If you need to go somewhere else to take care of yourself, more power to you. No one else is going to look out for you.

Transfers into the Marines are extremely rare past MOS training, since the Corps prides itself on the difficulty of OCS, TBS, etc. Other than the oddball or two (or more, recently, with the Navy pilot surplus) very few transfer in. OUT is actually more common, at least by anecdotal experience.

 

[FLYMARINES]

Got a real good family friend who flew 46's in the Corps until his obligation was up, and then lat transfered to the Coast Guard to fly their helo's. Right now he's an active duty Commander, and is about to be a Captain. Don't know if he took a reduction in paygrade to do it, but like phrogdriver said, people rarely transfer into the Marine Corps, but sometimes do transfer out.