Want to know why I was not accpeted!

[Spin]

Def check into the Marines ... but I agree a little with mrtorso11. The Marines is a lot more than just flying so do your research and see if it's for you.

I went through the same thing .... applied for Navy and didn't make it. My recruiter told me to look into the Marines and it all worked out. The Marines were a better fit for me as I like all the field/grunt stuff and I am a more physical person, I had just never known about the Marines aviation program (always thought the Marines were just ground). Everything happens for a reason.

Well, 2 years later and I'm off to Meridan for Jets so it all worked out. Good luck.

Peace,

-Spin

 

[E6286]

Spin, I hope I get to follow in the same footsteps. I applied to the Navy twice and am now applying to the Marine Corps. Looking back on it all, the Marine Corps is where I belong so should I get selected I will be extremely happy with the way things panned out.

 

[corona]

I've also heard its pretty easy to get into flightn school via the merchant marine academy. anyone hear something similar?

 

[DocT]

Every post above is on target with the exception of mrotrso's. He is obviously one of those guys that believes you have to be born a Marine with green in your veins or you are just a poser.

Everyone has their reasons for wanting to serve in specific branches, and I'm not qualified to tell anyone their reasons are wrong. However, there is one thing I can assure you of, Aviator, during week 5 and 6 of Marine OCS you'll never feel further from Pensacola and flight school. Good Luck with the process, applying sucks. Semper Fi, Doc

 

[wink]

Anyone can be a Marine, basic qualifications aside. All you have to do is refuse to quit! There isn't any magic about. There is no requirement for a Marine wannabe to be special in any way. No super insight required. No need to be born a natural leader. If you don't quit, if you simply pass all the academics, PT and field exercises with a minimum score, the USMC will make you a Marine.

 

[DocT]

Anyone can be a Marine, basic qualifications aside. All you have to do is refuse to quit! There isn't any magic about. There is no requirement for a Marine wannabe to be special in any way. No super insight required. No need to be born a natural leader. If you don't quit, if you simply pass all the acadmeics, PT and field exercises with a minimum score, the USMC will make you a Marine.

Completely agree. And when it's all over and you're a Marine, you'll find that there always was green in your veins, you just had to go to Brown Field to find it.

 

[mrtorso11]

Accepting the challenge to be a Marine and the added responsibility that comes with being an officer of Marines is not something to be taken lightly. For one it means that you give it all and not "just the minimum". Part of the reason that past and present Marines continue to surprise foe and friend alike is due to the refusal to quit and the belief; deep down inside, that what others think is impossible is just another challenge.

I just wanted to make sure that Aviator wasn't applying with the Corps for the wrong reasons. The Marines to either side will figure it out and he/she will either change their reasons or attrite. More power to you if you find that green inside and don't give up. Its a matter of choice and the reason that not everyone can make it as a Marine is they don't make that choice. Each to their own.
Semper Fidelis

 

[jamnww]

Anyone can be a Marine, basic qualifications aside. All you have to do is refuse to quit! There isn't any magic about. There is no requirement for a Marine wannabe to be special in any way. No super insight required. No need to be born a natural leader. If you don't quit, if you simply pass all the academics, PT and field exercises with a minimum score, the USMC will make you a Marine.

Not saying you aren't right on some level but there are many from my OCS class who didn't give up and were booted because they couldn't hack it (mentally not physically). Saw a couple in TBS get booted for that reason too...just an opinion...

Overall though I would tend to agree that in most cases determination is enough...

 

[wheels_vpnavy]

Question for any prior E's

Any prior E's that can tell me if being a prior is an advantage when it comes to the selection board. Also, how often do the boards for AMDO, INTEL, and supply convene? Where could I find that info? My wife just did her interviews today. They went great and her CO is writing her LOR this week. How much weight will her prior experience in Aviation Maintenance have for the board. She has seven years experience as an AS. She is a CDI, LPO, all that stuff. Does this give an advantage over College Joe from State University who is applying for AMDO slot? Thanks.

 

[Schnugg]

Accepting the challenge to be a Marine and the added responsibility that comes with being an officer of Marines is not something to be taken lightly. For one it means that you give it all and not "just the minimum". Part of the reason that past and present Marines continue to surprise foe and friend alike is due to the refusal to quit and the belief; deep down inside, that what others think is impossible is just another challenge.

I disagree. We've had this argument before. We all know no-load Marines and Navy people. Every service has it's good and bad.

Being a Marine is great if that's what you want. No more added responsibility than any other position where you lead troops, be that USA, USAF or USN.

What exactly is the "added responsibility" you refer to?

If you give the minimum in aviation, you are identified early on by your performance, and don't last. Not just USMC.

So only the USMC has suprised foes...hello Battle of Midway, hello OEF, hello OIF....that concept is part of our Principles of War...the element of surprise.

"and the belief; deep down inside"...huh? This is starting to sound like a recruiting spiel...or a broken record.

 

[wink]

Any prior E's that can tell me if being a prior is an advantage when it comes to the selection board. Also, how often do the boards for AMDO, INTEL, and supply convene? Where could I find that info? My wife just did her interviews today. They went great and her CO is writing her LOR this week. How much weight will her prior experience in Aviation Maintenance have for the board. She has seven years experience as an AS. She is a CDI, LPO, all that stuff. Does this give an advantage over College Joe from State University who is applying for AMDO slot? Thanks.

Prior service will help, especially for AMDO. Most AMDOs are priors any more. Problem is, the community is getting smaller real fast. Will drop from about 600 folks to closer to 250 in a few years.

AMDO board meets irregularly as needed. INTEL doesn't meet on a regular schedule either but about once a month. Supply will meet second and last Friday of the month. Generally applications must be before the board 14 days prior to convene date.

 

[Thisguy]

How much weight will her prior experience in Aviation Maintenance have for the board. She has seven years experience as an AS. She is a CDI, LPO, all that stuff. Does this give an advantage over College Joe from State University who is applying for AMDO slot? Thanks.

Just to piggy back on what wink said, more ofen than not, AMDOs are prior service, it's the non-prior guys that are the oddballs in that community. Not alot of college joes apply for it, because it's such a small community, and the recruiters don't know much about it, and quite frankly they're more interested in filling more pressing quotas.

AMDO flat out states that people with prior aviation experience are preferred, mainly because they're not willing to teach you anything. The 10-week school in milton is how to find your way around the 4790 on a laptop, and all the tests are open book with the 4790 as your reference...and if you can't find anything, the instructors want you to raise your hand, and then they'll help you find it...what was the point of taking a test again?

Sorry, got off track. But in short...AMDO is a mustang community unlike any other non-LDO/CWO designator. I was AMDO for a little under 3 years, and I felt out of place.

 

[RivrGuide]

Having seen the difference firsthand b/w Navy and Marine OCS and fleet life, I have to say that Marginalizing the Corps, or any branch for that matter is more a show of immaturity than anything else. When you are making decisions regarding the path to commision you want to take, i think i more prudent to see which service you will fit into with the least amount of discomfort, rather than the one giving you the best chance at specific MOS.

 

[mrtorso11]

I disagree. We've had this argument before. We all know no-load Marines and Navy people. Every service has it's good and bad.

Being a Marine is great if that's what you want. No more added responsibility than any other position where you lead troops, be that USA, USAF or USN.

What exactly is the "added responsibility" you refer to?

If you give the minimum in aviation, you are identified early on by your performance, and don't last. Not just USMC.

So only the USMC has suprised foes...hello Battle of Midway, hello OEF, hello OIF....that concept is part of our Principles of War...the element of surprise.

"and the belief; deep down inside"...huh? This is starting to sound like a recruiting spiel...or a broken record.

True, there are good and bad apples in each service. I'm not arguing that at all. What I am saying though is that Marines focus on how to get something done versus bitching about it. Now every Marine reserves the right to bitch and moan about any undesirable task they are assigned but as a whole they refuse to let their fellow Marines down. We need more armor on our hummers for convoy ops? Cannabalize armor where you can find it and sandbags when you can't. What about not going? Nope not an option. Apply that to any number of things, battlefield or otherwise and you get a bunch of cocky bastards who outperform any group I've seen.

My counselor in highschool told me I should learn a "good trade" and not worry about going to college or anything outside my local town. She issued the challenge and I rose to the occassion and surpassed her expectations. So many other Marines have similar stories to tell (not to say USN/USAF/USA don't) and to top it off a good portion come from less than perfect homes. Talk about stacking the deck. And yet they still come out somehow. Part of it is the "belief". The "belief" refers to any of the above and more. Partly because of who we are and partly because we're Marines we believe that we can succeed where others cannot. Simple but yet awe inspiring what you see and hear about Marines doing on a regular basis during both peace and war. And because we succeed were others don't expect it we surprise them. So small of a fighting force getting so much done. Increase the op tempo to 7 on 7 off and we're still at it, chugging away. Surprising but ask most Marines and its expected that we can still do our jobs despite it all. The added responsibility? To do all this AND set the example. To not let the Marines around you down. Discipline. You have added responsibility as you go higher in any organization, military or civilian, but Marines are expected to do it better. Physical condition or appearance for example.

In the end its each to his/her own.

 

[HAL Pilot]

blah, blah, blah...my penis is bigger than yours...blah, blah, blah...I'm a 2nd Lt ...blah, blah, blah...I know everything about every military service....blah, blah, blah...I speak funny......blah, blah, blah.....officer of Marines....blah. blah. blah....