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What happened to marine reserve aviation?

Buminenga

New Member
Anyone know where all of the Marine Reserve Squadrons / Groups went, and why? Everything I've heard about the Reserve squadrons in combat during OIF and OEF, was positive. One would think that keeping these squadrons around (considering their inexpensive cost to the tax payer and high levels of pilot experience) would be good reason for keeping them. Hmmmmmmmm
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
They aren't all going away, but there's a lot of consolidation happening. Some of their assets are getting moved to active duty--witness the extra HMH and HML/A squadrons standing up. It makes sense exactly because they were getting used a lot, i.e. if they're going to be activated more than half the time, why not just move some of the assets to the AD side.

Phrogpilot probably knows more particulars.
 

phrogpilot73

Well-Known Member
Phrogpilot probably knows more particulars.
Huh? Who? I'm just a Capt...

Actually, I think a good chunk of the reserve pointy-nose fag stuff was just cadre'd for the upcoming JSF. Some squadrons were de-comm'd. More were cadre'd than de-comm'd. The only change on the rotary wing side was the standing down of the Shitters and Skids on the west coast, and moving them to Cherry Point as an AD squadron. Other than that - USMCR Aviation is still around. Unless I was dreaming when I flew up to Ft. Pickett today.

Still two Phrog squadrons, slated to transition to the Osprey. One Shitter squadron, Two skid squadrons, One F/A-18 squadron (again, some were cadre'd), two C-130 squadrons, one VMU squadron... Plus a shitload of unknown (at least to the AD guys) IMA det flying billets.

Seems pretty normal to me.
 

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
Some of this year's discretionary funding for the Marine Corps reserve IP (the reserve instructors in the training command and FRSs) is, uh, in question (there's a war going on and the money has to come from somewhere...). Sorry, no details other than that.
 

jtmedli

Well-Known Member
pilot
Some of this year's discretionary funding for the Marine Corps reserve IP (the reserve instructors in the training command and FRSs) is, uh, in question (there's a war going on and the money has to come from somewhere...). Sorry, no details other than that.

Just out of curiosity...Why can't the Marines (or any SNA for that matter) go through an AD RAG/FRS and then just head to a reserve squadron once they get the wings? Money pool different for those guys?
 

phrogpilot73

Well-Known Member
Some of this year's discretionary funding for the Marine Corps reserve IP (the reserve instructors in the training command and FRSs) is, uh, in question (there's a war going on and the money has to come from somewhere...). Sorry, no details other than that.
That's pretty much Marine Corps Reserve wide. Last year, I got 90 days of ADOS one quarter, and 45 days the next. This year, I've gotten 27 days last quarter and I got 45 days this quarter (although since I'm starting a GS job two weeks from now, it won't be 45 days). They also didn't fund all of the AFTPs/ATPs we requested.
 

Swanee

Cereal Killer
pilot
None
Contributor
Just out of curiosity...Why can't the Marines (or any SNA for that matter) go through an AD RAG/FRS and then just head to a reserve squadron once they get the wings? Money pool different for those guys?

The Air Force has a program out there called Palace Chase that pretty much does just that. I'm not sure why the Navy/Marine Corps doesn't do this; maybe it's a size issue. The AF Reserve and the ANG are fairly large entities...
 

SynixMan

HKG Based Artificial Excrement Pilot
pilot
Contributor
The Air Force has a program out there called Palace Chase that pretty much does just that. I'm not sure why the Navy/Marine Corps doesn't do this; maybe it's a size issue. The AF Reserve and the ANG are fairly large entities...

ANG/Reserve units recruit for themselves. So they'll sometimes take a guy off the street, send him to flight school to come back to that unit. Navy/USMC reserve units only (usually, there have been exceptions) take former AD guys. Apples and Oranges.
 

phrogpilot73

Well-Known Member
They deactivate a squadron with the intention of reactivating it later. They cadre'd some Marine hornet squadrons (and harriers too?) to be reactivated as F-35 squadrons.
I'm pretty sure it's only been hornet squadrons. As far as I know on the reserve side - there never were any reserve Harrier squadrons to cadre.
 

PhrogLoop

Adulting is hard
pilot
Still two Phrog squadrons, slated to transition to the Osprey.
When are you guys slated to transition? And will the squadron remain in Norfolk? I can't imagine that being a lone osprey squadron in Norfolk would be any more difficult than being the lone Phrog squadron on the East Coast.
 

Swanee

Cereal Killer
pilot
None
Contributor
ANG/Reserve units recruit for themselves. So they'll sometimes take a guy off the street, send him to flight school to come back to that unit. Navy/USMC reserve units only (usually, there have been exceptions) take former AD guys. Apples and Oranges.


Yeah, I'm well aware of how Guard/Reserve does business.
 
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