This is a thread I started to gain a more sound and structured idea of being a Helo pilot in the military. While I will say I have been relentlessly searching the forum for answers to these questions, I have found very few clear and relevant answers due mostly to the date that the threads were posted. With that being said, my questions are fairly simple. I am currently in a pickle about going Marines or going Navy. If I go Marines, I can start applying now given the chance to attend PLC. If I go Navy I need to wait almost another year to begin the actual application process. To kind of aid in my decision, I have a couple questions that I could some fairly current info on. Yes, these are questions that probably need to be on the back-burner until I get selected, but they are questions in my mind, that I need an answer for before I decide what branch.
1. Given both respective branches for helicopter pilots, I know the respective roles are pretty different, but what is a general timeline for each side in terms of getting flight time and reaching the end of the commitment. If this isn't clear, basically, how many hours in Marines Helo vs Navy helo when the commitment is up. My reason for this question, which definitely shows I am thinking way ahead, is that if I decided to get out after my original commitment, do I or will I have a solid chance at a private sector flying job(not airlines).
2. Given each branch, what are the opportunities like to stay in the cockpit after the initial time commitment? Do you still have a high chance of flying or do they send to a more paper-pushing role?
Thank you for any answers that are provided. These questions are very important in my decision making process, so any help would be much appreciated.