Canuck Marine

[Markham]

Hey folks. I've been trolling for a long time, love the forum.

My dream is to become a Marine Aviator. I want to have the infantry and
leadership training of a Marine officer, and I definitely be interested in
signing on as a ground candidate. But my dream job would be to fly a
Harrier or its JSF follow-on, a VSTOL combat aircraft.

Trouble: I'm not a citizen, and I could be a couple months shy of 25 when I
graduate from my Canadian university (two years from now).

I've got some family claims to citizenship, lived in the States for a couple
years while my dad was on course in Kentucky. I want to go back and
live there.

The aerospace projects I've worked on that've slowed down my academics
are an experience that I wouldn't give up for the world, but it's limiting
the time I have to get citizenship. Check out www.davinciproject.com to
see what I've been working on for the last two years. We just announced
in Florida when we're making our first space launch.

Given solid academics, serious aviation and leadership background, and
citizenship as of my mid-twenties, I hope to apply for OCS and fly
with the Corps. I'm a kickass endurance runner and otherwise physically
fit, by the way.

Failing my being granted citizenship via my family, I can get permanent
residence by a job with some of my work contacts (T-1 visas aren't
subject to quota, and I've looked into what's required to get permanent
status). That would mean I could join the army reserves, and go
active duty, which INS says will speed up my citizenship application. I want to go on tour as infantry.

So. I know the second path here is damn shakier, but that's where I'm
coming from. I want to become an American, I want to join the Corps.
Even if I'm coming into the States as a citizen, if I'm motivated, fit, a
leader, with test scores better than the deity of your choice, how much
have I got against me getting into OCS? If I have to take the second
route and get citizenship by 28, have I still got a shot? What about
ground? (I know it's tougher to get into the infantry, but they have less
of an age restriction, right?)

I'd talk to an OSO, but the first thing he'd tell me is to come back when I
had my citizenship. It's happened to friends.

Could some active or retired pilots or NFO's comment on whether or not
they know comrades who were naturalized in their mid-twenties?

 

[Markham]

Clarification

About the "family claims to citizenship" stuff. I'm not talking about my
living in the States for a couple years. Just grandparents who haven't
exactly been convinced to go ahead with paperwork.

 

[American_Ace]

Try to talk to an OSO. If he knows you're serious and if he thinks you have the potential to be a great Marine he'll bend over backward to help you. But if he won't talk to you keep searching until you find an OSO who will.

 

[cricechex]

Mark, someone correct me if I am wrong , but if you join the marines at age 25. You would still have four years to get a commission because of the "time in service" rule. It is still a long shot from a sure bet, but you said you wouldn't mind ending up with a ground contract in the end anyway. At least, in the end you could say you gave it your best shot.

On another note, what is the general opinions of the canuks about the war on terrorism? I saw on the news that kids were booing the American flag at a school up there. I can pretty much tell that you don't feel that way, but are you a minority up there?

 

[Markham]

I'm still trying to get in touch with an OSO, but I've had
no dice trying by the main websites and 800 numbers.
Are there any on the forum these days? It'd love to be
able to spell out where I'm coming from, and get some
feedback on where I'm going.

Cricechex:
If what you saw was recent footage, I can believe it, but
anybody (even in the good ol' leftist groups on campuses)
who's even trying to put up signs about WMDs or
inspectors is in pretty small numbers, and few would be
dumb enough to try to get a rally together and show off
how few they are.

The government is in trouble these days, but because of
corruption rather than the rotation of a few more
companies to Afghanistan (they can't send a battalion
because, among other things, they disbanded the
Airborne Regiment).

Sentiment is actually in support of the anti-terror campaign, but there are some continuing
grumbles about Iraq. The only real rallies were in the
first week after the invasion, I think the biggest in the
country (west coast) was a couple thousand, tops.
Anti-administration comments are usually along the lines
of second-guessing like "it would have been multi-national
if Bush'd waited a couple weeks for more inspections" or
"the Iraqis would've accepted troops if it was run by the
UN" or the like. It's a non-issue in both the town I go
to school in (million +) and Toronto (biggest city in
Canada, where I'm working now), even on the campuses.

What really got anti-American sentiment going was when
a couple Air Force guys dropped bombs on a designated
training area and took out a platoon of infantry from
the town I go to school in. Four KIAs, twenty injured. If
you saw footage from the memorial service, I wouldn't
have been surprised if there was more than just booing
the flag. Ambassador Cellucci used the opportunity to
make some (valid) comments on the degradation of the
Canadian military, but it only riled folks up more.

Even though I don't normally talk politics, I don't mind
any questions on this kind of stuff. But if you want to
talk more about this, please either PM me or start a new
thread. I don't want to derail this one.

 

[cricechex]

thanks for the info. It is surprisingly encouraging. I'll PM you if I come up with any other questions. Good luck with your quest for the Marines.

 

[Courtney]

The Canadian Airforce is looking for pilots now. It's not as glamourous as flying off carriers, but the NATo Flight Training Program is considerd one of the best in the world.