Contracting question (for past PLC'ers, etc. or current officers)

[tgoVIPER]

Airwarriors has always been helpful for questions I've had so I thought I'd post about questions I had that I didn't necessarily see were addressed in the forums.

The questions pertain to the PLC contract.
I would appreciate anyone's input but am specifically looking for people who have been through PLC or the other program and maybe even get an officer's
comments. Here's my sitrep:

I'm looking over the PLC aviator contract and as are most contracts this one confuses me in some parts. I know what I've heard from the recruiter's mouth
but of course that can never be taken at face value.

In a nutshell I'm under the impression that if I'm accepted to the PLC program, upon succesful completion unless I accept a commission tendered to me, that's where the deal between me and the Marines ends. Am I correct in saying that? It would seem a silly question but in matters as serious as this
I'm just wanting to make absolutely certain. Chances are more than likely
that if I make it through PLC I will go on to try to become a naval aviator anyway but I like to cover all my bases.

That's my main concern about the PLC contract:
Just making sure it's not binding me to serve in the Marine Corps simply
by completing PLC.
Can I hear back on this, please?
It would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

 

[samadma]

What it means is you have to complete the training at Officer Candidates School (OCS) and be commissioned after you graduate from college in order to go to flight school. Therefore, if you don't hold up your part of the deal, then the Marine Corps owes you nothing, and you owe the Marine Corps nothing. I hope that helps.

 

[tgoVIPER]

so actually accepting that commission is part of the bargain for service, which is completely voluntary, correct?

Therefore if I succesfully complete PLC this summer and decide
not to accept my commission after I graduate then I am obligated
for no type of service?

I threw flight school in there just as something I wanted to do really.
I realize there would be other things associated with that.

Thanks for the help so far

 

[corpsocgmu]

It is my understanding that even after graduating from PLC, you can still refuse a commission. I don't know why one would go so far and not accept it, but I think its possible. Most candidates who decided not to go through with it do so after their Jrs. increment. I think the idea is that once you've decided to come back for Srs, you've pretty locked on to the idea of being an Officer of Marines. I certainly don't know of any graduates from Echo Co. last summer who are planning to refuse their commission. Either way, good luck with your choice.

 

[tgoVIPER]

I completely understand your thought...
I'm not sure I would go that far and not accept my commission
but I'm a black and white kind of guy who just wants to make sure
all the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted with my PLC aviator contract.
Thanks for the info thus far, however!

 

[ZoomByU]

:icon_tong the contract i signed wasnt as confusing as your posts are

 

[tgoVIPER]

well that's not very helpful but thanks for posting anyway :icon_rage

 

[Broadsword2004]

From what I was told, you are under no obligation to join the Marine Corps upon completing PLC UNLESS you accept tuition assistance; though that means, I believe, that if you drop or fail PLC, you still have to serve enlisted for a while to pay off the money (not totally sure on that one though).

Also, remember, just because the Marine Corps PLC doesn't force you to join, there is also no obligation for the Marines to commission you either (though you have to really screw up for that to happen I believe).

 

[ZoomByU]

well that's not very helpful but thanks for posting anyway :icon_rage

easy killer did you notice the :icon_tong

 

[wutzu]

If you take MCFAP or MCTAP, you have to pay it back if you are disenrolled, unless it's due to injury that isn't self-inflicted. You have the option of serving enlisted two years in lieu of paying back the money, but you don't have to. One of the candidates here at Cal Poly told me that the money you get through FAP and TAP has to be repaid with interest if you drop, which I didn't notice when i signed for it.

On a side note; The Los Angeles Office does not encourage candidates to take the MCTAP if they aren't priors. this is because without MCTAP, your initial entry date for your pay starts the day you report to juniors, whereas if you do take MCTAP, the initial entry date reverts to commissioning day. This translates into a big sum of money after several years in the fleet.

 

[Killer2]

28 MAY I get 2 yrs for 6 weeks. Works for me. But about the question here, I was told that if when my packet went to the boards and I did not get what I signed for NFO then I would not have anything to do with the USMC unless I choose to try again at which same rules apply.

So if you sign for Pilot then that is what you get Pilot. Then if you still do not wish yo become an "Officer of Marines" you can not accept your commission, as long as you did not take any money.

 

[samadma]

You're only obligation is truly for the first 4 weeks of training - contractually speaking. After that you can leave. Your not under any other obligation to the Marine Corps unless you take financial assistance. You do not have to go enlisted if you cannot pay the money back (As far as I know). However, I guarantee you the Marine Corps will find away to get it back from you if you take the money and not take your commission. However, if you're going to do something like that, it will mostlikely backfire on you in the long run (i.e. trying to work for the government in the future).

 

[NickPollock19]

if you are even thinking about not commissioning at the end of OCS or DOR'ing during. i think you better look into another program. That is just my input.

 

[esday1]

I'm going to have to disagree with that one, USMC_Candidate. Especially if you're not a prior, it's really hard to know beforehand how you're going to react to a military environment and whether you're suited to being a Marine officer, and pretending to be clairvoyant doesn't make you a better candidate. That's part of what OCS is there for, and why they make it easy to DOR or refuse a commission. Knowing what your options and the extent of your commitment is at the outset is perfectly reasonable even if you are perfectly motivated and capable. It also helps a lot with parents and girlfriends if you have all that info.

On a sort of related note, one candidate in Charlie Co DOR'd in week 10. He basically finished the training and decided he didn't want to take the commission. During the family day program, Col. Rachal supposedly said (although I didn't hear this myself, since I was waiting outside Little Hall at the time) that he had a lot of respect for that guy to go through the training and then make that choice even with that much invested.

 

[perchul]

In my class we had 2 people who completed training and left. Theres nothing wrong with going to OCS just for the experience; besides you get paid for it. I know some people will argue that there is because your taking a slot away from another person who does want to become a Marine Officer, but then you have to deprive yourself of the experience and besides you still may very well accept the commission. If the person who didn't get the slot really wants it they'll keep trying.