Hello, AW! This is my first post here. The folks at MarineOCS directed me here for some questions I had.A little background about myself: Going to Geogria Tech this fall as a Marine-Option Midshipman on a 4-year scholarship. I'm majoring in Computer Engineering, and my eyesite is horrible (but corrected to 20/20 with contacts currently).My question to you guys: Could someone let me know the options availabe to me for my eyesite. I heard the USMC was offering contact lense waivers, but I'm also looking at corrective surgery. When would be the best time to get laser surgery in college, and would it be possible to have the military pay for all (or part) of it? What's the process of applying for an Air contract while in NROTC? A simple time line would be fine. Lastly, what certain things give you an advantage when in competition for Air slots?I'm sure I'll have more questions. Thanks for any help.
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Getting a flight contract from NROTC.
- Thread starter Biles
- Start date
IrishEagle85
New Member
Here's the way as I understand it, but the folks here are probably going to correct me a bit. Everything here you'll want to get verified by your adviser at Ga Tech.
The Navy/Marine Corps currently allows PRK/LASEK corrective surgeries. Do NOT get LASIK. You have to be at least 21 years of age at most places to get it. You'll get evaluated by whatever eye institute you go to, your unit will send that evaluation to NAMI to be evaluated based on certain parameters (especially the manifest refraction error). NAMI will either approve or disapprove your request for surgery based on those parameters. From there, you have to get approval from a flight surgeon to get the surgery. If all that passes, you get the surgery, and then go through a 3-6 month recovery process, depending on how bad your eyesight was. I would recommend getting it during either winter break of your junior year or the summer in between your junior and senior year. That's when I got mine.
To my knowledge, midshipmen can not get it paid for by the military. You have to be on active duty to have the military pay for it, and even then I hear the waiting lines are long. However, 18 months prior to commissioning (Januaryish of your junior year) you will qualify for a $25,000 loan at 2% interest a year from USAA. You can use that to help you pay for it.
I'm not familiar with how Marines go about getting aviation slots, although I hear the Marine Corps is fairly desperate for pilots. You'll still have to go through OCS and TBS, but I hear it's pretty easy to get an aviation slot through the Marine Corps program. Just to be sure, make sure your grades, ASTB, and PFT scores all rock.
In terms of getting a SNA slot through NROTC; I took the ASTB junior year, service selections took place spring senior year, and I found out that I was selected for SNA by the end of February senior year.
marines NROTC students can get an aviation guarantee in their freshman/sophomore year. the guarantee goes into their file in their sophomore year. marine NROTC students with an aviation guarantee don't have to wait until TBS as it is already selected with the guarantee. this only applies to marines. (this info is about 6 weeks old but came from the NROTC CO at VMI who is a marine and a naval aviator.)
ASTB = Aviation Selection Test Battery
NAS = Naval Air Station
SNA = Student Naval Aviator
You'll catch on after awhile.
Well, you definitely have to take the ASTB, and you will have to be physically qualified.
Ummm... I don't know what else. Ask your NROTC CO. He will give you all the rules for the marine aviation guarantee I guess. Send him an email.
You might not want to take the ASTB as a freshman though. Remember, you can only take 3 times max in your lifetime. And I think the test has some physics in it. There is a subforum here on AW dedicated to the ASTB. Check there for all the info. I think it was one of the NROTC CO's who told me that freshmen that take it don't do well in general.
IrishEagle85
New Member
^^What was said above. You can only take the ASTB three times, and they only use the most recent scores. That being said, it's not all that difficult. High school physics and reasoning abilities. The most difficult part of the ASTB for me was spacial orientations. Basically, you get a random view out of the cockpit and have to describe the behavior of the airplane (turning, climbing, diving, level, etc.).Your unit should have some test preps for it. Usually sophmore/junior year is a good time to take it.
Or you can find out sooner using the handy-dandy search feature...
Talk to your MOI when you get to school. He should be able to provide you with all the answers you need. Any questions you have in the meantime, call the unit and ask to speak with the MOI. If you ask, they could probably put you in touch with a current mid who could answer your questions. Don't sweat this stuff too much, just enjoy your summer and don't forget to PT (work out).
Feel free to PM me with any questions about the GT or ATL.
To Hell With Georgia
Feel free to PM me with any questions about the GT or ATL.
To Hell With Georgia
concur.
BAD ADVICE! Even in the NROTC, you have a chain of command. Please talk your CLASS ADVISOR FIRST. The CO has more important things to do.
It all depends. I had one freshmen that scored a 7/7/8 on the ASTB, but he was the exception. It all depends on how good you are at math/physics. I recommended to my students that they should have taken at least one semester of CALC and PHYSICS before attempting the test.
-ea6bflyr
IrishEagle85
New Member
concur.
It all depends. I had one freshmen that scored a 7/7/8 on the ASTB, but he was the exception. It all depends on how good you are at math/physics. I recommended to my students that they should have taken at least one semester of CALC and PHYSICS before attempting the test.
-ea6bflyr
When I took it junior year, I don't remember the math/physics section being anything particularly difficult. I don't remember any specific derivative/integral calculations nor any specific physics calculations; as far as I can remember everything concerning physics and calculus was all conceptual on my particular version. I could be wrong, but that's just the best I can recall. Really, the ASTB just seemed like a Navy version of the SAT to me.
To the OP; I would seriously recommend getting a test prep book from your advisor, especially one that covers the spacial orientation and study the spacial orientation and instrument sections like crazy. The book I used is called "Military Flight Aptitude Tests" by Thomson*Arco.