Just need advice

[glory bound]

Okay i'm a 23 year old college senior at Embry Riddle and trying to figure out what to do. I don't feel as if my passion for flying is enough to want to do the process. I defiently want to be an officer of some sort, maybe something like ATC or something. I'm struggling between the NAVY and Air Force i think. my concerns are that i don't want to have to go out on a ship for 6 months at a time and never get to see my wife and daughter. But i love traveling so as long as they could come with me, i don't care where i am. But i also heard in the Air Force, that you don't get as promoted as fast as in the Navy but you don't have have to be gone all the time. My next concern is the officer programs. Everything i've read on here from people make it sound like you have to be a hard core robot to be an officer. Basically it sounds to me like it's impossible for most people to get in. I have a 3.3 GPA and i'm very physically fit. I haven't taken any tests yet, so i don't know about how hard those are. I'm just trying to find the best branch for me and my family. Thanks for taking time to read this.

 

[k_smittay]

my concerns are that i don't want to have to go out on a ship for 6 months at a time and never get to see my wife and daughter.

All branches have their own deployment cycles where you will be far away from home for extended time. It comes with the territory. The nice thing about the Navy though, you will most likely have 3 hot meals a day, a shower, and your own bed/rack. Boats also get to see many different places during your deployments.

You have to want it though. It sounds like you still have alot of research to do.

 

[usmarinemike]

Yes. You have a lot of research to do. "Hardcore robot" is a little flowery. You have to be a type A with a good head on your shoulders and crave leadership without being arrogant.

If you're not married yet, you have a good shot at leading a great, tough, rewarding life as a leader in the finest fighting force the world has ever seen. You may also find a woman who is resilient enough to handle, even embrace the warriors life.

If you're already married, have a good life as a civilian. Unless it was her idea, your family probably has about a 7% chance of staying together if you establish your family before going into the military no matter which branch.

Use the search function and ask any specific questions you have. Guys here will give you the good, bad, and ugly of it all.

 

[HeyJoe]

Everything i've read on here from people make it sound like you have to be a hard core robot to be an officer.

What? I have no idea where you get that impression. Neither the Navy nor Marine Corps wants or expects you to be a robot. You might have to learn undergo discipline in whatever initial training (ie OCS or equivalent) you partake in, but you're sadly misinformed if you think they want or train you to be a robot.

 

[red_ryder]

1. I don't think I'm going out on a limb to say your wife and daughter can't come with you on a boat,

2. I would think air force officers would be more like robots than navy, from how I perceive their culture

3. http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showpost.php?p=386220&postcount=35

and my absolute favorite so far, wrt navy vs. air force:
http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showpost.php?p=98478&postcount=5

 

[skim]

Im 27, married, somewhat hardcore (haven't completed OCS yet), likes robots, had a 3.2 gpa, and I am going to OCS in less then 2 weeks, leaving my wife behind for 3 months.

Use this site, and search for your answers. Most likely, you will see that we all come from different places and have different backgrounds.

 

[Nose]

For the record, I don't think you can be an ATC officer in the Navy without being an AC (ATC enlisted). It is pretty much an LDO community. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Nose the Robot

 

[ChunksJR]

$hit, part of the reason I'm STILL married is BECAUSE I went on a boat for 6 months...and then deployed for 4 months a year after that!

~D

 

[BourneID]

For the record, I don't think you can be an ATC officer in the Navy without being an AC (ATC enlisted). It is pretty much an LDO community. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Nose the Robot

I have seen a VP URL guy as the Airops Officer on the boat, however I believe that was his disassociated tour. You can do it, but only for a couple of years until you are back into something else, as for a dedicated ATC O, I have no clue. However, after doing a search, it looks like the Marines have ATC Officers https://www.tbs.usmc.mil/Pages/MyMOS/All_MOS_Detail.asp?id=7220

 

[Hozer]

CATTC O's are LDO's. AirOps (0-5) is the DH over CATTC O (0-4/3 LDO), but both work for Opso (senior 0-5/0-6 select).
Great gig too, usually a great bunch of folks. Great place to watch PLAT besides CDC.

I Robot, Hozer

 

[phrogpilot73]

However, after doing a search, it looks like the Marines have ATC Officers https://www.tbs.usmc.mil/Pages/MyMOS/All_MOS_Detail.asp?id=7220

Yup, we do. But it's not like they're sitting in front of the scopes. They're simply leading the young Marines that are. Yes, they are qualified Air Traffic Controllers. But only because they have to be.

I would be a robot, but robotics didn't exist when they designed my aircraft

 

[gaijin6423]

ATC Officers in the Marines do have some actual quals, but nowhere near what the Enlisted guys/gals have. Like was previously mentioned, it's a lot more about leadership. There are several kinds of "Air Traffic Control" in the Marine Corps, too. Most of my DASC Marines bitch constantly about how they enlisted for ATC, but got DASC instead. Whatever. They should have read the fine print in their contract, which read something like, "...guaranteed MOS in the 7200 general field."

For the record, not only am I a robot, but I'm also 30' tall, have giant red glowing optical senors that fire lasers, shoot guided missiles from my forearms, and can crush buildings and cars without a second thought. ...But no radar for positive control of aircraft. Pretty much the standard DASC set of upgrades.

 

[phrogpilot73]

For the record, not only am I a robot, but I'm also 30' tall, have giant red glowing optical senors that fire lasers, shoot guided missiles from my forearms, and can crush buildings and cars without a second thought. ...But no radar for positive control of aircraft. Pretty much the standard DASC set of upgrades.

Damn dude, how do you fit in your HMMWV?

 

[gaijin6423]

I actually have two that connect to my feet, ala Voltron.

 

[glory bound]

okay, the robot comment was a bit overboard! i was just frustrated because i feel old as hell and still haven't decided on a career. And also, forget that i said anything about the Air Force. The ATC thing wasn't exactly concrete, but just a thought. And i like the 7% statistic, it was very informative. But i'm really interested in the Navy, but i'm fixing to talk with an officer recruiter. But i was wondering if there were any NAVY officers here, and what OCS and the officer tests were like to get in. thanks for the honesty.