Marine Air Career Timeline

[Chippewa19]

Greetings. I've been looking long and hard at pursuing a PLC/OCC Air contract this coming year, and my research has generated a few questions regarding the career options available for a prospective 75xx.

1. Assuming that one is selected for a PLC Air contract and completes OCS, following University graduation there is a delay for TBS classes, and then a delay for API classes. What sort of stash opportunities are available? What kind of work would a new 2Lt. be doing? I have heard scuttlebutt that 2Lt's with an Air contract are often sent to the IOC following TBS completion, is this accurate?

2. How long is an FRS-qualified aviator usually assigned to a squadron in the fleet? Is one usually a Capt. when finally assigned to an operational squadron? Is the time spent at TBS, API, etc., considered a liability when promotion boards occur?

3. Does the Officer get any input to the monitor for his/her follow-on B-billet? I have heard that FAC tours are common, how long does that tour typically last? Is it unit dependent (e.g. MEU, LAR, ANGLICO, RECON) or like an IA?

4. Is WTI comparable to SFTI/TOPGUN, or more comparable to NSAWC short courses? Is WTI considered a prerequisite for attending SFTI? Is there a follow-on sea tour?

5. What short courses are available (and applicable) to Marine Aviators? e.g. LSO, NPS Squadron Safety, HARM-U

6. Are there slots available at VX-9 and VX-31 for Marines not initially selected for USNTPS/USAFTPS to conduct operational flight/weapons test and apply for subsequent boards?

7. What does the situation look like as far as hours available in each community? Will VMFAs receive low-hours F/A-18C airframes from Navy VFAs as they transition to F-35C and F/A-18E/F? Will the current F/A-18A+/D and AV-8B's undergo SLEP before the planned F-35B/C transition dates, or will Marines be stuck on the ground doing bare minimum hours until that transition date?

Thank you for your time.

 

[BACONATOR]

Holy crap, bro. I'm no Marine, but my advice is that you're on steps 37-58 of the checklist, when you should be worried about 1-5. Those may be valid questions when they are possibilities for you down the road. But many of those questions likely won't even be a consideration for you, so worry about getting in first. Best of luck!

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

How about this one?

1. Earn a flight contract
2. Pass OCS/TBS
3. Get to Flight School

Do well, and the rest will take care of itself.

 

[picklesuit]

Step 1: Get into flight school
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Profit

 

[whitesoxnation]

TOPGUN or MDTC are pre-reqs for WTI. WTI isn't a pre-req for TOPGUN.

If you want to know what the attitude is towards the Hornet just google the DCA's comments.

 

[zippy]

Greetings. I've been looking long and hard at pursuing a PLC/OCC Air contract this coming year, and my research has generated a few questions regarding the career options available for a prospective 75xx.

1. Assuming that one is selected for a PLC Air contract and completes OCS, following University graduation there is a delay for TBS classes, and then a delay for API classes. What sort of stash opportunities are available? What kind of work would a new 2Lt. be doing? I have heard scuttlebutt that 2Lt's with an Air contract are often sent to the IOC following TBS completion, is this accurate?

2. How long is an FRS-qualified aviator usually assigned to a squadron in the fleet? Is one usually a Capt. when finally assigned to an operational squadron? Is the time spent at TBS, API, etc., considered a liability when promotion boards occur?

3. Does the Officer get any input to the monitor for his/her follow-on B-billet? I have heard that FAC tours are common, how long does that tour typically last? Is it unit dependent (e.g. MEU, LAR, ANGLICO, RECON) or like an IA?

4. Is WTI comparable to SFTI/TOPGUN, or more comparable to NSAWC short courses? Is WTI considered a prerequisite for attending SFTI? Is there a follow-on sea tour?

5. What short courses are available (and applicable) to Marine Aviators? e.g. LSO, NPS Squadron Safety, HARM-U

6. Are there slots available at VX-9 and VX-31 for Marines not initially selected for USNTPS/USAFTPS to conduct operational flight/weapons test and apply for subsequent boards?

7. What does the situation look like as far as hours available in each community? Will VMFAs receive low-hours F/A-18C airframes from Navy VFAs as they transition to F-35C and F/A-18E/F? Will the current F/A-18A+/D and AV-8B's undergo SLEP before the planned F-35B/C transition dates, or will Marines be stuck on the ground doing bare minimum hours until that transition date?

Thank you for your time.

@Achilles ... sounds like your domain...

 

[jmcquate]

Step 1: Get into flight school
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Profit

Nice pull

 

[Treetop Flyer]

Greetings. I've been looking long and hard at pursuing a PLC/OCC Air contract this coming year, and my research has generated a few questions regarding the career options available for a prospective 75xx.

1. Assuming that one is selected for a PLC Air contract and completes OCS, following University graduation there is a delay for TBS classes, and then a delay for API classes. What sort of stash opportunities are available? What kind of work would a new 2Lt. be doing? I have heard scuttlebutt that 2Lt's with an Air contract are often sent to the IOC following TBS completion, is this accurate?

2. How long is an FRS-qualified aviator usually assigned to a squadron in the fleet? Is one usually a Capt. when finally assigned to an operational squadron? Is the time spent at TBS, API, etc., considered a liability when promotion boards occur?

3. Does the Officer get any input to the monitor for his/her follow-on B-billet? I have heard that FAC tours are common, how long does that tour typically last? Is it unit dependent (e.g. MEU, LAR, ANGLICO, RECON) or like an IA?

4. Is WTI comparable to SFTI/TOPGUN, or more comparable to NSAWC short courses? Is WTI considered a prerequisite for attending SFTI? Is there a follow-on sea tour?

5. What short courses are available (and applicable) to Marine Aviators? e.g. LSO, NPS Squadron Safety, HARM-U

6. Are there slots available at VX-9 and VX-31 for Marines not initially selected for USNTPS/USAFTPS to conduct operational flight/weapons test and apply for subsequent boards?

7. What does the situation look like as far as hours available in each community? Will VMFAs receive low-hours F/A-18C airframes from Navy VFAs as they transition to F-35C and F/A-18E/F? Will the current F/A-18A+/D and AV-8B's undergo SLEP before the planned F-35B/C transition dates, or will Marines be stuck on the ground doing bare minimum hours until that transition date?

Thank you for your time.

1: no clue what they do now. I spent six months going to the beach, and was the ball planner.

2: 3 years typically for jets. I think helo dudes often do a little more. I wouldn't worry about time spent in training because there's nothing you can do about it. Short answer, sorta. However ground dudes face a lot more attrition as 1stLt's since career designation isn't automatic for them.

3: You have input, and being proactive helps. I believe all FAC tours are still one year except with ANGLICO, MARSOC, and Hawaii battalions which are two years.

4: Answered above, but right now TOPGUN is still just a hornet thing although I bet F-35's will be involved soon.

5: You listed them. Plus some others.

6: I know guys go to those squadrons at times without doing TPS. Not my area of expertise.

7: Hornets are already being SLEP'd and things aren't good right now hours wise. I don't think "low hour" hornets really exist anymore except some that were put on sticks a decade ago. Harriers have never been great on hours but they are doing about the same as usual. No SLEP required, just some upgrades if they decide to keep them longer.

 

[xmid]

How about this one?

1. Earn a flight contract
2. Pass OCS/TBS
3. Get to Flight School

Do well, and the rest will take care of itself.

While I get that answering the same questions as a recruiter can get old, you have a significant trend of shitting on the new guys with your nose in the air. Of course reminding him to focus on the alligator closest to the boat is fine, but there is nothing wrong with him asking about the paths and direction that his life may go in should he sign away the next decade or more to the Corps. Telling him to sign up and then figure out what he got himself in to is stupid and counter productive.

To the OP, I think it is good that you are asking questions and have obviously done some research. Keep in mind that you may not fly jets. As you go down this journey and hopefully make it to flight school, keep an open mind and ask plenty of questions. You may never fly jets. Knowing all there is to know about the plan to sustain certain pointy nosed platforms is great and all, but it won't help you out if you end up flying ospreys.

 

[BACONATOR]

While I get that answering the same questions as a recruiter can get old, you have a significant trend of shitting on the new guys with your nose in the air. Of course reminding him to focus on the alligator closest to the boat is fine, but there is nothing wrong with him asking about the paths and direction that his life may go in should he sign away the next decade or more to the Corps. Telling him to sign up and then figure out what he got himself in to is stupid and counter productive.

To the OP, I think it is good that you are asking questions and have obviously done some research. Keep in mind that you may not fly jets. As you go down this journey and hopefully make it to flight school, keep an open mind and ask plenty of questions. You may never fly jets. Knowing all there is to know about the plan to sustain certain pointy nosed platforms is great and all, but it won't help you out if you end up flying ospreys.

I see your point and balance that when responding to new guys asking these questions, but you sort of also corroborated what we said. It's fine to ask those questions, but those aren't questions you should ask before even getting accepted to PLC/OCC. That's like a an undergrad trying to decide what subspecialty he wants a fellowship in before even getting into med school. It's a valid question, but not at that time. Talking about that is virtually pointless and only wastes energy that could be better spent elsewhere.

Many of his questions will fade rapidly when a DI (what do marines call them?) starts yelling in his face, and he rapidly changes his priority to not quitting/making it through OCS. That's why my response was to shift focus to more important things. First getting accepted is obvious. But the next biggest focus is the monumental challenge that OCS will be. After that, if he makes it through and wasn't whammy-ed, he can start to ponder the various paths a student aviator can take.

Before signing his life away, valid questions would be more general in nature like: what are the pipelines, what are my general career options? Culture, climate, daily life, schedule in the Corps? Not particular questions about a very narrow career path one COULD end up in.

 

[jmcquate]

(what do marines call them?)

Platoon Sgt/Sgt Instructor

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

While I get that answering the same questions as a recruiter can get old, you have a significant trend of shitting on the new guys with your nose in the air. Of course reminding him to focus on the alligator closest to the boat is fine, but there is nothing wrong with him asking about the paths and direction that his life may go in should he sign away the next decade or more to the Corps. Telling him to sign up and then figure out what he got himself in to is stupid and counter productive.

To the OP, I think it is good that you are asking questions and have obviously done some research. Keep in mind that you may not fly jets. As you go down this journey and hopefully make it to flight school, keep an open mind and ask plenty of questions. You may never fly jets. Knowing all there is to know about the plan to sustain certain pointy nosed platforms is great and all, but it won't help you out if you end up flying ospreys.

Before rushing to judgments about "shitting" on applicants, be advised these folks are applying to become an officer. At the very least, they should be doing the homework to include asking their recruiter and/or searching around the threads/Google to find the answer. Otherwise, you are going to have folks who create the same thread over and over...

I've learned that it's easy to remember facts by looking them up than simply throwing your hands up in the air and asking for help.

 

[Chippewa19]

Sirs,

I appreciate the perspective regarding my inquiries. I understand that it gets repetitive answering similar questions often to new users who don't use the search function.

I have no delusions of being the next Pappy Boyington or John Glenn, and I understand that there are several big "ifs" (acceptance and completion of OCS, TBS, API) before I should be concerning myself with platform selection, "shoot the gator closest to the boat". I apologize if I came off as precocious, that was not my intention.

If I end up going down this path I want to make sure that I am doing everything I can to be the best at my job as possible-regardless of airframe- so I want to understand what lies beyond the bend in the road. There is a lot of knowledge available up to assignment in the first fleet squadron, then that information seems to drop off, and everyone says to take these questions to the gurus at AirWarriors.

Thank you for your time.

 

[xmid]

I see your point and balance that when responding to new guys asking these questions, but you sort of also corroborated what we said. It's fine to ask those questions, but those aren't questions you should ask before even getting accepted to PLC/OCC. That's like a an undergrad trying to decide what subspecialty he wants a fellowship in before even getting into med school. It's a valid question, but not at that time. Talking about that is virtually pointless and only wastes energy that could be better spent elsewhere.

Many of his questions will fade rapidly when a DI (what do marines call them?) starts yelling in his face, and he rapidly changes his priority to not quitting/making it through OCS. That's why my response was to shift focus to more important things. First getting accepted is obvious. But the next biggest focus is the monumental challenge that OCS will be. After that, if he makes it through and wasn't whammy-ed, he can start to ponder the various paths a student aviator can take.

Before signing his life away, valid questions would be more general in nature like: what are the pipelines, what are my general career options? Culture, climate, daily life, schedule in the Corps? Not particular questions about a very narrow career path one COULD end up in.

I disagree. Maybe he asks the questions now and finds out he will potentially fly a jet for 500 hours and never really be "proficient." Maybe this doesn't align with his goals. Yeah, Marine Officer first and all that, but most of us joined to fly. Maybe that changes his mind to realign his priorities elsewhere. If his life long goal is to fly F-18's in the Corps, but the reality of that doesn't mirror what he thinks it would be than maybe he would be happier elsewhere. Both the Corps and he will be happier if that is the case.

Would your analogy of med school change if you asked the question and found out that practicing medicine was nowhere near what you expected? Would you still apply and start down that road with the attitude that you would just figure it out as you went along?

 

[BACONATOR]

Would your analogy of med school change if you asked the question and found out that practicing medicine was nowhere near what you expected? Would you still apply and start down that road with the attitude that you would just figure it out as you went along?

Happens all the time, but point taken.