Raptor -No there won't be any OCS overlap. OCC is scheduled to end March 29th, so I should get commissioned then(hopefully) followed by TBS starting on April 4th. So I will see you at TBS.
JohnThe reason I was stressing MY perspective is that I've had a superb OSO, and I always hear of recruiter complaints plus I only have a very low level perspective of what really goes on(e.g I don't know that the board or flight surgeon look for
I formally approached the OSO office in dec 2000, and since they knew of my interest in the program, they were willing to let me take the flight physcial at NAS Jax I jhven't seen much coverage on it, but this is how my physical went.
Medical
Get there the night before, billetting in the same motel MEPS uses. Get to NAS by 7 a.m do some paperwork, and then get briefed. It's pretty much do it yourself as you decide the fastest way to see
1)opthamology
2)radiology
3)dental
4)blood work/piss in the bottle
5)anthromorphic(i.e buttock knee length and reach
6)EKG
7) flight surgeon to wrap up.
The flight surgeon was pretty impressive being both a D.O(Doctor of Osteopathy) and an F-18 pilot.
My only piece of advice is, see opthamology last. You do two eye tests and obviously need to read signs, and after dilation you can't see a thing. I know I was really anxious about it, but the good news is unless it is some really wierd stuff that shows up, more than likely if you've taken physicals before you'll know if YOU can pass or not.
Paperwork
I had to wait for a while as my citizenship stuff wrapped up, then I could fill out the initial 8 page application. Little did I know that the paper monster had just began. I also had to supply 5 references and fill out the huge SF86(?) that is used to do a Single Scope Background investigation for a secret clearance, plus add transcripts from college. The marines don't need really high gpa's as the minimum to contract is 2.0(I've heard that a 2.7 is competitive.) I had lucked onto a 3.3 in computer engineering so that was one more box I could check.
ASTB
Next came the ASTB. The ARCO guide, reading aviation books(such as a ground school text) and taking a couple of joy rides should help in this one. It is scored as in stanines (1-9) with the tests combined to give an Academic Aptitude(AA), Pilot/Flight OFficer Aptitude Rating(PFAR) and Pilot or Flight Officer Biographical Inventory(PBI/FOBI) minimum to contract is 4/6/4. My OSO actually drove up to gainesville to let me take it. Somehow they messed up the grading and I wound up with a 8/9/7.
PFT
Next was the PFT. The Marine pft is composed of a 3 mile run(18/21 minutes to max male/female) crunches(100 to max) and pullups/flex arm hang(20 pullups for males) I managed a 265, not to good but enough to qualify(minimum is 225).
At that point I signed a lot of papers, took a picture and raised my right hand-I was contracted.
The workhorse of the process is the secretary. In my case she had an Air Force Captain/daughter and I guess she adopted me since she could remember me as a freshman badgering the then OSO to talk to me. She spent hours typing up forms, tracking me down for corrections and calling up all sorts of people. She compiles everything tests, medical, transcripts, contracts, 100 word statment(in your own hand) etc into what will eventually be your Officer Qualification Record.
Board
After this was just waiting for the board to meet. I hear that once they accept your package you are considered qualified unless something crops up(lied about police record), and that they simply rank order the applicants, and grant however many seats they have. If you don't get slated, you are automatically passed onto the next class( thus OCC 179 has 80 people who initially applied to OCC 178)
Anyway, that's just my perspective. I would urge others who have been through any part of this to post their views to provide an interested readers with the broadest perspective possible.
I would also like to point out that it is incredible EASIER to get an Aviation contract than to get a ground one, I'm not even sure I would have been picked if I had chosen ground vice aviation
Anyway good luck to you all.
Semper fi,
airwinger aka Cpl W
References
1)Info on the ASTB
http://prodevweb.prodev.usna.edu/SVC_Assign/ASTB/ASTBnew.htm
http://navyrotc.mit.edu/www/aviation/astb.stm
2)Info on Flight physical
http://www.vnh.org/AeroWaiverGuide/exams.htm
3)Info on marine officer programs
http://www.4mcd.usmc.mil/aer/MCOB/officer.pdf
4)Info on OCS
http://www.mcu.usmc.mil/ocs/
Edited by - airwinger on 12/20/2001 16:01:26
Edited by - airwinger on 12/20/2001 16:02:22
