Need for Pilots

[ESantini]

Ok while I realize nothing is guaranteed in the military and they will put you where they need you. But anyways my question is how badly does the Corps really need pilots? What am I really asking is if they are handing out pilot contracts left and right, 4 years down the road when it is my turn to go to flight school is that slot still going to be there with all the contracts they are handing out?

Reason I ask is because I am considering applying for PLC either this summer or next and the guaranteed air contract does sound nice (I really don't care if I get helo or fixed wing). But I am also a freshman in college, so 4 years down the road when I am ready to go to flight school is there still going to be the need like there is today? Or is it going to be, well we have too many pilots now so you're infantry (and by that I mean no offense to anyway who is infantry, I just mean that I want to fly). Thanks.

Erik

 

[DBLang]

I am a college freshman applying for PLC(air, SNFO) right now.

If you go into the PLC program as an air contract, you WILL go to flight school as long as you are physically qualified and make it through the same schools as the ground contracts. The Marines will give you every opportunity to strap your ass into a cockpit as long as your perform.
I think Combat Arms (like infantry) are some of the hardest commands to come by.

 

[Rob_ERAU]

Erik,
Right now pilot and nfo slots are good and who knows how long these seats will be available. Now, does this mean the Marine Corps needs pilots bad... I'm not to certain. I think the Marine Crops keeps in mind some might change there MOS. Some friends of mine went into TBS with contracted flight slots and then made the transition to ground due to the experience and training they received. After all, I (personally) would not even consider the Marine Corps if I wasn't interested in the Marine mission...that is supporting or leading men into battle situations.
I believe that once your guaranteed a flight slot, the Marine Corps must meet it. Now that is considering you pass TBS and all flight school pipelines plus the medical physicals. If I was hell bent on only flying... I would not go Marines, I would consider Navy, Air Force or Army. Just my thoughts.
Good Luck with school and stay motivated.
Rob

 

[slasher]

I don't necessarily agree with Rob here. If you want to be a Marine Aviator, by all means do it (Btw, I am contracted as an sna with the Marines). Just be aware you WILL be trained as an infantry officer either way. And you will be a Marine Officer first, and a pilot second.

But it's that way in EVERY branch- Navy, Air Force, and Army. You are an Officer first. If you only want to fly, I suggest you get a private pilots license and steer clear of the military. Because no matter which branch, you will only fly so many hours per month, and manage your subordinates the majority of the time. I guess I'm saying if your first priority isn't being an Officer- then rethink your plans.

Good Luck, man.

 

[vegita1220]

slasher, what if you want to fly and zap dudes at the same time? : )

Seriously, I believe Rob just means the Marines will make it harder to be a military aviator. Which is true, TBS on top of the normal SNA crap has gotta be rough. While in AF, the general perception of most people is that it's an organization that serves it pilots, not the other way around.

I'm curious, do you learn infantry tactics as a non-infantry MOS marine officer(i.e. aviator)?

 

[kimphil]

What the Marines need are support officers, esp. financial management and supply. If you have doubts that you won't make it through and get wings, don't think your going to be able to "settle" for infantry. The Corps doesn't need infantry (or any combat arms) like it needs support officers. If you attrite from flight school, your probably going to end up in supply or financial management, or maybe in some other support position that the Marines have a hard time filling. Don't count on combat arms if that happens.

Does the Corps need pilots? Yes and no. The Corps has been aggressively recruiting aviation candidates, but will in the future, starting in FY'05 reduce the number of air slots.

To answer vegita's question, ALL commissioned officers go to TBS, where they learn how to be provisional infantry platoon commanders, regardless of gender or MOS.

 

[ESantini]

Thanks for the reply's guys, I appreciate it.

Don't get me wrong I know that you are an officer first and a pilot second in any service, I throughly understand that. My question was more towards the end of "if the Corps has too many pilots can they put you somewhere else and just forget about that contract?" Thanks for answers though, you did answer my question.

As for being interested in the Marine mission...I am interested in serving my country and flying at the same time. Therefore I am looking into all my available options to do so. I thought the aviation guarantee through the PLC program looked very nice.

Thanks for the help.

Erik

 

[stunna]

what is TBS? and what if you enter into a flight program but for some other reason than yourself,

you do not or cannot earn your wings, do you automatically get appointed to a different department of the military or can you quit?

thanks in advance.

 

[EA-6B1]

TBS = The Basic School. It's a 6 month 'teach you how to be an officer' course that ALL officers have to go through. I didn't really understand your second question, but I'll give it a shot. First, I don't know why one would ever apply for the flight program for any other reason than himself, but if he did then I guess he would be tying to make someone else happy. That doesn't seem to work very well, so one would probably get dropped from flight school. Which leads to the second part of your question, I think one would get another designator. Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think there's any 'quiting' in the Marine Corps once you've been trained. There's probably a way to get dishonorably discharged or going UA, but just plain quiting doesn't happen, atleast to the best of my knowledge. My couple of pennies...

 

[The_Goat]

If you dropped form flight school you would have to finish your four years with a different MOS. The four years starts when you first go to TBS.

 

[phrogdriver]

The Corps has number crunchers that try to predict what needs will be several years down the road. They use statistical analysis to try to guess how many will DOR, attrite, etc, then work backward to see how many they need to recruit.

 

[usmcrocks]

I have glasses and I want to be a pilot in the Corps. Is it possible?

 

[Enishi1983]

usmcrock, you either need lasik/prk to become an sna; you CAN, though, apply for nfo still.

 

[TNWhiskey]

I'm pretty sure lasIK is a no-no...lasEK/PRK are ok.

 

[usmcrocks]

Thanks I'll look into it.