First, you're going to deploy. You can't get away from that, your perstempo is going to be based on platform, timing, and needs of the Marine Corps (as always)
Second, if you're in flight school you had better stop thinking along the lines of being "forced" into helos. You're going to piss off your peers when you check into HTs, and they're already flying and love it (and some of them actually
wanted helos, and you're acting like it's the consolation prize. It's time to wake up and smell the coffee - Roughly 60% of Marine pilots are helo drivers. And, they're better pilots if you ask me
Third, in regards to platforms and deploying it all depends. If you fly a high demand platform (EA-6Bs, AH/UH, CH-53) your'e going to deploy
A LOT. Notice that they're not limited to fixed wing/rotary wing. $hitters are doing MEUs, OIF, and HOA. AH/UH are tapped out supporting OIF, and of course the VMAQ guys are needed for all kinds of super secret stuff (it's a MAGTF asset, but also a National asset). East coast Phrog guys used to be not too bad, but as they stand down sqaudrons in order to stand up the V-22, there are less and less Phrogs to do the mission. I don't care what you say, do you really think they're going to 1 for 1 replace the Phrogs? They won't let $hitters into certain zones in OIF, but they'll send Phrogs alone and unafraid at night. Are they going to send Ospreys? Doubt it.
Best advice I can give is do your best, pick your platform based on the personalities of instructors you encounter, and realize that there are certain things you can't control. You should convince yourself that all you want to do is fly, it doesn't matter if it's a washing machine with wings. Do this, and you'll be happy. I would personally fly anything they told me to (fixed wing, rotary wing, tilt rotor, Cessna, etc...), as long as I was flying. That's the
only thing I'm not looking forward to with this upcoming FAC tour, they've taken flying away from me...
