That is very encouraging to hear! Well thats what I love about the Marines. I understand that you have many other duties and obligations aside from flying. I read that you are required to spend one year doing other duties, such as FAC. I definitly want to join a branch where I feel like a well rounded soldier. Anyone have any specific duties, while being a pilot, that they can elaborate on?
If you ever address a Marine as a soldier, or refer to yourself as one, I would say stand-by, b/c you will catch a great deal of flak for that. That being said, the point is understood.
Many tasks you can be assigned while a pilot. I was a Flight Duty Officer (FDO), and also worked as the Asst. Aircraft Maint. Officer (AAMO) while at the FRS. Understand that FRS ground jobs are likely not as similar to Fleet jobs (anyone with a better view would be greatly appreciated), but we held them at any rate.
As an FDO, we scheduled flights, tracked flight hours, arranged for X-ctry flights, coordianted refueler missions, coordinated and tracked flight training events, and tracked A/C utilitzation rates. We also coordinated with ground training to complete their requirements. In short, our FDOs created the schedules, and most of the Operations for the squadron.
As the AAMO, I was the Division OIC (and this is not the normal case by any means, but this is what happened as we geared toward shutting down) for all the maintenance divisions (Powerline, Airframes, Avionics, Safety & Survival, Flight equipment, the Tool Room, and Quality Assurance). I personally had a blast working in Maintenance, when I started downstairs, I had a little more than 100 Marines that worked for me, and had about 50 when the squadron closed its doors. I was responsible to my Capt (who was the AMO) then to the CO on all matters pertaining to our aircraft readiness, and maintenance conditions. I was also responisible for taking care of all of my Marines, getting them set on orders, training that was required before they PCS'd, writing FITREPs for those that required them, (I was responsible for writing over 25 FITREPs for my first time having to write them, which was daunting to me, but my Capt. helped to teach me what I need to do and showed me a few good references to look at) I was responsible for the discipline of my Marines, and I had 1 Marine NJP'd in the time I spent in Maintenance. I had to work with and coordinate with MALS on our aircraft material condition and supply/maintenance requests. It was a lot of work for a Lt who is not a 6002 and has no clue about what he is doing, but I had a good time none-the-less and learned a great deal from my boss and the Marines that worked for me, and thanks to some good word from my boss to the CO, I am going to get to go to Maintenance school in the process of heading out to Okinawa, and hopefully get to go back down to Maintenance when I get there, but I have heard that Maintenance is generally reserved for senior Co-pilots, and Aircraft commander types, so who knows.
That is my experiance from a Lt's POV, so take it for what you can use. I would imagine that the senior guys here can give you a better look at what you can expect in the long run.
that may preclude you from flying as much as you like (much like the AMO I worked for, his flight time was cut short due to the necessity to take care of his Marines, but of all the Majors in my squadron, he was still the #1 guy, even though he didn't fly as much)
