wow, this is great. i haven't been on this site for years, and it's funny how all the threads resurrect...all the ones i remember are long, since closed, but it's nice to revisit-it does bring back old memories-my I've changed over those 8 years! The original question is a good one. I don't know if this will help TwosBlind, but for anyone new to the site, the issue isn't about your b-billet. It's about what you did during your first tour. MOS credibility during your first tour is mighty essential and will pave the way or hurt you down the line. As I re-read old threads and random posts, I seemed to miss that somewhere along the way. Perhaps it was hidden in other threads that I didn't bother to search out for the newbies. As a first tour guy, concentrate on being the best co-pilot, the best ready-room O, the best SJO there is. Shut up, listen and learn. Strive to be the instructor with all the quals. If you are a flight hour guy, it will lead to flight time. If you want to be a well-rounded officer, it will lead you there by sending you to WTI or SWTI or Top Gun, whatever is in vogue. Once you've reached the pinnacle of your Company Grade/JO tour, you can almost write your ticket. Yes, certain jobs are still frowned upon (Flight School, SAR, SEP). But what about those other jobs? General Rocco once told a group of MAG-39 Officers that your job is a pilot. Be the best pilot you can be. Establish MOS credibility at every rank. His words: "I did not do a ground tour, you don't need to do a ground tour. Do every job to the best of your ability". Politics plays a large part of it, don't kid yourself. Some guys get bad deals, some guys get good deals-in either case, it may not have been deserved. The needs of the Marine Corps will always trump your intentions (unless, of course, they marry up.) I volunteered for a deploying FAC tour to Afghanistan and was told no! By the MAG, by the monitor, by everyone. Perhaps I'm a $hitbird-I'd like to think not...but getting all the quals, rocking flight time, being the go-to-guy, and doing everything "right" caused me to be needed elsewhere-in the cockpit!! What are you gonna do? I was bummed. Other jobs that aren't discussed too much include Operational Test Squadrons (VX), Developmental Test Squadrons (HX-TPS grad), the flying OSO unicorn, and something I do called DCMA. Defense Contract Management Agency oversees contracts at Defense Contractors that build aircraft. The personnel assigned work with the contractor pilots, manufacturers and production personnel and they test, accept and buy the aircraft for the USG and their respective services. Although still upset that I didn't do my ground tour to the 'stan, my wife and kids enjoy that I'm home. The idea is that your first B-billet is supposed to be a gimmee...i don't know about all that, but what I do know is that it can't be too short that you come back still a Captain, or a booty boot Major. You have to time it out so that you are a mid-grade Major so you can do your department head tour, get your quals back and all that other stuff. After that, your b-billet(s) will be almost chosen for you by the powers that are looking out for you. If you are "part of the club", you'll get hooked up to more career enhancing billets-that doesn't always translate to a good time. For the rest, you are at the mercy of the monitors, the IA pool and staff hell, I imagine. So, work hard in your first tour, make a positive name for yourself, and have fun with the B-billet you get-do it better than anyone and you'll be just fine. good luck.
