true or false?

[submarinerssbn]

i recently submitted my ocs package through the navy and my top three choices were sna(#1), snfo(#2), swo(#3). i have served on active duty for 8 years....

but am unsure as to what they might allow me to do, even though i have met all the prerequisites to be a pilot (flight physical passed, got a 5,6,5 48 on astb, great physical condition, and obtained a bachelors degree while serving on shore duty etc.....).

if i am not selected for my first choice and picked up for snfo or swo i am not sure i want to settle for what they are willing to offer.

i spoke with a marine officer recruiter and he can guarantee me a pilot slot in the marines if i met those pre-rec's but said i will have to score in the top 35% of my class to get jets...is this true, is the mentality of the navy "we will put you where we want you" and the marines"need pilots alot more than the navy does" ???? i would feel like a breath away from my dream after accomplishing so much to get here for the next 20 yrs if i accepted nfo or swo as the boards choice for me in the navy

not commited to any choice and will hear by the end of next week what i got picked up for but i just don't want to have a contengincy plan before hearing back just in case i do not get picked up for sna.....i'd hate to leave the navy, it is my home but i know i could be an aviator and one of the best so i'm just investigating other posibilities

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

If you aren't willing to take SNFO or SWO then why did you put them on your application?

 

[submarinerssbn]

i thought you had to pick three postions in sequential order of importance, congradulations i am an idiot.....@%&^$@#%$@#^#%^&$%#^%$(cusing)

well if i don't get selected for pilot it is my own !@#!@$$^**)&$@#! fault i guess, even though it was written all throughout my officer package!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nugget61]

Yeah, you can submit for pilot only ( I did this month ). And if I recall correctly, you need a 4,6,6 to fly marines.
It seems odd that the marines could tell you with such certainty how to get jets... thought it would go on the needs of the service like I hear it goes in the navy.

 

[BACONATOR]

Woah, did you just do a roundabout way of asking what % get jets? Someone's finger is on the button somewhere....

 

[stalk]

Sub, you're not an idiot you're just learning a lesson that many of us have discovered along the way. The detailers used to brag how 97% of orders were the one of the top three choices of all officers. What they didn't say was over 50% were choice number 3. Your career is just that yours. If you're not willing to do something don't put it down as a choice. Obviously, putting one choice doesn't guarantee a good outcome but it does allow you the choice of what to do next. Good Luck

 

[HAL Pilot]

Woah, did you just do a roundabout way of asking what % get jets? Someone's finger is on the button somewhere....

More so on your part...the only reason my finger is not pushing the button is because of the humor you recently provided the Mods.

 

[phrogpilot73]

i spoke with a marine officer recruiter and he can guarantee me a pilot slot in the marines if i met those pre-rec's but said i will have to score in the top 35% of my class to get jets...is this true, is the mentality of the navy "we will put you where we want you" and the marines"need pilots alot more than the navy does" ????

He can get you a pilot slot, the rest is up to you AND the needs of the Marine Corps. If they need jet guys when you select, you have a chance at getting jets. If they don't, you don't. Same as the Navy.

The more important question is, if you don't complete flight school - are you prepared to be a Marine Officer in another field (Artillery, Tanks, Tracks, Logistics, Intel, etc)? The Marine Corps isn't handing out get out of jail free cards like the Navy is.

 

[submarinerssbn]

yes, i am prepared to take another officer position, i believe that i have what it takes and am aware of the needs of the military policy. But i just have to kick a$$ in flight school and finish top of my class and my chances of choosing what i want to fly are higher correct.

I just got the phone call from my commanding officer that i was picked up for officer and it was nfo just what i thought would happen. Not that i am ungreatful just got alot of hard thinking left to do... stay navy accept nfo with little or no chance of getting pilot later or choose to transition from navy to marine and take my chances in flight school with a garunteed opportunity at being a naval aviator(marine aviator). the rest is up to me pretty much!!!!

geez does it get any harder to choose!!!!!

spoke with the usmc officer recruiter and he handed me the paperwork know all io have to do is go back to the old man and say.... i really appreciate the navy's oppurtunity but they did'nt select me for what i want.... so i'd like you to sign this paper and allow me to go marine.. wow wonder how he would take it, how my entire chain of command would take it... gotta choose the red pill or the blue pill(matrix) hahahahaha.

 

[mattsource57]

When I went in to contract my preferences were 1)SNA 2)SNFO 3)Ground. I ended up with a ground contract and got a competitive SNA slot while at TBS. As far as getting a jet slot it depends on when you select and the whole %35 thing is somewhat true and mostly false. You have to have the grades to even be considered for jets (52 NSS for Marines), but if there aren't any Jet slots the week you select you can be in the top 10% and not get Jets. You can, however, be a Stud and finish top of your class and get whatever you want. In my opinion, it doesn't matter what you fly, its better than driving a boat...

 

[Clux4]

I gave up an NFO slot a few years ago because I knew I wanted to fly. I am here today not flying sh!t except the desk before me. I did not take the NFO slot because I was not sure I will be able to switch to Pilot down the road. I rather not fly than b!tch everytime about how I wish I was a pilot.

Pretty hard if you ask me but make sure you honestly do not mind the NFO thing. Otherwise, go Marines. Take the green pill !!

 

[trackgain]

Read all

I'm new to the forum and new to responding, but after reading all the responses, I just had to. Take the NFO slot. So what if it is not a pilot slot. Your dream is to be a pilot, but can you guarantee that you will make it through the pipe line (no), can you guarantee that you won't get sick in the plane everytime you go up (no), so go through the pipeline and have at it. You are still part of the plane even if you are not flying it. You still wear Wings of Gold.

You say that you have been in the Navy for a little while. When did any recruiter tell you the truth? Recruiters give you what you want to here (remember). Stay Navy and ditch the idea of going Marine, go NFO and push your career to the MAX in it.

If you are questioning what career to do, years to come as a Marine, you will question whether you made the right choice and switched over.

 

[DevilDog9782]

I think Clux nailed it with his comment "I rather not fly than b!tch everytime about how I wish I was a pilot." It really drove me nuts the amount of SNFO's here in Pensacola that bitch and whine about how they got "screwed out of a pilot slot".

My experience and 2cents:
I went into the Marines wanting to be a ground pounder but was told, truthfully or not, by my OSO that he had no luck getting ground contracts selected for OCS and encouraged me to try aviation. I thought about it for a few days and decided I wanted to be a Marine regardless and did have a childhood passion for aviation just never pursued it because of my crap vision. Long story short, I'm now a new NFO (read: no fleet experience whatsoever) and honestly couldn't be happier where I am. So my suggestion, if you really want to be a pilot and think you won't be happy without being at the controls, don't sign the NFO contract. If you want a job in the air and don't mind not being the pilot, NFO is a very rewarding and important job as I'm sure others will tell you (I hope ) Also, don't go into a pilot slot thinking you will definately fly jets, no matter how sh1t hot you are or think you are; as others have said it comes down to who's selecting that week and how many slots there are. You will have a better chance if you are near the top of your class but there are no specific percentages and guarantees.

Just my 2cents and good luck.

 

[MettGT]

I'm new to the forum and new to responding, but after reading all the responses, I just had to. Take the NFO slot. So what if it is not a pilot slot. Your dream is to be a pilot, but can you guarantee that you will make it through the pipe line (no), can you guarantee that you won't get sick in the plane everytime you go up (no), so go through the pipeline and have at it. You are still part of the plane even if you are not flying it. You still wear Wings of Gold.

You say that you have been in the Navy for a little while. When did any recruiter tell you the truth? Recruiters give you what you want to here (remember). Stay Navy and ditch the idea of going Marine, go NFO and push your career to the MAX in it.

If you are questioning what career to do, years to come as a Marine, you will question whether you made the right choice and switched over.

I'm just curious, but do you have something against Marines? That's the vibe I got from this post. The surest way to make sure that you're not a pilot is to not try in the first place. As an NFO, you can still attrite the program or get airsick. Bottom line for the OP - if you really want to be a pilot, go for it, but make sure you want to be a Marine first.

 

[Ducky]

You know guys there are NFOs out there that want to be NFOs and not pilots.

Stay Navy take NFO and try for an NFO to Pilot transition. It happens, both with guys from the fleet and guys in the student pipeline. Also SNFOs in the top percentile of their API class are allowed to put in a transfer package.