USMC NFO Questions

[392Hemi]

I just got a call from my OSO today and all the flight spots are taken up now that my flight physical has just got back. I had PRK done last June so I had to wait for the waiver process and now the only spot available is NFO. I have always wanted to fly cobras and always will. Is there a chance you can switch to Pilot spot after TBS? Or Will I just be stuck with NFO? I just can't see myself stuffed into a Prowler riding around all day. I could do an f18 but what are the chances of getting an f18 opposed to the prowler? Those are the only two airframes where an NFO is used in the USMC correct? I also read that NFO's can be a forward air controller as well, which sounds way more appealing to me than sitting in the backseat of a jet, but how often does something like that occur? Sorry I have so many questions, but it is my future I am concerned about after all.

 

[Sapper!]

Take it and roll with it! Seriously, don't join if it isn't what you want but the use for an NFO from the SMEs here say is diminshing. Either way, you will be tacair, so I'm not sure how that is a bad thing. With accessions tightening up anything is good but you still need to go with what you want.

The question I would be asking of the Marines on this site is if switching from NFO to Pilot later on, training or in the fleet, can happen. Then you just go kick some ass. Honestly, I feel so in love with the military (i always wanted to get in) after being in it, I would take any job they would let me apply for. But hey that is just one @&#hole's opinion.

 

[Brett327]

The Marines will be out of the NFO business in a few years - possibly as early as 4-5 years. Don't be an NFO if you want to be a pilot.

 

[392Hemi]

Take it and roll with it! Seriously, don't join if it isn't what you want but the use for an NFO from the SMEs here say is diminshing. Either way, you will be tacair, so I'm not sure how that is a bad thing. With accessions tightening up anything is good but you still need to go with what you want.

The question I would be asking of the Marines on this site is if switching from NFO to Pilot later on, training or in the fleet, can happen. Then you just go kick some ass. Honestly, I feel so in love with the military (i always wanted to get in) after being in it, I would take any job they would let me apply for. But hey that is just one @&#hole's opinion.

Im having a hard time being ok with it when I could probably go join the Army and fly apaches and more then likely enjoy that much more than what I gather on an NFO. I guess it is all about if being a marine is worth not flying attack helicopters.

 

[392Hemi]

The Marines will be out of the NFO business in a few years - possibly as early as 4-5 years. Don't be an NFO if you want to be a pilot.

So would they just make me captain toilet scrubber or what? How would that work if they just phase your job out?

 

[Brett327]

They have their best men on it...

...their best men.

 

[392Hemi]

They have their best men on it...

...their best men.

Good thing I like forklifts

 

[81montedriver]

I just got a call from my OSO today and all the flight spots are taken up now that my flight physical has just got back. I had PRK done last June so I had to wait for the waiver process and now the only spot available is NFO. I have always wanted to fly cobras and always will. Is there a chance you can switch to Pilot spot after TBS? Or Will I just be stuck with NFO? I just can't see myself stuffed into a Prowler riding around all day. I could do an f18 but what are the chances of getting an f18 opposed to the prowler? Those are the only two airframes where an NFO is used in the USMC correct? I also read that NFO's can be a forward air controller as well, which sounds way more appealing to me than sitting in the backseat of a jet, but how often does something like that occur? Sorry I have so many questions, but it is my future I am concerned about after all.

Don't knock it if you don't know anything about it. I have friends who are Prowler NFO's and they absolutely love it. Do your research and talk to people instead of just making generalizations about a platform.

Pilots and NFO's can be FAC's. It is typically something done in between flying tours. It's one of the quicker ways to get back to a flying squadron

Brett is absoluetly right. Don't become an NFO if all you want to be is a pilot.

 

[Sapper!]

They have their best men on it...

!

Brett, I know you don't have a crystal ball and from what I gather the Marines are in some serious limbo with their manning and aircraft. But what has happened in the past when air frames went away?

To the OP I a good bit about the WO side or at least applying to the WO ranks on the Army side. But being a Marine officer and an Army WO are VERY different. So if what you fly is important, just know that you'll be spending alot of time not shaking sticks and what you do on the ground might be a deal breaker. That being said WOs do alot of flying and love it, very long deployments, and generally get crapped on by their respective chain of commands. But they still fly alot....oh and -64s go into phase alot, fly scouts

 

[Brett327]

Normally, there's a platform transition process, but this is unique in that all the Marine NFO platforms are going away. That means there's going to be a big designator transition that has a lot of potential to be a big cluster fuck. I would imagine that there are going to be a lot of folks that find themselves out of the aviation business involuntarily. There are probably some Marine NFOs on here who have some better insight. It's unprecedented in recent history AFAIK.

 

[Sapper!]

We have some of our "best men" at the Pentagon right now who feed us information from time to time. Seriously, though, we do have some really smart people at APW right now and the latest is that the future for ECMOs isn't too fantastic. The most likely opportunities are for them to go to a VMU (a UAV squadron), an EWO staff job, or non-flying EW jobs as new programs come online. Or get out. I can't speak to what WSOs are going through but the ECMO population of the Marine Corps has suffered an epic mismanagement, or "fucking," over the last few years and I think a lot of people are looking to exercise that last option. For years there's been talk of increasing the number of NFO to pilot transitions to give people options. Last year there were two spots and if I remember right, the year before that there were zero.

I had typed out a long explanation about all the ins and outs and what have yous of the situation but even I found it boring so I deleted it. Suffice it to say that while we don't know what's going to happen to NFOs in the future, we will become extinct. I still don't believe it will be by 2019 seeing as we just transitioned the entire Marine Prowler fleet to ICAP III within the last year, which gives us 8-9 years of use out of a brand new system. Also we're supposed to be replaced by the JSF which is already behind schedule. I could be wrong about that, but at least I've been around long enough to have some options unlike the newest ECMOs to the fleet and the ones still in flight school/129.

Any speculation on wether or not the Navy would take some of those USMC NFO bodies for the super hornet? The Navy still has quite a few of the supers to be delivered still correct? I know that there was probably a surplus of NFOs after the Prowler went away on the Navy side. Wonder what the OP will decide, but either way sounds like a solid answer for him: if you are dead set of flying, don't do this and if you have a burning desire to be a Marine, you might still be shafted in the end if you decide on an NFO career.

 

[Brett327]

Any speculation on wether or not the Navy would take some of those USMC NFO bodies for the super hornet? The Navy still has quite a few of the supers to be delivered still correct? I know that there was probably a surplus of NFOs after the Prowler went away on the Navy side. Wonder what the OP will decide, but either way sounds like a solid answer for him: if you are dead set of flying, don't do this and if you have a burning desire to be a Marine, you might still be shafted in the end if you decide on an NFO career.

Doubtful. Injecting a bunch of mid career folks into the Navy mix is going to upset the proverbial apple cart. I can say that the VAQ NFO neck down for the G transition has been managed surprisingly well. Part of that is due to the gradual nature of the transition. The other reason is that there are a lot of guys at the O6 level who experienced the abortion that was the A-6 sundown and they said, never again.

 

[sodajones]

A fellow combat engineer in my unit was going through this process. I warned him of Marine NFO's future demise and he poo poo'd me. Now he's going to be one of the last NFOs and he'll have to enjoy it while it lasts because it's not likely he'll be able to stay at the great desk in the sky. He's a d-bag anyways so this is karma or Chesty setting things right.

 

[392Hemi]

Don't knock it if you don't know anything about it. I have friends who are Prowler NFO's and they absolutely love it. Do your research and talk to people instead of just making generalizations about a platform.

Pilots and NFO's can be FAC's. It is typically something done in between flying tours. It's one of the quicker ways to get back to a flying squadron

Brett is absoluetly right. Don't become an NFO if all you want to be is a pilot.

You are right I dont mean to sound rude saying that NFO jobs are terrible etc. All I'm saying is I can't see myself enjoying it, I have wanted to fly since I was in 5th grade thanks to the thunderbirds. Somehow rotory took priority though

 

[392Hemi]

Right now I am leaning towards telling my OSO I will wait until next years boards start and apply for the 10 week PLC course. I can also be on the first board this way since I won't have any waivers to deal with etc. plus my PFT will just get better anyway. My only concern right now is with downsizing... Will there be any pilot spots next year? If I got stuck with ground I will sure wish I would have taken the NFO Spot.