Marine Pilot to Regionals

[Jack Ernie]

Hawker1, the other thing to think about at this point...can you pass the physical and be PQ for any of the branches of military and aviation? Then, are there any openings at the respective services OTS/OCS etc. Take the required entrance test(s)...pass them? Get accepted and then get through the OCS/OTS process and receive a commission. Still be PQ for a pilot/Naval Aviator slot...you get my point? Not trying to be a downer, with any "negative waves"...but keep these things in your cross hairs too at this point along with all of the good info. from others on this board. I was a college "gradiate" and did the AOCS thing kinda' dates me huh? Point is, it took me just under a year from when I graduated to when I started AOCS. I took the tests and all the other queep during the beginning of my Senior year...it can be a long process. Best of luck and PM me if you want any more info.

 

[Big Duke Six]

Hawker,

Did you say you needed "PRK" a few posts ago? If that is the surgery, and unless things have changed drastically in the military, stay away from it. In fact, I'm not even sure if civilian FAA doctors say this is allowable for pilots. The problem is, in the military, they will spend half a day evaluating just your eyes, and they will be able to see that you've had the procedure in a second. You need to be able to get through the initial and then maybe even several subsequent physicals and get INTO or beyond flight school before a vision problem becomes acceptable in the military. This is more true for the Navy/Marines than the AF. In the AF, once you make it to UPT they will give you glasses. In fact, about 1/3 of my UPT class all of a sudden needed glasses before we went to the line to fly the Tweet. However, a good friend of mine was a TA-4 instructor in the Navy and they tried to KICK HIM OUT after he had been instructing for nearly two years for a minor color vision problem. They tried to tell him there was no way he could land on a carrier at night, but the problem was that not only could he, but he had been teaching it for 2 years. He won that one luckily.

Again, this is all nearly 10 year old information. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Pistlpetet]

PRK

If your eyes are not 20/20 you will most likely have problems getting into the AF right off the bat. I know a kid who was accepted to the AF and Naval Academy, wanted to be a pilot, and was told by the AF that he could get that surgery and still fly. He went to the AF academy this summer and after he got thru his little boot camp they told him that he would not get a pilot slot with that surgery...He quit and now has to wait till next year to get into the Naval Academy.

Point of this is...that the Navy seems to be the most lienient with this type of operation, and being a pilot, since they have studied it longer then any other service. Do your research on that FIRST. Don't put the cart before the horse.

 

[CatYaaak]

Re: PRK

Point of this is...that the Navy seems to be the most lienient with this type of operation, and being a pilot, since they have studied it longer then any other service. Do your research on that FIRST. Don't put the cart before the horse.

My experience with less-than-20/20 is admittedly dated (mid-80s), but back then the opposite was true regarding which branch was more lenient, even though the same official standard existed. After a couple of weeks at AOCS in P'cola, I was deemed "not physically qualified" for my pilot slot because I couldn't read the 20/20 letters without squinting a little. They found me to be 20/25 (uncorrected distant vision). Bear in mind that I had passed 2 prior vision tests administered at MEPS. Since by then I had already obtained my Comm/Inst/CFI certificates, I elected not to accept the NFO slot and instead pursued the civilian path right away.

Two friends of mine had previously had this happen to them at AOCS..NPQed for the same reason. They, however, went to the AF, where both were accepted and passed the vision tests. One went on to fly F-15s and the other C-130s. I didn't go that route because I figured with my luck I'd pass, only to wind up getting based somewhere like "Mindrot" ND and freezing my patooty off.

To the original poster:
I will echo the advice of some already given. Concentrate on the immediate goal of getting into the program and excelling. Do that, and the airline angle will fall into place by itself. By the time you get through college and your commitment, the airline landscape will have changed drastically from what it is now. If the economy is good and people are hiring, having good military bona fides will get you through any door that's open.

Now that I'm older, I can see that the BEST path I could have taken was to join the AF with the goal of flying A-10s, then find a Reserve or ANG unit that flew/flies A-10s. In fact, I think they should keep building A-10s and let old "blind" f***ers like me fly them and get our ya-yas out.

Oh well, with the Navy as no option and possessing 20/20 uncorrected hindsight, it's clear to me now that F-15s, -16s, -117s, B-2s....well, anything besides an A-10....are meant to be flown by chicks or guys with moussed hair (or simply hair) anyway.

If you are considering the Marines then you obviously think you might find joy moving mud around. Well, I would think a Warthog would be the best possible ride in which to do so.

heh heh

 

[CCDiscoB]

Following in your father's footsteps is an excellent reason to become a Marine officer. Obviously you do know what it takes to become a Marine officer. That's all you had to say.

That's funny that I cannot say the phrase "Semper Fi" because I'm not a marine yet, but yet he tells me to not tell my Marine buddies? How could I have marine buddies if I weren't a Marine myself? Riiiiiiiiight.

I was refering to the future, when you become a Marine.
Good Luck