Marines G4

[JungleJett]

I thought the whole purpose of military aviation was to get into something you can't on the outside.

If I got a GIV out of flight school..I would strangle someone. Later in a career...maybe...but right out of the chute....zzzzzzzzzzzz.

 

[Lynxman]

I didn't want it right outta school I'm hoping for the Hornet or Harrier first.

 

[firstthird]

I didn't want it right outta school I'm hoping for the Hornet or Harrier first.

just don't tell the fast mover guys (well, maybe harriers aren't all that fast) that you think their platform is the perfect stepping stone to that G4.

anything you fly in the Marines will be good and I suspect you can go to the more generic airplanes from any of them. We had pilots from every Navy platform that I could think of (plus some Army guys and even a Marine) flying C40s in my reserve squadron. I'm Navy and it was a Navy squadron but I suspect that Marine executive lift is pretty similar.

I'd put your goals in this order and priority.

1- finish OCS

2 - finish flight school

3 - aim for the platform of your choice in flight school but realize that it comes down to A - needs of the Corps, B- how you did in primary flight training, and finally, C - what you want.

4 - excel in your first fleet squadron, be it helos or jets or fixed wing. that will give you options when it comes time to choose your follow on tour.

it will be fun and hard and you will enjoy it. and like a previous poster said, every Marine is a rifleman first. So, even if you do go pilot, you'll get plenty of mud and shooting during TBS.

 

[727C47]

I'm confused right now because lately I feel like infantry is calling me, but my dream since I've been a kid has been to be a military pilot. I've been sitting on the idea for a long time now hoping for an epiphany to help me decide.

follow your dream, But I would not have traded my platoon for an F-18. Good luck. Semper Fi.

 

[Lynxman]

follow your dream, But I would not have traded my platoon for an F-18. Good luck. Semper Fi.

Semper Fi bro thanks for all you've done! I'm so stuck between infantry or flying. I feel so lucky that I've been given this opportunity to even be able to go to Marines so either course of action will be good.

 

[Lynxman]

just don't tell the fast mover guys (well, maybe harriers aren't all that fast) that you think their platform is the perfect stepping stone to that G4.

anything you fly in the Marines will be good and I suspect you can go to the more generic airplanes from any of them. We had pilots from every Navy platform that I could think of (plus some Army guys and even a Marine) flying C40s in my reserve squadron. I'm Navy and it was a Navy squadron but I suspect that Marine executive lift is pretty similar.

I'd put your goals in this order and priority.

1- finish OCS

2 - finish flight school

3 - aim for the platform of your choice in flight school but realize that it comes down to A - needs of the Corps, B- how you did in primary flight training, and finally, C - what you want.

4 - excel in your first fleet squadron, be it helos or jets or fixed wing. that will give you options when it comes time to choose your follow on tour.

it will be fun and hard and you will enjoy it. and like a previous poster said, every Marine is a rifleman first. So, even if you do go pilot, you'll get plenty of mud and shooting during TBS.

Ya that order is pretty much spot on with how I need things to happen. I feel like my calling in life is Marines. I remember doing AFROTC and it just didn't feel the same. The friends I've made so far through this whole process have been great, way better then those I made in ROTC. Not that I dislike AF but the ROTC guys were so cut throat, whereas the OCS candidates make it seem more like a brotherhood which is exactly what I want.

 

[skiddriver]

Lynxman,

You can get some info from the last aviation plan (ca. 2007). Plans change of course, and you're going to be busy for several years before you hit the fleet, so who knows? The C-40 transition is off the end of the timeline on page 77, estimating 2018.

Plan can be found at this link: www.quantico.usmc.mil/download.aspx?Path=./Uploads/Files/SVG_Signed%202007%20AvPlan.pdf


S/f and good luck.

 

[Lynxman]

Thank you for the link it was very informative. Right now my focus is just get myself ready to do my best at OCS. I still need to take the flight physical at Pensacola and to be honest I'm worried about it. When I was at Meps I failed their depth perception test, so my oso office told me to go to my normal eye doctor and get an exam and she said my depth perception was more than fine. So right now thats on the back of my mind and its really bothering me. I hope they do a different test than what meps uses. Any clues to this?

 

[wolfpackpilot]

Tell me the Marines still have this.

I fly a GIV for a living. I'd sell my youngest daughter to fly a F-18!

Young Man... do you see any civilian Hornets flying around???

 

[pony251]

Semper Fi bro thanks for all you've done! I'm so stuck between infantry or flying. I feel so lucky that I've been given this opportunity to even be able to go to Marines so either course of action will be good.

Dude, they don't send you to flight school if you fail out of the Infantry Officer Course, it's the other way around.