Marines G4

[Just thinking]

Do not believe the boot camp to OCS career path. Once on the hook as an enlisted Marine it will be years before you have the opportunity to apply for a commissioning program. You will NOT see any opportunity to fly the Gulfstream for many many years after long and faithful service. As one who spent eight years enlisted and almost 16 as an officer I was fortunate enough to fly Cobras, C-12's and C-9's. One of the greatest experiences I had was as a Forward Air Controller with 1st Battalion 6th Marine Regiment. Best year of my life with outstanding Marine officers and even better troops. All Marine aviators are unrestricted Naval aviators. You can fly helos and apply for transition program. Buddy of mine was Huey driver and now is with
F-18s. The only limitation is yourself. Do not give up your flight contract. If you must fly, talk to the other services, Coasties have some great missions and excellent aircraft. You can always request an inter-service transfer at a late date (not often done but not unheard of either.) If you dream to be a Marine avaitor, stay true to your desires and do not settle for anything else.

 

[Lynxman]

I was up at my oso this weekend basically just keep up with PT and update the scores every pft and hope for the best.

 

[Hobit]

Maybe this is a 'Gut-check'.

 

[Lolikoka]

Wait for OCS

21 years in the Corps - Reservist sitting in the Pentagon on watch as I type this. I was born to fly; they dilated my eyes, I missed 2 letters, and they stamped my book "Not Qualified for Aviation Duty." I was crushed and became a platoon commander. Went to Desert Shield/Desert Storm, then afterward the Corps put me through law school. Spent many more years as a Marine lawyer. Couldn't give up the dream and became a regional pilot, opened a civilian law practice, and still extremely active in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Do NOT let them talk you into enlisting - they have a quota to fill and you are a convenient warm body to meet the next deadline. Wait for OCS and it will open doors for you. Don't give up the air contract either. TBS is all about infantry and you'll be all motivated to disembowel the enemy in hand-to-hand combat at first opportunity, but life is hard with the grunts; life is good in the air wing ("Swing with the Wing"). Have patience and wait for it. Marine tactical aviation is unbelievable.
Semper Fidelis

 

[Lynxman]

Thanks for the support if I get to do aviation itll be the best day of my life.

 

[727C47]

hang in there

 

[DUATS]

Brother,in the Marine Corps the infantry is the true faith,everything else is just supporting arms. And I wish the Corps had A10s, something with some real loiter time,to keep the bad guys heads down. Lynxman I hope you get jets. I hope you get those gold wings. That is a dream worth having, worth attaining. The infantry is a calling all its own,and should not be a consolation prize for a guy who can't find the 3 wire. End of rave.

I hear that the Corps is getting AC-130 gunships. Not the speed of an A-10 but plenty of loiter time, and it would scare teh crap out of me to see one of those coming low on the horizon!

 

[PUCKFA18]

Don't forget about 6 months at TBS after OCS. Always think grades from OCS on...........

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.

 

[AIR2MUD]

Puck - got a buddy of mine in the Rattlers right now.

Lynx - All things happen for a reason. I was a Marine PLCer from '94-'96 at Embry-Riddle. One night, got drunk, started wrestling with another PLCer...was about to pile drive him when my foot got stuck against the wall and a doorjamb, I was rotating to slam him down, and my tibia and fibula worked against each other and went 'crack' so loud I could actually hear it. It was probably God's way of keeping me from killing the poor S.O.B.

Pins and plates effectively ended my Marine aviation contract.

My buddies who I would have gone through TBS and primary with got Hornets, Harriers, and a few helos. Most got jets - at the time, that was what the Marines needed a lot of. I was extremely pi$$ed, but had no one to blame but myself.

Fast forward a few years. I did the civilian flight instruction thing, had the pins and plates removed, got on with an airline, but the call to military aviation was a strong one. I interviewed with a Guard unit that was flying A-10s, and the rest is history.

So I was able to do the CAS thing after all, just in a much more roundabout way.

I still envy my close buddy who is a Hornet driver - but I don't envy the time he spends away from his wife and kid on cruises. I highly recommend staying single as long as you can - military aviation is extremely tough on families.

I guess the point to my story is, if you want it bad enough, the cream always rises to the top. I would highly recommend you going the aviation route in the Corps, and trying your best to get jets. Study your ass off, work hard, and play hard - just don't pull a Dill and break your own leg.

Good luck, and Semper Fi.

 

[Lynxman]

That sucks I broke my arm got screws and a plate in there, but I got it cleared already too bad they couldn't do that for you.