kayceerBFT

I joined the Marine Corps to fly in combat. Whether it was fighters, EA-6B, or helos, every aircraft has a combat role and ordnance onboard (even the Herc, which you won't get unless you want it, shoots stuff).
With the USMC, you won't be shuttling generals around or VERTREPing the fleet. You are going to have a combat role. If that doesn't excite you then the Marines aren't for you.
After you make that decision and provided you are given the opportunity, all you can do is do your best to put yourself in a position where you can select TACAIR (graduate OCS, TBS, and complete primary with jet grades). After that there is a certain amount of luck involved. Regardless, there should be no regret at that point - you've done all you could. Your first squadron and aircraft will be a fantastic experience unlike anything you will do in the rest of your career/life. Enjoy it no matter what type a/c you are flying.

libertyrisk

FWIW... VMFAT-501(the Marine F-35 FRS) is slated to start training six CAT 1 (students from the training command) in Oct 2015...meaning any Marine who is winging out of tacair (T-45s) next summer has a shot at the F-35.

2loud

As many have said here, you really don't know how things will turn out until you show up to flight training. Majority of the pilot wannabes show up to pilot training wanting to fly fighters. I think some try too hard, some just realize that they don't have what it takes, or timing just sucks. As for me, I just wanted to be an airline pilot. Though UPT was a lot of work but to my surprise, I excelled and could have chosen a fighter during assignment drop night. FYI, assignment drop night is held a few weeks prior to graduation and that's when you find out what aircraft you will be flying. Back when I went through, we chose our aircraft in order of class standing. Shortly after I was winged, the Air Force converted their way of assigning aircraft back to the old days where the IPs chose for you. Anyways, I chose a type rating on Uncle Sam instead. Besides, I didn't want to work 12+ hour days and fly 15-20 hours a month; not to mention a remote tour or two in the future. Yeah, I was one of those strange dudes, I guess.
If fighters are what you want, definitely keep your sights on obtaining that goal. People will tell you that you can't do that or you can't do this, yada yada yada. Don't listen to them-they are a bunch of losers themselves. Somebody is going to fly F-35s..... why not you, right? If you are dead set on flying fixed wing, your best bet is the Air Force, the Navy, then the Marine Corp IMHO. Realize that the Air Force has way more heavy slots than fighters. I would think the Navy will give you the best opportunity for fighters though they have their share of helos. Besides excelling in pilot training, it's all about timing and the needs of the service.
I've seen many upset dudes at assignment nights. Some even wanted to kill themselves-seriously! One common theme is that no matter what you end up flying, you will learn to enjoy and appreciate your airframe. There are upsides and downsides to everything. A good attitude will go a long ways, as always! Good luck and stay the course!

Atlas Shrugged

No doubt.

My point is that things are not always what they seem. It is difficult to make decisions when we are young because we don't have enough perspective. Like many have said, we often don't know if we made the right choice until 20 years later looking back.

USMCFLYR

And then there are those that wanted to fly everything and anything and for circumstances out of the blue ended up in one community or another.
I had a college roommate who's first choice was KC-10s so he could serve his time and move on into the airline world.
Of course a 5 year stint as a T-38 FAIP at Williams and follow-on orders to Charleston for C-141s changed the initial plan, but I'm confident he probably ended up where he wanted to be in the end!

Concerning VMFAT-501 (from Wiki):
Reactivation as a training squadron



VMFAT-501 shoulder patch



On 1 April 2010, the squadron was reactivated and redesignated as VMFAT-501 at a ceremony at the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[2] The squadron serves as the F-35B Lightning II Fleet Replacement Squadron.[3][4] Stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, it falls administratively under Marine Aircraft Group 31, but operationally under the 33d Fighter Wing, which controls all F-35 training for the Air Force and United States Navy.[5][6] The Squadron is scheduled to move back to its permanent home of MCAS Beaufort by July 2014.
-------------
How is that timeline in bold going - - -seriously - - I don't know.
Love to see the old (close enough) -451 patch around again though (and I'm talking the one at the top of the Wiki page - not the displayed above.).

libertyrisk

VMFAT-501 is on track to be ready for training by this Oct.

VFA-101 (F-35C) FRS is tracking to be stood up and ready for training by Jan 2016. First Navy F-35C sqd is supposed to start transitioning from F-18E to F-35C in Feb 2018.

We'll see I suppose...

S/F

USMCFLYR

All US and UK F-35s Are Being Grounded (Again) Because of Engine Fires

That is quite a few RED STRIPES for an aircraft that hasn't even endured the rigors of **FLEET* operations yet.

kme9418

What a hunk of junk. Stop the bleeding, buy 3,000 Super Hornets and let's save some money and heartache.

rickair7777

If not too big to fail, probably too diverse to fail...lockmart spread out the production of this thing to a whole bunch of states, ensuring broad congressional top cover.

Yoda2

Offset F-35 costs... That's funny Rickair! I think we need Kelly Johnson back...