sailingfun

In my experience those that said they don't want jets did not have the grades. Since as mentioned there is a cutoff score for jets those marines above that score were drafted for jets regardless of what they wanted. Jet grades almost always equaled a jet assignment.

Deke999999

Back in 2002-2003 primary flight, if you had a 50 NSS or better you were going jets (USMC). For the Navy guys is was higher at the time. There were guys who wanted helos, so they would work it out with their instructors for lower grades to miss the "draft". There were many more who ended up in helos who wanted jets. At least back then.


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USMCFLYR

Though I'm not a huge fan of the F-35B, I would be very impressed if the USMC was able to keep to this milestone of the timeline. I was surprised when they were already setting up the FRS at MCAS Beaufort. This article also says that the USMC is planning on buying 80 F-35Cs - which I had never heard before.

Marines: We’ll Deploy F-35 On Time - AVweb flash Article

RhinoBallAuto

Your experience is not unique. MANY folks change their tune claiming the jet pipeline is "too hard" or "too long" or "helos looked like more fun." That is not to say that there were some who always had the goal of flying helos...

I've been a part of almost every level of USN tailhook training. ^This is, was, and will remain true for the forseeable future. A 50 NSS simply means you had to do better in Primary than the average of the last 200 or so students through the pipeline. If you don't make that cutoff, it doesn't matter.

"Every Marine is a rifleman. Every Marine officer a platoon leader." Period.

pony172

The Corps has been saying they were going to get the F-35 on time since I left in 2002. They have already put a few of the F-18 squadrons in what i believe is called "cadre" status waiting to be re-activated. Someday I am sure it will really happen. Get some super Tucano's in the meantime.

RhinoBallAuto

When you are wrapping up Primary, students are 100% subject to the needs of the Navy for that given week. Typically, class rank dictates who gets to choose first for assignments that they qualify for. However, I can recall a class of three or four students that all had tailhook grades and only one jet slot was on the table that week - the rest went helos or maritime. On the contrary, if you are the only one with tailhook grades and there is only one spot, your dreams of being a helo pilot are over (or imagine if that one spot was E2/C2 and you wanted to fly fighters your whole life). Same system is used USMC... shoot there is the added wicket of TBS, where at one time they utilized a quality spread across combat/non-combat MOSs (not sure if that is still the case).

90% of what you end up flying in the Fleet is timing. It all comes down to how many slots are available when it is your turn to choose. The weeks before and after you graduate Primary may have had all jets, but none your week - makes that week of bad weather, or the one you missed for a head cold suck even worse! This happens again at the end of Advanced when you find out what gray jet you fly, and once again at the end of the FRS when squadron assignment comes into play - particularly so when PRI-A / Japan is in play.

Timing, timing, timing... all you can do is perform your best at each step along the way and be as much in the driver's seat as possible.

USMCFLYR

Outside of the aviation guarantees, that is still the case as far as I know for TBS MOS assignments. If you want to be a 'grunt' for example - better to be at the top of the middle 1/3rd than at the bottom of the top 1/3rd.

As far as timing...yes it is very important and I agree with RhioBallAuto - do your best at every stage and afford yourself the opportunity for a choice/option if available.

nordo

Because I was in the Training Command long ago, I can say that there is some truth to this but not always. When I selected it was after the FY, and no one got Jets for eight weeks, they had stuffed the pipeline at the end of September. So everyone went Helos, P3s or E2/C2.

Every kid (almost) comes to NavAir wanting to suck and blow in the hottest new jets (F4s/F14s/FA-18s now F35s). Most guys end up loving what they fly, and wouldn't trade it for anything. If you have an issue with being a Helo driver, then rethink your desire, because you could end up there. It can be a sh***ty place, they do eat their young; but the flying is pretty awesome.
What USMCFlyer said about the Corps is true, long gone are the days when you went PLC to Pensacola; every Marine is a Rifleman, end of story. It's a great tradition, a great place to be but it's not for everyone.
Every Naval Aviator is also a Naval Officer, and you're judged on your paperwork and leadership prowess as well as your Airmanship. Maybe more so.
Good Luck, accept what you get with good grace, and remember to have fun. They're paying you to do that, you know?

libertyrisk

Seems like the popular selections for top Marine students out of primary these days are C-130s & Mv-22s. Marine jets currently have a bad rap due to low flight hours and maintenance issues; the Corps sold out for the F-35 and that's where the money is flowing. Hercs & Ospreys are new & are flying a ton; Hornets & Harriers not so much. A hazrep was released over the summer by one Marine Hornet squadron saying half of their pilots probably wouldn't meet their OPNAV 3710 flight hour mins for the year and would need a waiver (the req. is 100 hours, less requires a waiver). Dudes on deployment are flying, dudes back stateside are struggling to get 5-10 hours a month. Half of the Marine Corps' assigned F/A-18s are sitting at depot awaiting maintenance. At least the Navy bought SHs to bridge the gap.

The Corps, learning from the Osprey debacle a decade ago, will make the F-35 work. The F-35 program is too big to fail. All of the briefs I have seen, it will be a badass jet... if they can get the software coded correctly. The Corps will ensure it makes its timeline, to include its first deployment. It might not be able to drop a JDAM or have a working radar, but it will deploy on time...its all about perception & politics. Again, with what I know about it, it will be a badass aircraft, in time (and with a lot of money).

The Corps will begin to select F-35 students from advanced flight training (Kingsville/Meridian) next spring or summer. The Navy will begin around 2017.

E2C2 selections are currently done at Kingsville/Meridian at the end of Intermediate. It's going to change soon (awaiting the new CNATRA instruction, I'm told) back to selecting it out of Primary.

I have more to add but I'm 3 Sculpins deep & my ole lady is giving me sh*t, it's "date" night... cheers.

Hawg

Ghetto, I fly the F-35 in FL (former A-10 guy) with USMC and USN bro's. PM me with questions for unbiased answered. If you want to fly fighters, keep your eye on the prize.