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.