Marine Aviation....
09-19-2008, 09:10 PM
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: Leftof longitudinal
Posts: 1,899
Originally Posted by wordfromthewise
hey everyone,
i am meeting with an marine officer selection officer next week. just wondering if anyone has any advice on flying in the marines. what ocs is like and the whole process? is it tough to avoid a helo slot? i would much rather go fixed wing, but the marines offer gauranteed pilot slots as long as you do well on the physical and written flight test. i like that aspect. in the end i would think it would be so cool to be a marine aviator, helo or Fw or whatever they give me!
i am meeting with an marine officer selection officer next week. just wondering if anyone has any advice on flying in the marines. what ocs is like and the whole process? is it tough to avoid a helo slot? i would much rather go fixed wing, but the marines offer gauranteed pilot slots as long as you do well on the physical and written flight test. i like that aspect. in the end i would think it would be so cool to be a marine aviator, helo or Fw or whatever they give me!
WFTW: What is it like? They will kick your slimy a$$ and if you can't hack it, pack it. We don't want you. However, let that "be so cool to be a Marine Aviator" dream burn low all the time and it will help pull your dismal butt to success like you would never believe you would achieve. We want a 'we' not me person. (That is really what Chinook and LIM are saying) You will be extraordinarily proud to be part of the Marines and serve your fellow Marines in any capacity who have boots on the ground. I believe in dreams and let them burn. You will be tempered by all your experiences and if successful, be exactly who we need. I am fond of all our services. Too many friends in all of them not to be partial.
USMCRFlyr is an expert. Send PM's like he said.
signed
21 years in a Navy cockpit between Active and Reserve, 4 years of other duty and counting.
DD-214's from USMC/USAF/USN
"Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me." -- John Paul Jones
Now go make it reality!
09-20-2008, 01:49 AM
#12
Avoiding Memphis
Joined APC: Apr 2005
Position: Intl Feeder Jet
Posts: 504
(Unless you're the Air Force, they seem to be detached from that aspect. Perhaps that's why we are pushing so hard for the C-27J program, so we can support ourselves.)
Be "cool" someplace else....I hear the AF needs video game players, er, UAV oper-, er, uh, pilots.
Sorry dude - I agree with everything you said but this is an unwarranted cheap shot at the AF.
Perhaps you didn't know that the AF ran the C-27A out of Howard AFB, Panama in the 90s.
The AF likes any mission we are thrown, including supporting anyone stuck in some random sh**hole in Central America that we can come rescue.
Here is a look at the C-27A while based at Howard.
If you want to argue Marine shooting skills, TBS, etc....go for it. Just don't knock the AF for actual good flying that we did.
Be "cool" someplace else....I hear the AF needs video game players, er, UAV oper-, er, uh, pilots.
Sorry dude - I agree with everything you said but this is an unwarranted cheap shot at the AF.
Perhaps you didn't know that the AF ran the C-27A out of Howard AFB, Panama in the 90s.
The AF likes any mission we are thrown, including supporting anyone stuck in some random sh**hole in Central America that we can come rescue.
Here is a look at the C-27A while based at Howard.
If you want to argue Marine shooting skills, TBS, etc....go for it. Just don't knock the AF for actual good flying that we did.
09-20-2008, 05:03 PM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: Left and Right of Whatever
Posts: 406
Good natured ribbing, relax.
However, I can remember several times when we called for -130 support and were told that it would be 2-3 weeks to get the support online (for a flash priority mission I might add) to get our mission done. Not what you want to here or have to deal with when people could get hurt and need supplies.
It always seemed that the guys we dealt with wanted us to fight according to their timeline and it ****ed us off not to mention put is a pinch every now and then. It very well may have been that particular unit, but you know the saying about "one bad apple."
It will take a lot of on-time-or-better missions to relieve that stigma. Sorry, it's just the way it is.
However, all the C-17 guys I have met and drank with, they were great. A lot of them said that they outright didn't have the balls to be as low as we were to the action.
Trust me......dude......the whole battlefield is much different from 100 feet at 120KIAS than it is from FL370.
However, I can remember several times when we called for -130 support and were told that it would be 2-3 weeks to get the support online (for a flash priority mission I might add) to get our mission done. Not what you want to here or have to deal with when people could get hurt and need supplies.
It always seemed that the guys we dealt with wanted us to fight according to their timeline and it ****ed us off not to mention put is a pinch every now and then. It very well may have been that particular unit, but you know the saying about "one bad apple."
It will take a lot of on-time-or-better missions to relieve that stigma. Sorry, it's just the way it is.
However, all the C-17 guys I have met and drank with, they were great. A lot of them said that they outright didn't have the balls to be as low as we were to the action.
Trust me......dude......the whole battlefield is much different from 100 feet at 120KIAS than it is from FL370.
09-22-2008, 07:38 PM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: HMMWV in Iraq
Posts: 328
Since we're busting chops here...
Didn't see this in person, but a buddy at work said there was a couple displays at the Oceana air show this weekend. The Army had some huge trailer with a ton of cool simulators and displays. The Marines had a pull-up bar, and the challenge was to be able to do just 3 pullups (the minimum on a Marine PFT). Supposedly the lines were equally as long for each one. Perhaps somebody who was there can elaborate.
As far as I know, I've never met a single person who was not happy flying whatever it was they were flying. FA-18's, C-130's, CH-46's, 53's, doesn't matter, they all love it. When they complain, and want to get out, the complaint is always against the service. Its a machine, it takes you in, chews you up, and spits you out. The needs of the service come first. Whether its you flying CH-46's even though you had jet grades, or you taking the 14 month IA just after coming home from deployment, or you getting every qualification in the book followed by a 3 year desk job that turns the qual letter into a worthless piece of paper, the needs of the service always come first. As long as you are cool with that, and understand you will pay a price for whatever E-ticket ride you get, you'll definitely have fun while it lasts.
And Chinookdriver is absolutely right. There's infantry, and everything else is support.
Didn't see this in person, but a buddy at work said there was a couple displays at the Oceana air show this weekend. The Army had some huge trailer with a ton of cool simulators and displays. The Marines had a pull-up bar, and the challenge was to be able to do just 3 pullups (the minimum on a Marine PFT). Supposedly the lines were equally as long for each one. Perhaps somebody who was there can elaborate.
As far as I know, I've never met a single person who was not happy flying whatever it was they were flying. FA-18's, C-130's, CH-46's, 53's, doesn't matter, they all love it. When they complain, and want to get out, the complaint is always against the service. Its a machine, it takes you in, chews you up, and spits you out. The needs of the service come first. Whether its you flying CH-46's even though you had jet grades, or you taking the 14 month IA just after coming home from deployment, or you getting every qualification in the book followed by a 3 year desk job that turns the qual letter into a worthless piece of paper, the needs of the service always come first. As long as you are cool with that, and understand you will pay a price for whatever E-ticket ride you get, you'll definitely have fun while it lasts.
And Chinookdriver is absolutely right. There's infantry, and everything else is support.
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