Any military aviators on here?

Remember YOUR ultimate goal: until you have Wings of Gold on your breast, all your effort is for naught. Do what it takes. Fight to fly, fly to fight, fight to win. Sincerely, good luck, Marine! It's gonna be a hell of a ride.
 
calberto said:
Sorry to bring back such an old thread, but I thought I’d let everyone know that I was accepted to Marine Corps Officer candidate school starting this June.

I was accepted with an air contract which means after officer candidate school and the basic school (6 month rifleman and leadership training) I will be sent to Pensacola Florida to try my hand at flight school. Thanks for all of your support.
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You already have your ppl? If not id do your IFS. Bout to solo 2 marine pilots seems about half are expected to go 22s they want fixed wing though. Grats on the selection enjoy TBS. They were telling land nav horror stories today sounds fun.
 
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falconkidding said:
You already have your ppl? If not id do your IFS. Bout to solo 2 marine pilots seems about half are expected to go 22s they want fixed wing though. Grats on the selection enjoy TBS. They were telling land nav horror stories today sounds fun.
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Yeah I'm an instrument rated MEL commercial pilot already, though I haven't flown in a few months.
 
calberto said:
Sorry to bring back such an old thread, but I thought I’d let everyone know that I was accepted to Marine Corps Officer candidate school starting this June.

I was accepted with an air contract which means after officer candidate school and the basic school (6 month rifleman and leadership training) I will be sent to Pensacola Florida to try my hand at flight school. Thanks for all of your support.
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You survive AOCS?
 
Forgot to update you all. I got a hernia and hernia surgery shortly before ocs which has delayed me to January. Next time you ask that question this thread will be even older!

The good news is that I’m still accepted and have no limitations. Just lots of time.
 
Hacker said:
Remember, it is a marathon and not a sprint. Keep those wings of gold in sight.
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well.... until 29. Then you gotta be Usain Bolt up in here and grab the door before it slams in your face. There's always Army fling wing school though; they take one legged cripples and even accept walk-ins on Saturdays. *ducks*

I keed I keed. Love my Army Av brethren. All my real-life action heroes are helicopter bros, that's God's honest truth. They get all the hardware these days.
 
hindsight2020 said:
well.... until 29. Then you gotta be Usain Bolt up in here and grab the door before it slams in your face. There's always Army fling wing school though; they take one legged cripples and even accept walk-ins on Saturdays. *ducks*

I keed I keed. Love my Army Av brethren. All my real-life action heroes are helicopter bros, that's God's honest truth. They get all the hardware these days.
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Luckily, I'm only 23, so I can wait for a while. Lot's of time to train, fly, and enjoy my freedom till I leave.
 
Got my orders again. January 5 OCS report date in Quantico. Hopefully, I don't give myself another hernia this time. Sorry for updating such an old post.
 
calberto said:
Got my orders again. January 5 OCS report date in Quantico. Hopefully, I don't give myself another hernia this time. Sorry for updating such an old post.
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Thanks for keeping us up to date. I really have enjoyed catching up on this thread. What a bright future you have before you. While I went enlisted, I was lucky enough later in civilian life to snag a gig (Photo Chase) flying backseat USN F4-J's out of Point Mugu CA. Nothing like being on the wing of Vipers, Eagles and Hornets lighting off AIM-9X, SLAM ER etc.

Go get em' Marine!
 
Mooney Fan said:
Thanks for keeping us up to date. I really have enjoyed catching up on this thread. What a bright future you have before you. While I went enlisted, I was lucky enough later in civilian life to snag a gig (Photo Chase) flying backseat USN F4-J's out of Point Mugu CA. Nothing like being on the wing of Vipers, Eagles and Hornets lighting off AIM-9X, SLAM ER etc.

Go get em' Marine!
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That's pretty awesome!
 
Banjo33 said:
January in Quantico should be terrific, lol!

I was “Arctic Alpha” which classed up in Nov of 2001. Started the rifle range in January...made for some COLD mornings on the range!

Good luck!
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One of my fondest memories at Parris Island rifle range was sitting under a leaky poncho, cold, wet and waiting for daylight at 0500. :D
 
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The koolaide is strong at TBS, don’t give up that flight contract! Oh, and wear goggles on the night land nav course.
 
Yeah what @Banjo33 said. Don't risk your wings on playing GI-Jane jarhead style. Pace yourself. USMC is obviously of the mindset all Marines are infantrymen first, just keep an eye (<--see what I did there?) on the goal. Oh yeah....and Semper Fidelis.
:D
 
Question for the Marine aviators - Is it frowned upon to say the word "question" such as AF fliers don't use the word "head or coin?" I've heard a lot of Marine pilots who say, "Tower (callsign) interrogative." It doesn't surprise me anymore, I almost expect it but to new controllers with limited vocabulary's it seems to confuse them.
 
Velocity173 said:
...and don't do the commisioned route.
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Unit74 said:
With a degree, that's about the worst advice you could have given. Seriously.
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GlennAB1 said:
True.
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Wrong. Most Warrant Officer Candidates have degrees and usually some military experience, too.

I spent 25+ years training knucklehead Lieutenants and punk a$$ Warrant Officers and I can tell you the Warrant Officers were more prepared, dedicated and competent than all but two or three LTs that I distinctly remember. Army Warrant Officers are proficient pilots first and spend most of their careers in the cockpit. Commissioned Officers are the leaders, and must spend a good portion of their existence in a staff position. It's pretty rare to see a Major with Senior or Master wings, unless they've had a combat tour or three...

The Air Force and Navy will put you in some sexy airplanes and you can hum the "Danger Zone" song while you get your 40 or so hours per year..

Also, the Guard or Reserve is a great deal! You'll get more opportunities to advance than the Active Duty guys.

But what do I know?
 
IK04 said:
Wrong. Most Warrant Officer Candidates have degrees and usually some military experience, too.

I spent 25+ years training knucklehead Lieutenants and punk a$$ Warrant Officers and I can tell you the Warrant Officers were more prepared, dedicated and competent than all but two or three LTs that I distinctly remember. Army Warrant Officers are proficient pilots first and spend most of their careers in the cockpit. Commissioned Officers are the leaders, and must spend a good portion of their existence in a staff position. It's pretty rare to see a Major with Senior or Master wings, unless they've had a combat tour or three...

The Air Force and Navy will put you in some sexy airplanes and you can hum the "Danger Zone" song while you get your 40 or so hours per year..

Also, the Guard or Reserve is a great deal! You'll get more opportunities to advance than the Active Duty guys.

But what do I know?
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I think they were thinking I was recommending the Army WOFT route over other services. I was merely pointing out if he were to go Army, then the best path would be warrant over RLO.

Personally I think the Op went the best route, as he is now in the Marines. Should be time for him to start flight school soon.
 
'It's pretty rare to see a Major with Senior or Master wings'

This sums it up for commissioned Aviator in the Army...but I was that Major with Senior Wings when I left...about ten years of service when that happened...and slowed down traumatically over the last ten...
 
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Timbeck2 said:
Question for the Marine aviators - Is it frowned upon to say the word "question" such as AF fliers don't use the word "head or coin?" I've heard a lot of Marine pilots who say, "Tower (callsign) interrogative." It doesn't surprise me anymore, I almost expect it but to new controllers with limited vocabulary's it seems to confuse them.
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That's the same term that the AF trains students (at least, used to when I was a student 20 years ago) to use when asking a question to ATC, too.
 
In my 27 years of ATC, I've yet to hear any pilot, other than Marine, say it.
 
IK04 said:
Commissioned Officers are the leaders, and must spend a good portion of their existence in a staff position. It's pretty rare to see a Major with Senior or Master wings, unless they've had a combat tour or three...
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Not that your post contradicted this, but the scenario is quite different on the AD USN/USMC or USAF side, obviously. I'd have a a few years left to meet the requirements for Master Aviator, but I have the hours needed for either, as a junior O-4. Lots of peers of mine have whored themselves out for hours way more than I ever did, and some of those folks are just breaking 3000 hours now (particularly folks who did a training command tour, which I did not). I know that the news would lead folks to believe that 20 or 40 hours per year is all we are getting, but I'd submit that's a lot less common than they would have you believe. I damn near flew a 50 hour month this Feb as an example.
 
35 AoA said:
Not that your post contradicted this, but the scenario is quite different on the AD USN/USMC or USAF side, obviously. I'd have a a few years left to meet the requirements for Master Aviator, but I have the hours needed for either, as a junior O-4. Lots of peers of mine have whored themselves out for hours way more than I ever did, and some of those folks are just breaking 3000 hours now (particularly folks who did a training command tour, which I did not). I know that the news would lead folks to believe that 20 or 40 hours per year is all we are getting, but I'd submit that's a lot less common than they would have you believe. I damn near flew a 50 hour month this Feb as an example.
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And if you went Army, as an O-4, you’d be lucky if you flew at all last month. Or the whole year for that matter. :(
 
calberto said:
OCS was successful. I am now a 2nd Lieutenant in the USMC. The Basic School for 6 months now, and then they finally send me to flight school for the flying portion. Loving it so far.
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Congrats! If you can’t get OV-10s then go EA-6s.
 
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Remember.....

The enlisted guys run the Corps. Don’t sheet on them, treat them fare, do what you say and you’ll have no probs. I can’t tell you how many times some retorted 2nd LT showed up thinking his crap didn’t stink. They usually paid the price. Know YOUR roll, and know theirs. Don’t try and muddy the waters. And respect is a two way street. They will salute, but that does not equate to respect. Earn your respect and it will pay dividends.

Oh yea, don’t screw the company clerk either. She will end up prego ...... true story behind that one.
 
I second what Unit said above. One of the best books on how to be a leader in the Marines, read “One Bullet Away: The making of a Marine Officer.” Or, you can just watch what the majority of the book is based on; Generation Kill. An outstanding series on the challenges that face all leaders in the military while in wartime.
 
Warlock said:
'It's pretty rare to see a Major with Senior or Master wings'

This sums it up for commissioned Aviator in the Army...but I was that Major with Senior Wings when I left...about ten years of service when that happened...and slowed down traumatically over the last ten...
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Yeah, I was "that guy" when I showed up at Ft. Campbell as a CW3 with Master wings. 3000 hours in the TAC Zone/DMZ in Korea boosted my flight time a little. :rolleyes:

I always thought that if I had done it my way from the beginning, I would have retired as a Marine FA-18 pilot.

My Dad, who was a Pearl Harbor survivor and spent WW2 on every island in the Pacific Theater always told me to revere the Marines because he crawled over lots of dead ones to get to the beach...
 
Unit74 said:
I can’t tell you how many times some retorted 2nd LT showed up thinking his crap didn’t stink.
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I've always been entertained by the personalities of new butter bars that take this route. It's symptomatic of a larger social "retordation" (as you put it) I think. I never really experienced any in my line of work, but the stories abound from our Sailors about such mythical characters. Some were probably even real :) But also, in my community, you never really get operational before 3-4 years, and will be an O-3 by the time you have any semblance of a leadership role. That doesn't mean much, other than an extra 3-4 years of administrative military experience, and one might argue that I was as green as any ENS when I was given the tremendous responsibility and privilege of leading my first division of sailors (similar in numbers to a ground pounder platoon). They worked hard, my job was pushing their paperwork to make sure they could do their jobs both professionally and personally, and their Chiefs and Senior Chief did the hard work of actually managing work from day to day. Not sure how this is difficult for other folks to understand, but apparently it is.
 
Well based on his posts, I believe he’s a hard charger that will be in the top 10 % of his flight class. In that case, he’ll qualify for helos. Phrogs all the way baby!
 
35 AoA said:
I've always been entertained by the personalities of new butter bars that take this route. It's symptomatic of a larger social "retordation" (as you put it) I think. I never really experienced any in my line of work, but the stories abound from our Sailors about such mythical characters. Some were probably even real :) But also, in my community, you never really get operational before 3-4 years, and will be an O-3 by the time you have any semblance of a leadership role. That doesn't mean much, other than an extra 3-4 years of administrative military experience, and one might argue that I was as green as any ENS when I was given the tremendous responsibility and privilege of leading my first division of sailors (similar in numbers to a ground pounder platoon). They worked hard, my job was pushing their paperwork to make sure they could do their jobs both professionally and personally, and their Chiefs and Senior Chief did the hard work of actually managing work from day to day. Not sure how this is difficult for other folks to understand, but apparently it is.
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In my entire career as an Instructor Pilot, I signed off two Second Lieutenants as PC (PIC, Aircraft Commander). I could tell these guys were exceptional and had no reservations about the endorsement and the Commander concurred with my decision both times.

One of those Stellar aviators went on to be a Regimental Commander in the Special Operations community and the other is one of the editors for an Aviation Magazine. Good call...
 
IK04 said:
In my entire career as an Instructor Pilot, I signed off two Second Lieutenants as PC (PIC, Aircraft Commander). I could tell these guys were exceptional and had no reservations about the endorsement and the Commander concurred with my decision both times.

One of those Stellar aviators went on to be a Regimental Commander in the Special Operations community and the other is one of the editors for an Aviation Magazine. Good call...
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Lol! A 2Lt for PC??? That was a different time and place. Closest I’ve come to that would be signing off a 1Lt at around 450 hrs. He was solid though, as are a lot of West Pointers.
 
Velocity173 said:
Well based on his posts, I believe he’s a hard charger that will be in the top 10 % of his flight class. In that case, he’ll qualify for helos. Phrogs all the way baby!
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Flying nam era airframes!

Although MV22s sounds sexy, I heard it’s a career killer after retirement or leaving as it’s not a fixed wing nor a helo.
 
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