flying qualifications

[marine19860222]

my friend right here wants me to put a post on this site because she is interested in becomming an aviator for the USMC and wants to know the qualifications. If anyone could give me an answer id appreciate it, thank you.

[mcsap]

Can your friend dial 1-800 Marine Recruiter ?

We of course can try to help but a recruiter will know or can find out the EXACT requirements.

Jaunt10 is your single BEST source to ask as he is a Naval aviator as far as people on this board. The rest of us will throw USAF, USA, USCG etc stuff at you.

[marine19860222]

i already asked the recruiter for myself and all he said was first you gotta get through boot camp so ask me after, so else wise i would.

[mcsap]

I shall re-phrase. A recruiter as far as I know recruits only enlisted personnel. Flying positions ( except for warrant officers) are officers. So a recruiter may not be the best resource although I suspect the requirements are basic. 4 yr degree, be an officer, excellent physical shape , eyesight etc.

Look up Jaunt10 here, I would think as a naval aviator he would know easily.

[jaunt10]

Hey marine,

To be a Marine aviator you will really need to want to be a Marine first then an aviator. To be an officer your friend will of course need the four year degree then get through OCS and then on to The Basic School that all Marine officers must go through. Then after all that you go to your training command for your MOS. That recruiter shouldnt have told her to pass bootcamp. Bootcamp, at least the enlisted route, has nothing to do with becoming an aviator. If she is in high school she should look at the Naval ROTC which would be the quickest way to get gold bars after the Naval Academy. The Marines also have PLC (Platoon Leaders Course) where inbetween semesters in college potential officers are sent off to learn the Marine way. No matter what each Marine needs to complete Officer Candidate School successfully.

As far as basic quals: first off needs to be physically qualified, have no medical problems, great eyes, etc.
She'll need good grades, the military has become highly selective and it is getting harder and harder to get flight slots.

Then complete the steps to get gold bars then after that complete flight school to get your wings.

If there are anymore specific questions go ahead and ask. I'm around Marine aviators everyday and can probably get some specific answers that a recruiter may just "leave out".

[DltUNH]

Hey marine,

To be a Marine aviator you will really need to want to be a Marine first then an aviator. To be an officer your friend will of course need the four year degree then get through OCS and then on to The Basic School that all Marine officers must go through. Then after all that you go to your training command for your MOS. That recruiter shouldnt have told her to pass bootcamp. Bootcamp, at least the enlisted route, has nothing to do with becoming an aviator. If she is in high school she should look at the Naval ROTC which would be the quickest way to get gold bars after the Naval Academy. The Marines also have PLC (Platoon Leaders Course) where inbetween semesters in college potential officers are sent off to learn the Marine way. No matter what each Marine needs to complete Officer Candidate School successfully.

As far as basic quals: first off needs to be physically qualified, have no medical problems, great eyes, etc.
She'll need good grades, the military has become highly selective and it is getting harder and harder to get flight slots.

Then complete the steps to get gold bars then after that complete flight school to get your wings.

If there are anymore specific questions go ahead and ask. I'm around Marine aviators everyday and can probably get some specific answers that a recruiter may just "leave out".

I have some direct knowledge of the Marine Corps OCS program that would supplement the great info of Jaunt. The OCS program is very drawn out and very selective. First requirement is you must have scored a 1000 on your SAT's to be eligible for the OCS program. If you do not meet this criteria you can take the ASVAB and if you score high enough it will nullify the sub 1000 on SAT's. You complete paperwork after paperwork, get references, write a 100 word essay why you want to be a 2nd lieutenant in the Corps. As Jaunt said in the PLC (Platoon Leader's Course) you go to Quantico Va for OCS. During this time you learn leadership, attend classes, and do physical conditioning. Never fire a weapon during your time at OCS. If you get accepted into the program early enough you will break up your time at OCS into 2 summers. One 6 week and then another 6 week. Or if you do it the summer after your junior year, or even after you graduate a whole 10 or 11 week period of time.
If you choose an aviation contract, you sign away for 6-8 years. The second you graduate college you are eligible to receive your commission as a 2nd lieutenant. You then go down to Quantico for 6 months in which you go to the Basic School. After this you go attend flight school down in Pensacola and depending on what aircraft you will fly the time of training varies.
BUT as many have said the OCS program is highly competitive, get into it as soon as possible cause the earlier in your college career, the better your chances are for acceptance. The application process takes a long time, do not smoke marijuana and if you have remember where it is. Must be less than 10 times. Get involved in clubs at school, do pull ups, run, and situps Marine, the same physical standards for enlisted apply to officers so you could inform your friend. Hope that helped. Go to your recruiter and ask them for the nearest OSS Officer Selection Station, there is an officer in every office who has been there and has gone to recruiter's school and knows the ins and outs of the aviation aspect.

I applied to OCS, realized that the military life was not for me and suspended the application process.

DLT,
Throw me a PM i have more info if you want

[jaunt10]

I forgot to mention, you should check out this website: www.airwarriors.com its a forum that has the answers to anything Navy or Marine Corps aviation related.

[cecilVA]

I didn't know Marines could tie their own shoes without blowing them up, much less fly an airplane! JUST KIDDING, just wanted to poke a little fun ;)

[jaunt10]

Well the Marines around the squadron do a lot of grunting and grrring. And sometimes I just dont get that.

[ngcsubutterbar]

go ask an OSO