I'm leaving for boot camp in a few months(2) and am signed up for avionics since the AG aircrew MOS category was full for my period.
If I am unable to get the AG category before I leave, how soon can I change or "lat move" to the aircrew MOS's and schooling. My goal in life is to become a Marine and a crew chief. I'm 24 and know what it is like to have a job that sucks because you really want something else. Also, are "lat moves" difficult to acheive? Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks

If there was not an opening for air crew, why didn't you just wait them out till one opened up?

quote:

Marine Corps , Active Duty
Resides in Utah

Hey Mr Numbers, you are not in the Marine Corps yet. You signed up to go to Boot Camp and that you might make it though then you might make it though your A school then to My Air Wing. So you an'it nothing yet but a Wannabe. I allow Wannabes to post in the Wingers section as most Marine's are not and will not be Wingers so we give a little latitude to Wannabe's. Watch your tone with us or you will get a timeout, show some respect to us. You will not be warned again, so ask you question again in a nice way and apolgise to Mr Mann who is a friend of mine. He has earned it as a Crew Chief....

Oh ya, change your profle....

RonMann and TomHansen... I apologize for any disrespect that my initial question may have caused. Such disrespect went unnoticed and was in no way intentional. I'll try again. In response to your reply message TomHansen, there was an opening in the AG section the night before I left to Salt Lake City to complete my entering the DEP(I also reside in Utah). I was told by my recruiter to sign open contract and he would fax a paper later that day requesting the AG position for me. Needless to say the opening was gone that very evening but my departure date still stands as December 8th. I was bummed.
I probably never should have signed the open contract, but did only as I was told. Now I am hoping and praying for an opening. Thanks for any information and much respect to you guys.

IF you get rotor wing Avionics, you can cross train once you get to your squadron, if they have an open billet, they may let you use AG as a secondary MOS if there are no open billets. That is all up to the CO. If you get fixed wing Avionics, you will have to wait until it is time to re-enlist.

Unless it's a C-130 there are no Air Crew's for enlisted in Fixed Wing. The F-18 is a 2 seater, EA6b which is going bye bye (from what I'm told) is a 4 seater, and the TAV8B is a Two Seater but used for training. Very few get fun rides in any of these Air Craft. The best your going to be is Plane Captian with a Turn Up Licence. You also may not have a choice at the time on you A/C type, ita all depsneds on the needs of the Marine Corps as to where, what and when. Is the Osprey consider rotery? I would think so if based at New River...

quote:

AG category before I leave, how soon

Hey, tell the recruiter that you are committed to becomming a Marine, but do not, DO NOT go open contract. You are pretty much rolling a pair of dice. You might get lucky...most likely not. I had to bust my but to get the AG option. I was also 24 when I DEP'd. There will be a bunch of hoops that you will have to go through after boot (assuming you get AG) before you get to the squadron.

As for trying a LAT move....from what I have seen so far, forget it. That is usually reserved for Marines who are 1.reenlisting 2. They need folks in the MOS they want and 3. Your MOS can afford to loose you after all the training/time/money that has been sunk into you.

As for being aircrew, do you get motion sickness? How is your swimming skills?

Just my 10 cents.

quote:

Is the Osprey consider rotery? I would think so if based at New River...

Yes here is an article from the Marine Corps times where a 46 squadron is recommisioned into an Osprey squadron.


MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C., June 27, 2006 – Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 cased their colors and stood down during a ceremony June 16 on the flightline.

The ceremony represented the beginning of the squadron’s transition to the new MV-22 “Osprey,” and “signifies the end of CH-46E operations for the squadron,” said U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Joseph E. George, commanding officer for Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266.

“It’s a great day for the Marine Corps and Marine Corps aviation,” he added.

Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 will be renamed Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266, and will stand back up next year as the third operational “Osprey” squadron in the Marine Corps, writing a new chapter in aviation history, said George, who received a Bronze Star Medal during the ceremony for his work during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Currently all Marine Corps “Osprey” squadrons are located on Marine Corps Air Station New River.

The Station houses two testing and training squadrons along with the first operational “Osprey” squadron, VMM-263. Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron-162 is scheduled to stand up in September as the second operational squadron.

The switch to MV-22’s will give the squadron a whole new level of capabilities, said George, who recently received his 3,000 flight hours pin.

Traveling almost twice as fast and carrying 10 more Marines than the aging “Sea Knight,” the “Osprey” will replace all medium lift helicopters in the Marine Corps. The MV-22 also has the ability to refuel in flight, making it self-deployable.

The pilots of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 will head to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron-204 and begin a six-month school, learning how to fly the revolutionary aircraft.

“It’s two different theories of flight,” said U.S. Marine Maj. Mike Duncan, a pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 moving to the new machine. “You have aspects of both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft.”

Duncan said he is excited about moving to the MV-22, and said the Marine Corps will benefit from the increased long range capability.

The squadron ended its journey on a positive note, returning all of its Marines and sailors safely from its most recent deployment to Iraq, said George.

He said he expects the squadron to continue its proud tradition when it re-emerges as an “Osprey” squadron and prepares for another deployment, possibly in 2008.

quote:

Originally posted by 19242945:
RonMann and TomHansen... I apologize for any disrespect that my initial question may have caused. Such disrespect went unnoticed and was in no way intentional. I'll try again. In response to your reply message TomHansen, there was an opening in the AG section the night before I left to Salt Lake City to complete my entering the DEP(I also reside in Utah). I was told by my recruiter to sign open contract and he would fax a paper later that day requesting the AG position for me. Needless to say the opening was gone that very evening but my departure date still stands as December 8th. I was bummed.
I probably never should have signed the open contract, but did only as I was told. Now I am hoping and praying for an opening. Thanks for any information and much respect to you guys.

The time for prayer is over.

The time for action is now.

Get off your azz, call your recruiter and see what if or if any thing can be changed.

Something like, can your departure time be rolled back until there is an opening.

The only person that can help yourself is you.

If you are not willing to enguage the problem, why do you think that the Lord would be willing to do so?

You're a 24 year old man.

Act like you have a pair with hair on them.

quote:

Act like you have a pair with hair on them.

My wife likes them shaven

RonMann... I've already apologized once for unintentionally disrespecting you, I will not do it again. You obviously wonder if I have a pair, well, I'll go toe to toe with most any man and surely do not fear you. Even if I am just a poolee at the moment. I've been lead sawyer on wildfires for years and worked in -20 through the off season winters. The pair is right where they should be. I've been contacting my recruiter every day for the past 3 and 1/2 weeks, asked about shipping out later already, moving MOS periods, etc. There's not one day gone by I don't train to improve my physical conditioning and that's after 8 hours of labor intensive concrete work. I'm selling my house, nice truck, ATV and will be making less money than I do now because I want to serve my country and nothing less(and I'm married).

I'm just looking for additional opinions on my situation. Thanks to everyone so far for the info. It has helped. I respect all Marines who are and/or have served, but RonMann you couldn't be more wrong about this man sitting on his ass or not having a pair.


Enough with the numbers, Pike2013.

darkroninPIMP, thanks. I was thinking about going open contract if nothing else, but thought my chances would be better than you described...so I will not. What do you mean by having to bust your butt to get the AG option? Did you not sign right into it when you signed your contract either?

To answer your questions, no I do not get motion sickness and I do swim well. I grew up in Southern Cali surfing 4-5 days a week through high school and junior college. What do the swim quals include? I've been swimming at the university pool 1-2 times a week just doing laps. I'm sure there is something more I could do with my time there.

Thanks for your response. If so, could you tell me a little more about your process of entering the AG option? And how have you liked it so far?

-Pike2013


BTW TomHansen- No disrespect to RonMann, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

Good.

At least you have some fire in your belly.

What is your recruiter telling you?

No disrepect taken.

It is beyound me, why people take an open contract.

As said earlier, it is a crap shoot.

quote:

Originally posted by gsemarine94:

quote:

Act like you have a pair with hair on them.

My wife likes them shaven

This isn't going to turn into a teabag story, is it?

RonMann... my recruiter keeps saying he'll get it if he can, but I doubt he checks the openings daily. He shows me new print outs every 2-3 days and that's it.

He did make a call to a Marine above him in regards to our situation, about moving my ship date back one period and an open AG back one period so it would work. I had to ask him to make this call in front of me so I knew there was no b/s. This Marine said he had not received authorization yet to do such moves but asked that we send a "job switch" fax so that when authorization is granted he could switch it. My recruiter said there's no telling when this could happen, if at all.

Does this sound valid? I'm on my way back to the recruiting office this morning.

-Pike2013

Stay on his azz.

The squeaky wheel gets heard.

DarkroninPIMP, I see that you are a Loadmaster.Back when I was in, the MOS was radio operator/loadmaster.Is this still the case?The school at MCAS Cherry Point was a ball-buster,especially learning Morse code.It was a long 16 weeks!
Semper Fi, Steve

i dont see what all the fuss is about...

if you find your contract unacceptable, don't accept it.


on the flip side- a background in avi would net you more post military opportunities.
pete

Yeah, ole crew chief's in the after life are fairly limited in the job market.

We are religated to $hit jobs like peforming brain surgery.

As for learning Morse code...not anymore. I am "J" qualified. I don't get to fly any of the "Legacy" Herks. The guys who still are Legacy qualified still operate the radios.

FLying in the J can be boring; I just use the time to keep my head in the books. Pretty soon here, the reserve squadrons will be the only units with legacy Herks. I think they are all T Models.

As for numbers....make sure when either you are at Meps or the recruiters and you start signing all of your final paper work, that at the top are big letters that say AG - Aircrew