Marine Officer Programs

[jdfairman]

Vision requirement is 20/40 in each eye correctable to 20/20.
PRK is the only surgery that is currently approved for a waiver. The effects of Lasik are still being studied, so it is not yet approved. I have a friend who got PRK and had no problem obtaining a waiver. He had good luck with it and is now training in our sister squadron. The only drawback was that he had to pay for it himself. He considered it well worth it. Ask your OSO or MOI about the process. Also, check out www.nomi.med.navy.mil . Select the HTML sight, select NAMI off the sidebar, have a look around. Take a look at the waiver guide. Lots of good info.

[jdfairman]

Also, as far as I could tell, when I was there, the flight surgeons aren't out to get you. If you're elgible for a waiver, you'll more than likely get one. Try not to put too much stock in the rumor mill. You'll only worry yourself to death needlessly.

[gatormatt]

Thank you sir. I'm nowhere near 20/40 so I have pretty much accepted that I'll never get to fly a multi-million dolaar aircraft. But I have some friends that really want to fly, but have doubts about their eyesight. I could never really give them that much information, so they were talking to some Air Force recruiters. Maybe this info will help me get them back from the darkside. Thanks again sir.
Matt

[jdfairman]

You might be able to fly. Like I say, look into the PRK. Even if you have to pay for it yourself, if you really yearn to fly its probably worth it.

[Sixguns]

Lieutenant,

YOur information is accurate and up-to-date. Lasik is actually being performed on some servicemembers who are qualified. This is after they have been accepted for service. In the D.C. area the wait could be anywhere from 6 months to 2 years for the procedure if you are selected as a candidate.

One thing I would caution an aviation officer candidate on is the fact that an aviation guarantee does not guarantee you a seat in a cockpit. There is the chance you could end up as an aviation maintenance officer, air defense officer or a few other MOS's outside of the cockpit. I personally would not go through PRK. I would say become a Marine officer, regardless of aviation guarantee or not. Go out and get a private pilot's license and fly recreationally if you really want to fly.

SF,

Sixguns

[gatormatt]

I am currently a ground contract, but as soon as I get accepted to law school I will switch over to law contract. I'm looking forward to doing law because I heard that although the first few years is basically drafting wills and landlord/tenant type stuff, the years that follow allow the opportunity for some pretty neat legal work.

Thanks again to everyone for the information.

Matt

[WMjets]

For those of you new to the forum: I'm a midshipman in Marine option NROTC at the University of Michigan.

Sorry, I haven't been around lately, lots and lots of studies. I just got a chance to skim the last two pages, didn't see anything that I could really give any input on. If there is something that someone wants me to look at, post it and then you can let me know via email (sfdoordie@yahoo.com). I should be able to find the time for a speedy response if I know that there is something for me specifically. Sorry about the hassle. It'll only be until May when school lets out.

Thanks,
Jo

[Blakeney]

I am also a MO NROTC Mid at Marquette U in Milwaukee WI, I am college program and would be more than willing to give any advice to anybody looking at it. My one bit of advice would be to NOT talk with your recruiter about NROTC....DO talk with your local recruiter for info about the Corps, local recruiters are the BEST source of general Corps info. However, they do have quotas to fill, and (in my experience) would much rather have you enlist than be in NROTC.

I also appologize that it's been a while since I've been to the site, SOO much study, whoever said this college thing was easy had never gone.

I have a question for the Officers, are any of you Infantry Officers? That is where I want to go and I am wondering what I have to look forward too.

OohRaah!
MIDN Blakeney

Ps. I just judged a JNROTC Drill Meet today and if any of you poolees are JROTC, props to you. You will definetly be ahead of the game, as long as you never think that you are ahead of the game, if you get what I'm saying.

[pitbull04]

I'm currently an applicant for the NROTC scholarship and I'm just wondering about "in contract" NROTC. I mean for the many kids that don't receive the scholarship, most apply for a contract in college. That is like they'll pay for the first year or whatever of college while going through NROTC and if they applied themeselves i believe they are offered a contract by the Navy/ Marines in which the rest of the schooling is paid for. The question i have is what are the chances of getting offered the "in contract" way through college if denied the NROTC scholarship. The reason i am asking is that i been juggling in my mind the NROTC way or going through MECEP or BOOST, but really wanting to earn my anchor globe and eagle one way or another. Going to college for free isn't my goal, becoming an officer is.

Thanks to anyone who replies.

pitbull04

[Blakeney]

Pitbull,

The way I understand it, being a non-scholarship Marine Op NROTC Student, is that there are a number of ways to go about getting your commission through NROTC. If you do not recieve your 4 year scholarship you should contact the NROTC Recruiting Officer at the school you want to go to (this can be done by going to the school's website and finding the NROTC website, or by going to the navy's NROTC website and finding the appropriate link to your school) Once you have contacted the recruiting officer tell him or her that you did not recieve the scholarship but would still like to join the program as a College Program Marine Option Midshipman. You and the officer will have some paper work to do (yes, the paperwork for NROTC is literally never ending)

Once in school you MOI (Marine Officer Instructor) will work with you to get you the 3 year scholarship. No matter what, 4, 3, 2 year or no scholarship you will not be obligated to go this route until sophmore year. If you never pick up a scholarship, and assuming your MOI approves once you enter you junior year you will recieve Advanced Standing College Program, that is the point at which you will be Contracted to the Marine Corps if you never pick up a sholarship. Once you are Advanced Standing you are approved to go to OCS and get commissioned.

The advantage to going through NROTC as a college programer as opposed to just doing PLC is that you do Marine PT 2-3 times a week with a Staff or Gunnery Sgt who was/is a DI and will make sure you are in shape. To all of you Sirs out there that went through PLC, I am in no way saying NROTC is better than PLC , just different.

The basic idea is if you do not get the 4-year and don't feel bad if you don't, very few people recieve the 4-year scholarship because the Marine Corps doesn't have a lot of money to throw around, go to a school with NROTC, do College Program, keep your grades above a 3.0, get at least a 230 on your PFT, make sure you SHOW your MOI how much you want to be a Marine and what you are willing to do to get the oh-so-coveted title. (Keep in mind, motovation and determination cannot be told, only shown) Do these things and you should be set.

Well, I know, a lot of info for a seemingly cut and dry matter but there's a lot that goes into the whole deal. If anything I said is not clear or you want more info I'd be happy to help you out.

OooRah!
MIDN Blakeney

[jdfairman]

Thanks MIDN Blakeney. Great info. I am glad there are a few NROTC guys on the thread. I can talk all day long about PLC, but I know zero about NROTC.

[jdfairman]

See you all in about a month and a half.

[Blakeney]

Lt Fairman,

I'm glad to talk about NROTC and I appriecate the info about PLC and TBS.


OooRah!

[Aggie04]

Sir, I have a question about the PFT. I applied to PLC and I know that I will post high and possibly perfect scores for crunches and the 3-mile run. But my pullups are a bit lacking by OCS standards (I only decided to apply involved about a month and a half ago and while I've been running/crunching for some time now I pretty much neglected pullups). This is frustrating because I have good upper body strength when it comes to benching and the like. My recruiter's helped a ton showing me the Armstrong technique and other exercises but I'm worried that it won't be enough in time for my PFT a week from now. How significantly will it affect my application if I have a strong showing in the other two categories? My GPA is a 2.86 and I have a decent resume, if that's any help.

Thank you for any information.

[jdfairman]

A 2.86 GPA and an awesome run time can carry you pretty far. The main problem with lacking pullups is that each one counts for five points of your PFT. Do the math. Thats alot of points. Its hard to give you a solid answer. It all depends on how many slots are available this year and how competitive it is.
If you don't mind me asking, how many pullups can you do at this point? What is your current PFT score? How fast is the run? How many crunches?