Which OCS Program is right for me?

[DAVIDB1220]

Good evening Marines and everyone! first off i have excellent news yesterday. I have been granted a nomination to the United States Merchant Marine Academy from my congressman and my application is going for an appointment. I know i want to fly planes and at first was confused about how the Merchant Marine Academy is majority Maritime. But with some quick research i found that many pilots and even Astronauts are included in their alumni.

The great thing about the Merchant Marine Academy is i can commission into any branch of the armed forces and still go fly. Since my main goal is to be a Marine pilot, attending the Merchant Marine Academy would be a direct commission upon graduation. Of course i have to throw away 2 years if i do accept the appointment if i'm granted one. I spoke with my OSO about this knowing that i'm currently working with him on a PLC package. But he even told me that if i was appointed to the Academy to take it because these opportunities come only once in life.

The beauty of this is, that I've always wanted to attend a Service Academy and through the past couple of years, I've been doubting the possibility of attending one. Even though this isn't my main goal, the Naval Academy, it's still an Academy and definitely a respectable achievement. Hopefully good things will happen in the future and maybe this is the back door to the goal I've been wanting to achieve for a long time.

[USMC 2571]

Excellent news indeed! Keep us posted, as you have been doing.

[LCPL1341]

Honestly, I'd stick with the PLC Route. Your end goal is to be a Marine Corps Officer and a Naval Aviator. How you get there is irrelevant really as long as you get there. No one will care about your commissioning source in flight school or maybe even TBS. From reading about the USMMA, the chances of commissioning as a Marine Corps Officer out of there are small. The chances of commissioning as a Marine Corps Officer with an air contract are even slimmer. PLC is the path of least resistance to achieving your primary goal (becoming a Marine officer). I'd say stick with PLC and the OSO, enjoy college, and keep PT'ing. That's just my opinion though. Something to think about.

[DAVIDB1220]

"How you get there is irrelevant really as long as you get there. No one will care about your commissioning source in flight school or maybe even TBS"

That right there is something I've come to learn over many years. I want to continue on with PLC, but i'm going to send an application to the USMMA just to try. I don't want to let this opportunity pass by without giving an effort to try. That's the best that i can do is at least try.

[USMC 2571]

As LCPL says, whatever holds the MOST chance of you getting to fly with the USMC. It would be something, to turn down PLC and choose the academy, only to have your career path somehow thwarted later on.....lots of hard choices to make, maybe not right now, but perhaps later.....good luck to you. I hope you succeed at becoming a Marine Corps pilot.

[DAVIDB1220]

Thank you. ..definitely something to consider thinking about

[03Mike]

"How you get there is irrelevant really as long as you get there. No one will care about your commissioning source in flight school or maybe even TBS" --- Very true words. While I cannot comment on your odds of getting an aviation contract if you commission out of the USMMA, I can comment on your odds of going to flight school if you commission with a PLC-Aviation contract. Through PLC-A, flight school is not guaranteed (nothing is guaranteed), but it provides a better than even shot at getting your chances at a slot at Pensacola.

[DAVIDB1220]

good morning ladies and gentleman, Marines. First off Happy New years to all of you! I hope you all had a very wonderful time celebrating with your family and friends. I hope you all have a wonderful 2016! Now onto business.

Recently I've been discussing with another forum i'm on that is regarding service Academies. I've been on this forum for many years and its filled with trustworthy information. I recently made a post on the Merchant Marine Academy board asking a favorable question of mine that actually was stated here. I pretty much got the same answer and some other great answers as well, that with the combination of your answers, will lead me to right path.

If you guys would like to read my thread on that site, check the link below. my screen name is DC1220 on this other forum (Yeah not much of a difference there lol), those are my post.Once again Happy New Years and may all of you have a wonderful 2016. Be sure to check out this thread as i will continue to post more on any updates that come up.

Thank you for all your responses, i really do appreciate all of your feedback as this really is a lifelong dream i'm chasing and is means so much to me. Having so many role models and mentors on my side, it really feels good, knowing i have places i can come to for guidance.

If you have any questions or anymore advice please do continue to post on this thread. I not only want this thread for my own personal path, but i believe others who want to become Marine Officers or just have guidance on becoming Marine Officers may also want to look into this thread and your advice could really help them. So please do continue to post on this thread anything you wish to post regarding questions, comments or concerns on my path to becoming an officer.

Thank you again

link to my other post on the forum:

http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/...5/#post-456176

[DAVIDB1220]

Good Evening Ladies and gentlemen,

First off i would like to say hello and hope you are all doing well.

In my recent absence, I've been extremely busy with school, work, and life(College life, girlfriend, you know the works lol). Anyways i would like to give you an update on how things are going.

I recently submitted my application to the United States Merchant Marine Academy(USMMA) in Kings Point, New York. If appointed I will attend in July and will be on the path to a direct commission in the Marines as a 2nd Lt. Now i wont find out my acceptance or rejection until April.

That happens to be the same month that is the cutoff for this next PLC class going for the PLC 6/6 split. But i have thought of a plan B.

IF for some reason, i do not get appointed to the Academy, and i miss the PLC cutoff date, I will then go ahead and proceed to attend the PLC Combined course during the summer of my junior/senior year at an upper university(Which is my plan B University). This is something i plan on discussing with my OSO. Again this is only a plan B for if i do not get into the Academy.

As much as i feel that i am a strong candidate for the Academy and I feel confident that i will be appointed, i cannot take the risk of not getting an appointment and being stuck in a pickle that would be extremely difficult to get out of. But thanks to my logical thinking, I've successfully planned out a path and a detour if needed for anything that arises.

My medical and physical are both cleared and i feel that everything is starting to move into place in this puzzle.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please please please reply to this thread, i would be more than happy to address and answer anything that comes up.


Thanks again y'all and look forward to hearing from all of you.

Its been a long road, but its just getting started.

[USMC 2571]

That's good news. Having a plan A and plan B helps.

Having a plan C also helps.

Keep us updated on this thread, as you have been doing.