Marine Aviator to MARSOC FAC

[DAVIDB1220]

How does a Marine Aviator become a MARSOC Forward Air Controller if possible? I've read about them, and about how some marine aviators do something called a "B-billet" but i can't find anything on the process. i would like to know a little bit more about the process of going from a Marine Corps Aviator to a MARSOC FAC, thank you.

Also just out of curiosity, if a Marine Aviator becomes a MARSOC FAC, does that qualify them as a MARSOC Marine, and are there any RECON FACs?

-thanks and Semper Fi
Future Marine Officer

[josephd]

If this is possible, I would have no idea to go about it. I can say though this would not be a B-billet. A B-billet is not something you'd do until you are a senior 1st Lieutenant or Captain which is pretty far off for you.

[MunkyVsRobot]

Before you begin planning on how you are going to do all this other stuff, why not try and find out how you can become a Marine pilot first before you try and figure out how to get a job and then switch it.

There is a very long process just to become a Marine Corps officer let alone an aviation officer.

[josephd]

Before you begin planning on how you are going to do all this other stuff, why not try and find out how you can become a Marine pilot first before you try and figure out how to get a job and then switch it.

There is a very long process just to become a Marine Corps officer let alone an aviation officer.

^true story^

the aviation training pipeline is EXTREMELY long

[DAVIDB1220]

Well, i've looked into the process of becoming a pilot and it sure is long. First College and commission, then Pensacola, then Corpus Christi, and then it's like six months or so, for the MOS of whatever type you get, fixed wing, rotor, or tilt rotor. I've got some basics on it, but sometimes curiosity just pops up and i begin to wonder these things i read about. and im always looking for things i dont know about. I know aviation contracts are a minimum of 8 years rather than the standard 4. Thanks for all the replies. if anyone else has anything they would like to add, please do so. all comments are appreciated.

-thanks

[josephd]

you're missing 6 months of TBS......also the wait time to pick up with a TBS class and the wait time to pick up a class in flight school, add about another year or more in there.

it's good that you've done your research and know what you're getting into but B-Billets should not be your concern right now. B-Billets are typically jobs as a Company Commander at a school of infantry(ITB/MCT), an MOS school house, at the recruit depot as a series/company commander, etc....b-billets aren't operational assignments in the fleet.

I do know of an aviator that is MARSOC though, he was done with all of his formal flight training before he got the opportunity to go through MARSOC indoc/training and it wasn't as a b-billet

[DAVIDB1220]

wow, can't believe i forgot the one and only TBS, but very interesting having an aviator go from an aviation to what i presume an infantry mos, unless he did do something like forward air controller. Well the reason i was bringing it up is because they're some Marines who become pilots and then become forward air controller for MARSOC for a little while.

DO you guys know of any way a marine corps pilot could become MARSOC

[josephd]

he is not a FAC, he is a (Capt.) team leader/operator. being an operator is not an infantry(03xx) MOS, it is completely different.

[josephd]

in order to become an operator as a pilot would be no different than if you wanted to become an operator from an infantry or logistics MOS. if there is a seat open and you have the availability/capability of going then you submit a package for it.

just keep in mind you won't be allowed to put in a package while you're a boot butter bar at flight school in Pensacola, you'll have to wait until you're done with all that...which is years after you commission

[DAVIDB1220]

Yeah, probably around the time of Captain or Major, and probably after i get combat experience in flight. Well looks like it might be a long road til then.

Thanks for the reply.

[josephd]

Yeah, probably around the time of Captain or Major, and probably after i get combat experience in flight. Well looks like it might be a long road til then.

Thanks for the reply.

Not Major....Captain is the last rank you can go off and do anything like that really. Similar to Sgt on the enlisted side. As a Major you will be filling command and staff billets at various units based on your MOS and experience. Unless you were already a a part of MARSOC prior to that rank and you're elgible for a command/staff billet within MARSOC you will not be brought into MARSOC as a senior Captain or Major. That is like a 1st Sgt going to MARSOC...not gonna happen.

[DAVIDB1220]

Yeah, I've heard of captains doing jobs outside of there MOS like series commander at MCRDs. So pretty much the only way for a Marine Corps Pilot to go MARSOC is to go through ITC and all the other phases?

[josephd]

Yeah, I've heard of captains doing jobs outside of there MOS like series commander at MCRDs. So pretty much the only way for a Marine Corps Pilot to go MARSOC is to go through ITC and all the other phases?

sure?.....I don't know the details on it...

I understand your inquiries and wanting to know how this kinda thing will work but like we mentioned before....why don't you worry about getting into and graduating from OCS for right now. Once you're commissioned there will a ton of resources at your disposal to figure this kind of thing out and you'll have plenty of time to mull it over.

[DAVIDB1220]

you know what, you're right, we dont know whats going to happen in the future of the marine corps, so im just going to focus on gaining my commission for now. Thanks for replies and who knows what the future holds.

-Semper fi