ROTC vs PLC

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Rhino35

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I have a son that is attending a university in his first year on an ROTC Marine option scholarship. His desire is to fly in the Marines. He heard today that it is tough to get the flight option after ROTC with the marines but going thru the PLC program could make it happen....any thoughts....and if this is true what happens to the scholarship
 
I am certain that there are many here to correct any mistakes to the following comments, so feel free.
Also as a father of a Marine option freshman.

It is my understanding that both are going to end up where their effort and class placement takes them. NROTC group will probalby know each other as they go through different MOS. PLC will have a lot crammed in a short period of time. (Pay me now or pay me later :)

Did a PLCer make that comment to your son?
 
Not sure where comment came from..he just called and made that statement to me. What exactly is PLC without sounding to uninformed
 
There is a PLC guaranteed aviation program. PLC is basically a summer internship program. You do all your training in the summer. You don't take ROTC so you can attend any college - you can also get money for school but maybe not a full scholarship.

The guaranteed aviation program basically qualified you for aviation before you make a commitment to military service (unless you have received money for your education).
If you pass the flight physical and aviation test then when you commit they will guarantee you that you will be chosen for aviation.

http://officer.marines.com/marine/m.../commissioning_programs/platoon_leaders_class

http://www.marionmilitary.edu/programs/plcii.da
Aviation guarantees are available in PLC. Those who qualify receive up to 25 hours of flight training while still in college, in order to familiarize themselves with general flight before going to military flight school, following commission. In addition to the other requirements for PLC, applicants must achieve a passing score on the United States Navy and Marine Corps Flight Aptitude Battery. Additionally, applicants must be able to pass the United States Navy Flight Class Physical.
Pilot: After training for up to 16 months at flight school in Pensacola, Florida, you'll be assigned to an aircraft in your area of expertise. Whether you fly a fixed-wing, rotary-wing or tilt-rotor aircraft, you'll be at the controls as one of the elite pilots of the world.
Naval Flight Officer (NFO): You will train for 8-10 months at flight school in Pensacola, Florida, to master navigation, radar, on-board computer control, electronic warfare measures, and weapons system control. Once assigned to an aircraft, you'll provide the pilot with the vital information necessary to fly though any conditions.
Click to expand...

Don't be too quick to switch. It could be that every MC ROTC mid who wants and qualifies for aviation gets it. There is a need for MC pilots.
With the PLC at least you would know if you were qualified before making a commitment to serve.
 
Ask the Battalion Commander

When my daughter and I met with three different NROTC units this summer, they were very forthcoming about the MOSs that their grads were being placed in. Every one stated (admittedly talking about Navy option mids) that if one wanted aviation and was physically qualified, he/she got aviation. They were even able to give me offhand stats as to the prior three graduating classes. Since your s is already in a program, he should inquire as to the luck that unit has had in placing its people.

Again, since our focus was on Navy option, admittedly it could be VERY different for Marines; however, I would think that the Commander or XO keeps track of where their grads go after commissioning.
 
Thanks to all who took the time to reply to my inquiry. It is much appreciated..
 
I have friend whose son is a Freshman at a state school on NROTC scholarship. He really wants to fly for the Navy, but he recently became aware that there may not be any availability for him to be a pilot through NROTC. Not familiar with PLC, but would that be an option for him with the Navy? Saw JAM's post , but didn't know if the same applies for Navy. Any suggestions?
 
tpg - Thanks for the website reference. It looks like a good place for my friend to start in looking at some other options.
 
Actually, USNA gets USMC flight spots guarenteed

Look at the statistics...
Recently, the 1047 members of the Class of 2008 chose the following service and warfare specialties to enter after graduation and commissioning:

Naval Aviation: Pilot training -- 224 men and 33 women;
Naval Flight Officer training -- 82 men and 16 women.
Marine Corps Aviation: Pilot training -- 77 men and 6 women;
Flight Officer training -- 2 men.
Surface Warfare: conventional -- 185 men and 66 women;
Nuclear power -- 23 men and 14 women.
Marine Corps Ground: 113 men and 19 women.
Submarine Warfare: 121 men.
Navy Restricted Line and Staff Corps: 8 men and 1 woman, including midshipmen not physically qualified for the unrestricted line duties above, elected specialization in aviation maintenance duty, cryptology, intelligence, supply corps, civil engineering corps and meteorology/oceanography.

Medical Corps: 7 men and 3 women.
Special Warfare (SEAL): 24 men.
Special Operations (diving, salvage and explosive ordnance disposal): 14 men and 1 woman.
Interservice commissioning in the U.S. Air Force: 4 women.
Interservice commissioning in the U.S. Army: 2 women.
Interservice commissioning in the U.S. Coast Guard: 2 men.

It's from http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/choices.htm
 
Just to add more facts to the mixture, I have important information for people considering PLC as an aviation option.

ALL aviation slots for PLC/OCC have been cancelled until further notice. If you have already contracted for PLC (split or combined) under Air then you can go. If you haven't contracted, then you will not be able to get an Air option.

My OSO guestimates the slots opening up again around the winter class of OCC 2010. This is apparently because certain officers over-estimated the attrition rate of flight school and the Marine Corps now has too many pilots.
 
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