Considering Plan B And Uncertainty

TomB

TomB

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Feb 6, 2018
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I have yet to hear from USNA, USAFA, or DoDMerb yet (Need waiver and heard from USMMA because I received a nomination there but I did not apply) and I started my application in August of last year. I am starting to consider my backup plan which is Norwich University which I received a presidential scholarship to. I'm not giving up and trying to stay optimistic but I am a bit worried now. My goal is to fly MV-22 Ospreys in the Marine Corps but I did not receive a nomination to USNA but rather to USAFA. I know Air Force pilots fly them as well but I am uncertain on what to do if I receive an appointment to USAFA and am offered nothing by USNA (I'm praying for NAPS, Superintendent nomination, or Vice Presidential nomination to be my miracle at this point). Has anyone ever been in a similar situation and can provide some advice? I think it would be very dumb to deny an appointment to any service academy but I just do not know what to do. Also, is NAPS or USAFAPS worth it? I'm still a little confused on how that process works. Thank you for any help!
 
If you attended the AF academy you could ask to cross-commission into the marine corps. Of course that’s not guaranteed and you might still have to serve as an AF officer.
 
Tex232 said:
If you attended the AF academy you could ask to cross-commission into the marine corps. Of course that’s not guaranteed and you might still have to serve as an AF officer.
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Oh, I did not know that that was an option, thank you for telling me that will be something to keep in mind!
 
Flying the MV-22 in the USAF would be an excellent experience because you’d get to be in AFSOC.
 
My understanding is that focusing on one air frame is a long shot.

Heck, just getting a flight slot involves jumping a few hoops, so be prepared that you may not necessarily fly the MV-22 or other aircraft of your choice.

The needs of the (insert service branch here) come first.

On a side note, the Army has just recently test flown its new generation tilt rotor, the V-280 Valor! Note how only the rotors tilt....not the entire nacelle as in the Osprey. So don't rule out the U.S. Army!

 
TomB said:
Tex232 said:
If you attended the AF academy you could ask to cross-commission into the marine corps. Of course that’s not guaranteed and you might still have to serve as an AF officer.
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Oh, I did not know that that was an option, thank you for telling me that will be something to keep in mind!
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It is an option but it's extremely rare. Maybe 1 or 2 folks a year do it and you need someone from the other service to cross commission as well (I believe). Not a good plan but it is an option to try if you end up at USAFA.

It would take a miracle to end up at USNA. If you really want to be a Marine pilot, your best shot is probably your plan B. Norwich has an NROTC unit. Don't know if your scholarship locks you into a particular branch but you could join NROTC at Norwich and pursue the Marine option. As a Marine Option you can lock in an aviation contract as early as your sophomore year (assuming you're contracted by then).

If just flying is OK with you then by all means attend USAFA if you get an appointment.

As long as you have a good plan B, and you do, then hearing a negative reply in late April still allows plenty of time to lock down your plan B.
 
Its my dream to attend an academy one day so Ill reapply if Im denied by both. It just so happens that USNA is my #1 but I just think it would be unwise to deny an appointment to USAFA if I was offered one.
 
AROTC-dad said:
My understanding is that focusing on one air frame is a long shot.
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Yes however right now the Marine Corps can't get enough Osprey pilots. If they put it first, they're getting it. Pretty good shot of getting it even if they don't want it. They go through a modified helo syllabus and they're pushing them through as fast as they can to send them to do their fixed wind training. 5-6 years from now when OP is selecting platform that could be totally different, but as of now Ospreys is definitely not a long shot once you're in Marine aviation.

TomB said:
I just think it would be unwise to deny an appointment to USAFA if I was offered one.
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I would also argue it would be unwise to accept an appoint to USAFA if you don't want to be an Air Force officer...
 
pleber16 said:
AROTC-dad said:
My understanding is that focusing on one air frame is a long shot.
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Yes however right now the Marine Corps can't get enough Osprey pilots. If they put it first, they're getting it. Pretty good shot of getting it even if they don't want it. They go through a modified helo syllabus and they're pushing them through as fast as they can to send them to do their fixed wind training. 5-6 years from now when OP is selecting platform that could be totally different, but as of now Ospreys is definitely not a long shot once you're in Marine aviation.

TomB said:
I just think it would be unwise to deny an appointment to USAFA if I was offered one.
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I would also argue it would be unwise to accept an appoint to USAFA if you don't want to be an Air Force officer...
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That is true. I also remember my BGO stating that Marine Corps are in need of osprey pilots, he circled it on his paper saying that not many people want to do it. My main goal is just to fly that aircraft really, Im kind of biased I guess since I stayed at USNA for the CVW.
 
pleber16 said:
I would also argue it would be unwise to accept an appoint to USAFA if you don't want to be an Air Force officer...
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I agree.... especially with an excellent plan B that gives you exactly what you want. An academy is 4 years. Active duty as a pilot is 8 to 10 or more. OP can do the math as to which one is longer.
 
I had a candidate a couple years ago.... he received an Appointment to USAFA, and got the TWE for Navy (incidentally, the latest I ever saw the TWE; pure speculation, but looked to me that USNA was holding him as a back up to another candidate who received an offer early, but didn't make his decision until the very last minute). His dilemna was similar to OP -- accept USAFA or go with Plan B (NROTC) and reapply. He made the right call (for him), passed on USAFA and was successful in his reapplication.
 
Unless things have changed, cross commissioning from USAFA to other branches is not difficult. It might be 'rare' in that only a small number pursue it each year, but I never knew anyone that pursued it that was denied the opportunity. I also don't think if a USAFA grad wants to x-commission someone from another SA has to be willing to x-commission to the USAF.

Every year, USAFA has a number of graduates that x-commission to the USMC. My roommate x-commissioned to the Army, and I know of others that have x-commissioned to the Navy.

Last week's USN jet crash had a crew that included a USAFA graduate who x-commissioned to the Navy, so it still happens.
 
Cerberi said:
Unless things have changed, cross commissioning from USAFA to other branches is not difficult.
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I don't think that's true.. it is very rare, and my recollection required that the person requesting transfer had to have a really good reason for seeking inter-service transfer, and there used to be a requirement that it had a 1:1 exchange ratio, ie. for each person leaving Navy, one had to come in. There might be different standards for USMC accessions though.
 
Thank you all for the replies. I’m really just going to have to wait and see what happens, keeping my fingers crossed.
 
What I have been told from recent Grads. It is a 1 for 1 trade. More apply to cross commission to Navy from Air Force. This is due to people wanting to be pilots but do not meet Air Force pilot requirements, but do meet Navy. I am told their is a slight difference in vision standards. Also Navy has slight difference in torso measurement requirements. Once a waiver is denied by Air Force they can apply for waiver for Navy. If it is approved they wait for trade. Most people transferring from Navy to Air Force is because of more land based options. Every one who applied Marine in my sisters class got to go. Only 1 applied, so not a good measure.
 
tx2022 said:
What I have been told from recent Grads. It is a 1 for 1 trade.
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I thought this was the case but it's not totally true. It might be a balance out thing but not a 1 for 1. I know a guy in flight school (now Navy) who is a '16 West Point grad. However, no one from our class went into the Army. I know we did have one go Coast Guard and I think one or two went Air Force.
 
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