Infantry Officer or Pilot

tpaine7

tpaine7

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Apr 6, 2020
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I’ve had the same dream for as long as I can remember. To fly F-18s off of carriers as an officer in the Marine Corps. Through NROTC I could go about getting an air contract, being guaranteed to attend pilot training. Although as I am one year from attending a university/an NROTC unit, I find myself torn between flying and becoming an infantry officer. I know I can attend IOC as a secondary billet before heading to Pensacola, and have the best of both worlds with flying being my primary job, but I would really enjoy some insight on both sides. I know the difficulty of attending IOC along with pilot training, but it’s something I would very much like to do. If you have any information on what makes you favor one side over the other, I would very much like to hear it, Thanks.
 
If you go the Pilot Route in the USMC, you will still have to go through Infantry training during TBS after you commission. (The Basic School). Remember, Every Marine is first and foremost a Rifleman. So you will still have the Infantry experience. I recently commissioned through PLC and I am an aviation contract but have to go through TBS first and all the Infantry stuff. Flight School will be after TBS. If you fail flight school, you could end up in the Infantry. Hope this helped, let me know if you have questions.
 
Anguswarrior112 said:
If you go the Pilot Route in the USMC, you will still have to go through Infantry training during TBS after you commission. (The Basic School). Remember, Every Marine is first and foremost a Rifleman. So you will still have the Infantry experience. I recently commissioned through PLC and I am an aviation contract but have to go through TBS first and all the Infantry stuff. Flight School will be after TBS. If you fail flight school, you could end up in the Infantry. Hope this helped, let me know if you have questions.
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Congratulations Lieutenant! I wish you the best of luck at TBS. From what I know, TBS is a dumbed down version of OCS, but more motivational. (From what previous officers have told me, but as you have already commissioned, I’m sure you know!)

I realize TBS trains you to be a basic infantry officer, but that doesn’t mean you will be guaranteed an infantry role. What I would like to do, after attending TBS is go to IOC as a secondary MOS. That way if I fail out of flight school or for some reason aren’t allowed to fly, I can resume to be an infantry officer. Now I’m not sure if that’s how it would work out, because whatever the Corps needs, that’s where they’ll send you, but since I will have already completed IOC by then, I would assume they would place me back as an infantry officer. Do you know if that’s how that would go down?

As for the PLC route, We’re you prior enlisted sir, or never attended NROTC?
 
Baby steps. Your first goal should be doing everything you can to get the NROTC MO scholarship. Get it, make it through NSI, then start worrying about this. The MOI at your unit can answer these questions and more. Also worth noting that your 2/C MAGTF summer cruise can help you narrow down which community you want to go into. I know people who wanted to go artillery who went on an artillery cruise. They came back and now have no intentions of going artillery at all. On the flip side I know a guy who wanted to go infantry, and spent a month with an Osprey squadron. He now wants to go aviation. The more exposure you get, the more you learn and grow.
 
puzzled said:
Baby steps. Your first goal should be doing everything you can to get the NROTC MO scholarship. Get it, make it through NSI, then start worrying about this. The MOI at your unit can answer these questions and more. Also worth noting that your 2/C MAGTF summer cruise can help you narrow down which community you want to go into. I know people who wanted to go artillery who went on an artillery cruise. They came back and now have no intentions of going artillery at all. On the flip side I know a guy who wanted to go infantry, and spent a month with an Osprey squadron. He now wants to go aviation. The more exposure you get, the more you learn and grow.
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Thank you, helps a lot. As for the MO scholarship, I have the paperwork portion set this week. Like you said, that is my main priority as of now, just wanted to see what others had to say about this. You bring up some great points, I agree, as I get more exposed I will most likely narrow it down. Thanks again!
 
TBS does teach basic rifle platoon skills. You spend time on navigation, weapons training and familiarization, tactics, planning, etc. It is not IOC, but it does give you a good basis and understanding of what leading Marines on the ground is all about. IOC definitely takes it a step further and really focus on platoon tactics and integrating things like weapons platoon and how that all works within the company level. Not an easy school. I think it definitely prepared me for the things I needed to know to lead convoys and ground operations overseas being a non-grunt. I had a buddy from West Point going through IBOLC at the same time and our training at TBS was very similar.

Yes, some pilot contracts do go to IOC before flight school. It has varied over the years based upon class sizes, flight school back up, and leadership. Just because you want to do this, does not mean the USMC will let this happen. Most Marines (or are least ‘back in the day) that did this was to get the secondary MOS so they could be FACs later in their careers. It also depends on how you come out if TBS physically. You don’t want to do something physically that would put your flight contract in jeopardy. Also, if for some reason you did get dropped from flight school it doesn’t mean you would get infantry. Needs of the Marine Corps will dictate where you would land MOS wise.

It’s good you are looking at these things and asking questions, but as others said, this is step 100. You don’t have to make this decision for several years. Good luck.
 
NavyHoops said:
You don’t want to do something physically that would put your flight contract in jeopardy.
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+1 to Hoops who is right on point as always. I did want to highlight her comment on injuries.

The Infantry Officer Course is a tough course. There are lots of injuries, strains, and pains. We didn't have air contracts join us in my day but you may not want to run the risk of injury. Its a decision for later in this long journey.

Frankly, I can't imagine why anyone would want to do anything other than Infantry but that is a topic for another day...
 
tpaine7 said:
Congratulations Lieutenant! I wish you the best of luck at TBS. From what I know, TBS is a dumbed down version of OCS, but more motivational. (From what previous officers have told me, but as you have already commissioned, I’m sure you know!)

I realize TBS trains you to be a basic infantry officer, but that doesn’t mean you will be guaranteed an infantry role. What I would like to do, after attending TBS is go to IOC as a secondary MOS. That way if I fail out of flight school or for some reason aren’t allowed to fly, I can resume to be an infantry officer. Now I’m not sure if that’s how it would work out, because whatever the Corps needs, that’s where they’ll send you, but since I will have already completed IOC by then, I would assume they would place me back as an infantry officer. Do you know if that’s how that would go down?

As for the PLC route, We’re you prior enlisted sir, or never attended NROTC?
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I was neither prior enlisted or attended NROTC, I did Army ROTC for a year then left the program and pursued PLC. I am not too sure about what would go down as in regards to your first question since I have yet to go to TBS but maybe someone else on here can offer advice. I would assume if you fail flight school the Corps will send you to an MOS that is in demand. I agree with all the Gouge given, take everything one step at a time. Get good grades, earn a NROTC scholarship or go to USNA, work hard to get into any commissioning program, then take it from there. Keep an open mind, There were many people I knew in my school's NROTC unit who wanted pilot initially but choose other designators because of the experience and knowledge they may have gained through CORTRAMID or other training programs. College is 4 years, believe it or not, many things can change during that time including your mind. Best of luck!!
 
Anguswarrior112 said:
Don't TBS students go through something like the Quigley again? I was told to prepare for something similar.
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I’ve never been though of course but continued my military career vicariously through my son at OCS and then TBS. I live literally through the woods from Camp Barrett and worked out at Ramer gym until the shut down, and have had conversations with a bunch of lieutenants through the years. That doesn’t make me an expert on the TBS curriculum but among the numerous fun activities you’ll enjoy, a Quigley type of event is not one of them.

Surely a Marine officer here will correct me if I’m wrong.
 
Devil Doc said:
I’ve never been though of course but continued my military career vicariously through my son at OCS and then TBS. I live literally through the woods from Camp Barrett and worked out at Ramer gym until the shut down, and have had conversations with a bunch of lieutenants through the years. That doesn’t make me an expert on the TBS curriculum but among the numerous fun activities you’ll enjoy, a Quigley type of event is not one of them.

Surely a Marine officer here will correct me if I’m wrong.
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That is good to know. going through the Quigley in the summer wasn't too bad but I would hate to go in it during the Winter. That being said, looking forward to going on the Ospreys, I saw the Green colored Ospreys at PLC and was disappointed that we couldn't ride them but TBS should be different.
 
You will do help insertion and extractions at TBS. You learn something. Keeps the pilots proficient. If you are in the later half of the platoons sometimes they break down and you end up riding trucks. I was 5th platoon and can’t tell you the number of times we got to the LZ at 4 am only to have the help break and wait for trucks until noon. Hurry up and wait.

Normally Fallen Angels end up in below manned MOSs usually. As mentioned things change all the time and needs if there service can shift weekly.
 
My son reported to TBS in Sept 2015. From DS's experience I dont recall Quigley encounters during TBS. There were severe snow storms and extreme cold that pulled them from the field a couple times. Supposedly there were some frostbite cases.
 
kinnem said:
My son reported to TBS in Sept 2015. From DS's experience I dont recall Quigley encounters during TBS. There were severe snow storms and extreme cold that pulled them from the field a couple times. Supposedly there were some frostbite cases.
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Yep, rough winter but plenty of snow days. I live for snow days.
 
NavyHoops said:
TBS does teach basic rifle platoon skills. You spend time on navigation, weapons training and familiarization, tactics, planning, etc. It is not IOC, but it does give you a good basis and understanding of what leading Marines on the ground is all about. IOC definitely takes it a step further and really focus on platoon tactics and integrating things like weapons platoon and how that all works within the company level. Not an easy school. I think it definitely prepared me for the things I needed to know to lead convoys and ground operations overseas being a non-grunt. I had a buddy from West Point going through IBOLC at the same time and our training at TBS was very similar.

Yes, some pilot contracts do go to IOC before flight school. It has varied over the years based upon class sizes, flight school back up, and leadership. Just because you want to do this, does not mean the USMC will let this happen. Most Marines (or are least ‘back in the day) that did this was to get the secondary MOS so they could be FACs later in their careers. It also depends on how you come out if TBS physically. You don’t want to do something physically that would put your flight contract in jeopardy. Also, if for some reason you did get dropped from flight school it doesn’t mean you would get infantry. Needs of the Marine Corps will dictate where you would land MOS wise.

It’s good you are looking at these things and asking questions, but as others said, this is step 100. You don’t have to make this decision for several years. Good luck.
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Through my fathers experience he has told me the same thing. He chose to refrain from IOC to not risk any injury that would put his flying career in danger. I realize they will send me where they are in demand of certain jobs, but I figured if I had completed IOC injury free and then attended flight school, it would work out. I realize I have a few years before I know how it will go down, just wanted some insight on both sides. This helps a lot, thanks.
 
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