Thanks for the information and kind words. His Lt didn't give him any insights on other paths aside from OCS however we have a close family friend who did PLC, Flew A4s and Hornets and then 767 for AA for many years that has been trying to steer him to PLC since last summer, so that will be his next path to fully explore.
PLC and NROTC sideload
- Thread starter SVfather
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Great idea. PLC is the best little known program there is. 2 summers and then he commissions on graduation. If OCS was OK I don't see why PLC wouldn't be. Plus he gets some pay... not much but every $ helps. He'll need to keep in shape in the interim. No doubt he will have a head start over others during the first summer session with his prior NROTC experience.
BTW PLC was going to be DS's path if he didn't get a scholarship. Good luck to your DS. I would love to hear how he's doing at some point regardless of his path.
I'll come back with any worthwhile updates. Looking forward to golfing/surfing/snowboarding with him over Xmas break, 3 activities conducive to heart to hearts.
Marine PT and PT expectations are more than the Navy. The aviation contract is just an open door to SNA in Pensacola not a guarantee to make it as a Marine Aviator. Should he stumble along the way it’s the needs of the USMC. Leading young infantry enlisted Marines is totally different than being an Aviator. Most of the times a mistake we make can be corrected and a good outcome will result. Good luck in your journey!
Great advice GH5. He's building a good rapport with the OSO and is working to get to at least 12 pull ups and improve upon a decent run time. Got invited to 2X/week PT and weekly Zoom call. Since he wears glasses they also talked about potentially going into OCS Juniors as Ground, do Lasik then go for Aviation which he's fine with.
LASIK has been a touchy subject with military aviation. On and off again, waivers yes one day-no the next. I would ask about current aviation types about that. I tell my son if you don’t get picked up for aviation continue with your PPL/IFR/CFI/ME at a local flight school where you get stationed.
You have a job and can go in your time off. My son is training for PPL while still in HS and just soloed yesterday. Just because the military is short on aviators/pilots does not mean the standards have been lowered. I wish your son the best!
You have a job and can go in your time off. My son is training for PPL while still in HS and just soloed yesterday. Just because the military is short on aviators/pilots does not mean the standards have been lowered. I wish your son the best!
Great advice! He just did MEPS this week and is finalizing everything for an upcoming board. While getting disenrolled from NROTC was tough medicine what he got out of those 3 semesters has made him a better student and helped him grow enough for an OSO to want to endorse him.
DS passed his PLC PFT so his package for the May board is complete and he is scheduled for contracting paperwork this Thur. He asked the Lt he's been training with what else he can do to improve his standing ahead of the board and his reply was to keep showing up and doing what he's been doing, adding that he showed out well yesterday. Fingers crossed but getting to this point has been a worthwhole journey and he's in the best shape of his life.
EEBTTF
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Great - I guess his PRB went well. Congrats to your DS and good luck at PLC
DS dropped his 3 mile time by >3 mins in a month to get to a First Class score. The Lt leading the PLC candidates has provided an excellent training program, much more comprehensive and effective than anything he experirenced in 3 semesters as an NROTC college programmer. He's training 6 days/week. Fingers crossed for the May board..
Congratulations on the improved 3 mile run time! Not an easy thing to do and show dedication.
I've impressed upon him how proud we are of that accomplishment regardless of the May board outcome. The fitness fire has been lit, around the same time in life it lit for me, and i'm thrilled for him.
Short update: DS had an academic hiccup that yielded a semster gpa <2.0 which prevented him from board consideration for PLC Juniors. The OSO told him to do well in summer school and keep up with PT and there could be a chance for the Aug board. He's doing well in his 2 summer classes and keeping up with PT, and I thought it was a good sign when the OSO reached out last week to check on his PT. Will update soon.
update: DS had a successful academic summer and got some work experience. While he worked out heavily with weights and pullups he experienced persistent leg stiffness that has plagued him for years which deterred him from running. After getting him cleared by an othopedic surgeon and confirming it's just tight thigh muscles he's learning about the joyous pain of the foam roller. Long story short he ran a PFT today for the October board after npt havaing run for 2 months and barely failed the run, and realistically needs to shave at least 100 seconds off to be competitive. Pull ups and plank are fine. Since his leg is now better he has resumed the regular running program and 2xPFT/week at the OSO office. As I told him waiting for the December board is actually better as he now has time to really get that time down.
quick update: DS was selected for PLC Seniors. It has been a long road that started with NROTC as a CP. I appreciate all of the feedback from the posters here and will try to offer any information from our DS's journey that would be useful for others.
As one of his recommendations said (a retired Marine Aviator) this was the easy part - now it gets hard.
As one of his recommendations said (a retired Marine Aviator) this was the easy part - now it gets hard.
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Hello father. I read the thread and didn't notice where your DS attended PLC juniors but you say he was selected for PLC seniors.
How is that possible? Asking for my educational purposes since I don't know.
I may be using the wrong term, but I thought PLC Seniors is when you get selected after Junior year and do 1 - 10 week OCS instead of 2 - 6 week sessions after Soph and Junior year.
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Unless things have changed, the 10 week session is called OCC. Officer Candidates Course.
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That's certainly true post-graduation. One CAN do PLC Juniors and Seniors over one summer one's rising Senior Year. The Senior Session will be done alongside the NROTC MO Bulldog course participants. They might very well refer to it as PLC Seniors since one enrolls as part of the PLC selection program. OCC for those who have already graduated has a different selection process.
In any case, regardless of what it's called, the content is the same as OCC.
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It's a good thing I came back. I keep learning things.