PLC vs. NROTC
- Thread starter dav1y
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NROTC pros
Full tuition paid for vs a partial 'stipend' for college.
Summer training each year.
More opportunity to obtain leadership roles tto serve as training.
Part of the normal pipeline (see below).
Supportive environment and team.
NROTC cons
NROTC can be demanding, especially as you advance to larger leadership roles
PLC pros
Can focus on academics at school without NROTC demands. Just 6 weeks over two summers.
PLC cons
You need to create and master your own leadership roles.
More discipline is required to stay in shape, since you PT on your own.
Serves as a valve to top off the officer force. If they dont have enough officers from USNA and NROTC then they get the necessary officers from PLC and OCC. In theory in any given year they might not admit or take anyone from PLC. Thus NROTC is a surer path to commission.
Full tuition paid for vs a partial 'stipend' for college.
Summer training each year.
More opportunity to obtain leadership roles tto serve as training.
Part of the normal pipeline (see below).
Supportive environment and team.
NROTC cons
NROTC can be demanding, especially as you advance to larger leadership roles
PLC pros
Can focus on academics at school without NROTC demands. Just 6 weeks over two summers.
PLC cons
You need to create and master your own leadership roles.
More discipline is required to stay in shape, since you PT on your own.
Serves as a valve to top off the officer force. If they dont have enough officers from USNA and NROTC then they get the necessary officers from PLC and OCC. In theory in any given year they might not admit or take anyone from PLC. Thus NROTC is a surer path to commission.
Day-Tripper
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No guarantee of scholarship with NROTC (or any ROTC). Lots go for the eventual commission without financial reward.
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Good point. Iw was so focused on the monetary differences that I somehow forgot the zero dollar scenario.
dav1y
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Sorry for asking, but when would you know if you have a guaranteed flight contract? Would this be prior to starting NROTC or when you are already in the program?
EEBTTF
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The first step is to pass the The Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB) which is used by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to select candidates for pilot and flight officer training programs. You have 3 chances to pass the test.
So, no - you would not get a flight contract prior to starting NROTC. With regards to when mids take the ASTB - I will defer to others that know.
dav1y
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Thank you! Do you know if the Air Force has a similar process or not? Thanks
EEBTTF
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I am not familiar with the Air Force's procedure. Good luck!
dav1y
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Thank you once again!
Day-Tripper
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With the OCS/PLC route you go to Quantico as one of three classifications:
1. Air (Pilot)
2. Law (JAG - Need law degree first)
3. Ground (Everyone else)
Not all "Ground" become infantry officers. There's always a need for armor, artillery, supply, engineers, administration, intelligence, finance, public affairs, etc. All fall under "Ground".
I have heard that getting accepted to OCS/PLC under "Air" & "Law" is easier than "Ground". "Air" because of the long commitment (8 years). "Law" because there ain't too many licensed attorneys eager to sign up for officer training in Quantico. Other branches basically hand out officer bars to lawyers with minimal military training (like with doctors, nurses, chaplains). Marines? Not so much. Marine Corps JAG officers undergo the same training as guys who end commanded infantry platoons.
Become a Marine Corps Officer | Marines
Becoming a Marines Corps Officer is about proving your footsteps are worth following. Learn about eligibility requirements & the path to become a USMC Officer.
dav1y
USNA '26
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With the OCS/PLC route you go to Quantico as one of three classifications:
1. Air (Pilot)
2. Law (JAG - Need law degree first)
3. Ground (Everyone else)
Not all "Ground" become infantry officers. There's always a need for armor, artillery, supply, engineers, administration, intelligence, finance, public affairs, etc. All fall under "Ground".
I have heard that getting accepted to OCS/PLC under "Air" & "Law" is easier than "Ground". "Air" because of the long commitment (8 years). "Law" because there ain't too many licensed attorneys eager to sign up for officer training in Quantico. Other branches basically hand out officer bars to lawyers with minimal military training (like with doctors, nurses, chaplains). Marines? Not so much. Marine Corps JAG officers undergo the same training as guys who end commanded infantry platoons.
Become a Marine Corps Officer | Marines
Becoming a Marines Corps Officer is about proving your footsteps are worth following. Learn about eligibility requirements & the path to become a USMC Officer.www.marines.com
Do you know exactly how hard it is to get accepted to PLC under "Air"? I know getting an ROTC scholarship would be better financially, but being a pilot is my main goal and if PLC is a safer to become a pilot, then I would definitely pursue PLC over ROTC
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I'm not convinced PLC would be the safer route, only a route where you would know if you have a contract before you get in. No idea how good the chances are to get selected for Air via PLC. In either case, what will you do if you fail out of flight school (it's not uncommon)? Are there other jobs in the Corps you would be willing to do?
dav1y
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Thanks! In terms of other jobs, there are definitely a couple other jobs I would be willing to do (air traffic controller, infantry, etc.)
Day-Tripper
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If you want to be a Marine Corps officer then be prepared for any position, whether it be lawyer, infantry officer, commander of cooks at a chow hall, commander of truck drivers at a Motor-T unit, commander of clerks at an air conditioned admin unit, etc. It's all Marine Corps.
That being said, if you get an interview with a Marine Corps OSO be ready to explain why you want to fly, what aircraft the Marines currently have, numbers, etc.
I'm not sure if it's easier to get pilot slots via NROTC or PLC/OCS. I'll do some Google/Reddit surfing to find out more.
Day-Tripper
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Some recent news articles indicate a shortage of pilots in the Marine Corps:
$30,000 bonuses for former reserve pilots to return as Corps tries fill aviation gaps
The bonus is for qualified aviators who agree to return to the active reserve component for 36 months in order to fill “critical aviation shortfalls."
www.marinecorpstimes.com
"Officials with Marine Manpower and Reserve Affairs, in an email to Marine Corps Times, credited the pilot shortfalls to fewer pilots trained during the Marine Corps-wide drawdown in 2015, along with the “protracted time-to-train in undergraduate aviation training.”
Here's why the Marine Corps is losing experienced pilots — and what it can do to fix it
If this exodus is not effectively addressed, our ability to fight from the air could be critically compromised in a way that will take decades from which to recover
taskandpurpose.com
"The Air Force has garnered most of the attention regarding pilot shortages over the past few years, but it's hardly unique to their service, as the entire military is struggling to keep its aviators in the midst of an airline hiring frenzy and a strong economy. For years, the pilot shortage was attributed to Obama-era sequestration, aging platforms, and a lack of sufficient flight time."
Marine aviation bonus ‘take rates’ are high, but pilot shortage likely to linger into 2023
The Corps’ shortfall of fighter pilots quadrupled from 6 percent to 24 percent from 2006 to 2017, according to the Government Accountability Office.
www.marinecorpstimes.com
"Much like the Air Force, the Navy and the Corps are losing pilots to highly competitive civilian airlines enticing military pilots with fatter paychecks. Other issues leading to the drain of the military’s experienced pilots include morale and family issues, and insufficient flight time."
However, all of these articles were published over the last two years when the US economy was good & civilian pilot jobs for the airlines were plentiful & high-paying. I don't have a crystal ball but I'm not to going to invest in any airline stock in the near future. My guess is Marine Corps aviation retention will improve as a result of the current economic climate.
Day-Tripper
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Very similar thread from just over a year ago:
Marine PLC Aviation Contract VS AFROTC
I would like to be a pilot in the military. I will be starting at a university in a few months and I am trying to weigh my options. I am quite interested in AFROTC, but, I don't like the uncertainty of getting a pilot slot. A few weeks ago I found out about the Guaranteed pilot slot through USMC...
www.serviceacademyforums.com
Plus this:
Overview of USN/USMC Aviation for Candidates
Some of the most common questions on here are about what service to fly for, who gives the best chance to fly/fly fighters, etc. This will probably end up being a stupidly long post, but will hopefully give some insight on life in flight school and beyond (which is the important part, anyway)...
www.serviceacademyforums.com
And from another forum:
PLC vs NROTC
What are everyone's feelings here on the best way to go concerning PLC or NROTC marine option? I am a freshman in college and am torn between the two. I will either join ROTC second semester, or take my PFT and go PLC, but I don't know which would be best. My ROTC friends all are pushing me in...
www.airwarriors.com
Also "guaranteed" pilot slot means guaranteed chance to become a Marine pilot. If you wash out you're still expected to finish out your contract as a Marine Corps officer in another capacity. You might pilot a desk full time or be running around in the woods in the heat, rain, cold, etc.
It's Semper Fidelis, not Sometimes Fidelis.