Expert: Jason Grabill - 7/4/2007

Question
First off, nice name. Seriously though, I am going to be a freshman in college at the University of Texas.  I have wanted to be a pilot in the marine corps forever, and my dad flew f-4's and f-18's in the marines.  I want to be a marine pilot, hopefully through the plc program.  However, recently I have been hearing a lot of negativity about the amount of fixed wing slots for pilots in the corps. My questions to you are, assuming i am given an aviation guarantee for PLC, what is the approximate percentage that i will get a fixed wing slot.  Also, in one of your other answers you said marine  corps pilot training wasnt' guaranteed but if i get a guarantee i'm assuming it's just that.  Also, I know this isn't your deal but I know the Navy has a program called BDCP and I also know it would be a little easier to get a fixed wing slot in the Navy.  If you could give me some info. on that program that would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks a lot for all your help.

Answer
Jason:

 IF you do get a guarantee, then it will be 'guaranteed', as long as you don't wash out along the way during the process or become disqualified in some way.  

 The fixed wing pipeline changes from year to year.  Some years there are more slots, other years, there are not.  It's going to depend on the needs of the Marine Corps at the time you graduate PLC/TBS.  What they need right now will NOT be what they need 2 or 3 years from now, it's a total roll of the dice.  Not having a crystal ball, it's hard to say.  Your percentage will vary depending on the needs of the Corps as well as the pipeline at that point.  I can't give a 'guesstimate' because it would be wildly off for the reasons I've stated above.

 Yes, quite likely the Navy would be easier to get a fixed wing slot in, but, again, in three years they could slash their f/w programs or something.  Nobody knows.  And, there's the rub.  You could be selected by either branch, be in the pipeline, and all of a sudden, they decide they don't need fixed wing folks anymore and tell you you are going rotary.  Or, tell you you are going to be a ground officer, because of 'needs of the Marine Corps".  Happens that way sometimes.  

Jason