Marine Cobras to NG FW

[Type3gunonly]

What's up gents,

I'm a Marine Cobra pilot and Captain looking a few years down the road. I'm a WTI graduate (our weapons school for the unfamiliar) and FAC(A)-I and I'll leave the Marine Corps with about 2,000 TT, ~1200 PIC, and ~5-600 NVG and two very uneventful MEU deployments under my belt. I've been playing around with the idea of guying Guard vis Marine Reserve and wanted to see if anyone here has had experience with former Marine or former Helo colleagues in a FW platform. I've worked with Jolly before and while they are absolute pros and represented the AF very well, my interest still lies in attack and strike if that's a possibility. Tracking that I'll have to do some part of UPT again; I'm curious what the training pipeline would look like beyond that (in what we would call the Fleet Replacement Squadron) and especially so in the "fleet" squadron WRT a tactical syllabus. Or if it's even a possibility in the first place!

Thanks for checking this out, and fly safe!

[pilot]

One of my bro’s I met at my FC1 was a cobra dude, similar resume to yours (WTI etc). He got hired by an AF reserve tanker unit and went straight to Altus for the tanker FTU. He wants to do airlines and was done with tactical stuff. He didn’t have to do any additional fixed wing stuff, and he hasn’t touched a fixed wing aircraft since pilot training in 2008 (he did the exchange thing and did T6s at AF pilot training). But he never did t1s or any other fixed wing follow on prior to going to KC135 school. I’m assuming if you want to go fighters you’d have to do a pretty robust T38 course and then the full B course...that’s what I’ve heard 2nd hand but can’t speak to the exact syllabus. 

[Type3gunonly]

Thanks dude, I figured as much re: pointy nose, but it's good to know that pipeline is an option. Appreciate the response!

[LookieRookie]

1 hour ago, Type3gunonly said:

Thanks dude, I figured as much re: pointy nose, but it's good to know that pipeline is an option. Appreciate the response!

If you flew T-6s you'd do the T-38 T-X course then IFF at Randolph before b course.

[Type3gunonly]

Thanks. I was one of the last guys to fly the mighty T34C before it was sundowned, I know that's a rather specific question but do you think there would be any heartache not having flown a T6?

[LookieRookie]

On 12/14/2018 at 8:18 PM, Type3gunonly said:

Thanks. I was one of the last guys to fly the mighty T34C before it was sundowned, I know that's a rather specific question but do you think there would be any heartache not having flown a T6?

Nope. Same Same as long as you did primary fixed wing. Caveat, I'm not the 19 AF/DOU so they would have final say.

[VMFA187]

It might be a bit of a long shot to get a TX slot into a strike-fighter aircraft - Every Marine Capt / Maj I know in the Hornet / F-35 is getting out and half of them are looking at the Guard. But don't let that stop you from trying if it is what you really want. I think Homestead F-16s picked up an Army helo guy a year ago or so there is that.

I started my transition when I got to VMFAT-101 as a Hornet IP after a four year fleet tour. After visiting multiple units and about 18 months, was offered a TX slot by a Guard FS prior to finding out I was no longer medically qualified.

Bottom line, reach out and visit the units you're interested in. The squadron that actually offered me a slot was one in which I found a contact via LinkedIn. After a few messages he gave me the squadron commander's cell phone and told me to call him, I did, he told me to visit, and things went well. They're just looking for good dudes, who are sincere, and want to keep flying tactically.

[Type3gunonly]

Thanks for the gouge brother, that's encouraging. Sorry about the medical.