USMC Pilot Med. Requirements

[StoleIt]

I am currently in AFROTC but sadly learned that I no longer pilot slot elidgable due to seasonal allergies. Then saw a USMC poster talking about the guaranteed pilot mos, so I'm just curious if they would also D/Q me due to allergies (its nothing I would die from, just sneezing)?

Besides that I am very competitive and in good physical fitness, a 90% on the AFROTC PFT, which I know won't measure up to the USMC requirements, but it's a good start.

[Vulture6]

There are no guarantees on any MOS. The "guaranteed" pilot slot in the Marine Corps means that you can sign up for the PLC-Air Option program. That means that you go through OCS with everybody else, and go through TBS (The Basic School) as a 2nd Lt with everybody else. The "guarantee" is that so long as you remain physically qualified, you will get orders to Flight School.

Of course, you will go through a battery of physicals at TBS specifically for the Air Option lieutenants. How many you go through depends in a large part on how many Air Option Lts there are and how many slots they have at P'cola. As a young 2nd Lt, you don't argue with the Navy Captain who administers your flight physical and tells you that you failed the eye test.

As far as allergies - I've been in CH-46 helicopters that landed in an LZ in a yellow cloud of pollen. Seriously - not dust. It wasn't a brown out from dust or a white out from blowing snow in the rotor wash, it was a "yellow out" from the pollen blowing in the rotor wash. Some Marines in the back had to practically be drug off the helicopter, they were practically incapacitated with watery eyes swollen shut and gallons of snot filling their mouths and noses. Can't imagine a pilot like that. You sneeze in the flare, and you could kill everybody on board.

PS - being a pilot in the Corps has a whole lot more to do with helicopters than with jet fighters. Yeah, the Corps has Hornets and Harriers, but rotory wing is much more common.

[USMCRET6391]

I have a sinking feeling, that if you are disqualified to be a pilot in the AF, you are going to be in the Corps also. The physical requirements are pretty much the same.

[jmwsf]

So what exactly did you do for your PFT that got you a 90%?

How old are you? (age limit)

If by some chance you were able to you would be looking at something like 2.5 - 3 yrs of training to go through...

[cincymarsdad]

Read what Vulture said twice at least - he knows whereof he speaketh.


What the LARGE PRINT GIVETH, the fine print taketh away ...

[Akiniseth]

Can anyone confirm for me that the Marine Corps flight program is now accepting poeple with Lasik surgery? Or anykind of corrective eye surgery? Heard that from a a guy that was leaving for OCS because he already had a degree and was accepted to ECP. I've read through the MARADMIN for MECEP and it doesn't specifically mention that there. I figured that would be something in actual requirements for flight program.

[Brad]

Not lasik, but there is a waiver for PRK. Last I heard they were still "studying" the lasik procedure. If you have not had eye surgery yet, talk to a military flight surgeon before you do. You can qualify with glasses but in some cases having had eye surgery will disqualify you.