US MARINE WANNABE

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The Seeker said:
Oh...so he's really interested in coming to the USA and getting a degree in aeronautics?

That's awesome!

Does he really want to be a Marine Corps aviator or would he be just as interested in Air Force or Navy?

I believe that nowadays once you successfully become a member of the US Armed Forces, you can get automatic US citizenship. I don't know all the particulars since this is something fairly new.
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Since he could talk all he's wanted to do was fly. He really wants to be a Marine Aviator but he's also very interested in the US Navy too. As long as he's able to fly from a carrier, this boy will be happy. He set up his career path when he was about 10 and it hasn't changed at all. First, a US something pilot, then study Aerospace Engineering, then try to get into NASA as a test pilot then finally to actually work on a space program. He's got a British passport which does help. David suggested Embry-Riddle to us a couple of years ago because they've got a ROTC program and he can continue to fly while studying so he can rack up some good flying hours. He'll be starting flying lessons here in SA in a small craft like a little Cessna or something. There is simply nothing else he wants to do - when a kid's this determined, all I can do is support him 100%. I'm obviously not looking forward to him leaving home and going so far away from me but I'm not going to stand in his way either - I'll just blub every night here in SA!
 
Then he ought to center his intentions upon being a Naval aviator where he will ALWAYs be flying from a carrier. Air Force aviators don't learn that and Marine aviators may or may not get the chance to do it.

I was wondering if they had ROTC at that school. I do know it's like the top aeronautical school in the USA. Of course, he'd still have to complete basic training like any other Sailor. And ONLY officers become pilots so ROTC would be perfect.

I agree with you 100% not to stand in his way at all and offer complete encouragement.

Unfortunately, with this last shuttle mission coming up, NASA's future is a bit in question.
 
So should he do ROTC first?? Then go for Naval Aviator? He's not worried about basic training - he's determined and says he'll do whatever it takes but he's not giving up. He's still a bit naive and sees the glory bits courtesy Hollywood but he'll learn.

He's got to do his SAT's as well - Embry send the exam to the US Consulate here in SA and he writes the exam under an adjudicator and the consulate send the paper back to Embry - then we get the results about a month later. As an "international student" he's got to achieve way up in the 90% + because there are a limited amount of spaces for foreign students and he's got to be at the top of the pile to get in. If he achieves high enough results, he MAY be eligible for a partial scholarship otherwise we mortgage the house!
 
Yes, he should do ROTC while he's in college....that's exactly what I did.

Navy basic training will be quite a bit easier than the Marines (which is also longer).

As far as the SAT exams go, check Amazon and/or other online places for study guides to help him prepare for them. I would imagine they are geared towards students from the USA so it will give him a taste of what type of stuff to expect. I'm not saying that education elsewhere is lacking, it may well be much better, but there may be differences in the type of thing they would be testing him upon.
 
ROTC would be a part of his college studies and boot camp/basic training is a summer activity for ROTC. Another avenue for him is USMC Platoon Leaders Course or PLC.

All Marine officers must first qualify as ground officers. The Marine in the air is expected to think like the one with his face in the mud. No other service has this same connection, the Army's copter pilots come close but not to the same degree.

Prior flight time is not a guaranty that appointment/acceptance for flight school will be granted. It can help make the introductory phase easier.

As said above, the Marine pilots may not spend a lot of time on board a carrier but they are carrier qualified which means they have landed on carriers and they must stay carrier qualified by making the required carrier landings.


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I would suggest that he apply directly to the US. Naval Acadamy and not waste time in ROTC. He could become an officer and a naval aviator from ROTC, but that cost money and he may be accepted at the acadamy and would not cost you anything. At the acadamy he could become a naval or marine aviator and be one of the best of the best. Landing on a US carrier, which is required of both navy and marines, takes a lot of skills that air force and others will never have. They become the best canidates for the space programs whether it is in the public or private sector. Good luck and I admire this young man. Keep up the good grades though.

Dave
 
hemibee said:
Not all that new, they've been doing it for at least 50 years now.


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You are correct; but it has not been automatic. However, it did make it very easy to apply and and citizenship granted.


Simmer said:
I would suggest that he apply directly to the US. Naval Acadamy and not waste time in ROTC. He could become an officer and a naval aviator from ROTC, but that cost money and he may be accepted at the acadamy and would not cost you anything. At the acadamy he could become a naval or marine aviator and be one of the best of the best. Landing on a US carrier, which is required of both navy and marines, takes a lot of skills that air force and others will never have. They become the best canidates for the space programs whether it is in the public or private sector. Good luck and I admire this young man. Keep up the good grades though.

Dave
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I agree, Dave. But as a non-citizen it will be very difficult to get in.

Gromit, I hope his dreams come true. Flying was the dream of both of my sons and both achieved their dreams.
 
This forum! THANK YOU ALL for this info - I've printed the enitre thread and we'll go through all the links and this weekend. I'm working a bit in the dark from this side of the pond so this info is invaluable to us - THANK YOU again.

I don't know if all his dreams will come true, but I'll move heaven and earth to help him achieve them.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU and please, keep the info coming - PM me or whatever, but please send advice.
 
Why is he interested in joining a foreign military force?
If he has a problem with SA, why not the UK given that he has a UK passport?
Personally I'd be horrified if my son tried to join a force that wasn't Australian.
 
otherwise said:
Why is he interested in joining a foreign military force?
If he has a problem with SA, why not the UK given that he has a UK passport?
Personally I'd be horrified if my son tried to join a force that wasn't Australian.
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Although he's only 15, he's VERY socially aware and has followed the war in Iraq & Afghanistan closely and the US armed forces get most of the coverage on the news channels available to us in SA - he also literally freaks out when suicide bombs go off or when places like restaurants and weddings are bombed by what he calls 'cowards' and he's adamant that he wants to be part of defending our way of life.

The South African armed forces are a joke these days and he will not stand a chance of any type of advancement let alone achieving his dream of flying - he's of the wrong cultural colour. If he had the slightest chance of being a Naval Aviator in SA, he'd join in a flash but he won't get that chance here at all. For goodness sake, we have 3 brand new submarines that are in dry docks and have never even had their engines started. Ditto the attack craft and I don't even want to talk about the squadrons of fighter jets, just procured by our government, that are all sitting in hangars rusting and being looted for scrap metal!

He goes to the UK at least once a year and will be there end of this year again when his father will take him to meet and speak to the relevant UK armed forces recruitment officers. The issue is the universities in the UK which are great, but don't have the facilities of Embry-Riddle.

Because of the degree he wants to study, Aerospace Engineering, Embry-Riddle is the world recognised university for the career he wants to eventually follow. And it's in Daytona Beach, Florida - and that's very appealing.
 
Fair enough, I'm understanding most of that.
When you said "Although he's only 15, he's VERY socially aware and has followed the war in Iraq & Afghanistan", it took me back to 1965 when I was 15 and we were involved in Vietnam. At 15 I was pro American and preparing to get involved, my how things have changed for me.
Good luck to him and you.
 
otherwise said:
Fair enough, I'm understanding most of that.
When you said "Although he's only 15, he's VERY socially aware and has followed the war in Iraq & Afghanistan", it took me back to 1965 when I was 15 and we were involved in Vietnam. At 15 I was pro American and preparing to get involved, my how things have changed for me.
Good luck to him and you.
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Funny how perspectives change with age or is it in age comes wisdom?? Where my son is concerned, I will do whatever I need to do to help him fulfill his dreams and I won't stand in his way. Most of us had a real passion for what we wanted 'to grow up to be' and most of us in our generation had parents who either didn't support our dream or felt our dream wasn't going to 'earn enough money' - I for one am in a business today that was not my passion or dream and I regret it. I don't want my son to be in my position.

How many of us here on this forum can honestly say that the career they followed was their love and passion vs a job where either parents influenced the choice and although its been lucrative, it's still been 'just a job'??
 
DaveM said:
That would be me and I am so grateful as I have seen friend hate every moment of the time they are at work. Basically my work is now an extension of my hobby BBEER
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Well Dave, you're very blessed that you were able to make your 'hobby' your career and earn a living out of it. I wanted to be an Egyptologist but here I am, practising immigration law. That said, I'm very grateful that I do have work and seem to OK at what I do.
 
Bike Week at Daytona Beach is the biggest biker gathering on the East Coast. As I said, it gets kind of crazy so you'd want to warn him about not getting arrested for something stupid (as many people tend to do). He'd definitely get an "education" in female anatomy!!

That would be a great time to visit him for you though.

BTW....I'd unfortunately have to agree with Carl that the Naval Academy at Annapolis would be next to impossible for a foreigner to get appointed to. There are literally hundreds of American kids that get turned down AND you need someone like a politician to sponsor (appoint) you.
 

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