Options

KeallaS · May 31, 2009

Hey all,

I have been on and off on this forum for some time now and thought I would post some questions regarding my best options for serving as an aviator in the military. I am 27, a recent college grad and I have a hefty amount of flight time in a R-22 and a Piper Archer although I never finished my PPL.

I have to agree with Dolphin about the USCG being awesome and that has always been my ultimate goal but I am pretty sure I do not qualify because of an eye condition (strabismus). The same applies for the USAF. I was born cross-eyed but the condition has been 100% reversed.

I believe that the Army's standards are not quite a strict as I cannot find any information regarding this condition in the r40_501. I guess I am just trying to figure out what would be the best way to join with the goal of becoming an aviator. WOFT, OCS, or NG?

I have heard that branching Aviation in OCS is next to impossible. I was thinking WOFT would be a great way but I am worried about the salary because of my student-loan debt. Perhaps the ArmyNG would be the best bet because of the 'part-time' benefits (I know it is never really part-time) but anyway...

I know that in order to put in a WOFT packet with NG you have to enlist first, pick a MOS, and prove yourself, is it the same for OCS through NG? I am not opposed to joining and picking an MOS although the choices are unlimited...

Any clarification would be helpful, I am in Utah so if any of you have any contacts with the NG here or ideas I really appreciate it.

Thanks for letting me think out-loud and thank you all for your continued service to this great country.

Edited May 31, 2009 by KeallaS

IWannaFly · May 31, 2009

KeallaS,

It's hard to say what the best option for you is. I don't know much about the Reserves or National Guard and I don't really know anything about the Coast Guard. As far as active duty goes, just understand that as a Warrant Officer you fly much more than a Commissioned Officer. The only other thing i can add is to keep in mind that when you look at military pay, you are just looking at your base pay. They also pay you for housing and food. Hope this at least helps a little and good luck to you.

Blake

USAR153D · May 31, 2009

KeallaS,
It's hard to say what the best option for you is. I don't know much about the Reserves or National Guard and I don't really know anything about the Coast Guard. As far as active duty goes, just understand that as a Warrant Officer you fly much more than a Commissioned Officer. The only other thing i can add is to keep in mind that when you look at military pay, you are just looking at your base pay. They also pay you for housing and food. Hope this at least helps a little and good luck to you.

Blake

Theres flight pay additionally on there right?

IWannaFly · June 1, 2009

Theres flight pay additionally on there right?

Yes. That too.

CharyouTree · June 1, 2009

Theres flight pay additionally on there right?

If you can call it that.

I was making more flight pay as an E-4 than I am as a W1-1/2

It doesn't become a good amount until 6 years of Avn service.

USAR153D · June 1, 2009

Alright LOL I just remember seeing it when I would look up the pay charts.

KeallaS · June 1, 2009

I just noticed DNall is on this site - http://www.armyocsng.com/ - as well and is giving out fantastic advice.

Thanks DNall!

GSXR750Pilot · June 3, 2009

Hey all,

..... I was thinking WOFT would be a great way but I am worried about the salary because of my student-loan debt......

Maybe I'm wrong...but I was offered to have 80% of my students loans payed off my the Army if I had any. Unfortunately I don't because my parent's were kind enough to invest when I was born which it made enough for me to get through college. If I had of known that I was going to join before I graduated I would have pulled student loans and saved A LOT of $$$. I'm pretty sure that most of your loans will get payed off, that's just about the only "bonus" the Army offers if you go WOFT.

I just recently got accepted into WOFT and I'm just playing the waiting game till I ship out to basic August 25th. I too don't know much about anything other than the way I'm going through. I heard about it and talked to a couple of guys, both an Army Chief Warrant 4 pilot and a brand new Lieutenant pilot and they both agreed the best way to go is WOFT if you're going active duty. If you have your degree and get accepted to WOFT, you can always apply for your commission after a couple of years. WOFT just looked like a really good option so I took it and it's worked out for me so far.

Hope you figure things out, good luck. If you have any more questions there are plenty of guys on here that would love to help out!!

dnall · June 9, 2009

There's SLRP for some enlisted jobs in the guard, but you'll lose it if you go WO & it isn't offered for OCS in the guard. I don't know what the deal is for reserves.

As far as what to do, I would not go active duty OCS. That's the most locked in & least chance to get AV. WOFT is the best bet for active duty.

Guard...you have two choices. First, you can come in on an enlisted job, BCT & AIT. I strongly recommend you be in an AV unit, but it's not required. I'd suggest 15P as an MOS if it's available. Figure on spending a up to a year enlisted while getting your packet together & "proving yourself" before you board; then 6-8mos more waiting on a school date. The second option is... if you aren't prior service & do have at least 60hr college (saw your degree)... then enlist 09S (OCS enlistment option). This keeps several options open to you: A) You can drop a WOFT packet after basic/before OCS & follow the above timeline; you can complete OCS, branch AV on the recommendation of the unit with an open commissioned slot (good luck with that); C) you can complete OCS, count it as WOCS, accept WO1 rather than 2LT, and go to flight school; or, D) if all else fails you'll end up a guard 2LT in some other branch, which ain't so bad, and you can still put in an AV packet to branch transfer (again if there is an open spot).

I'm far from a flight surgeon so I can't begin to comment on your issue. I'd tell you to go take a flight physical first to see where you stand. You can do that as a civilian - you would have to for an active duty or reserve WOFT packet. Then you can decide where you want to go from there.