WARRANT OFFICER FLIGHT TRAINING

[Dmurray]

The ruck is a joke man. Its a walk down Ruff Avenue with a backpack on.

[Thedude]

The ruck is a joke man. Its a walk down Ruff Avenue with a backpack on.

The whole school is a joke, not just the ruck.

[ElJay]

Easy peezy. 3.5ish mph pace. Mostly flat terrain I assume?

It has minor hills. Nothing that will get you out of breath.

[redlightning54]

Anyone have any issues scheduling their SIFT? I had mine scheduled for what I thought was next Wednesday morning, but my recruiter contacted me today to say that they only do the SIFT testing the 2nd Friday of each month (I'll be taking it at Atlanta MEPS).

 

Anyone else experience this?

[mike0331]

Call a couple college ROTC departments. That's how I ended up taking mine.

 

Mike

[redlightning54]

Ended up just taking it this morning instead of waiting, scored a 56. Obviously not the best score but I'll take it (no option regardless lol).

Call a couple college ROTC departments. That's how I ended up taking mine.

 

Mike

[Seminole]

Ended up just taking it this morning instead of waiting, scored a 56. Obviously not the best score but I'll take it (no option regardless lol).

 

Its much better than a 41, You're a good 6 points above the mean I wouldnt sweat it too much. What would you say was the most difficult section for you? I'm prepping for mine on July 21st.

[redlightning54]

Hidden figures is a bitch. I may have done 7-10 total. The math is definitely tough, as it just gets harder as you get questions right.

[Simpsj17]

Ended up just taking it this morning instead of waiting, scored a 56. Obviously not the best score but I'll take it (no option regardless lol).

I got selected with a 42 soft score. Just apply and make sure you put your best foot forward.

[Rat_Taylor]

Hi, everyone!

 

I have been on this website for less than two hours now, so if I have missed any easily accessible information don't hessitate to let me know. I am a prior- service Marine and I wonder if anyone else has any info on how the process for WOFT differs from that of normal civilians? If I read on the USAREC site correctly, I don't have to go to basic training. Other than that noticeable difference I could not find anything else such as retaking the ASVAB when I already have a good score, etc...

 

Thanks!

[mike0331]

When did you get out? When did you drop from IRR? I think the prior service boot camp stuff is in flux right now, but even for USMC if you were beyond 3 years from your IRR drop date you had to go. Not sure if that applies to the regular boot camp requirement now.

As far as ASVAB, your score should be fine. Mine from 2007 was good. They calculate the line scores a little differently than the Marine Corps, but if you're not walking the line you should be fine.

 

Seem to be a ton of Marines jumping ship to the Army. I went from USMCR to Guard. I'm waiting for flight school currently and drilling with a Guard aviation unit. They treat their people much better than the USMC, but it's a very different animal.

 

Are you looking Guard or Regular Army?

 

Mike

[Rat_Taylor]

When did you get out? When did you drop from IRR? I think the prior service boot camp stuff is in flux right now, but even for USMC if you were beyond 3 years from your IRR drop date you had to go. Not sure if that applies to the regular boot camp requirement now.

 

As far as ASVAB, your score should be fine. Mine from 2007 was good. They calculate the line scores a little differently than the Marine Corps, but if you're not walking the line you should be fine.

 

Seem to be a ton of Marines jumping ship to the Army. I went from USMCR to Guard. I'm waiting for flight school currently and drilling with a Guard aviation unit. They treat their people much better than the USMC, but it's a very different animal.

 

Are you looking Guard or Regular Army?

 

Mike

 

 

My EAS was July 1, 2015 and I still have 2 months of IRR.

 

My AFQT is an 87 and my GT:119

 

I was planning on going regular Army, but from what I've read that you and others have posted the Georgia Guard might be an option. Although I am also looking for the Active benefits as well.

I have spoken to a few Marines in passing that have become Army Aviators or atleast went back in the Army and they say the same thing. Different but better in ways.

[mike0331]

I mean its painfully obvious that esprit de corps is looked at entirely different, that said I'm proud to wear the Army uniform... especially now that it's actually camouflage again lol. As an infantryman some of the airwinger army stuff is kinda perplexing to me. I was showing privates how to load magazines the other day for example-- in boot camp they don't load their own mags I guess. That shouldn't be a thing, at least not in a ground-combat focused branch of service.

As to active vs reserves/guard, I think its probably the same branch to branch -- if you aren't looking at a ton of options on the civilian side active is probably the way to go.

 

Mike

[Rat_Taylor]

Right now Im in college for Mechanical Engineering and have a decent job doing maintenance but I dont want to do it forever and kind of miss being Active duty. Im also not how sure I am about being a practicing engineer, Id rather get my hands dirty than sit behind a desk staring at math. But I also know all the bs that comes with active duty, so I am sort of apprehensive.

 

I appreciate any info I can get! Thanks!

[mike0331]

There is a thread that goes down the list of the downsides to active aviation. According to those in the thread, the long and short of it seems to be the active army aviation community is at a low point morale wise right now, and pilots spend a significant amount of time doing extra duties, almost to an extreme. I'm just summarizing what's in that thread though, and I'm sure it's a situation where your mileage may vary.

 

My experience with the Guard thus far has just been that it's a bit slower going getting in the door as compared to the active board process so to speak. I've summarized my experiences in another thread, but it took me about a 6 months to a year to get everything together, no doubt a slower process because I wasn't even IRR anymore. The boards aren't held as regularly, and depending on the state, slots can be easy or hard to get.

 

After I boarded in my state, I found out I was selected that day because they wanted to get a jump on getting me in and getting my clearance. That was in March, I was "in" by April drilling with the headquarters company for aviation along with a handful of other selectees, and since I need the 7 week WOCS it looks like January is the soonest I'll get to Rucker if my clearance is all set by then. So since then, it has been going seemingly as fast as the active selectees.

 

My advice to you is reach out to both recruiters ASAP. It almost certainly is your benefit to NOT drop from the IRR. As long as you have an IRR status they should be able to work on your clearance (not sure if you already have one, or had one) and just transfer you over component wise. The Marine Corps can give you an "emergency extension" of about 90 days on your IRR time, longer needs paperwork. In my case, like everything else, they screwed it up and I fell off contract.

Mike

[Rat_Taylor]

Im sitting outside the Army recruiter now. They are in a meeting. They said they have never done a WOFT packet....or an OCS packet because it takes so long. They said that they normally have people join and then try to do it from within. That isnt happening! They told me that the next board they would try to get me on would be July 10 (which is an OCS board) there is a WOCS board on July 23 but the packet date is May 18. Theres no way that my packet would be good enough or even complete by then.

 

The state Guard HQ is right down the road and there is a Blackhawk unit there (which is what I want) it might behoove me to go talk to them after this is over.

[mike0331]

You can't guarantee aviation from the commissioned side. If you want to fly on the active side, you want to do WOFT. And screw enlisting first if you are going active, the WOFT boards are taking almost ALL applicants. Submitting a packet is the way to do it. Considering May 18th was like 3 weeks ago... yea you probably won't be making that time hack.

 

I think it would be a good idea to meet with someone in the aviation unit down the street. Either way, you are going to need at least one letter of recommendation from a Warrant army pilot, and that is probably the way to meet them. I've found all the officers and warrants (and even senior enlisted for that matter) in Guard aviation to be among the most happy to help, laid back members of the armed forces I've ever met. Though I feel like coming from the USMC is like leaving an abusive relationship where you always expect to get lifed out for doing nothing wrong. There should be someone there who can give you an idea of unit strength, what they need, don't need, etc. When I first contacted my state 2 years ago they told me they weren't looking at applicants off the street and they had a backlog of pilots waiting for flight school slots. A year later I contacted them and there had been some mass exodus of pilots. Best to get in communication with someone in aviation who knows what's going on in that state.

 

Mike

[Rat_Taylor]

Dang thats true. I know the date today but I guess I didnt realize what date that was haha

 

Ill talk to them. I feel that way too. Thats why Im so apprehensive about going back in. Im still waiting for their meeting to finish up.

[Rat_Taylor]

Update from earlier:

 

I signed a medical record release form from USMC to USA and they took copies of my ID,Passport, and DD-214. I did height and weight/ tape test. Missed tape by 1% (gainz) going back in 12 days to do it again. After that they will schedule my MEPS physical and flight physical, then APFT. He said my Secret clearance should still be fine. ASVAB was good. He said the board in July was the local board they do once a month. He told me to get my LORs together and study for the SIFT and then we will continue to move forward. That is all I have for now. I still plan on talking to the GA NG just to see what my options are.

 

My recruiter 'seems' pretty cool and doesn't seem like he's going to BS me very much considering my prior service. We had some good conversation about Afghanistan deployments and he was actually a Logistics support guy for the 160th. and did Green Platoon and deployed with them. I asked if he knew any current Nightstalker pilots and he said, "not anymore, my commander but he lost his flight status because of a DUI". Granted, he's never done a WOFT packet before he seems to have a grasp on it.

 

Looks like it's salads and running and less beer and barbells for a little while at least.

 

Rat

[mike0331]

Whiskey and black coffee... for health and stuff.

[Rat_Taylor]

Together or whiskey in the morning and coffee at night?

[mike0331]

Yes?

[Rat_Taylor]

Very well, carry on.

[kow10120]

Looking for a little advice.

 

I took my flight physical back in SEP 2017. It sounded like all was well as long as I met with a behavioral health counselor to get approval for a waiver, for previous drug use (as requested by Rucker). In OCT 2017 I met with the counselor and got his approval. I should have followed up immediately with the flight surgeon to ensure he received the documentation from the counselor, but I assumed all was well (incorrectly). Towards the end of putting my packet materials together I called Rucker to inquire about my physical, which they said had a status of "Denied/Incomplete". In order to rectify this the flight surgeon has to resubmit my physical with the behavioral consult results.

 

From this point I worked to try and get into contact with the flight exam department at the base my physical was conducted. They would not return my calls or emails, so I finally took a guess at the flight surgeon's email and was able to reach him. Since I saw him last he had moved to a new post out of CONUS. Apparently he wasn't able to open the file from the counselor when he was still at his previous post. He gave me contact info for someone new in his old office to work with and wished me luck. I was able to establish communications through the new flight exam office contact and got back in touch with the counselor to make sure everything was accessible to the flight exam office. The counselor made his medical determination known to the new flight surgeon, but the new surgeon (I'm told) has DQ'ed my physical for the past drug use. I haven't been able to talk to him myself, I heard this through his office staff. I've emailed him but gotten no response. I had the evaluation done for a waiver to cover the very thing he has DQ'ed me for and he won't speak with me, even though I was essentially cleared by his predecessor.

 

I am thinking my next course of action will be to go elsewhere for a second class 1 physical. By this point the last one was done 8-9 months ago anyways, and I'm told that AUG is the next board meeting for Guard in my state. That was the closest Regular Army installation to me, but from what I've read on here others have had success with going to an AF surgeon. I think this may be my best option, as there are a couple AF bases nearby. To applicants visiting an AF surgeon, did you bring a print off of the Army medical standards, or any other kind of document I should bring? There is also a Coast Guard air station near me, but I'm not sure if the Army would accept one from them. I figured I would keep it within DoD. Any community input/wisdom would be appreciated.

[jd4734]

Hello all,

 

I am also applying for the WOFT program. I am going to feel out my recruiter a little bit more but if he is not more helpful... and soon... I am going to start taking more things into my own hands. So, with that being said, I understand that I can go through my local ROTC to schedule and take my SIFT. But, how do I go about scheduling my own Flight Physical. I am from the Midwest, just in case anyone has any specific knowledge.

 

I am Air Guard and already have my DD Form 368 already. I have already filled out most of the packet, and am working on LOR's. But, in the mean time, I want to get things at least scheduled so that I can plan properly and not procrastinate.

 

I also have the need for a waiver, of the moral type. Does anyone have any advice? I have been studying this site, using the search bar with all types of criteria and can't find anything that also pertains to me. Any help is much appreciated.

 

Also, as far as LOR's go, I have seen, and understand the advice given for street to seat guys, but as I am Prior Service, should I do my two commanders and SWO.... and also the three others? Or should I just do the three mandatory ones? Please keep in mind that I need the moral waivers. One for speeding (yes it is over $250) and one for five counts of retail theft under $150 (From ten years ago, 16 yrs of age).

 

V/r,

jd4734