sskyle03 Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 I am ending my junior year of ROTC in Texas and starting to toy around with my potential branching options. Aviation is on the top of my list. I have taken the SIFT and did well. I have my Class 1A physical scheduled. I actually get to go CTLT with a CAB and am extremely excited about that. I'm just looking for any insight that anyone can give me. Like things you wish you knew etc. On another note: I know most of your are WO's and I have been lurking around this forum for some time. Some of yall's banter is absolutely hilarious and sometimes I wished I would have taken the WO route but I plan to do my best where I'm at. Thanks in advance for yall's insight and comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zVo Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 I'm a CWO, but I've only met a couple ROTC graduates that have branched aviation. Every PL in our BN is a West Point graduate. Obviously ROTC gets aviation slots, but they are far and few between. Without getting into too much detail, as soon as you make pilot-in-command as an LT (if you can), you'll go straight to a staff job and your flight hours will go down tremendously. In my current unit, I outfly my O-grade counterparts at an almost 3:1 hour ratio. I don't wanna sugar coat it, you'll be task saturated with administrative, government/bureaucratic paperwork. Even as a warrant officer, we're laden with additional duties; however, our primary focus is on aviation. RLOs get stuck running operations and aviation is more of a secondary duty. If you're okay with that, by all means branch aviation. The RLOs with the best gig IMO are the guys that branch Med Service and fly MEDEVAC. They stay in the cockpit longer (Company Commander = Major) or the guys that get fixed-wing out of flight school and end up in C-12s, DHC-7s, or UC-35s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 Once someone is commissioned and a rated pilot can they give up their commission and become a WO pilot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akscott60 Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 Once someone is commissioned and a rated pilot can they give up their commission and become a WO pilot? Yes, I know quite a few RLOs that reverted to WO after a while. Most were post command Captains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velocity173 Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 (edited) Once someone is commissioned and a rated pilot can they give up their commission and become a WO pilot? Not only commissioned and rated but I had a couple of students commissioned in different MOSs switch over to become warrant. Someone along the line gave them good advice. I would add that some go the other way as well. There are those that would rather lead than fly and they feel that they can have a greater impact on the course of Army Aviation over being a WO. Most of my friends that left warrant for commission went on to ANG or CG though. Probably the best choices for flying commissioned if you ask me. Edited April 16, 2014 by Velocity173 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaurus Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 A few added points. For those commissioned rated aviators that revert to being an aviation warrant officer, there is a corresponding annual pay cut of approximately $20k initially. But your Butt will be getting more hours in the pilot seat. If an active duty career aviation Warrant Officer with little to no enlisted experience and wish not to be concerned with promotion in making retirement, there is 1 simple course of action. After 6 to 7 years of Warrant Officer service, submit an OCS packet if meeting the requirements. The Captain promotion is almost assured and you will not be up for Major before the 18th year of service. At the 18 year point, you are protected in making retirement as an Officer regardless if not selected whether commissioned or warrant. Of course your flying hours will be reduced tremendously for the most part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wbrady755 Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 Well, its not impossible. Hopefully, you will be in the top 20% of the commissioning class to get the AV slot. Make sure you do everything you can to increase your OML numbers. This will be the only real thing holding you back from AV. As far as flight school, I was an LT, and the mix was about 60% WO, 30% ROTC LTs, and 10% West Pointers. So don't worry if you're not in a grey uniform right now. As far as being a commissioned guy goes, I look at it this way: 1) I don't get to fly AS MUCH as my warrants, but I get to fly WAY MORE than any other guy that I commissioned with. They are stuck doing admin tasks all day in most cases.2) General Crutchfield, who was the CG of Rucker said this: Grow where you're planted. You came up through a different route than the warrants. You will have different experiences, different skills, etc. Keep a positive attitude WHEREVER you get placed, and give it 100%. People will notice your efforts, and it usually pays off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskyle03 Posted April 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 Thank you guys. I have spent many nights reading through forums and blogs that people post. I feel like I'm fairly aware of the pros and cons of being a LT in aviation. I read an article recently about the apaches going all active and getting rid of kiowas. What do y'all think about that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 There's this whole other thread for all that bull$(-)!+ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskyle03 Posted April 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 There's this whole other thread for all that bull$(-)!+Would you mind telling me where it is? I havent been able to find. I figured there was one but I couldnt ever find it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBuzzkill Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Just type in Kiowa to the search bar and you'll find them. There's a couple out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootcamp Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 I went thru a similar dilemma a few years ago. Already a helicopter/ASEL rated CFII and about 7 years of instructing experience - however the ROTC selection committee doesn't take any of that into account. Rather than gamble on it, I went USAR. They were very welcoming both for selection and after I arrived at my unit. The only problem (not a big one) was that I had to wait 17 months between commissioning and flight school. Also, it was about a 4 hour commute from home to my drill station. If you want a more "sure thing" - go NG or USAR. That being said, if you told me 6 years ago that it would take 6 years to get to Fort Rucker by going the ROTC route, I would have opted to go to WOCS instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskyle03 Posted April 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Bootcamp: how did you go about getting a aviation slot in the reserves? I'm still on the fence between trying to go active or going reserves/guard. I have done tons of research and I feel like I should be competitive to compete for a active slot but like you said, the chance is still there. I have also read up on the pros and cons between the three options but none of pros/cons really sway me one way or another. I guess because either way I would be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apacheguy Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Thank you guys. I have spent many nights reading through forums and blogs that people post. I feel like I'm fairly aware of the pros and cons of being a LT in aviation. I read an article recently about the apaches going all active and getting rid of kiowas. What do y'all think about that? If you want aviation branch, make sure you ask for it. I got some bad advice and commissioned FA than had to work a branch transfer a few years later to finally get into aviation. Best branch in the army by far. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskyle03 Posted April 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Our PMS keeps reiterating that. If you want it then you better put it #1. Glad to see it is possible to transfer though. I'm sure it wasn't easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootcamp Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 (edited) Bootcamp: how did you go about getting a aviation slot in the reserves? At LDAC, when we had our "career fest", I stumbled upon the USAR aviation recruiter. I told her about my flight experience, that I already had a completed flight packet, and that I wanted to become an Army aviator. Her next words: "Where would you like to drill? We have spots in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Texas, Colorado, and Washington State." The only catch is that I had to wait until FY2014 to go to flight school since this was already 12th RGT at LDAC and she had filled her FY2013 slots. Since then, the USAR has welcomed me with open arms. I'm not sure it's still the same recruiter, but I will send you a PM with her contact info. Hopefully if she doesn't have an answer, she can forward you to someone who does. Best of luck! Edited April 23, 2014 by Bootcamp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskyle03 Posted November 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 It's been a while since I have visited this forum but I figured I would come on back. I found out some big news this week. I will be branching as a 2LT into Army Aviation after graduation in May of 2015! Time to scour the pages looking for things to prepare before it all kicks up and any pointers or tips you have given to previous future aviators. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apacheguy Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 Congrats, now make sure you graduate on time so you can start flying army helicopters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tradewinds Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 It's been a while since I have visited this forum but I figured I would come on back. I found out some big news this week. I will be branching as a 2LT into Army Aviation after graduation in May of 2015! Time to scour the pages looking for things to prepare before it all kicks up and any pointers or tips you have given to previous future aviators. Congratulations, My younger son has branched AD Aviation as well and will commission in May, his older brother branched Aviation and graduated flight school 9/2013. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCav19D Posted November 22, 2014 Report Share Posted November 22, 2014 If you want aviation branch, make sure you ask for it. I got some bad advice and commissioned FA than had to work a branch transfer a few years later to finally get into aviation. Best branch in the army by far. How long were you in for? That's quite the list of airframes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apacheguy Posted November 25, 2014 Report Share Posted November 25, 2014 How long were you in for? That's quite the list of airframes!20 years, just retired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCav19D Posted November 25, 2014 Report Share Posted November 25, 2014 20 years, just retired. Good stuff. I just met with a USAR CW-4 who started out his flying career with AH-1s. Very interesting fellow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkerman180 Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 It's been a while since I have visited this forum but I figured I would come on back. I found out some big news this week. I will be branching as a 2LT into Army Aviation after graduation in May of 2015! Time to scour the pages looking for things to prepare before it all kicks up and any pointers or tips you have given to previous future aviators. I just branched aviation as well! Any idea when we will get our BOLC dates? I've heard there are a lot of Aviation branched cadets this year. Any one have any idea why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCav19D Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 Congratulations. If a lot have branched Aviation, then there must be a shortage of 15A 2LTs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskyle03 Posted December 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 I have heard we won't get BOLC dates until March or closer to graduation. I have also heard that there were only 115 aviation slots given out. This is all hearsay so don't put too much stock into this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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