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The Long Road to WOFT!


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Let me start by saying in no way is my experience normal. However, when i am selected for WOFT it will be just another testament that determination can pay off.

 

Four years ago (Jan 2010) i was returning from JBB, Iraq to discover my xwife had moved from Arkansas to California, drained the bank account, and had the nerve to inform me that if i ever wanted to see my son again i would drop everything and move to California.

 

Needless to say i was not in the best place at that time. I decided after drafting divorse papers i would resume college in Montana with the blessing of my unit in Arkansas. This was supposed to provide distance and time for me to rediscover myself.

 

Low and behold after enrollent two weeks went by when my unit notified me i was being activated and required to report within 7 days. Being the person i am packed house and dropped school only to make it to Denver when my unit sent me a "Text Message" and notified me my orders had been cancelled and that i am expected to continue to AR for drill the following week.

 

After arriving in Arkansas my unit placed me on AT as if it was going to provide enough funding to climb back out of the hole i had just been kicked into. After AT i was notified i could get 30 days of orders but had to pay lodging out of pocket for 2 weeks before they would become available. This scenario played out 3 times in 2010 before I became financially spent and had to make changes.

 

My new girlfriend at the time asked me what my dreams where before i joined the military and got married. It made me think, was it my chance to start clean and just go for it? to just Fly? was it really that time. It was! I had oined the AF to fly and learn aviation in the first place.

 

I explained my dreams from childhood where to become a Search ad Rescue Pilot. I had heard many stories from my dad and his friends at Fort Chaffee, AR where i spent a great deal of time at the NCO Acadamy as a child.

 

My now wife gave that gentle nudge and suggested i do what i want and not worry about veryone else for a change. My wife and I began planning and studying where the schools that accepted Post 9/11 GI Bill were and which ones had a rotor-wing program. There where 7 at the time and I asked her to figure out which one had the best safety record and the rest was history.

 

My unit approved and allowed me at first to attend bimonthly drill but not allowing promotion until i moved back to local commuting range aswell i was required to be back in AR by Jan 2014.

 

I didn't hesitate and my wife and i headed to Bend, OR. where i began college at COCC and ironically had an advisor which i actually knew me from Active duty some 6 years earlier.

 

Six months went by and i was ready and had my Pvt Helicopter checkride scheduled. I was working feverishly the get it completed because of upcoming deploymet and i had already lost 2 instructors which kept delaying my ride.

 

Checkride week finally arrived and I got a call from my unit, my report date is bumped up a month. I now have 6 days to report and i have to cancel my ride due to a 3 day drive to Arkansas.

 

I spent 4 months in Kyrgyzstan and then had to wait on a new school term to cycle... When i reported back to Flight Training in Jan 2012 i had been gone 6 months and had a new flight instructor which i had known since basic training and EAUC/Tech.

 

We spent the remainder of 2012 bouncing me through training as i was a fulltime Pilot, student, husband, and commuting 2100 miles every 2 months for drill taking me out of flight and school for 2 weeks not including the periodical TDY's. This does not include the helicopter accident or the motorcycle accident which sidelined me for a bit.

 

At the end of 2012 i decided i was going to go WOFT, I had a new Commander leaning on me to get things in order for WOFT for when i returned to Arkansas.

 

In Sept 2013 things went south, way south! I had no money left due to commute to AR, wife had to make an emergncy trip to MT for family where she had to have a place to stay i still had to finish Turbine training, Part 133 and if time permitted my PPL Fixed wing.

 

Fortunately i like camping, because when i returned to OR from AR i found myself camping at the end of Airport runway 34 in Bend, OR trying to finish college and my flight training while still providing for my family in montana and maintaining service commitment.

 

In Oct a friend of mine dicovered i was really camping, he had thought the few people i told where just joking and he offered to let me stay at his house. The night i moved out of the tent Bend got hit with 2-3 inches of snow and 20-30 mph winds. I was lucky!

 

I finished my turbine, Part 133, and started on my Fixed wing to build Total Time hours. During this time I recieved a call asking me if i would be interested in taking a contract to TX for 1 year and i said i would depending on how things went with my WOFT packet.

 

In Dec 2013 i exhausted my VA benefits 1 class remaining but complete with my aviation ratings. Upon arrival in AR to pick up the Heli to take to TX i was informed the contract was cancelled and i did not have a job after all.

 

In Jan i was informed that my Medical Unit that someone had thrown away my Flight physical and i was going to have to redo the flight physical. Next hurdle, AF Flight medicine informed m they dowould not submit my flight physical which i had just completed due to appication for WOFT. So i have to have another flight physical accomplished.

 

Feb my wife returned from MT, I had no home for her or myself, and no job. Feb 21st finally found a job that will at least pay the bills and still working on the flight job. Recruiter informed me that he would schedule ASVAB as my original score fell 1 point short in 2002.

 

Recruiter forgot, then when i was finally enroute for testing and Physical i was notified they where closed on the day of physical and he forgot to inform me. 3rd time, actually arrived and was told that MEPS will not test inservice personal.

 

Then Another TDY, returned and took ASVAB got a 119 GT.

 

Scheduled for Physical and SIFT this Thursday/Friday

 

 

 

This road has been hell so far, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. I will make WOFT ad i will fulfill my dreams.

 

I have lost way to much to stop and i am not going to let anyone stop me.

 

 

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Let me start by saying in no way is my experience normal. However, when i am selected for WOFT it will be just another testament that determination can pay off.

 

Four years ago (Jan 2010) i was returning from JBB, Iraq to discover my xwife had moved from Arkansas to California, drained the bank account, and had the nerve to inform me that if i ever wanted to see my son again i would drop everything and move to California.

 

Needless to say i was not in the best place at that time. I decided after drafting divorse papers i would resume college in Montana with the blessing of my unit in Arkansas. This was supposed to provide distance and time for me to rediscover myself.

 

Low and behold after enrollent two weeks went by when my unit notified me i was being activated and required to report within 7 days. Being the person i am packed house and dropped school only to make it to Denver when my unit sent me a "Text Message" and notified me my orders had been cancelled and that i am expected to continue to AR for drill the following week.

 

After arriving in Arkansas my unit placed me on AT as if it was going to provide enough funding to climb back out of the hole i had just been kicked into. After AT i was notified i could get 30 days of orders but had to pay lodging out of pocket for 2 weeks before they would become available. This scenario played out 3 times in 2010 before I became financially spent and had to make changes.

 

My new girlfriend at the time asked me what my dreams where before i joined the military and got married. It made me think, was it my chance to start clean and just go for it? to just Fly? was it really that time. It was! I had oined the AF to fly and learn aviation in the first place.

 

I explained my dreams from childhood where to become a Search ad Rescue Pilot. I had heard many stories from my dad and his friends at Fort Chaffee, AR where i spent a great deal of time at the NCO Acadamy as a child.

 

My now wife gave that gentle nudge and suggested i do what i want and not worry about veryone else for a change. My wife and I began planning and studying where the schools that accepted Post 9/11 GI Bill were and which ones had a rotor-wing program. There where 7 at the time and I asked her to figure out which one had the best safety record and the rest was history.

 

My unit approved and allowed me at first to attend bimonthly drill but not allowing promotion until i moved back to local commuting range aswell i was required to be back in AR by Jan 2014.

 

I didn't hesitate and my wife and i headed to Bend, OR. where i began college at COCC and ironically had an advisor which i actually knew me from Active duty some 6 years earlier.

 

Six months went by and i was ready and had my Pvt Helicopter checkride scheduled. I was working feverishly the get it completed because of upcoming deploymet and i had already lost 2 instructors which kept delaying my ride.

 

Checkride week finally arrived and I got a call from my unit, my report date is bumped up a month. I now have 6 days to report and i have to cancel my ride due to a 3 day drive to Arkansas.

 

I spent 4 months in Kyrgyzstan and then had to wait on a new school term to cycle... When i reported back to Flight Training in Jan 2012 i had been gone 6 months and had a new flight instructor which i had known since basic training and EAUC/Tech.

 

We spent the remainder of 2012 bouncing me through training as i was a fulltime Pilot, student, husband, and commuting 2100 miles every 2 months for drill taking me out of flight and school for 2 weeks not including the periodical TDY's. This does not include the helicopter accident or the motorcycle accident which sidelined me for a bit.

 

At the end of 2012 i decided i was going to go WOFT, I had a new Commander leaning on me to get things in order for WOFT for when i returned to Arkansas.

 

In Sept 2013 things went south, way south! I had no money left due to commute to AR, wife had to make an emergncy trip to MT for family where she had to have a place to stay i still had to finish Turbine training, Part 133 and if time permitted my PPL Fixed wing.

 

Fortunately i like camping, because when i returned to OR from AR i found myself camping at the end of Airport runway 34 in Bend, OR trying to finish college and my flight training while still providing for my family in montana and maintaining service commitment.

 

In Oct a friend of mine dicovered i was really camping, he had thought the few people i told where just joking and he offered to let me stay at his house. The night i moved out of the tent Bend got hit with 2-3 inches of snow and 20-30 mph winds. I was lucky!

 

I finished my turbine, Part 133, and started on my Fixed wing to build Total Time hours. During this time I recieved a call asking me if i would be interested in taking a contract to TX for 1 year and i said i would depending on how things went with my WOFT packet.

 

In Dec 2013 i exhausted my VA benefits 1 class remaining but complete with my aviation ratings. Upon arrival in AR to pick up the Heli to take to TX i was informed the contract was cancelled and i did not have a job after all.

 

In Jan i was informed that my Medical Unit that someone had thrown away my Flight physical and i was going to have to redo the flight physical. Next hurdle, AF Flight medicine informed m they dowould not submit my flight physical which i had just completed due to appication for WOFT. So i have to have another flight physical accomplished.

 

Feb my wife returned from MT, I had no home for her or myself, and no job. Feb 21st finally found a job that will at least pay the bills and still working on the flight job. Recruiter informed me that he would schedule ASVAB as my original score fell 1 point short in 2002.

 

Recruiter forgot, then when i was finally enroute for testing and Physical i was notified they where closed on the day of physical and he forgot to inform me. 3rd time, actually arrived and was told that MEPS will not test inservice personal.

 

Then Another TDY, returned and took ASVAB got a 119 GT.

 

Scheduled for Physical and SIFT this Thursday/Friday

 

 

 

This road has been hell so far, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. I will make WOFT ad i will fulfill my dreams.

 

I have lost way to much to stop and i am not going to let anyone stop me.

 

 

 

Damn man that is a lot of hurdles. It really makes my problems non existant in comparison. Good luck on Thursday/Friday and shoot me a PM if you need any further insight into the SIFT.

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So, uh...damn. You've got me beat by miles. That is far and away the most hellish trying-to-go WOFT story I've ever heard. You'll make it though. Patience and persistence, of which both you have clearly demonstrated.

 

Let me know if there is any way that I can help.

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Newest hurdle!

 

Turns out recruiter had the 72 hour requirement wrong. We spoke yesterday and he said it ust had to be done today upon arrival he informed me the application had to be turned in by noon today.... maybe next week.

 

additionally, there is a belief that you "Must" have your Army Physical completed before taking the Sift!

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Good morning,

 

I changed acc's.

 

He said he has submitted for the age waiver but has not got it back yet.

I do have a complete AF Flight Physical with flight surgeons signature in my packet being sent to MEPS, but AF would not process it for me. It was completed in Aug.

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Newest hurdle!

 

Turns out recruiter had the 72 hour requirement wrong. We spoke yesterday and he said it ust had to be done today upon arrival he informed me the application had to be turned in by noon today.... maybe next week.

 

additionally, there is a belief that you "Must" have your Army Physical completed before taking the Sift!

 

Edit. I stand corrected by D10. MEPS physical did have to be done before taking the SIFT.

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Thank you.

 

I spoke with MEPS directly today due to not being able to reach my recruiter to check on progress. MEPS informed me they couldn't test me anyway.

 

I am checking with the University and Camp Robinson.

LRAFB doesn't even know what the SIFT. :(

 

Wish you lived near Sacramento, CA. I could schedule your SIFT and Army flight physical myself! Good luck finding a place man..

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Wow. I thought my road was long. I was Air Guard in Arkansas before switching to active duty Army. Didn't get picked up for street to seat, so enlisted. Ex-wife cheated while I was in AIT. Divorced, submitted again, not picked up. Worked on getting better where I was. Promoted, better evals, etc. Roughly four years later, I think I stand my best chance.

 

Since I did my initial packet thru the recruiters in LR, maybe this will help you. When I tried the street to seat, while living there in AR, I had to go to Memphis MEPS to take the AFAST. Might be the same for the SIFT. Also, had to go to Ft Sill in OK for my physical, and Oklahoma City for my board.

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Wow. I thought my road was long. I was Air Guard in Arkansas before switching to active duty Army. Didn't get picked up for street to seat, so enlisted. Ex-wife cheated while I was in AIT. Divorced, submitted again, not picked up. Worked on getting better where I was. Promoted, better evals, etc. Roughly four years later, I think I stand my best chance.

 

Since I did my initial packet thru the recruiters in LR, maybe this will help you. When I tried the street to seat, while living there in AR, I had to go to Memphis MEPS to take the AFAST. Might be the same for the SIFT. Also, had to go to Ft Sill in OK for my physical, and Oklahoma City for my board.

I appreciate the info. turns out my recruiter didn't get the SIFT scheduled so i am in limbo for yet another week. I will get it worked out.

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I appreciate the info. turns out my recruiter didn't get the SIFT scheduled so i am in limbo for yet another week. I will get it worked out.

It's pretty much expected to have some kind of hurdle for the woft process. Everything I've read on here from people accepted had at least a few issues. Keep your head up, the forums always here to vent.

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I completely understand there being hurdles and the fact that "Everyone" will experience more or less hurdles depending on many differnt causes. Fortunately for me there are very few things that will prevent me from being selected for WOFT (Except of coarse the board. However, they might get tired of seeing my packet and give in eventually also)?

 

I will not sway from my goal of being an Army Rotor Pilot. I do totally agree that there are expected hurdles, I have experienced many of them as i know many many other have also.

 

anyay, last hurdle; as i note all my hurdles so that others may learn from my misfortunes.

 

"ALWAYS" keep a hard copy of your Form 368! I went to pull a copy of my 368 from my file and realized my recruiter had misplaced it. I did not have an additional copy with me and while checking my email realized i deleated the original email... NOW i have to request another conditional release.....

 

Hindsight! Make several copies and backup all emails on external harddrive and disk

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I dont know how your conditional release works, but for us, I know I would be able to call MMSR-2e at HQMC (the people who approve it) and they would have it on file? maybe you can give that a shot with whoever it is that approves yours? If not how long does it take for you to get one routed and approved? Any word on your age waiver?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Conditional Release and paperwork complete. MEPS is set for Tesday! Hope to ship by Nov 15th...

 

question for the masses.

If i can get one of the following which one would be most beneficial to my career in the Army (obviously with career pogression toward rotor-wing pilot). I am going to try to get both but it will depend on alot of factors. I am just curious which woud be more beneficial.

 

1. Airborne

2. Air Assault

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Air Assault would be more beneficial just because it actually deals directly with rotary wing aircraft vs Airborne where you are just jumping out of a C-130. As far as career progression, I don't know if either will help you get promoted faster than the other, but if I had to pick I would definitely say Air Assault.

 

Air Assault will give you more knowledge on how sling loads are conducted and the operations involved with them, as well as rappelling out of 60's and basic aircraft orientation. You will need to understand these things I would like to think if you select 60's or 47's.

 

But in the long run you definitely want to get both of them as they are both great schools and you learn a lot.

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Thank you.

 

I am positioned to enter at a 15T currently (i wanted to get the Mx side of the 60's and stay in a unit that is working with me). After finishing the AIT for 15T my unit has agree to "look" at my WOFT packet.

 

I think i have a pretty good chance, but i am wanting to add every bit of school/ Army experience i can get prior to board.

 

My personal preferance is actually the 64's, but i will not be getting that in the guard or atleast seriously doubt it with them being pulled to AD.

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I would say air assault as well. Just for the longevity, airborne is much harder on the body. I don't know about you, but I want to retire fully functional.

^^ I agree. I have attended neither, but I was all about going to these schools too until I got to Rucker and started flight school. Now the general attitude seems to be, why would you go to a school that has a pretty high risk of injury that could potentially hurt your career as an aviator to learn something that you will never use as a pilot? Yes, there is good information, but is the risk worth it? To me, I will never jump out of a plane or fast rope from a helicopter and my priority is to not break myself so I can continue to fly. It's up to you though, there are several people here with both the badges.

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Conditional Release and paperwork complete. MEPS is set for Tesday! Hope to ship by Nov 15th...

 

question for the masses.

If i can get one of the following which one would be most beneficial to my career in the Army (obviously with career pogression toward rotor-wing pilot). I am going to try to get both but it will depend on alot of factors. I am just curious which woud be more beneficial.

 

1. Airborne

2. Air Assault

Air Assault would be more beneficial just because it actually deals directly with rotary wing aircraft vs Airborne where you are just jumping out of a C-130. As far as career progression, I don't know if either will help you get promoted faster than the other, but if I had to pick I would definitely say Air Assault.

 

Air Assault will give you more knowledge on how sling loads are conducted and the operations involved with them, as well as rappelling out of 60's and basic aircraft orientation. You will need to understand these things I would like to think if you select 60's or 47's.

 

But in the long run you definitely want to get both of them as they are both great schools and you learn a lot.

 

 

Air assault is a relatively easy course to get. If you're not in a unit on jump status, good luck getting a slot to airborne.

 

Get airborne in your contract. You can do air assault at a later date, but if you pass up airborne in your initial contract you'll likely never get another chance short of going to an airborne unit.

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