HS Senior Plan good or not good

[Dormin]

Dont want to be a meddler. Trying to let him figure this out on his own but want to be sure his plan is sound.

My son meet with a recruiter to discuss options. He's going into his senior year of High School. He wants to got to college and he wants to serve. He has interest in aviation, as well as other options, in Army. After talking with recruiter, he's considering Army Reserves and college at same time. Schools he's considering have AROTC programs. There would be some money available to help pay for school this way.

He's plan is to chose MOS in aviation such as 15T (UH60 Repaier). This would be his reserve job. Obviously, this would give him knowledge of that airframe, terminology and such. It would also give him opportunity to meet pilots and air crews get to know them and at some point hopefully work on his packet, LOR's and such.

Upon graduation, he could from Reserve to Active Duty. Then submit packet to get slot for flight school. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Luofynerd]

Apply as a civilian, biggest regret I have from serving 7 years as a 15 series mechanic, is that I didn't just apply as a civilian. You will notice life kind of likes to get in the way of dreams. Before you know it your looking at E7 at 26 years old. At that point you can't count your ducks before they hatch, right? So you have to accept that enlisted is the guarantee and pilot is a maybe. So your enlisted life will definitely have to take priority. I did my E7 board file before I started my second warrant packet. That's just my experience. I feel it just makes more sense to apply when the selection rates are always 20/20, 21/21 etc. Rather than to go enlisted and fight against 80-100 applicants per board with a 30% selection rate. Just my .03 cents (little more than .02)

[Stump]

If he keeps his grades high, and can get those recommendations over the next year, excercises and prepares for a WOFT packet in general (There is a lot of good advice here in these forums) - he can go straight for his dreams.

 

Plenty of people have done it before him. If he wants to continue to fly as an aviator - he is going to want to pursue higher education while he is in. Warrant Officer promotions look for education and getting a bachelors and a masters is almost necessary to get promoted to senior warrant officers.

 

Worst case is he puts his packet in and he isn't selected. He has no commitment to the military and can go the route with the reserves and try that way or just apply again once he finishes college with a bachelors degree (And he can have other opportunities available with other branches to fly commissioned).

[dirtyfoot]

Just my opinion, but if he insists on enlisting, my experience is that the guys with prior combat MOS backgrounds have an upper hand on the prior 15 series guys.

 

Honestly though, if my kids want to serve, I'm going to recommend that they commission through ROTC. If they branch AV, great, but if not, they'll earn their undergrad, get a hell of a resume in the process, and after a few years can either get out or resign their commission to fly as a warrant with a near guarantee of being picked up. Sure they could try street to seat as well, but even with a 6 year ADSO (4 years is the current standard) following commissioning, they'd be looking at reverting to CW2 at 28 years old, which is pretty much the median age of junior grade warrants anyhow.