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Accepted to WOFT but no units available!?


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Reserve Bases

 

Accepted on the Feb 5 2018 board. Received an email and phone call stating that the unit I wanted to get assigned to in south florida near where I live is full. Apparently the only RESERVE bases available for me to go to are Ft.Worth TX., Colorado Springs, and Schofield Barracks Hawaii. Meaning that after Rucker I would have to move there. If so I would want to be put on Active Reserve to ease the financial burden. Would the military pay for my move?

 

Do I have any other options? Any one had similar circumstances? What would you guys do?

 

FYI fixed wing civy looking to get to the majors soon as well.

 

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Thats interesting... have you thought about contacting some local guard units to see if they'd board you? If you don't mind moving CO seems like a pretty sweet place to fly. Just had a friend get back from HAATS and he was pretty stoked.

 

I don't know that I'd move cross country for the reserves alone. Maybe if I was at least indifferent on moving and had a real job lined up, but you dont want to get stuck somewhere with no work over it.

 

Mike

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Looks like they checked all base options through USARC G-1. Here is an email I was sent.

 

 

Email:

 

After speaking with SGM ****** Army Reserve Senior Policy NCO it was established through USARC G-1 that there are only three Troop Program Unit's (TPU's) available for Army Reserve (AR) WOFT candidates: Fort Worth, TX / Colorado Springs, CO / Scholfield Barracks, HI. Mr.**** has had his age waiver approved and has been selected by the USAREC WOFT Board on 06FEB18. Mr. **** understands that he has ten days for DEP-in for AR to any of those three TPU's. He is also aware that active duty (RA) is also an option, but has made it clear he is not interested. All personnel attached in this email are up to date with all information regarding Mr. **** and his available options. Reservation for DEP-in will be made no later than 16FEB18 as to abide by MEP's projection standards for DEP-in.

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First world problems--you have choices, just not what you were expecting. The Army will pay to PCS (move) you to Fort Rucker and back home (wherever that is).

 

"He is also aware that active duty (RA) is also an option, but has made it clear he is not interested". Okay. Then choose one of the other locales or none at all. Life is like a box of chocolates...

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New info just came out. I feel extremely lucky for the opportunity given to me. I just got info that I can stay here in south Florida and DRILL in Hawaii or Colorado travel and accommodation paid/reimbursed. Either way swearing in on Wed.

 

Does anyone have info on the flying mission etc with the above mentioned?

Ha. Youre gonna have drill weekend yes but are you gonna fly back and forth when youre on the flight schedule? I foresee that not working in your favor. They can say they will reimburse you all they want but I dont believe anything a recruiter says.

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Ha. Youre gonna have drill weekend yes but are you gonna fly back and forth when youre on the flight schedule? I foresee that not working in your favor. They can say they will reimburse you all they want but I dont believe anything a recruiter says.

Id fly out of state once of month. I dont know that I can ask for something in writing but Ill get more info leading up to Wed swear in.

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New info just came out. I feel extremely lucky for the opportunity given to me. I just got info that I can stay here in south Florida and DRILL in Hawaii or Colorado travel and accommodation paid/reimbursed. Either way swearing in on Wed.

 

Does anyone have info on the flying mission etc with the above mentioned?

 

Last I looked the Army would reimburse up to $300 for travel expenses per drill.

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I'm currently in the reserves (albeit Navy) and applying for WOFT. I live in AZ but my unit is in MS. I drill quarterly and lump my drill periods together so I only have to fly out once every three months instead of every month. And, Uncle sugar pays for my travel. Perhaps the Army will let you do the same or something similar.

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So here is what you do:

 

1: Choose the unit that flys the airframe of your choice;

2: Go to Rucker and concentrate on successfully completing flight school;

3: Return to unit of choice and complete RL progression;

4: Then you have choices and options for transfer to another unit.

 

Don't turn down flight school over tickets/travel. You will learn those details after you are in a unit. Don't sweat the small stuff.

 

Just my .02

 

27 yr retired guard guy

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Im not in the reserves so I cant answer many questions, but the document you're looking for is the IDT travel policy.

 

Great info above. I tried finding some info regarding this. So are you saying if my ticket to drill cost $600 the unit will only reimburse $300 of that? Where can I find this printed/posted. I would like to provide this to the recruiter that is contacting these units

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So here is what you do:

 

1: Choose the unit that flys the airframe of your choice;

2: Go to Rucker and concentrate on successfully completing flight school;

3: Return to unit of choice and complete RL progression;

4: Then you have choices and options for transfer to another unit.

 

Don't turn down flight school over tickets/travel. You will learn those details after you are in a unit. Don't sweat the small stuff.

 

Just my .02

 

27 yr retired guard guy

DNR032

Excellent info. Ill proceed as you said. If I have to suck it up travel wise then I will do that. Like we say, focus on the 25 meter target. I definitely wont miss this opportunity over the above mentioned. Just gathering as much intel as possible. Thanks for your insight.

 

Djs74 Thank you. Ill see what I can dig up.

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The fort worth C12 unit is full of major airline pilots. Full of them.

Thanks. I fly some fixed wing now and looking fwd to cross training into the helo side. I do see the benefit as you alluded to though.

 

I found the travel info mentioned above and it looks like I can fly round trip form FL-CO for around $250-$290 so with in that $300 travel expense reimbursement.

 

Pretty sure that I will be signing on with the CO unit. Hawaii would be nice but Ive been there and its quite a trip from Florida for each drill.

 

Looking fwd to swearing in for Return to Service this week.

 

Thanks for everyones time and input answering questions.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hebertaviation,

 

Any updates on about signing on with the CO unit? Did you have to interview up in CO before being accepted into the unit?

 

Asking because of this prerequisite I found on USAREC website:

  • All Applicants applying for a 153A position in the Reserve Component (ONLY) must obtain a memorandum signed by The Army Reserve Aviation Unit Commander accepting them into the unit and an active Reserve Senior Aviation Warrant Officer endorsing acceptance into the aviation unit. View 11th AVN Command Memo for Record.

http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/prerequ/WO153A.shtml

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Id fly out of state once of month. I dont know that I can ask for something in writing but Ill get more info leading up to Wed swear in.

So back to what Luofy was saying, how does that work with the flight schedule? It's my understanding that to meet minimums a pilot in the guard (and reserves I'd assume) is at the unit one day a week on average, plus monthly drill.

 

Unless the unit groups 4 or 5 days of flying for you around the drill weekend, you'll have to make more than one trip. I don't imagine a unit being THAT flexible with the new guy either.

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So back to what Luofy was saying, how does that work with the flight schedule? It's my understanding that to meet minimums a pilot in the guard (and reserves I'd assume) is at the unit one day a week on average, plus monthly drill.

 

Unless the unit groups 4 or 5 days of flying for you around the drill weekend, you'll have to make more than one trip. I don't imagine a unit being THAT flexible with the new guy either.

 

THIS. You will not make your minimums if you only plan to fly on drill weekends. Drill is full of everything else, and only sometimes flying. Individual weapons qual, APFT, ARMS, safety classes, etc.. We have guys in South Florida who can't seem to make it to North Florida to fly. Colorado or Hawaii? Good luck. You need to average 1.8 hours a week to make your minimums (FAC 1 in a Blackhawk). Even flying four hours every drill won't get you your minimums. Oh yeah, don't forget 12-18 hours of simulator too. These are hard facts no one wants to hear. I wish someone had told our guys this before they made similar plans. As our company SP, I am now spending too much of my time trying to help new pilots avoid a flight evaluation board (FEB).

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THIS. You will not make your minimums if you only plan to fly on drill weekends. Drill is full of everything else, and only sometimes flying. Individual weapons qual, APFT, ARMS, safety classes, etc.. We have guys in South Florida who can't seem to make it to North Florida to fly. Colorado or Hawaii? Good luck. You need to average 1.8 hours a week to make your minimums (FAC 1 in a Blackhawk). Even flying four hours every drill won't get you your minimums. Oh yeah, don't forget 12-18 hours of simulator too. These are hard facts no one wants to hear. I wish someone had told our guys this before they made similar plans. As our company SP, I am now spending too much of my time trying to help new pilots avoid a flight evaluation board (FEB).

Thank you and others for your post. I was explained this after selection. This all has been very fluid and some processing errors have occurred. There are some things in the works. CO and HI are off the table, huge recruiter error! Ill be drilling in NW Florida

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