WOFT PROGRAM; need answers please.

[TPointer]

I am meeting with a Army recruiter tomorrow morning to start my WOFT packet. I'm not sure if I can make it to the board meeting, but I'm going to try. I have always wanted to become a helicopter pilot, and in my opinion, the military is the best way. I'm in the process of writing down questions to ask but, I need to know what are the specific questions that I need to ask the recruiter? Does being enlisted in the reserves and assigned to an aviation unit better my chances of getting into the WOFT program at Fort Rucker? What is the best way to get into the WOFT program? If any one here can please help me asap, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

[rotarywing43]

I was going to make a similar thread to this one because I too am going to soon contact a recruiter and start putting together a WOFT packet. I'd be interested to read responses as well. Not meaning to hijack your thread, but... how many of you current army aviators applied as a senior in high school or shortly after? What things specifically do they look for the most in a WOFT applicant straight out of high school?

[Voluptuary5]

Hey there,

 

I'm in a similar situation. My advice is do as much research on your own as possible. There was a similar thread on this site not all that long ago started by Wally. Pay special attention to the links provided by Klas taking you to Military.com's Army Aviation forum. There is a link pinned to the top of that forum talking about WOFT. It is >20 pages long but you'll find tons of invaluable information there and other threads on that site.

 

Good luck and don't be shy about asking questions. Especially the tough, pointed ones--they'll respect you for it...

 

Hope that helps!

 

-V5

[Reg]

Well guys I'll be submitting my packet for the 10April Board next week and I'll give you all the info I've come across thus far, in chronological order, and hopefully that'll help you out a bit...

 

First, make sure your recruiter is either adept to or in a position of knowing how to construct a Warrant Officer packet. I've seen how much work my recruiter has put in on and off the clock to make sure everything goes smoothly with my processing and diminishing the margin of error. As far as information, go to http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/ and look at the criterion and use that information as a guideline to your questions.

 

If you're wondering what to expect from the process, hopefully the following will help you...

 

First, take the ASVAB and score a 50 or better with a GT score above 110. If you score in the 80-90 range, you should be more than fine. After your ASVAB, have your recruiter schedule your MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) visit where you conduct your first military physical and start your military medical records. After MEPS, you should have your recruiter schedule your AFAST (Army Flight Aptitude Selection Test). On this test, MAKE SURE you study for it as much as possible. You only need a 90 to pass but these scores stick with you so do your best. I used the ASA Rotary Wing Flight book, Helciopter Maintenance Manual, and a few other helicopter aerodynamics publications to prep me a little. After your AFAST, complete your "Why I Want to be an Army Aviator" essay, start asking for your letters of recommendation (maximum of six, minimum of three, I would suggest four really good ones), definitely start training for your APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) if you haven't already, and have your recruiter contact the nearest Army Airfield for your flight physical. MAKE SURE that your recruiter speaks to his First Sergeant and Ft. Rucker to make certain that whatever airfield is chosen for your physical that it is acceptable to go to and Rucker approves it. Once this is approved, head to the airfield to get your flight physical conducted by an Army flight surgeon. After your flight physical, it's time to tie up loose ends before you submit your packet. At this point, you should expect to supply your Social Security Card, high school diploma, college transcripts (if applicable), birth certificate, your aviator essay, and get ready to take your APFT. After you complete your APFT, you're ready to fill out your Secret Security Clearance paper work which is the stage I am in right now, and collecting all of your letters of recommendation. About the letters, I must say that this is one of the few times you ask the people recommending you FIRST by calling them and cordially asking, then formally asking them in business letter format on heavy weight resume paper. They'll take you more seriously that way. Also, be prepared to send thank you letters in the same fashion once you have received them. Be VERY prompt on sending thank you letters to your writers. You never know when you'll need them in the future and plus it's DOWN RIGHT POLITE!!!

Once all applicable paper work has been scrutinized and submitted prior to the Warrant Officer Review Board deadline, the next and final stage is your Warrant Officer Review Board and then the good ol' "hurry up and wait" for USAREC (United States Army Recruiting Command) to give the yay or nay on your acceptance to Warrant Officer Candidate School. This wait period, from what I have been told to expect is between three weeks and one month. Then, for sure, you will know if you have been accepted for Warrant Officer Candidacy.

From start to finish, expect about four months for a civilian packet because I started a little before mid January and I should (if all checkpoints are met on time) receive my results from USAREC by 2May.

 

I truly hope this helps you on your endeavors to become an Army Aviator and if you have any questions, feel free to ask because I'm going through the process as we speak! Good luck!

 

GROeffectUND

Edited March 21, 2007 by Reg

[Voluptuary5]

Thanks for the thorough write-up, Reg!

 

Good info to know ahead of time!

 

 

-V5

[FLHooker]

What's up ya'll. I see many of you have questions about the WOFT program. I am currently in school at Rucker, actually should be starting the Chinook course next week, and I am a WO. If any of you have specific or general questions about it, don't hesitate to PM me or just repost. I am no expert, but I will help out to the best of my ability. And good luck to all of you. Oh, and WOCS is easy, just thought I would throw that in there.

 

 

 

CHAD

Edited March 22, 2007 by FLHooker

[Pogue]

Oh, and WOCS is easy, just thought I would throw that in there.

I'll bet you were an NCO first...

[FLHooker]

Ha, actually no... I was a SPC. I'm just sayin' that the TAC's weren't around that much, they left us pretty much alone on the weekends. You went to academics, did PT, basically just did what you were told and it was too easy. It is what you make it now-a-days. Eh, just my 2 cents.

 

 

As a personal sidenote, I just found out today that I check out of BWS (TH-67's) on Monday, and start the 47 course on wed! Damn, 24 hours to get started on the 5&9.

 

 

 

CHAD

[rotarywing43]

So how did the meeting go with the recruiter?

[FLHooker]

rotarywing43 and pogue, what do you guys do?? Sorry, I'm just curious.

 

 

 

CHAD

[Pogue]

rotarywing43 and pogue, what do you guys do?? Sorry, I'm just curious.

CHAD

Well, in the real world I work in the computer field while taking my flight instruction (working on IFR at the moment) with Quantum in AZ. I'm also in the Guard as 13B (M198 155 Howitzers) although we deployed as MP. Prior service and way too old to go Warrant, otherwise I'd be pounding on Rucker's door... We did get to play with some 47's a couple years ago at summer camp.

 

[rotarywing43]

I'm a senior in high school who is slowly but steadily working toward a fixed wing PPL at Amelia Reid Aviation in San Jose. I have about 19 hours and should be soloing soon

[FLHooker]

Very cool.

 

Pogue, you just doin' it for fun?

 

 

rotarywing, are you looking to get into helicopters? I have my FW PPL, helicopters are a million times more funner!

 

 

 

CHAD

[Pogue]

Pogue, you just doin' it for fun?

 

Nah, I'm looking for the career change... Although I'm having a ball on the way.

[rotarywing43]

FLHooker- Hell yes I want to get into helicopters! Ha, that much I do know... how I'm going to do it, I don't know yet. I know I might not be flying helicopters for a few years yet though, so I decided to start learning how to fly planes for the time being. Plus it's a bonus to learn radio comm. + airspace + navigation in a $62/hr rented Taylorcraft than a $200/hr Robbie 22... not that that applies to a military pilot such as yourself

 

So you're on the Chinook? Did you decide to fly that bird or did the Army choose for you? How much does personal preference factor into what bird you get put on?

[TPointer]

So how did the meeting go with the recruiter?

 

The meeting with the recruiter went well, I did get all my questions answered and I was as thorough with him as posible. I do think a couple a times that he was bullshitting me but, thats what they get paid to do.

Later.

[FLHooker]

The Chinook is exactly what I wanted, I'm in the FL Guard though, so I knew what I was getting before I even came up here. Well, having "air sense" helps alot, military pilot or not. Every IP that I have had so far has known within the first flight that I have had previous flyin' experience without me telling them.

 

 

I can't wait to be able to go back to FL and rent a helo and take my wife up for a while, and be able to decide where I want to fly and for how long.

 

 

TPointer, I went back to the recruiters office prolly 10 times before I decided anything, I think that helped me have the upperhand cause he wasnt sure if I truly wanted to sign or not, so just about everytime I went back we talked about even more stuff, and finally got a good deal. Just food for thought.

 

 

CHAD

[BillyBob]

The meeting with the recruiter went well, I did get all my questions answered and I was as thorough with him as posible. I do think a couple a times that he was bullshitting me but, thats what they get paid to do.

Later.

 

TPointer,

 

They aren't really paid to 'BS'. They are pressured to turn results (your feet in boots, ANY boots and NOW!).

 

As I was told by a former recruiter, the respective recruiter doesn't get credit from your enlistment until you are qualified, at least a year plus down the road. It also takes quite a bit more effort on their part than a usual enlistment.

 

My advice... from a person that walked off the street in a severely limited budget era (clintons):

 

NEVER, EVER, EVER take no from a recruiter.

 

They will with out a doubt tell you that you aren't going to get it done, you need to enlist and apply from the inside. Screw em. Keep pluggin away, be polite but insistent and seek out the information yourslef. Read the AR's (Army Regulation) yourself. I was told this and it is tremedously important: "Become an expert on the WOFT process so that no one can lie to you." When they BS you, and they will, you can tell them the applicable reg and the correct info.

 

One of the games you'll face are not telling you all the information about something so that you'll waste a day or two or have to wait for the next board three months away. Incompetance is also rampant. As part of the WOFT packet, I had to take a DA Photo (DA=Depatment of Army) at a local base. I was told NOT to go back a pick it up after it wsa developed because it was 'SAFER' there at the photo studio. Well, when the time came to get it, I found out the photo was destroyed after 30 days. The lady at the photo place said that had ALWAYS been the policy. So I spent more money to get the suit cleaned again and wasted another month+ waiting for another appointment, not to mention the extra day wasted time actually getting the photo taken.

 

This is a snap shot of one step in the process I went through. My recruiters gave me problems getting the basic physical, AFAST, Flight physical, that photo... it just kept going. It may have changed but probably not unless you have someone of 'weight' supporting you along the way and that aint the recruiter unless he is a blood relative-even then I would double check him. Remember, after they figure out you are only going to take an IERW slot (Initial Entry Rotary Wing = official name for army flight school) you are a time drainer. If they get you to quit, they haven't lost a potential easy enlistment, they then don't have to deal with you. You lose out on your dream based on their selfishness.

I ended up filing a congressional complaint about my issues. It really got obnoxious, I fought back and didn't quit. I ended up getting my dream and didn't let a self concerned jerk take it away from me.

Knowing what I know now... I would have filed it a HECK of a lot sooner. I lost over a year working the process. It can happen, If you are medically qualified and have the aptitude.

 

A LARGE portion of the people are weeded out of the running in this first step - actually getting your packet to gether and getting it before the board.

NEVER QUIT!