DaveC

That escalated quickly... Thanks for the info, sounds like a nice terminal assignment.

Have you looked into an Air Force UPT slot?

Just got the word from HRC that I'm heading to Belvoir untracked this spring. Anyone there who can give me a heads up on what to expect as a line PI/PC there?

The ability to fog a mirror seems to be the main qualification right now. That applies to everything from getting picked up for WOFT to making CW3.

With a 4 year degree go commissioned AF or Navy.

I'm on the same page as zion. Joined to fly helicopters, but the only way I could see myself continuing in the Army would be in a FW slot (or 160th if I weren't so broken) Sadly HRC doesn't seem interested in negotiating and instead has a "take what we give you or get out" approach to talent management. Their words, not mine.

Go talk to some guard units. Many are short on pilots and even if they won't to a real "street to seat" option, they might send you to WOCS/WOFT before you have time to unpack from Basic and AIT. I was in candidate school in 2012 before the pilot shortage and many NG guys in my class had less than a year back at their units between AIT and being sent to Rucker.

Just had a guy I work with turn down W3 at 15 years to make the switch.

As someone who came from civilian FW (part 135 check hauling at the time, nothing particularly glamorous or lucrative), I would have gone Guard or Reserves if I could do it again. I couldn't find a unit that would let me go street to seat, but in hindsight I should have enlisted in a Guard/Reserve unit and applied for WOFT later. I've had some amazing experiences in Army Aviation, but the opportunity costs just aren't worth it when I could have had most of the same experiences without the downsides of AD by going Guard.

It's not that complicated either. Apparently no one at G1 had stood up and asked "what if we stop treating people like garbage?"

AD you're at the mercy of big Army. I've flown 200 hours in the last four years due to a shitty assignment and a downslip from a PT related injury. Many people on AD fly a lot, but you're always one f-ing over from HRC away from a flight hour drought.

Seriously, I've gone faster in a Mooney at 13 GPH than a Blackhawk pulling the guts out at over 1000 PPH.

I'm sure there are some out there, but I'm yet to meet a single Guard pilot who wishes they were AD. Plenty who want to go the other way though. If I could do it again I would have gone Guard or Reserves. The day to day BS of active duty Army gets to be soul crushing after a while.

Hopefully you can find a unit that will get you a pilot slot right away. When I was looking AD was the only street to seat option. Whatever you do, don't go active duty. There's a reason so many Army RW pilots are getting out and going to the regionals.

Lucky you. Always good to be away from the flagpole.