ROTC to flight school questions

[speshul]

So I just contracted as an MS I cadet at the University of Idaho. Just a few questions is there a list I can sign up for that if they need me to go enlisted and go to flight school before finishing ROTC could I do that?

 

I am a history major and I have a few electives to choose. Are there any classes that I can take that would make me a better pilot. Like math/physics type electives?

 

Also is there anything I can do to make me look like a better applicant for flight school I have talked to my major about it and he says get good grades, good PT score, and do well at LDAC. Is there anything else that could get me a little bit further ahead? Like a private pilots license? (fixed wing)

[wopilot]

Any kind of aeronautical ratings will always help.

 

Physics would be the best elective to take, as it relates a lot of what you'll learn in aerodynamics and what not. But the overall picture is they don't look at what classes you take, just how you finish them (GPA).

 

DO NOT GO ENLISTED TO GO TO FLIGHT SCHOOL. If anything you'd do the WOFT program, which isn't really going enlisted because your sole purpose is flight school. However, you are not guaranteed a flight spot by staying in ROTC. So be sure to look at all your options. (USCG, Marine Corps)

[earl84]

This info is from when I was a cadet in 1991-1992, so things may have changed a bit.

It does not matter what your major is, what courses you have taken, whatever. The number one thing was to be at the top of your class, period. That means high GPA, high scores at Advanced Camp (I guess that is what LDAC is?) and high scores in all your ROTC activities.

Back then, we filled out a dream sheet of branches we wanted to be an officer in. If you wanted Aviation, it had to be your #1 pick, if you wanted Infantry, it had to be your #1 pick. These two are very competitive. An alternative might be to list Medical Servie Corps as your #2 and become a 67J Aeromedical Evacuation pilot. This is what I did, and i was branched MSC, maybe because my major was microbiology. Then if you are not selelcted for Aviation, submit a separate packet with MSC Branch to go to flight school. It worked for me.

 

Really, to be successful, you need to want to be an Army officer first, and fly second. There will be times and assignments where you will not be flying very much at all, if at all. I will say that as an MSC officer, in the very early years, I flew more than my Aviation branch counterparts.

I don't think the guys with private licenses fared any better than anyone else did with being selected.

Double the advice not to go enlisted to get to flight school.

Let me say again, this was in 1992, things may have changed.

 

BTW, for me personally, I think those that have a more technically oriented personality seem to do better with the flight school part of being an Aviation/MSC Officer, but have no great advantage when it comes to actually being a leader.

Sort fo a ramble, but hope this helps. If you want to send me a personal email for more, feel free, earl842003@yahoo.com. Just put something in the subject line so I can recognize it or I probably won't open.

[speshul]

Alright that is great information, I appreciate that. So when you say take the medical branch and become a medivac pilot I didn't realize those were two different branches. I would actually prefer to be a medivac pilot since I want to one fly for life flight at a hospital. If I put medical division in as my first choice do I have to enroll in flight school separate because I don't want to be commissioned as an officer in a field I don't want to be in. I want to serve for a full 20 years and if it isn't something I enjoy I will most likely end at my 4 year contract. So basicaly if I went into the medical division would I be able to request flight school or would I get stuck behind a desk, that type of thing?

 

Also what kind of GPA would they be looking for I know they want the APFT score to be close to 300 which shouldn't be a problem.

[AWhetstone]

Hey trevor, good to see you found this great resource as well. From what I've learned so far in ROTC, the higher gpa you can get, and the higher your pt score, the better chance you have of getting your preferred branch. As far as classes, I don't think it weighs too much in your accessions packet, but I'm a physics major and my PMS told me that physics would apply very well to aviation, so I second the advice to take some courses in that area for electives. I know that if you get medical as your branch you won't be guaranteed a flight slot, that is something you have to apply for from within once you are done with bolc and such. Best of luck to you.

[palmfish]

Hey trevor, good to see you found this great resource as well. From what I've learned so far in ROTC, the higher gpa you can get, and the higher your pt score, the better chance you have of getting your preferred branch. As far as classes, I don't think it weighs too much in your accessions packet, but I'm a physics major and my PMS told me that physics would apply very well to aviation, so I second the advice to take some courses in that area for electives. I know that if you get medical as your branch you won't be guaranteed a flight slot, that is something you have to apply for from within once you are done with bolc and such. Best of luck to you.

 

There are only two ways to guarantee aviation branch through ROTC. The first is to finish #1 on the OML and get your choice of branch. The other is to go reserves instead of active duty and participate in the SMP program with an aviation unit.

[earl84]

OK, sorry it took so long to respond. When I typed my original response, it did not look like the forum had accepted it, it acted very strange and did not show up right away. Anyway...

The way it worked when I was a cadet was that I was selected to be in the Medical Service Corps, my #2 choice (Aviation branch was #1). When I found out that I was not going to be an Aviation branch officer, I immediatley put together my flight school application and submitted it. I left for Officer Basic Course, now called Basic Officer Leader Course, not knowing if I was going to be selected to go to flight school. I found out that I was selected for flight school after about three weeks at OBC. I do not know how often they hold those boards now, but back then it was once a year. Do not miss the application deadline. If you are not selected, then you will go be a medical platoon leader, either in a ground ambulance unit, a medical company, or something similar, or a junior staff officer.

GPA, the higher the better, just like all your endeavors. Mine was about a 3.2 overall, but I was in the National Guard, working 20+ hours a week, had a wife and kid, and taking 15 credits per quarter, so I had my hands full.

If you do not get selected for flight school, you can apply again. I know several people that did not go to flight school until they were Captains. Mixed reviews on this, but probably in the long run over a 20 year career, those with more than just a MEDEVAC background are better overall officers. BTW, you will not, as a regular officer (non-warrant officer) be flying for an entire career. It just is not going to happen. So if flying is really what you want, become a warrant officer, you will be much happier with the flying aspect. In some ways, I wish I had done this, but the retirement paycheck will be higher. I do know one person who was a Captain, got out of the Army, decided he should have stayed in the Army. He came back in as a Warrant Officer, and he was overall way happier. Might have had to do with getting a divorce from a not-so-nice woman, too, but that is another story.

Life can be about compromises. You are doing the right thing by asking questions. Again, you can email me at earl842003@yahoo.com if you would like more.

[speshul]

Hey trevor, good to see you found this great resource as well. From what I've learned so far in ROTC, the higher gpa you can get, and the higher your pt score, the better chance you have of getting your preferred branch. As far as classes, I don't think it weighs too much in your accessions packet, but I'm a physics major and my PMS told me that physics would apply very well to aviation, so I second the advice to take some courses in that area for electives. I know that if you get medical as your branch you won't be guaranteed a flight slot, that is something you have to apply for from within once you are done with bolc and such. Best of luck to you.

 

Small world . I hope you are enjoying yourself as much as I am. Yea I met with my adviser recently and put a few more math classes and physics classes in my elective blocks.

 

There are only two ways to guarantee aviation branch through ROTC. The first is to finish #1 on the OML and get your choice of branch. The other is to go reserves instead of active duty and participate in the SMP program with an aviation unit.

 

I heard about SMP with an aviation unit however the nearest one is 6 hours away and I have no car. I am talking to a WC4 about getting an internship at an airbase in my hometown over the summer. Possibly doing a private type job on the base.

 

OK, sorry it took so long to respond. When I typed my original response, it did not look like the forum had accepted it, it acted very strange and did not show up right away. Anyway...

The way it worked when I was a cadet was that I was selected to be in the Medical Service Corps, my #2 choice (Aviation branch was #1). When I found out that I was not going to be an Aviation branch officer, I immediatley put together my flight school application and submitted it. I left for Officer Basic Course, now called Basic Officer Leader Course, not knowing if I was going to be selected to go to flight school. I found out that I was selected for flight school after about three weeks at OBC. I do not know how often they hold those boards now, but back then it was once a year. Do not miss the application deadline. If you are not selected, then you will go be a medical platoon leader, either in a ground ambulance unit, a medical company, or something similar, or a junior staff officer.

GPA, the higher the better, just like all your endeavors. Mine was about a 3.2 overall, but I was in the National Guard, working 20+ hours a week, had a wife and kid, and taking 15 credits per quarter, so I had my hands full.

If you do not get selected for flight school, you can apply again. I know several people that did not go to flight school until they were Captains. Mixed reviews on this, but probably in the long run over a 20 year career, those with more than just a MEDEVAC background are better overall officers. BTW, you will not, as a regular officer (non-warrant officer) be flying for an entire career. It just is not going to happen. So if flying is really what you want, become a warrant officer, you will be much happier with the flying aspect. In some ways, I wish I had done this, but the retirement paycheck will be higher. I do know one person who was a Captain, got out of the Army, decided he should have stayed in the Army. He came back in as a Warrant Officer, and he was overall way happier. Might have had to do with getting a divorce from a not-so-nice woman, too, but that is another story.

Life can be about compromises. You are doing the right thing by asking questions. Again, you can email me at earl842003@yahoo.com if you would like more.

 

Thanks for the information! All of it is very useful and I am finding out more and more through talking with others in the military. It seems like there are a lot of ways of getting your slot. I'll keep looking and if I need anymore help these forums are an awesome resource. I have time though since I am only a freshman.