Finally flying doors off in something green.

SBuzzkill · October 5, 2010

Almost a whole page in here on WOFT packets, I thought I'd throw up some of my experiences over the past year and a half. I wish I would have documented my time better, both in writing and with pictures. Hopefully I can dig up some more pictures but for now these following few will have to do.

I consider myself starting the application process in August 2008. Back then I was searching for a way to make my lifelong dream come true. I had 72 hours in Cessna 172s without anything to show for them other than my log book, I was working the flight line at Boeing Field and considering my options.

I spent the next 4 months browsing websites, reading books, and doing everything I could to learn as much about WOFT as I could before talking to a recruiter. I didn't talk to my first recruiter until the end of December. Didn't like the first ones I went to, so I found a recruiter in my hometown who went above and beyond in helping me apply for the program. He was SSG Askey at the time, he has since been promoted to SFC Askey.

SFC Askey got me through the application process in one month. We started my packet at the beginning of January and were done by the beginning of February. OUTSTANDING! I had to wait a month to hear back from Ft Rucker about my eyesight, but when I finally got approved my packet was onto the USAREC board in March, and I was on my way to Ft Jackson at the end of April (after 1 failed attempt to ship out then successfully a week later).

Arrived at Ft Jackson at 11pm, 2 days after arriving to MEPS. I spent the second most boring week of my life in Reception, and finally got sent to a platoon to begin BCT. The next 11 weeks were a very fun, very uncomfortable learning experience. Walking on eggshells most of the day, trying to lay low and learn what I was supposed to. It was fun though and I look back on it now and wish I could do it again. I graduated BCT in July and after a brief two days visiting my family during Family Day and Graduation I was bussed down to Ft Rucker.

The rest of my summer was spent in WOCS, which I will not go into detail but instead will leave you our class video:

After WOCS I traveled across the country to move my stuff from one corner of the United States to another. For the first two weeks down here in Alabama I was living in a hotel trying to find somewhere to rent. Then I spent 5 months at B Co on hold waiting for JOPD. Things got mixed up and everyone in my WOCS class got spread like butter on hot bread. During that hold I went to dunker, which was awesome!

I also went on quite a few adventures around the SE area. Here's something interesting we found in a town south of here:

While waiting to start JOPD it snowed here:

I regret not having any pictures from JOPD. But I can say it was 5 boring weeks of Death by Powerpoint and 1 week of "field" experience which ended up being kind of a repeat of stuff we learned in WOCS. Got to qualify with the M9 and M16 again though which made it not horrible.

A week after JOPD I was off to SERE. A month after getting home from SERE I started aeromed and then IERW! Which brings me to my last set of pictures:

Hovering for the camera at family day.

Low level autorotation.

BWS maps *shudder*

And of course not everything down here is work:

Testing some BVGs (beer vision goggles):

Well anyways, I'm in my last week and a half of IERW. Had my first flight in an OH-58A/C which was a blast although a bit overwhelming that I am taking a checkride in this aircraft in a week haha! IERW has been a blast. It's a lot of work and the flying is not always fun but I wouldn't have it any other way. As I come across more pictures I will update this thread but I figured it would be nice for you guys to see what you have to look forward to and to see that flight school isn't all work and no play. Good luck to all you that are applying and to all those that are on their way here I hope to see you around!

PS if anyone needs help with their application process or has questions about B Co or flight school just PM me I would be glad to answer what I can.

Edited October 5, 2010 by SBuzzkill

USAR153D · October 5, 2010

Almost a whole page in here on WOFT packets, I thought I'd throw up some of my experiences over the past year and a half. I wish I would have documented my time better, both in writing and with pictures. Hopefully I can dig up some more pictures but for now these following few will have to do.

I consider myself starting the application process in August 2008. Back then I was searching for a way to make my lifelong dream come true. I had 72 hours in Cessna 172s without anything to show for them other than my log book, I was working the flight line at Boeing Field and considering my options.

I spent the next 4 months browsing websites, reading books, and doing everything I could to learn as much about WOFT as I could before talking to a recruiter. I didn't talk to my first recruiter until the end of December. Didn't like the first ones I went to, so I found a recruiter in my hometown who went above and beyond in helping me apply for the program. He was SSG Askey at the time, he has since been promoted to SFC Askey.

SFC Askey got me through the application process in one month. We started my packet at the beginning of January and were done by the beginning of February. OUTSTANDING! I had to wait a month to hear back from Ft Rucker about my eyesight, but when I finally got approved my packet was onto the USAREC board in March, and I was on my way to Ft Jackson at the end of April (after 1 failed attempt to ship out then successfully a week later).

Arrived at Ft Jackson at 11pm, 2 days after arriving to MEPS. I spent the second most boring week of my life in Reception, and finally got sent to a platoon to begin BCT. The next 11 weeks were a very fun, very uncomfortable learning experience. Walking on eggshells most of the day, trying to lay low and learn what I was supposed to. It was fun though and I look back on it now and wish I could do it again. I graduated BCT in July and after a brief two days visiting my family during Family Day and Graduation I was bussed down to Ft Rucker.

The rest of my summer was spent in WOCS, which I will not go into detail but instead will leave you our class video:

After WOCS I traveled across the country to move my stuff from one corner of the United States to another. For the first two weeks down here in Alabama I was living in a hotel trying to find somewhere to rent. Then I spent 5 months at B Co on hold waiting for JOPD. Things got mixed up and everyone in my WOCS class got spread like butter on hot bread. During that hold I went to dunker, which was awesome!

I also went on quite a few adventures around the SE area. Here's something interesting we found in a town south of here:

While waiting to start JOPD it snowed here:

I regret not having any pictures from JOPD. But I can say it was 5 boring weeks of Death by Powerpoint and 1 week of "field" experience which ended up being kind of a repeat of stuff we learned in WOCS. Got to qualify with the M9 and M16 again though which made it not horrible.

A week after JOPD I was off to SERE. A month after getting home from SERE I started aeromed and then IERW! Which brings me to my last set of pictures:

Hovering for the camera at family day.

Low level autorotation.

BWS maps *shudder*

And of course not everything down here is work:

Testing some BVGs (beer vision goggles):

Well anyways, I'm in my last week and a half of IERW. Had my first flight in an OH-58A/C which was a blast although a bit overwhelming that I am taking a checkride in this aircraft in a week haha! IERW has been a blast. It's a lot of work and the flying is not always fun but I wouldn't have it any other way. As I come across more pictures I will update this thread but I figured it would be nice for you guys to see what you have to look forward to and to see that flight school isn't all work and no play. Good luck to all you that are applying and to all those that are on their way here I hope to see you around!

PS if anyone needs help with their application process or has questions about B Co or flight school just PM me I would be glad to answer what I can.