A different approach

[eaw913]

I was talking to a family friend today about joining, and he has been in the military for quite a while (Army Intelligence).

 

His advice to me was to go on and enlist in the Army Reserves as an aircraft mechanic or something to do with aviation. That way, while I go to college I can be gaining experience and meeting people.

 

My only concern to this is my chances of getting into the flight program after my service. I don't want to get into it and find out I don't stand a chance getting to flight school. I definitely do not mind waiting and doing something else for the next 4-6 years, as I planned to get a degree anyway and wait until then as it is. I'm just unsure of what it could do for me in the long run and getting me to flying.

 

I know all the negatives to being enlisted, etc. He did not beat around the bush with it. And the risks of being shipped off etc. I just would like some outside opinions.

 

Thanks

[gary-mike]

I would apply for WOFT/High School to Flight School. Let the Military pay for your flight training and build up tubine and NVG time. If you don't want to fly in the Military and just want to get free college and a GI Bill then join the Air Force. Air Force Does not deploy for as long, and in most cases take better care of their people. The Post 911 GI bill will pay for 100% of your civilian flight training if you go through a professional pilot degree program. My suggestion is you apply for the aforementioned programs before enlisting into a different career field. Either way the Military does have some great benefits and stable income but it is not for everyone.

[Pogue]

Actually being enlisted isn't that bad... I would consider it almost guaranteed that you would deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan at some point in the next couple years if you enlist, though. As a mechanic (I'm a 15T or Black Hawk mechanic who is on flight orders) you get to know the aircraft as well as the people flying them. This is helpful when it comes to putting a packet in, though certainly not a requirement. The degree would put you in line for a commissioned officer program which opens up flying in all of the services. As far as the Army goes I'm not sure I would want to be commissioned if my intention was to fly. On my last deployment I met a few Captains with only a couple hundred hours after several years in. If you get sent to anything other than a flight company out of training (Headquarters, Maintenance, Support) you don't get much flight time. This can happen with Warrant Officers as well, but is less likely since they are not generally in the line of command other that when flying. The other services have different cultures, and all of them fly helicopters. The military has a lot of opportunities but make sure it's what you really want before committing yourself. It is not a cheap way to learn to fly - It just doesn't take cash. It can be very, very expensive. I'm a pilot on the civilian side and a mechanic on the military side (National Guard) and that seems to work pretty well for me.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

[eaw913]

I would apply for WOFT/High School to Flight School. Let the Military pay for your flight training and build up tubine and NVG time. If you don't want to fly in the Military and just want to get free college and a GI Bill then join the Air Force. Air Force Does not deploy for as long, and in most cases take better care of their people. The Post 911 GI bill will pay for 100% of your civilian flight training if you go through a professional pilot degree program. My suggestion is you apply for the aforementioned programs before enlisting into a different career field. Either way the Military does have some great benefits and stable income but it is not for everyone.

 

The thing about this is that I do not want to enter into the flight program until I have a degree. For sure. And I definitely do not want to just get free college, etc from the Army. I want to do it for my own personal reasons, and I definitely want to fly helicopters.

 

I could easily go the civilian route to fly, but I would much prefer to do it in the Army. My only thing is I would like to go on and be in the atmosphere, and be part of a flight crew. I need a stable job while I go to college, and despite the fact that I could easily be sent off somewhere I would like to go into the Army Reserves as a blackhawk mechanic.

 

My issue with the decision is how it will affect me getting into the flight program once I am ready. Or how I would even go about it.

 

 

Actually being enlisted isn't that bad... I would consider it almost guaranteed that you would deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan at some point in the next couple years if you enlist, though. As a mechanic (I'm a 15T or Black Hawk mechanic who is on flight orders) you get to know the aircraft as well as the people flying them. This is helpful when it comes to putting a packet in, though certainly not a requirement. The degree would put you in line for a commissioned officer program which opens up flying in all of the services. As far as the Army goes I'm not sure I would want to be commissioned if my intention was to fly. On my last deployment I met a few Captains with only a couple hundred hours after several years in. If you get sent to anything other than a flight company out of training (Headquarters, Maintenance, Support) you don't get much flight time. This can happen with Warrant Officers as well, but is less likely since they are not generally in the line of command other that when flying. The other services have different cultures, and all of them fly helicopters. The military has a lot of opportunities but make sure it's what you really want before committing yourself. It is not a cheap way to learn to fly - It just doesn't take cash. It can be very, very expensive. I'm a pilot on the civilian side and a mechanic on the military side (National Guard) and that seems to work pretty well for me.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

You do exactly what I would plan on doing if I enlisted now in the Reserves. I definitely do NOT want to become a commissioned officer, I just would like to have a degree under my belt. I plan to fly, and I would not be happy behind a desk.

 

I really am just deciding the benefits of joining now as a mechanic of an aircraft until I decided to go into flight school.

 

Thanks to both of you for the reply.

[gary-mike]

Sounds like you already have figured out what you want to do. I say go for it! Don't let anyone discourage you or hold you back. We need people willing and able to serve this great country to step up and do it.

 

What it seems your plan is sounds like a great one, and would make you a much more well rounded pilot and soldier. Also can help with networking as even in the military when it comes to flying helicopters, who you know can make a big difference. The only thing I would see as being a down fall is if you bust the age limit prior to being accepted into the flight program. You know you can try prior to an enlistment contract being fulfilled. You just have to get a conditional release signed by your commander, and not be in a criticaly manned career field.

[eaw913]

My only debate here is deciding whether I want to do Army Reserves or National Guard. I am leaning more towards National Guard, but I still am having trouble deciding what I want to do.

 

I do not want to get stuck in something that will ruin my chances of flying, because that is my ultimate goal. I want to go the route that will give me the most flight time, good pay, and an enjoyable career.

 

I actually just now did my research on being able to switch out of a contract. But it just depends on the commander. Age will not be an issue, cause I am only 19 right now.

[Pogue]

OK, If you want to be a helicopter mechanic you're looking at a 15 series MOS. If you want to fly as a crew chief that gets narrowed down to 15T (Black Hawk) or 15U (Chinook). The new LUH-72 may have a mechanic flight slot as well, but I'm not sure about that. Be aware that you will probably go to a maintenance company (not on flight orders) initially to learn the airframe. When a flight company needs people then they usually transfer in from maintenance. It is possible to go directly from school into a flight company, but don't count on it.

 

Step one, figure out what kind of platforms are in your state, or a state you can commute to or move to. If you have CH-47's in a Reserve unit for example, then you would probably want to go Reserve. In my state the helicopter assets are in the National Guard. You need to talk to the unit you would like to get into - they will get you hooked up with a recruiter if and when it's appropriate. Make sure you know when they're scheduled to deploy next.

 

If you go that route you will spend several months at training on active duty - Basic somewhere and then Ft Eustis, VA for the MOS training prior to going back to your unit on "M-day" status (the one weekend per month/two weeks in the summer.) In an aviation unit you will probably need to go in more often than that, but you can schedule extra days so they don't interfere with your school.

 

When it comes time to put in a packet it's not a big deal from the unit standpoint if you're in an aviation unit - that's where they like to get their pilots. Even in a totally unrelated MOS if you're packet gets accepted they're not going to hold you back, although getting everything necessary to assemble a packet can be a pain. Where conditional releases come in are trying to go from one branch or state to another. If you're Guard or Reserve and want to go active duty the state can hold you till your enlistment is up, although it may not depending on your units needs. Going from one service to another (Marine to Army for example) is a whole 'nother ballgame... :-)

 

Keep doing your research - at 19 you've got time to be sure of what you want to do before you commit.

[67nov68]

Hello went into service wanting to fly had know idea I could go high school to flight school ended up going in working on hueys entered maintenance company ended up getting crew chief slot make long story short do the warrant officer program if you can get accepted you will have time for your degree while enlisted plus you get to fly some great aircraft meet some great people and get to meet your goals it won't be easy but can be done your 19 take your time it's nice to work on heli but I will take flying them anytime just my two cent dude