WOFT and the Reserves

[KentuckyGuy]

hey guys after some of the advice from in the general discussion board and talking more with my wife I want to look more into the WOFT route and specifically doing the "Street to seat" in the Reserves. I've read through a LOT on here and wanted to see if some of you who are going this route could PM me and walk me through some of the stuff I have questions about also if you have a family and are a Warrant officer I would love to be able to talk with you as well to get some first hand information on family life. Thanks guys!

[ripperoo]

I answer what I can/know, I have a few weeks til I report to rucker.

[Grind]

Thread bump

 

 

Sorry for this stupid question, as I've been drinking from the USMC fire hose for the past year, I'm a little behind on the Army gouge.

 

Any who, what are the chances of getting a WOFT slot with the Army Reserves/NG?

 

Basically, I'm in school, and the funds have run out. I'm not willing, or able, to sign another 30k private loan to fund my education. I would like to pursue my education while flying with the military, to later go active duty once I've graduated with my Bachelors.

 

Originally was going to pursue the PLC program with the Marines, but that doesn't really apply when I can't afford the BA I need to be a LO in the USMC or any branch for that matter.

 

Is it feasible to apply with a Reserve unit? There is an Apache reserve unit at Ft Knox which would be the closest unit to where I'm located. Would I be able to submit a WOFT packet with them, to be later stationed there as a Reserve 153a? Or is this all wishful thinking?

 

My instructor suggests enlisting with that unit to utilize the GI bill benefits, and to submit my WOFT packet after I'm already in the unit. However, I'm getting older, and I'd like to finish my education sooner rather than later. Chasing around drunk freshman never gets old, but it does get distracting. That being said, I am not opposed to enlisting as a Crew Chief, or another MOS that keeps me around aircraft, and then submitting my application.

 

If I recall, you accept your WO commission into the Reserves anyway, so wouldn't this be a possibility?

 

 

 

EDIT: After reading through the site some more, I read about this being up to the Reserve unit itself, and whether they need pilots or not. So I guess I should call up Ft Knox tomorrow?

[Lindsey]

Are you fully opposed to going Active Duty WOFT now, and finishing your Bachelors while you are in, after flight school? I have heard that this is very doable, and it wouldn't really push your timeline back too much, considering if you were accepted for WOFT in the Reserves, you'd still have to wait post-flight school to finish up your degree anyway. I would really, really think about this, because there is absolutely NO guarantee that you'll be able to go Active Duty in the future, with the draw down. Essentially, I'd say that if you are really considering the Reserves, do so with the knowledge that you might stay there without the option to go Active. If you go over to armyocs.com, they will tell you the same thing - do NOT go Reserves with the intent of eventually going Active Duty. While the AV branch might be a little different (and perhaps it works differently for WOs vs commissioned officers), I've seen it enough over there that there is probably some truth to it.

 

Also, how much of your degree do you have left?

[Grind]

sh*t. Wasn't aware that Reserves-AD wasn't an option. Thanks.

 

Well, many sources have told me to finish my education BEFORE joining, as there are many roadblocks I can't say no to that will hinder my progress. But my ultimate goal is military aviation, so....

 

I'm not opposed to anything. I'm applying as a civilian once my knee is good to go. I'm just preparing plans B-Z. I would put my Bachelors on pause for a few years to go to flight school/BCT/AIT/othertrainingpertaininttomyMOS.

 

I have between 2-3 years left of my education. Can reduce the amount of time by taking aptitude tests to test out of core studies. TL:DR - already have an Associates (AAS). Transferred into current school last summer. Current school said "f*ck your credits". 60 credits instantly nullified. Started as a 23 yr old freshman in June 2012 (summer semester). Just started my third semester. PPL SEL in 3-4 weeks. Time building after that until the end of the school year.

 

I heard that civilian applicants don't even get looked at without a PPL, so I guess the timing is right to start a packet once my knee is good.

 

Thanks for the gouge. Much obliged.

[Lindsey]

I'm not saying it isn't an option, I'm saying don't count on it to be. If your ultimate goal is to fly Active Duty for the military, then make that your target. With deployments winding down and yearly minimums being cut (minimum hours/year required as an Aviator, airframe-specific) due to budget cuts, you will have time to finish your degree once you're at a unit.

 

Civilian applicants get looked at and accepted all the time without so much as a single hour of flight time. Plenty of examples on here, check out the SELECTED thread if you haven't seen it already. The title is longer than that, but it's the one full of stats from selected applicants.

 

Work on what you can work on while the knee is keeping you down (SIFT, essay, LORs, etc), keep planning contingencies, but focus on your ultimate goals. Don't keep getting sidetracked like I do.

[UnitedWeStand111]

Yeah don't get sidetracked chasing drunk 18yr olds. Real professional, lol jk dude! Lindsey is spot on, btw. Unless you know people going res- >ad could prove difficult in the current and future climate. Could enlist in an AV unit AD and finish your BS there while working on PPL, etc. I'm thinking of that route myself. Gl

 

[rob.]

 

I heard that civilian applicants don't even get looked at without a PPL, so I guess the timing is right to start a packet once my knee is good.

 

Not even close to true. Having a four year degree is much more important. Vast majority of those selected have a degree. Or it seems if your dad is an Army pilot then you don't need college, lol.

 

And make sure your knee is sorted out. I did bct and wocs with a bum knee and it seriously sucked.

[Grind]

Not even close to true. Having a four year degree is much more important. Vast majority of those selected have a degree. Or it seems if your dad is an Army pilot then you don't need college, lol.

 

And make sure your knee is sorted out. I did bct and wocs with a bum knee and it seriously sucked.

 

What was wrong with your knee? I have a stage II tear of my medial meniscus. Recruiter says is NOT DQ'ing provided I get a letter from the doc saying I'm 100% good to go.

 

What do you suggest?

[rob.]

I irritated the IT band about a month before bct, I could hobble along but it was so painful. Ended up getting better by wocs from large amounts of ibuprofen but then the other knee had problems from my messed up stride. All in all not fun.

 

My suggestion for school? Apply with the credits you have, make sure everything else looks good.

[Grind]

I irritated the IT band about a month before bct, I could hobble along but it was so painful. Ended up getting better by wocs from large amounts of ibuprofen but then the other knee had problems from my messed up stride. All in all not fun.

 

My suggestion for school? Apply with the credits you have, make sure everything else looks good.

 

Right on, I already have an associates from another school, but my credits didn't transfer to my current school, so I'm at square one again, I have probably close to 75 credits at this time. With 15 being in aviation. And I'll have my PPL in a few weeks, with time building to follow.

 

I am applying as a civilian once I'm licensed, just to add another layer of qualification. I do however need to meet some WO's and get some good LOR's. That I'll have to take care of on my own ASAP.

[ViktorAlkious]

Grind the best advice I can give you is to just apply the passing the board is really a matter of a dice roll and the quality of the applicants that you will be going up against. I'm currently a crew chief and after talking to many many pilots in my unit and in other units it really is very randomized.

 

Some of the people I've talked to had a four year degree and scored a 150 on the AFAST were E-4 through E-7 and some people were PFCs that got minuimum passing scores on the AFAST and had been out of AIT for only six months.

 

If you plan on going active then join as active right now. Other than that the only way you can really hop over to active duty from the reserves that I've seen is if you get picked up by 160th they came by my unit looking for fresh out of flight school pilots apparently it's very easy for them to pick someone up no so much for enlisted though.

 

If you do join the unit at knox know that they are going to be transitioning to blackhawks also being up there you will have to navigate a lot of politics as knox is the head of all aviation in all of the reserves (11th AVN Command) so it may be a little harder to get your commander to sign off on you going to flight school if you happen to piss off the wrong people. The aviation community is very very small.

[zion]

What was wrong with your knee? I have a stage II tear of my medial meniscus. Recruiter says is NOT DQ'ing provided I get a letter from the doc saying I'm 100% good to go.

 

What do you suggest?

 

You are correct, it's not DQing. I tore my meniscus in 2007, surgery 2008. My doctor wrote a note saying I was 100% and the flight doc approved me to keep processing. It was rather easy.

[Grind]

You are correct, it's not DQing. I tore my meniscus in 2007, surgery 2008. My doctor wrote a note saying I was 100% and the flight doc approved me to keep processing. It was rather easy.

 

Good to know, thanks. Doc says surgery probably isn't necessary as it's not a serious injury. He says just stay off of it and keep it in a straight line and it should heal within 8 weeks.

 

Any suggestions to expedite/ensure proper healing? Did you do therapy?

[Rob1341]

Woft for reserve? First off let me throw out my disclaimer that I'm new so please don't crucify me if this has already been answered but I haven't seen it anywhere. My question is does anyone know for sure that there is a street to seat program for the reserves?

[SemperGumby]

My stick buddy through flight school is a reservist. Although he wasn't street to seat, I'll tell you this: if your intention is to go through the reserves to get into flight school then transition into active, the reserve unit would sternly frown upon that. It's all about funds allocation. Why would the reserve unit pay over a million bucks to train someone just for them to leave after? This also applies to the national guard. If they get wind that you are trying to go active while you're in flight school, they can pull your orders and send you home packing.

 

I know it's been done before but this is not a route that people would recommend. My advice is to put together a street to seat packet from the get go and hope for the best.

[Grind]

Could I apply directly to a reserve or guard unit if I intend on staying a reservist of guardsman? Is that how that works?

[SemperGumby]

Could I apply directly to a reserve or guard unit if I intend on staying a reservist of guardsman? Is that how that works?

 

Pretty Much. You go to a recruiter of your choice and you basically interview with that Guard or Reserve unit. If they have a slot available and like you, they can send you to get your wings. Practically half of my flight school class was National Guard and maybe onesies and twosies. Out of all the students here that I have met, I know of maybe a dozen Reservists.

 

After you put in a few years with that unit, it would probably be easier to transition to AD. I know a few friends trying to go Active from Guard because it's tough to find a second job where they're from but they are being careful.

[Grind]

Right, thanks for the gouge.

[electron_si]

If you are looking to go street to seat in the Guard or Reserves it's relatively easy. I finally talked my best friend into going to flight school after he had been living at home with his parents making $12/hr after he graduated from college. I was a crewchief back then but I was a full time mechanic at our unit so I had a good relationship with our BNCO and the members of our BN board. I gave him the number and got him an interview set up, he completed his packet and within 90 days was at accelerated OCS with a follow on school slot at Ft Rucker. The guard can get you into school fast if thats the route you want to take. It took me about 9 months from starting my packet to school date but the flight school accessions officer was just about the worst person for admin stuff. She lost multiple sets of paperwork and my whole packet one time, but I kept all my own copies. That was the hardest part of being accepted to flight school was dealing with her to get your packet submitted. She happened to also be my CO so I couldn't really say much.

[Rob1341]

I know I'm kind of jumping in here but all over seen about reserve and guard is that you have to already have been in for at least a year to submit packet. If I'm wrong, which would be great, and I can street to seat please correct me.

[electron_si]

I just posted about street to seat, read my last post!

 

It applies to NG

[Rob1341]

Electron,

What state are you in? I've talked to NG here in Texas and have been told time and time again that going warrant is out and ocs is no guarantee for pilot slot. At that I would have to be enlisted until there is an ocs symposium before going to ocs.

[electron_si]

I'm in Kansas, and we have a sister unit in Texas, C co 1/108th. Not sure why they are telling you that it is out but that seems like a bunch of crap. KS has had a hard time filling its slots the last few years and it continues. As slots get fewer they might be able to fill them all but last year or the year before we even gave some away.

 

If you aren't set on going with Texas shoot me another PM and I'll give you some contact info for my unit and can probably help you get the ball rolling here as long as you have your stuff together.

[electron_si]

I'm in Kansas, and we have a sister unit in Texas, C co 1/108th. Not sure why they are telling you that it is out but that seems like a bunch of crap. KS has had a hard time filling its slots the last few years and it continues. As slots get fewer they might be able to fill them all but last year or the year before we even gave some away.

 

If you aren't set on going with Texas shoot me another PM and I'll give you some contact info for my unit and can probably help you get the ball rolling here as long as you have your stuff together.

 

Hey guys,

 

I've already gotten 3 PM's from guys looking for contact info for the state. I have no problem passing it along but our SAO is probably going to put a stop to people from out of state trying to get picked up if I give him a ton of names. I'm still waiting to hear back on the first guy I asked him about but I'm sure they will be looking to pick up guys within the state first. They have had out of staters go to flight school and then move right when they get back, which costs us a slot and money.