cryesis Posted July 7, 2012 Report Share Posted July 7, 2012 Okay so I'll start off with some background. I'm coming up on my ppl check ride the end of this month and starting a bachelors degree at Dowling college in September for aviation admin. I'm also on retention for the NYPD until August of 2013 when I turn 21, so I could take that job if I wanted. I tried army ROTC about 2 years ago and liked it until I dropped out of college. Now that I've started flying and found what I really love to do and could see myself doing it for a career I'm going to college for it. I've always had a strong interest in the military but always found something holding me from joining. Now that I'm doing the bachelors degree I'm beginning to think about going ROTC again and finishing all the way to commission. Ive done quite a bit of searching and I'm still not exactly sure on what the main differences between WOFT and ROTC are other than you are guaranteed a flight slot through WOFT, although if you are in the top 10% of ROTC you also get your first pick so you are guaranteed the aviation slot. I'm kind of torn on weather I should take the PD job in a year, try and submit a WOFT packet my senior year of college or go the ROTC route and give it my all to be in that top 10%. I'm not looking to "see what my chances are" I'm more looking for others perspective on both programs. I've heard some places that WOs do more flying and I've heard that thats not true as well. I know the majority of guys on here swear by WOFT but does anyone have experience going through ROTC or even OCS on any of the branches? I pretty much want the best shot at a flight position and I don't want to get stuck with a job that I would hate. Any help is greatly appreciated, Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helistar Posted July 7, 2012 Report Share Posted July 7, 2012 I can tell you from personal knowledge on this subject, having declined a four year rotc scholarship... Army ROTC doesn't guarantee flight slots period... Only one branch of service currently provides a guaranteed pilot slot in writing for rotc cadets and that's the Marines... However they will not guarantee rotorcraft, but your chances of securing a rotor slot are pretty good since most people want jets... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryesis Posted July 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2012 The marines only guarantees through the platoon leaders summer program not ROTC, is that correct or do they guarantee both ways? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedictoPilot Posted July 7, 2012 Report Share Posted July 7, 2012 Being a new AH64 WO, I can tell you that as a general officer you are a leader, so you will fly a decent amount but will be tracked towards command positions more, as for WArrant Officers, these are specialized officers, that is you will do exactly what your job is for pretty much your entire career, there are a few exceptions, but that is what you will do is fly. Warrant Officers are supposed to be experts in there field while Officers are generalized more and will be put in command positions. Warrant Officers will track towards there field, such as Instructor Pilot, maintenance test pilot, etc and Officers will track towards command positions. So in other words, if you get into woft, you are guaranteed to fly for a career and depending on your oml you will choose what aircraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grind Posted July 7, 2012 Report Share Posted July 7, 2012 The marines only guarantees through the platoon leaders summer program not ROTC, is that correct or do they guarantee both ways? PLC guarantees a chance to go to flight school (it's in your contract) once (if) you graduate OCS/TBS, provided you make the grade. PLC is only offered for current college students. Find a local OSO and get in contact with him. Next board is in December I believe. I'm currently in the process of my OCS application, let me know if you have any questions. There's also a few current Marine flyers on here who went through that path as well. Ask and you shall receive. Fitness is important with the Marines, theres is the toughest PFT out of all branches. (3 mile run, 100 crunches, 20 pull ups for a full 300 pts) In the Marines, Officers do the flying. In the Army, WO do it for a living. Commissioned line officers eventually get promoted up to command and fly less throughout their carriers as compared to their WO counterparts. EDIT: FWIW, I dropped out of AROTC to pursue this option. Your two years in AROTC may or may not be a problem, probably won't since you didn't swear in. Also, keep in mind, the Marines are the toughest to get in with as an Officer. They expect a hell of a lot from their Officers since there are so few of them in relation to Officer to Enlisted ratio. You have to really want this for them to give you a chance. Your initial email/phone call to your OSO and your interview makes a big difference as far as them working with you goes. There's only so many slots to fill, and they don't want someone who quits through OCS halfway through. Good luck, and be honest during your interview. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotdogs Posted July 7, 2012 Report Share Posted July 7, 2012 However they will not guarantee rotorcraft, but your chances of securing a rotor slot are pretty good since most people want jets... hahahaha... You'd be surprised at what other factors come down to selection than that. There were about 8 dudes when I selected and all of us either wanted Helos or Ospreys. They had to force a kid to go jets because he had good grades. He wasn't happy. The only way to guarantee anything is by being number 1 in the class. Also you select Helos and then select a platform at the end UH-1Y, CH-53E, AH-1W, AH-1Z based on coast. There have been classes that have gone all Ospreys and all Helos. Some a mix between the two, and then there are classes that had several jet spots, 1 C-130, 2 ospreys, and 1 Helo spot. It is all about timing. The marines only guarantees through the platoon leaders summer program not ROTC, is that correct or do they guarantee both ways? NROTC (Marine Option) and Marine OCS programs all offer air contracts. Granted you pass the BuMED and then NAMI flight phyiscal. Also requires other academic requirements and a minimum passing grade on the ASTB. I'll put in my plug for the Marine questions that have been popping up. Marine pilots wear both hats. You will be an officer and you will fly. The first couple years in the squadrons your job will be of not much importance. As time goes by, you will move around between a few shops (S-4/5/6, Safety and Standardization, Flight Operations, Legal, and a few others so that you gain experience and more responsibility in all of them. You will become (if you show the potential) designated to do more things in the aircraft the more experience you gain in your first gun squadron. Everything from Functional Check Pilot to a Weapons Training Officer, Night Systems Instructor, and if the timing is right a Weapons & Tactics Instructor. There are more qualifications than that but you get the idea. There really isn't a limit on what you can do as it is usually based off of ability and timing. You also gain flight leadership roles moving from a AHC (Attack Helicopter Commander) to a section lead, (Two aircraft) and eventually a Division (At least 3 but no more than 4) and then a flight lead (Any number). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akscott60 Posted July 7, 2012 Report Share Posted July 7, 2012 Ask yourself this: Do you want to serve your country?Do you want to be an officer, a leader, in a time of war?Is flying the only thing you want to do, or is it a preferable job? We cannot give you all of the answers. If you want to fly, and that alone, be a civilian pilot. If you want to serve your country and fly, well, then WOFT or the USMC flight program are your two best options. The application processes are long, hard, and selective. Most people are weeded out before they ever get to a board. Make a decision, move out, draw fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palmfish Posted July 7, 2012 Report Share Posted July 7, 2012 I pretty much want the best shot at a flight position and I don't want to get stuck with a job that I would hate. Any help is greatly appreciated, Thanks guys. Well, this about sums it up, doesn't it? ROTC is not for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryesis Posted July 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 (edited) sounds like the marine option may be best if i dont take the nypd job next august. Can you join the PLC program your sophomore year of college? Edited July 8, 2012 by cryesis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shenanigan Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 If you become a Warrant Officer pilot in the Army you can then put in a transition to be commissioned as an Aviation officer or Medical Service officer (Medevac). You will get to choose your branch and be a pilot because the Army has already paid for flight training and will not waste that training. However, if your interest is a career actually flying full time than Warrant Officer for the Army or Regular Officer as a Marine would be the way to go. As a Aviation Officer or Medevac in the Army you will spend 3 years or so flying, then it's off to admin jobs to become well rounded then several years later if you get a Command you will get more flying but it will be someone limited as Command duties will take up the majority of your time. Most likely after two years in command you won't fly again for any meaningful time. As a Warrant you will fly your entire career and become an instructor Pilot, or Maintenence test Pilot or another aviation related track (your choice) but the pay is less than that of regular officers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yakfishr19 Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Yes, PLC is open until your senior year, then, if you sign up as a senior, you will do 10 weeks OCS. PLC you will do 2 summers of 6 weeks at Quantico Virginia, then upon getting your college degree you will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grind Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 Call an OSO, he'll know specifics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helistar Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 hahahaha...You'd be surprised at what other factors come down to selection than that. [/background][/size][/font][/color] Sir, no offence intended, but... Nothing suprises me and the one thing I know for fact is, regardless of all other selection factors involved, the only one that matter is the need of the Marines and what they are willing to put in writing... So anyone that goes into this without understanding that is foolish...Marines will guarantee a pilot slot and that's as far as they will go, after that it's all based on their needs... However I still say it's the best aviator program available to those wiith a college degree... Sorry boys I'm all about the bling (aircraft) and Marine pilots fly some pretty badass toys, plus have a greater opportunity for long term career advancement... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobsyouruncle Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 Sir, no offence intended, but... Nothing suprises me and the one thing I know for fact is, regardless of all other selection factors involved, the only one that matter is the need of the Marines and what they are willing to put in writing... So anyone that goes into this without understanding that is foolish...Marines will guarantee a pilot slot and that's as far as they will go, after that it's all based on their needs... However I still say it's the best aviator program available to those wiith a college degree... Sorry boys I'm all about the bling (aircraft) and Marine pilots fly some pretty badass toys, plus have a greater opportunity for long term career advancement... The Marines? They have good aircraft, I've always liked the A10 and the Osprey is modern but from what I can tell with their rotary wing program, it is in keeping with the Marine Corps philosophy of doing more with less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grind Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 What the f*ck are you talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotdogs Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 The Marines? They have good aircraft, I've always liked the A10 and the Osprey is modern but from what I can tell with their rotary wing program, it is in keeping with the Marine Corps philosophy of doing more with less. We don't fly A-10s. All of our aircraft are being updated or replaced as we speak. Yes, our aircraft were old and we'll fly them till the wheels fall off but we don't have the (and probably don't need) budget to acquire and discard aircraft and parts at the rate the Army has in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akscott60 Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Oh dont worry, the Army still flies Chinooks that were in Vietnam, and our 58D fleet is made of rebuilt 58ACs from the late sixties and early seventies. Those Apache and Hawk guys though....shiny new Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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