Battalion Board Interview

[fastkill]

I guess it is just one factor since I had 75/75 and strong comments on my packet but was FQ-NS on the first look but finally got -S on second look. I had some pretty weak spots on my packet.

 

What kind of weak spots did you have if you don't mind sharing? How long ago were you selected?

[SemperGumby]

I was selected over a year ago. WOCS was late 2011. So, you are all going to face different conditions as I did but the process is pretty much the same for the most part.

 

I had a low PT score, a moral waiver, no Army Aviator LORs, and no flight experience.

 

Although, all my other scores were pretty high plus I'm a combat veteran which I think tipped the scales in my favor. As was mentioned by quite a few people, it's a whole packet concept. Not just one thing will get you selected and one thing won't get you NOT selected unless, of course, it's a disqualification as per the standards.

[jag32]

I was selected over a year ago. WOCS was late 2011. So, you are all going to face different conditions as I did but the process is pretty much the same for the most part.

 

I had a low PT score, a moral waiver, no Army Aviator LORs, and no flight experience.

 

Although, all my other scores were pretty high plus I'm a combat veteran which I think tipped the scales in my favor. As was mentioned by quite a few people, it's a whole packet concept. Not just one thing will get you selected and one thing won't get you NOT selected unless, of course, it's a disqualification as per the standards.

I'm a combat vet with a 300 PFT, a CW5 LOR from the 160th, and i'm an instrument rated pilot. I hope my chances are good on the May board.

[I.am.Specialized]

I'm a combat vet with a 300 PFT, a CW5 LOR from the 160th, and i'm an instrument rated pilot. I hope my chances are good on the May board.

 

Those are killer! Good luck to you!

[I3uller]

I'm a combat vet with a 300 PFT, a CW5 LOR from the 160th, and i'm an instrument rated pilot. I hope my chances are good on the May board.

 

You're on the active duty side right?

[jag32]

You're on the active duty side right?

Yes, i'm an active duty Sergeant in the Marine Corps (MOS 0211).

[I3uller]

This doesn't pertain to the battalion board exactly, but I feel like it is relevant and maybe somebody could benefit from my experiences. I just returned from a 3 member board interview for a CW5 letter of recommendation. It consisted of the CW5 that was going to write my letter, a CW4, and CW3. I won't go over the exact specifics, as to add to what many have said already, it flows in a way that isn't entirely predictable, but I'll put down a few notes and questions.

 

I prepared 3 folders with my resume, essay, a short biography, all the LOR's I already had, and my DD 214 on card stock and identically organized in plastic sleeve protectors. I shipped these to the unit prior to arriving so the board members would be able to learn a little bit about me before I showed up. The bio in particular was very helpful to the CW5 who didn't know me personally, but if he wanted to write a good letter for me he could include more specific things about me to make it more personal and, in turn, more powerful. He likened it to a "me brief" for the applicant. I was specifically told by the board members that the presentation was very impressive. Take that as you will.

 

I showed up with a fresh, military regulation haircut and clean shaven in a freshly cleaned suit (black suit, white shirt, plain red tie) with pen and paper available. If you are a civilian, the board will want to imagine what you will look like in military dress uniform, so make it easy for them by presenting yourself professionally and well groomed. Dressing formally also shows your potential LOR writer that this means a great deal to you and that you are willing to put forth the effort for him.

 

I was lucky and had the opportunity to speak with the CW5 informally and alone before the other board members showed up so this helped me relax. The entire board was generally very conversational and I found myself listening and learning more than speaking. They will have some very good information learned from experience so listen, and if you have any questions, use the experience that they have to learn further. Some of the questions I remember them specifically asking were:

 

What do you think the role of a warrant officer really is?

 

What was your least favorite thing about the Army? Your favorite? (I am prior service but this might be helpful to AD applicants)

 

Why did you get out of the Army?

 

Do you think you will be serving your obligation and moving on or do you foresee this being a long career?

 

What do you think the Army can do for you?

 

What can you, among the thousands of other aviators, do in particular to strengthen the Army?

 

What are your greatest strengths? (this question was posed directly after the previous one, and being very similar questions, sort of caught me off guard and this was the only question I sort of stumbled on. The CW4 told me to make sure I have something for this as the battalion board will certainly ask it. He specifically noted to truly know yourself, your strengths and faults, and be ready to present them.)

 

What do your parents think about you joining?

 

What did you major in during college? Why that? (If your major doesn't have anything to do with military flying, be prepared to describe why you chose that major and how to relate that interest to Army Aviation)

 

The board lasted about an hour or so and there were definitely other questions but I don't remember all of them. A large portion of it was them giving me advice about the career track and preparing me further for what to expect in Army Aviation. It was an extremely informative and motivating experience for me.

 

If I could suggest anything, it would be to relax and maybe hand your paperwork to a friend and have them come up with questions for you based on things they notice in your paperwork. The CW5 at one point asked me what kind of guy President Obama is because of my work at the White House. Be prepared for things like that, relax, and simply be yourself. If anyone has specific questions, I am more than happy to reply to PM's. Hope this helps.

[stearmann4]

To be fair it was a CW3(P), and you didn't mention the meanial labor involved. )

 

Mike-

[fowl12]

Was picked up last month, just my 2 cents from what I experienced...

 

The first interview (prior to battalion) was the one where all the typical job interview questions were asked, such as favorite army value, why warrant officer, why the Army, etc.

 

The battalion interview was focused on me and my background. I was asked to describe my upbringing/family, the dreaded "tell me about yourself", etc. If you have any marks on your record such as criminal charges then be prepared to explain what happened and what lessons you took out of it. Likewise, be proud about any good marks in your packet such as flight XP, college, and the like. When they have 10 minutes to get to know you, confidence is the key!

[raptorzx6r]

My battalion board interview was much easier than I thought it would be. Mine was in April. I basically showed up in a full professional suit. The board President was a Major, and former warrant officer aviator. The other two board members were Captains.

 

They asked what airframe I wanted to fly, asked about my wife and what she thinks, asked specifics on my current job and my education. Then they fired off scenario questions. "What would you do if..." type things. Mostly behavioral leadership type stuff. "What would you do if you had someone under you who wasn't following regulations" or "What would you do if you knew maintenance was performed on your Blackhawk, and during pre-flight you notice a tool missing from the mechanic's toolbox."

 

I didn't have any "Why do you want to fly for the Army" or "Whats your favorite Army value and what does it mean to you" or anything like that.

 

I wholly agree with the notion that confidence is key. But it is clear, from all the posts under this thread, that everyone's experience will be different. Just be ready for everything.

[I3uller]

Finished my battalion board yesterday. To preface, I think my experience will be vastly different than most because of my prior service and combat experience but here's what I took from it.

 

There were 5 of us total, 3 OCS applicants, another WOFT applicant and myself. Board was scheduled for 1400 and the first guy didn't go in until about 1630. He was an Air Force guy going for Army OCS and was in there for over an hour and a half getting grilled. Mostly about how different the Army is and why he wants to be in the Army instead of the Air Force. Next guy that went in was a very timid OCS candidate and was kicked out after about a minute and told not to come back. Period. Apparently he responded to the "Why do you want to be in the Army" question with "Because it's the biggest branch." Don't be that guy. Next after that was a WOFT applicant who was also somewhat timid seeming and he was in for about an hour. The key things they harped on with him was why he really wanted to be in the Army. They also asked him about the Army values and the Code of Conduct which he didn't know and they got after him about why he didn't know them if he was planning on going into the Army.

 

I was up next and I think my packet spoke for me because in a somewhat hilarious manner I was told I was good to go after about 30 seconds and if I had any questions for them. I asked them about what the peacetime Army would be like because all I had known was a wartime Army. We chatted for a bit and then one Captain asked "Why did you leave the Army?" "Why do you want to come back in?" "Why as a warrant officer?" "Why flying?" etc. All very laid back and simple questions for me but I think that was mostly due to my packet and my prior service. It also didn't hurt that the president and one of the Captains were Cav officers and I was a cav scout during my prior service. For myself it was definitely very conversational and there was a healthy dose of brotherhood and reminiscing about the Army.

 

THINGS TO NOTE: The biggest thing I took away from the board and talking to the other candidates was that you really need to convince the board members that you want to join the Army if you are not prior service. Find a way to articulate to them your passion for wanting to join and what you can bring to the Army to make it stronger. The president of the board specifically said "If you motivate your soldiers like you motivated us today, you're going to make a fine leader." Get them excited about what you're excited about.

 

I also think that the most underrated aspect of these boards is the recruiter that presents you to the board. Before you go in, your NCO recruiter will report to the board first and explain who you are and talk you up to them. Most of the other candidates' recruiters had little to no idea about their candidates history. I got lucky and had an awesome E-6 11B that I got along with really well to present me and we had a 6 hour drive up to the board to get to know each other. Make sure that your recruiter knows your history and talks you up to the members of the board before you even get in there. My recruiter specifically talked about my prior combat experience and how I built my own packet and was a self starter and the board really appreciated it. It will set a precedent that you are ready for your future position and the board will come in wanting to know more about you instead of wanting to grill you. The other recruiters there didn't seem to care too much or know anything about their candidates and I think the candidates paid for it later in the board.

 

I ended up getting a 75/75 with some extraordinary comments.

 

Overall, relax and try your hardest to convey that impossible to articulate feeling for why you want to join the Army and what you can do to strengthen THEIR Army. Know the basic questions that have been listed here, know your basic Army knowledge and if in any way possible relate something in your life to theirs in the Army. Getting them to relate to you will get them talking about your connection instead of looking for questions to stump you. Any military history in your family, any particularly interesting parts of your life, etc. They're people just like you and will latch onto interesting aspects and want to talk about them further. We talked for a while just about my skydiving career and how much one of the Captains was jealous. Relax and good luck to everyone in their boards.

[Cantankerously]

I’m not a terribly good writer, and as the day goes on I feel like my Battalion board interview was ages ago and I’m remembering less and less details. Well, here goes....

 

I made it a point to get a haircut yesterday got my trousers and sports coat dry cleaned and pressed….the 2 hour car ride to Ft. Jackson along with the South Carolina humidity ruined that. If anyone is curious, I wore dark grey trousers, white button down shirt, and a navy blue sports coat with a red tie. Dress and appearance goes a long way, it's the boards first impression of you.

 

My board was initially supposed to be at 0900. My recruiter and I left Charleston at 06:30, I got up at 05:30 to get ready after a sleepless night. My recommendation is to try and get some sleep, the interview is a big deal but trust me you don’t want to be fatigued and tired looking for the interview. I arrived at the Battalion building at 08:30, used the restroom and took a lint roller to my cloths.

 

Apparently the night before the power went out in the Battalion building, and the AC was not working. It was an unpleasant 86 degrees inside at 9 in the morning. By board interview was postponed until 10:00 to try to get the AC fixed. By this point I was sweating profusely. The president of the board came out and told me I could remove my jacket and tie, but I declined as my white button up was nearly soaked through. I’ll also mention that I was the only one being interviewed that day, and the first WOFT wannabe in some time.

 

Promptly at 10:00 I was called back to the board room with the AC still busted. I knocked firmly 3 times on the door and entered when I was told to enter. Being a civilian I tried my best to march to the chair, square my corners and stand at attention. When I reached the chair I reported in, “Good Moring, Cantankoursy reporting to the president of the board.” I reported to the officer seated in the middle; however the president of the board was seated to the left of center. That was a bit embarrassing to start the interview off.

LTC CPT CPT

X X X

X

ME

I took a seat when I was told to be seated. The board went right into questions..this is where it gets fuzzy for me so I’ll try to remember as best as I can.

Why do you want to be a Warrant Officer?

Why WOCS over OCS?

Why the Army?

What is a leader?

What is leadership?

Describe an example of good or bad leadership at your current place of employment.

What airframe do you want to fly?

If you don’t get that particular airframe what will you do?

Why do you deserve to be a WO?

What sets you apart from the rest of the WOFT wannabes?

What happens of you fail at IERW? How do you overcome?

How do you feel about being deployed or moving around based on the needs of the Army?

Are you married?

Why not?

Do you have and dependents?

Are your financial obligations in order?

Your PFT score is acceptable, but on the low side, why is that?

What are you doing to improve?

The rest of the questions were situational questions. If you have X situation how would you resolve it.

 

I think the total time of the interview was between 10-20 minutes. I can’t recall because I didn’t look at my watch. As much as I tried to relax, it was a seriously intense experience for me. I went in there with a positive attitude and I tried to approach the interview as a learning experience and I would benefit and grow from it, no matter how it went. I also made it a point to answer all questions honestly, and with an answer that reflected some life experience.

 

I personally thought I had done extremely poorly; the LTC was particularly intense and asked the hardest questions. When I was told I was dismissed I said, “thank you for your time gentlemen.” Again I tried my best to march from the chair, square my corners and exit the room. I felt totally dejected. 5 minutes later I was told I did an excellent job, and was given was more praise than I thought I had earned. I smiled the whole way home.

 

If anyone has any particular questions I’d be happy to answer them.

[Lindsey]

Alright, ladies and jellybeans, I'm fresh off the press (now I'm starting to sound like robo). Just finished up my Battalion Board and figured I'd get this post here knocked out before I forget any details.

 

The Candidates: 3 OCS + Me (WOFT)

 

The Scenario: All of us candidates and recruiters sat around this big table in the middle of what I guess is the Seattle Battalion's Recruiting Operations Center, which is actually quite a friendly and pleasant place. The individual in charge of getting us squared away is outstanding and caring, and he printed off the section of AR 601-91 that has the Battalion Board process and sample questions on it for us to review and take a look at while we waited. He also took us candidates into the Board room and explained all of the proceedings (knock 3 times, stand in front of or to the side of the chair, confidently state "Sir, your name here reporting to the President of the Board as ordered.") No facing movements, nothing crazy, address the President and be calm. He dispensed further advice about how to answer questions, the types of questions that are usually asked, and the proper posture.

We all proceeded back to the first room and waited around for the Board Members to get squared away and take a look at the first packet. All three OCS guys went before me, I went last. The first OCS guy took 20 minutes, the second took literally 10 minutes (I was watching the clock), and the third took 15 minutes. The first two guys were accepted, the third was rejected because he didn't really know what he wanted (officer or enlisted), and didn't seem to really care too much (according to the Officers who were ranting to each other afterwards). Then it was my turn.

 

The Board: The Board consisted of two Majors and a Captain. The President of the Board sat in the middle. Two were branched Logistics and the other was a ChemO (former Field Artillery). I knocked, stood by the chair at attention, said my reporting statement, and was told to sit down. It became immediately evident that they had really looked at my packet, because they asked me exactly ZERO questions about it. They said it was clear that on paper I was more than qualified, and they just wanted to get a feel for how much I knew about what I was embarking on. Here are a list of questions:

 

1. What are the differences between a Warrant Officer and an Officer?

2. What are the similarities?

3. What is your definition of leadership?

4. What is one of the toughest challenges you have had, and how have you overcome it? (Funny note, I said "honestly, Sir, getting to this point has been an extremely tough challenge" and then proceeded to detail some of the major hurdles I've hit, how I originally started my packet back in 2010, how I've been through 3 different recruiting stations, etc etc without sounding like I was complaining. Have a positive attitude.)

5. Why the Army?

6. What do you want to fly? Why?

7. Why now? (actually, the Captain said he *was* going to ask me this question, but that I answered it when answering question 4 above).

 

And...that was it. No more questions. As I was answering, they were giving me immediate feedback. It was honestly quite comical, because I've basically been applying to WOFT for 3.5 years, and thus being engaged in the whole WOFT culture, so answering the questions came so naturally, it didn't seem like a big deal to me. But the President was like "That's the best f*cking answer I've ever heard!" to Questions 1 & 2 because I had obviously done my research. "Errr... thank you Sir."

 

Here's something to note. Question 5. "Why Army?" Make sure you really think about this thing from all angles. Seriously, why the Army? All branches of the military have an Aviation component. What is it about the Army that is so intriguing to you? Is it because you only want to fly helicopters? Because WOFT is a guaranteed path to flight school? Because it's the biggest branch? (don't say that, jesus). I spoke about how the Army is unique because the very essence of Army Aviation is to support the soldiers on the ground, and how this is different than the other services because the Army is primarily helicopters, who literally get down in the dirt with the troops on the ground, whether it be landing in a hot LZ to medevac an injured soldier out, to providing Close Combat Attack, to dropping off critically needed supplies to a remote outpost. The President of the Board absolutely ate. that. up. He loved it. He said "keep that mentality and I will be honored to have you flying a helicopter to get me out of the battlefield one day."

 

After that, they asked if I had any questions for them. I asked one question that each of them answered (How closely have you worked with Warrant Officers, and do you have any advice for me that is unique to the Officer/Warrant Officer relationship?). They concluded by stating I was an outstanding candidate and that they were going to fully recommend me for WOFT. Then I was done. What a relief!

 

Overall, the board took between 10-15 minutes from knocking on the door to walking back out. Scored 75/75 with some really amazing comments. They were really great guys - genuine, caring, thoughtful. Awesome experience and of course my overall advice is the same as everyone else - RELAX. I was surprisingly relaxed. Little things you can do to be relaxed while also keeping your posture and professionalism is to smile a little, sit up straight and say "Absolutely, Sir!" instead of a dull "Yes sir." Really look them in the eye - really try to connect. It helped that all 3 Officers were visibly relaxed, and that my chair was literally across the desk from the President (i.e. not pushed way back). Made it feel more conversational. Convey enthusiasm.

[PhrogGuy]

Excellent feedback, Linds.

[Fenestrong]

I completed my battalion board interview the other day. On the panel was a major (president), and two captains. None were aviators (one of the captains was a former helicopter mechanic), but the major and other captain were combat vets.

 

I went in with prepped responses, the Army Values memorized, and an overall positive and relaxed demeanor. A meeting was taking place in the room that the board is normally conducted, so a different room was used. The only objects in the room were a plastic table with three chairs, and a single plastic seat in plain view about seven feet across from the table.

 

I was not asked to tell them about myself, and virtually every question built off of the previous one. They were hardball questions. I was asked things like, "How would you deal with a soldier with whom you are close if you find out that soldier was beating his wife," in response to stating that my leadership style is rooted in being able to connect with people and establish bonds. They asked what I would do if I was the main culprit involved in a blue on blue case. They wanted to make sure that I was ready and willing to die in combat. Of course I responded with, "Yes sir, I am absolutely ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for my country," which is the absolute truth.

 

I felt that the officers didn't have the best experiences with aviators. They explained to me that many of the warrant officers they have worked with take the leadership aspect of the job lightly in comparison to flying. They wanted to stress that being a leader is just as important to a warrant officer as it is to a commissioned officer.

 

They were very serious. The mood was stern and somber. Charm had no place in this board. I walked away with a 70/75 and some good comments, but I am disappointed in myself. I say this mainly because I know that I do well in these types of scenarios. The officers were tough, but I understand why, they want to really make sure you are ready to join the Army and ready to put it all on the line.

 

The biggest pieces of advice that I can give to any applicant going before the board is to:

• Really know why you want to be an Army Aviator, and know what will be expected of you as a leader.
• Be direct and DO NOT use any "bad words" - when explaining the role of an Army Aviator I said something like "Aviators support the soldiers on the ground doing the real work." One officer perceived this as though I was suggesting, or that I believed, being an aviator is easy and that there's not much work involved. What I really meant was to say was that the ground forces have the hardest task of all.
• Be poised and confident.
• Don't second guess yourself - be concise and clear.

[Rob1341]

I just finished my battalion board today and it went very well. I got a 75/75 with great comments. My questions were similar to those mentioned by fenestrong above. My board consisted of 2 captains, a major, and a cw5 apache pilot who was sitting in. The best advice that I can give is to know how you are going to answer the obvious questions first, I. E. what is a warrant officer, why should we pick you, what is a good leader. Also I would recommend being prepared to answer some scenario questions and even have a few questions to ask the board, I was asked both before and after the interview if I had any questions for them. I know this sounds obvious but try to relax, make eye contact and be confident. If you get a question set to fluster you, take a breath and think about your answer they are watching to see how you respond as much as they are what you say. As much as possible be yourself and be honest.

[PhrogGuy]

Had my board yesterday. There were 5 OCS candidates and I was the only WOFT candidate. I had expected to go last given the previous posts. However, due to a snafu by one of the other recruiter's, I was unexpectedly called in second. This helped as I didn't have time get nervous or start doubting myself. Board members were a Major and 2 Captains. Not going to go into the procedure too much as it is covered well above. I was told to just enter and have a seat. They introduced themselves and launched right in.

 

Questions were as follows:

 

Why a Warrant Officer?

What sort of impact do you think a Warrant Officer Pilot makes?

Why not fly in the Marine Corps?

Why the Army?

What aircraft do you want to fly and why?

What are your 3 most important guiding principles?

Why were you selected ahead of all of your peers for the Assistant Maintenance Chief billet?

I see you had speeding tickets, was it your youth? How do you deal with those of your peers/subordinates when dealing with this type of situation?

 

The question period took about 10 minutes. I was then asked to leave while the board conferred. I was called back in 5 min later and was given the board's unanimous concurrence for my selection to continue. This was very conversational and the questions were highly open ended.

 

A few takeaways:

Really know why you want to do this. Be honest and take the time to think about your motivation. Wanting to fly since you were a kid is fine but try to articulate the second and third order impacts of your selection.

 

Have some stories in your back pocket that showcase difficult decisions you have had to make or moral stands you have had to make. Try to tie these specific instances back into your answers.

 

LORs are king. One of the board members stated that he would have selected me based on my LORs alone if he could have. Most definitely take the time to get LORs from people who personally know you and can attest to your leadership, ability and potential.

 

Throw the board off. When you are asked if you have any questions, ask them for their advice on things you need to focus on. Not to sound facetious but the board members ate it up.

 

Semper Fi and good luck to all. You can PM me if you have specific questions.

[Justine]

Do you all have to fed rec as well at WOCS?

[annerajb]

Hello,
Great feedback in this thread. And congratulations on all.
Wanted to ask how different is the battalion board for national guard since I didn't notice anybody mentioning if they where aiming for Active, Reserve or Guard.

[Justine]

Hello,

Great feedback in this thread. And congratulations on all.

Wanted to ask how different is the battalion board for national guard since I didn't notice anybody mentioning if they where aiming for Active, Reserve or Guard.

Guardis a whole different ball game. Varies state to state

[Yamer]

I have my guard board this Friday. well one of two. this Friday is the aviator selection board at the state aviation office. I'll post up any and all advice I can when I get finished. if I pass this board, i'll have a fed rec board afterwards and then it's just waiting for a class date/orders

[Lindsey]

I have my guard board this Friday. well one of two. this Friday is the aviator selection board at the state aviation office. I'll post up any and all advice I can when I get finished. if I pass this board, i'll have a fed rec board afterwards and then it's just waiting for a class date/orders

 

Knock it out Yamer!!! You've worked hard to get here.

[Justine]

I have my guard board this Friday. well one of two. this Friday is the aviator selection board at the state aviation office. I'll post up any and all advice I can when I get finished. if I pass this board, i'll have a fed rec board afterwards and then it's just waiting for a class date/orders

feel free to PM me for advice. I'm sure someone in your state has given you the 411 but I went ton two different state's boards. Two completely different experiences...

[Yamer]

took my guard board yesterday. cant really post details to help as every board is different per state, blah blah blah. i can tell you they were mostly concerned with my family support structure and our family plans for if im accepted what we plan on doing and how. mostly spent the time getting to know me. no set questions just asked whatever they wanted or thought was important. on my board was my SAO who happens to be my batt commander (LTC), a major, a cw3 anf a cw4. lasted about 30 minutes and was not formal by any means what so ever. got a phone call after nd they said i was SELECTED! woooooo! currently there are 6 people that took the same board i did, for the states 8 slots between now and jan2014. colonel said if i can pass theut board shouldnt have any problem with the rest as they are the strictest part of the whole process... one more board "fed rec" to go then its off to wocs.... probably a november class date

[Yamer]

oh and im most likely going to be a 64 driver...