national guard WOFT

[CharyouTree]

15P is more of a clerical position. At least in my task force they sit in an office all day by the radio taking A or Z calls and calling in flight plans and updating paperwork. Maybe that's up your alley but they don't ever touch a helicopter.

 

Not just your task force. That's what they do. Receive position reports, file plans, issue certain flight items (Key/card, pubs, maybe radios and NVGs). Plus, they run CAFRS (flight records... where your hours are), so it helps to be nice to them. ...Just not TOO nice. Those pretty, young 15P females can get you in a world of hurt...

[CharyouTree]

Do they meet people that would help with the WOFT packet though, or would a mechanic position be better?

 

You go LOOKING for the person that's going to help you. You don't just stumble upon them. I went to my supervisor, told him what I wanted; he told me to see X...he told me to see Y. Eventually I found the person that was actually who I needed (who then referred me around for specifics, but...whatever.)

 

None of these 15 series jobs will really get you in a better position than any other one, it's a matter of how visible you are to the warrants that are going to be recommending you with LORs, or to the boards. What it WILL do (or any of the face-face type MOSs) is let them see how you are, and be more willing to help/recommend you. If I come in to flight ops, is the place cleaned up, and you're ready and ABLE to help me, or is it a *-hole and you're too busy playing CoD to get me what I need, and then I have to tell you how to do your job? If you're a CE, is your aircraft clean? Do you take care of her, make sure the write-ups are minimal? Can I trust you to tell me that the aircraft is ready to fly, and not do much more than a walk-around (and a FOD check in the compartments...)? Are you helping mentor the newer guys, looking for increased responsibility (basically, crew chief instructor), etc? The good shops guys will know what they're doing, and be able to fix problems.

 

The reason a crew chief or 15P are in slightly better positions, IMO, is based on that... I can see you more often in your natural habitat, so to speak, and not just coming to me telling me how much you want to be a pilot. That doesn't mean there aren't other ways to find out, if you're not high-vis; it's just easier.

 

Outside of aviation, I saw a LOT of the commo guys... some intel, personnel, supply... That's it off the top of my head.

[heloidaho]

You go LOOKING for the person that's going to help you. You don't just stumble upon them. I went to my supervisor, told him what I wanted; he told me to see X...he told me to see Y. Eventually I found the person that was actually who I needed (who then referred me around for specifics, but...whatever.)

 

Truth. This happened to me. I was an Air Force commo guy, and I went to one of my old bosses to see about getting his letter of recommendation. My old boss was a Major in the Air Guard. He talked to me and then said, "You know, you really should be talking to my boss who was an Army Apache pilot for years and is a LTC." From there it kept going until I got to talk to the state aviation officer for the Army side.

 

That whole process really helped since I was an unknown quantity going into the board. If I hadn't been passed along like that, no one in the Army guard would have known who I was. Face time is always going to be better than an e-mail or a phone call, too.

 

I think lots of commo and intel types like to go aviation because we get sick of offices that have no windows.

[SBuzzkill]

Yep, commo dudes are life savers.

 

Anyways, I brought up the 15P thing because you want to make sure you join up to do something you want to do. You probably wont be going to flight school right away so why be miserable in the time it takes you to get accepted?

[WaterRooster]

The first thing about flying in the guard is that you have to part of the guard in your state. Whether you are an Infantryman (like myself), or a mechanic it doesn’t seem to have any bearing on whether you will get selected or not. The only advantage that I can see to already being in the aviation field is that you are given the opportunity to rub elbows with the pilots and get a feeling for what they do. This would also allow you to get your letters of recommendation faster as well. Speaking of letters or rec, my state did not need them, but I made a few phone calls and found that getting them was very easy; you never know when they might come in handy.

 

The way that I have gone so far speaking of the order of things is like this.

 

1. Interview with Unit - They want to start to get to know you, see your background, your drive and if you would be a good fit in the unit

2. WO Board - This is the most important step. They are the gate keepers and if your background or attitude isn’t what they are looking for, it’s time to find a new unit to apply to

3. Transfer from your current company into the aviation company - This again is a big thing. You will be flying with the same guys for years, so they are very selective of whom they take in. This also helps your placement on the OML (See #8)

4. Flight Physical – Goes to Rucker just like everyone else’s

5. Interview with the Unit Commander

6. Interview with the SAO, State Aviation Officer

7. Federal Recognition Board

8. Placement on the OML (Order of Merit) list. > This list is constantly changing based on how ready they think you are to go. You could be #2 one month and #5 the next. It’s all based on your readiness and if anyone else more qualified is ready to go. (See #3)

 

Everything that I have seen thus far shows that it is a long process with bursts of things to get done. My suggestion is just like everything else in the Army, get used to hurrying up and waiting! If you have any other questions, just shoot them over to me

[Yamer]

How long were you out of ait before you started your packet? How long did it takr to get accepted after ait? Is this your first and only attempt so far?

[CharyouTree]

Personally, I STARTED the asking around process within 2-3 months. I had my PRK about 9 months out of AIT, state boarded a month later, first of several flight physicals (laser surgery was still a big deal), and was in Pre-WOCC less than a year out of AIT.

[WaterRooster]

How long were you out of ait before you started your packet? How long did it takr to get accepted after ait? Is this your first and only attempt so far?

 

Im a 8 year vet right now, so Its been awhile since I have been out of AIT haha This is my first attempt and so far so good. Its an agonizingly slow process. I started everything in March and I am waiting on my SAO interview right now. It goes fast in bursts, but like everything else in the Army you have to be patient

[heloidaho]

My state doesn't have the OML list that WaterRooster brought up. So just keep in mind that every state is going to have a different process. We also had letters of recommendation on our board. With any National Guard questions, be sure to talk to the recruiter in your specific state and at the specific aviation unit.

 

Idaho is really good about taking care of their people, so they sent people who were selected and in need of a job to the first available slots. If you had a stable full time job, they sent you later. I actually waited 11 months to go to WOCS from selection by my Guard unit. Been a loooong process.

 

Now if I can just survive flying in the bag, I should make it through okay.