WOFT: Quick Questions

TheRunner · October 16, 2012

I'm about to start the WOFT application process and I have a few questions about the program. I have done a lot of research but some of these I have found no direct answers to.

1. Is a soldier eligible for GI Bill benefits through the WOFT program? If so, are there any stipulations?

2. What is the WOFT service obligation? USAREC regs state that there is a six year requirement after completion of WOCS and I have read other (more unofficial) sources indicating that the commitment is six years after completion of flight school. Which is correct? Is flight school included as part of WOCS for WOFT soldiers?

3. As an aviator, are you satisfied? What are the best and worst aspects of being in the Army?

4. Any horror stories about WOFT and the Army?

If anyone could throw some answers my way I would appreciate it.

Thanks

Yamer · October 16, 2012

I can only help by saying yes to number one. Any contract of at least 6 years gets gi bill as far as i was told. The others would be better giving more experienced answers for your other questions than me. Welcome to the site!

heloidaho · October 16, 2012

I'll try to answer. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.

1) I'm pretty sure you are eligible for the benefits once you've been on active duty for a bit with the Post 9/11 GI Bill. I'm prior enlisted and not exactly sure how the benefits work, but you should get it. And while you are in you are eligible for tuition assistance and don't even have to touch that GI Bill. No matter how you spin it, the GI Bill is great for getting school money. Probably the best money I've ever spent in my life.

2) Your commitment doesn't start until you have your wings. So 6 years from graduation from flight school. So you're looking at 7 to 8 years of time in service for a commitment. The Technical Warrant Officers in fields other than aviation have shorter courses after WOCS, and they could very well have different commitment requirements.

3) I'm not really an aviator. I'm just a chump flight school student. But I'm more than satisfied and haven't ran into too many students that weren't happy to be here and doing this job. It is still work. It isn't like you sign out some keys and go screw off all day with a helicopter. There is a lot of studying and testing. On Friday I took my 10th check ride since I started flying in January and I still have another one left. But how can you complain when they pay a rookie with less than 100 flight hours (including simulator time) to fire up a twin turbine helicopter and turn patterns?

I was in the Air Force and now I'm on the green side, and the WO quality of life is great. The worst part of military life is that you can lose a little bit of freedom. You're told what to do and how to do it a decent amount of the time, but there are rules everywhere you go. If you're active duty, you don't hold all the cards on where you live. Deployments can be rough on families and is a common reason given when you talk to people about why they got out of the service. You just have to decide if that trade off is for you. Everything has an opportunity cost. For me the benefits of serving and getting to do something a little less run of the mill is well worth any small cost.

4) The only WOFT horror stories are from the people that really want to be here but don't quite make it. Some people get unlucky or just don't have things click soon enough. But they are few and far between. The administrative side of flight school can be frustrating when you get treated like a kid. But that is a temporary situation from being part of a training command.

Good luck getting your questions answered. It might take some searching, but there are threads here that answer tons of questions about Army Aviation and Flight School.

TheRunner · October 16, 2012

Thanks for the answers gentlemen. I am 23 and a recent college grad and I am going to go for this. As of now I am single so deployments would not bother me a bit. I am just trying to gather all possible information for now though.

Another question: what does a WO pilot do when not flying? And what are typical duties when not deployed? Would I get the opportunity to maintain a/c as well as fly?

Yamer · October 16, 2012

Make sure to read the progress thread of mine or others so you can prepare for the recruiter bs before you get there.

TheRunner · October 16, 2012

Will do Yamer, thanks. I have met with a local recruiter twice now and he seems to be very willing to work with me. I plan on doing most of the work myself as much as possible.

Lindsey · October 16, 2012

Another question: what does a WO pilot do when not flying? And what are typical duties when not deployed? Would I get the opportunity to maintain a/c as well as fly?

Some stuff I found from cruising the forums:

One of the biggest misconceptions I see (and had when I was brand new) was that warrant officers only job was to fly and be experts at flying. We teach classes, manage equipment, manage training programs, help build SOPs, manage supplies, etc. And as a new WOs in the troop we are the janitors, the coffee makers, the fridge stockers, the whatever guys.

From http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/topic/15514-army-aviation-officer-flying-opportunities/page__hl__duties

Aside from flying, you can expect to plan missions, do minor bitch work ; Take trash out, stock fridge, etc (at least when you get to your first unit, and as long as you are still part of the group of junior guys for awhile), conduct 24 hour supervisor duty (though most of the time, the Officer leaves, and the NCO remains in charge, and this duty is once in awhile), have at least 1 duty assigned in the Company (weather its taking care of night vision goggles, arms room and weapons, chemical gear, etc), and aside from that, just hanging around work, and a lot of times if there isn't anything going on, half of you guys go home.

and

Going through flight school gives everyone the same training on their specific aircraft, so there's a lot to learn about your unit's mission after you get there(Air assault, MEDEVAC, etc). This time, you're flying with your unit's IPs and working on what's called RL progression. The ultimate goal is to become a PC, Pilot in command. After that milestone is reached then you work towards "tracking", to become an Instructor Pilot, Maintenance Test Pilot, etc.

From http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/topic/11901-wo-duties/page__hl__duties

Duties when you are not flying... Varies. TACOPS, Instructor, Maintenance, ALSE, Safety... Just name a few

From http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/topic/9895-woft-whats-it-like/page__hl__duties

Hope that helps.

d10 · October 16, 2012

1) Yes. You only have to serve 90 days on active duty for the GI Bill, although you need 3 years before you get the full rate. Only stipulation is an honorable discharge.

https://gibill.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/947

2) You've heard both because both are correct.

http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r350_100.pdf

See paragraph 2-3 and 2-7e. Also 2-7k, you're obligated for 6 years after graduating WOBC. The only one that matters though is graduating flight school. The WOCS and WOBC obligations only really effect people going into non-flight MOSes. It's really just a technicality when you know you'll have to restart your 6 year clock after flight school. If you're worried about what happens if you graduate WOCS but don't make it through flight school, it's true you won't be eligible for voluntary separation for 6 years, but the Army will put you out anyway.

I don't have anything to add to what others have said regarding 3 and 4.