NAVY to WOFT

NvayNFO · October 18, 2012

Good evening ladies and gents.

My name is Ivan, I am new to this forum, and just wanted to take the time to introduce myself and tell you about my situation. Hoping to have some constructive suggestions and hopefully do a little networking.

Presently, I am in the NAVY's flight school. However, it is not the flight school that I was selected to do. Out of college I was picked up for pilot, however a few weeks before OCS I was informed that I will be too old for pilot by the time I graduate OCS; instead they were offering me NFO(the back seat guy). As you can imagine this was a huge issue for me. However, because I was prior service and a stellar performer in the past, I decided to take it, on the hope that I can get my pilot slot back once in flight school. I tried everything, from admirals and captains (as in 0-6, not 0-3 ) vouching for me, to writing letters to the high command. Nothing worked and I kept getting back the answer that every aviator hates the most--NO. Once I realized that this really isn't going to happen I started having issues in academics, and later the simulators. My heart is just not in it; this is a hard program so if you are not in the right mindset you are not going to finish. I am NOT in the right mindset for sure. I do want to mention though that I have always done a great job in the aircraft. We actually get to fly for the first phase of primary, so my grades were always at the top of my class. On the other hand this was also the nail in the coffin for me as it confirmed my desire to be a pilot.

I always knew about the army's WOFT program, even in college I was offered to put in a pocket for the program, however I had already selected for pilot in the NAVY and since I knew the navy from my previous life as enlisted I decided to go back in the navy. BIG MISTAKE.

Well, that is the short version of it, I won't bore you any further.

The bottom line is; soon, I will most likely be getting terminated from the program. I have not done so yet simply because I have not gathered enough intel on what the ARMY's #s look like for selection, and what my chances are for selecting WOFT? I know that this is sort of a stupid question, since nobody here actually sits at those boards, but at least you are more informed on this than I am. I will post my stats below, and if there is anyone here that remotely knows anything about that, please let me know. I will resign my commission and put in a WOFT pocket in a heartbeat. I worked too hard and dreamed for too long about this pilot deal to just let a number ,like age, to come between us. I am willing to do whatever it takes to become a pilot.

By the way, if I had stayed pilot with the navy, I would have wanted 60s (the navy's version of the black hawk).

Well here it is, shoot me straight please:

ENS (0-1)

30 years old

scored in the upper half of the ASTB(which is similar to what you guys will have soon as the SIFT)

Fit (from what I have seen, I will smoke the physical fitness test you guys have, it is tougher than the navy's but I play soccer and have always been in good shape, don't take this the wrong way I am just fit)

I have about 14 hours of flight time in a cessna-152 with a solo and about 30 in the t-6 texan2. Primary Instrument ground school complete as well.

College: University of Wisconsin with a Physics and Math major (3.1 GPA)

Letters of recommendation from military aviators that I have flown with in training(need to work on getting one from a WO, please advise)

No need for moral or physical waivers of any kind.

Recent pilot flight physical (passed)

top secret security clearance

dunker and servival training certificates for all navy aircraft.

The only negative is that I have failed a couple of academic exams and most recently some simulator events ( I hope the army wont hold those against me, since I had some legit issues as far as motivation goes to be in this program)

tons of volunteer work around the Pensacola area as well (mostly with cub-scouts)

I thank you for taking the time to review this information. Any input or suggestions will be highly appreciated.

Very Respectfully,

Ivan

Lindsey · October 18, 2012

You need to look for the regulation that talks about being dropped or not completing another branch's flight program. I will take a look in a bit to see if I can find it, but I *think* I have seen it before that you cannot apply for WOFT if you drop out of another program. HOWEVER, let's find the regulation before we jump to conclusions. Other than that your packet looks competitive. I will jump back on here in about 15-20 minutes, but I figured you would appreciate a quick response.

NvayNFO · October 18, 2012

Thank you so much, highly appreciated!

The NAVY for sure has that rule, I was afraid that this may be the case for the army as well. That would be terrible. Maybe, I can workout a waiver if that is the case, considering how I was royally screwed out of my pilot slot. Plus, this really is not pilot training. We fly as pilots, for the first few flights, but after that it is all back seat.

Lindsey · October 18, 2012

While I'm researching that reg, have you considered following through with the NFO program and then transferring over to the Army side?

NvayNFO · October 18, 2012

I have. The problem is that once we get our wings, there is 8 years of commitment that we have to serve with the NAVY since we cost them so much money. So, they will not let me go if I have wings, and in 8 years I will be way too old.

CushionCreep · October 18, 2012

8. Not have attended or have been eliminated or graduated from a previous course of military-sponsored flight or

preflight instruction program.

AR 601-210

Check to see if it your program is considered flight or preflight instruction. Also ,there are a lot of waiverable standards in the Army.

NvayNFO · October 18, 2012

Not good!!! Is that one of those standards? How can we find out? NFO for sure is a military sponsored flight program, and it is not a preflight program.

Let me know if you know someone that can answer that question. I don't want to screw myself out of aviation entirely if that is the case.

CushionCreep · October 18, 2012

Well bear in mind that regulation is for a particular flight enlistment program. Interpreting the regulation is just as important as reading it. Who is to say you can't IST into the Army and then branch aviation? I'm not at all certain. This is something you'll have to examine very closely.