tsimmns Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 To start the title of this post says it all. I know that most on here get bored of answering the same questions, but the ones who are the WO Pilots are the ones we strive to be like. So a little about me to start with. I am 30 years old. I began my military start while in college at The University of Mississippi by joining the AF ROTC. Let's just say that after two and a half years I focused more on wordly things than the studies I should have been. After leaving the ROTC program and eventually leaving the University I left without a degree and a not so decent average. In 2005 I moved back home and under guidance from my father joined the Air National Guard (187 FW) in Montgomery, Alabama with an AFSC in Non-Destructive Inspection. I achieved a 5-level and eventually transferred in 2009 to a unit in my home town in Meridian, MS (186 ARW). Last year I was transferred to another AFSC because of cut backs and sent to Avionics/Electronic Counter Measures, which led to more schooling and more training. While this has been a great experience I have always wanted to be a WO and an aviator. I'm sure that is a cliche line, but I like some others serve in the military not for glory, but to serve the country. My questions now come as these. Being a current Guard member, what could I expect if I tried to first go Active Duty Army as an aviator and WO? I know that if I transfer to an Army National Guard unit that I will first have to through Boot Camp and AIT. While this doesn't bother me, at my age I am concerned of the age limit that I will be approaching in two and a half years. I also know through research that getting a WO and aviator spot in the Guard is a lot more tough than say the Active Duty route. While I realize they both are very competitive, I feel I am up for the competion as I have learned nothing in life is worth having if it comes easy. I have concerns about who I would need to even talk to if about trying to first go Active Duty. Like has been discussed on here, it seems the Recruiters are clueless about anything WO related. If I were to try the Active route, would I be considered a civilian trying to gain an interview at a selection board? I guess basically I'm starting from scrath as most in the Guard Unit I am in, frown upon anyone wanting to leave. Thanks for your time and any information you can provide. Ssgt Anthony K Simmons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperGumby Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Ssgt Simmons, If you are still in Montgomery, AL then you are close enough to Fort Rucker. Chances are, you will have better luck with finding a recruiter familiar with the process. Besides the Warrant Officer recruiting website and this forum, a recruiter is your first step to getting in. Start now because that age cut off will ba coming at you really quickly. Keep talking to recruiters until you find one that seems to know what he or she is doing. All else fails, try Ft Rucker since you aren't that far away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsimmns Posted July 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Semper, Thanks for the post. I am no longer in the Montgomery, AL unit and live in Tupelo. I guess my first option could be to drive to Fort Rucker and just sit down and talk to a WO recruiter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperGumby Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 If you are reasonably close to a WO Recruiter, they are your best bet because they'd be more knowledgable with the process. If you have recruiting offices near you, you can start there and save the commute. Keep in mind that you are not obligated to start the process with the first recruiter you meet. You will read throughout this forum horror stories of unmotivated or uninformed recruiters which end up leading to more headache. Find a good local recruiter and if you don't find one you're comfortable working with, try the WO Recruiters. The process can take anywhere from a few months to years depending on the individual's situation. Start as soon as you can since you are getting close to the cut-off age. Best of luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsimmns Posted July 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Thanks Semper, Going to talk this week to some Guard WO's and see what they can tell me. Hopefully, they can possibly give me answers on Active Duty Wararnt and Guard Warrant information as well. Thanks again for the answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsimmns Posted July 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Also, if I'm thinking of trying to be an Aviator in the Guard would it benefit me to transfer over now into an aviation unit and just continue in maintenance? Also, does anyone know once you are in a Guard unit, if you can put in your packet just in your state unit or can you put a packet in for any state that has an upcoming board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 just learned the other day that every states process for woft through the guard is completely different. my state for instanse doesnt ise ANY forms from the WO website but rather just your scores and physicals and a resume... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsimmns Posted July 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Yamer, but you are alraedy in the Army Guard correct? And do you live in AZ. My conflict is I am in the Air Guard, which means I will have to enlist in the Army Guard and then go through Basic, AIT, and then wait to put in a packet. However, I don't mind doing this at all. While I know it doesn't matter what MOS you are when putting in a packet, I figure Maintenance is a great place since I am already in Maintenance(Avionics). Also, I know there are some positions where you fly in the helo, but are not a pilot. My cousin was telling me about his job when he was in the Guard where he basically went through all the schooling pilot's did, however he just saw in the back and if the pilot got shot down or couldn't fly he took over, but he was enlisted. Does anyone know what this job is as I might look into it as well. I figure the experience might help when I do finally get the chance to put in a packet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 no matter what you do, from air force youll have to go to basic again. for me, i chose guard cause it fit best for my wife and kids in the long run vs active duty. if you want guard, no matter what you do, youll have to enlist first, pick an mos, go to basic and ait then do your packet. thats the standard across the board for guard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 the ait schooling for avionics in the army guard is 23 to 26 weeks plus the 10 for basic. plus if you pick kiowa avionics or 15y which is apache avionics, youll get armament trained too. yes im already in the az guard sending in my packet through my state now that ive completed ait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsimmns Posted July 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Maybe a dumb question, but what is armament training? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 its their job to re-arm the aircraft and know all the ins and outs of the weapon systems as well as all the avionics and electrical systems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsimmns Posted July 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Ah, sounds like ECM stuff that I do in the Guard, weapons systems. By the way, do you happen to be in Avionics as well? Hopefully, I'll just be able to find a unit and get in at some point. Although, I did read in the Guard Detail from my state in MS that we are over 100 WO's short in all fields. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsimmns Posted July 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Also, once I complete basic and AIT I should be able to put in packets in any state correct? I'm taking that finding information on Guard openings with pilot slots comes just by calling each state's recruiters and asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 no, youll only be able to do a packet for the state you are a member of. once done with ait you can interstate transfer to another state as enlisted then do a packet but you have to be a member of that states army guard to do a packet there as far as i know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eaglegrad07 Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Im actually in the process you are referring to at this time in the MS National Guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eaglegrad07 Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Your first step would be to enlist in a 15 series mos, that is how you meet WO's and get the facetime. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 and cause the 15 series mos is above the best... waka waka waka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eaglegrad07 Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Those Cav Scouts always like to tell us otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsimmns Posted July 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Does anyone know a site that list each state and when they have their boards for Guard pilots? I'd like to get a feel of how often they meet and maybe see how many slots each state has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsimmns Posted July 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 no, youll only be able to do a packet for the state you are a member of. once done with ait you can interstate transfer to another state as enlisted then do a packet but you have to be a member of that states army guard to do a packet there as far as i knowSo wait, you're saying that if I enlist in the MS Guard, once I get back from all training I can't put in a packet for other states, just the state I enlist in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 you can only put in a packet for the state you are a current member of. as far as i know. after ait for the ms guard, if you want a different state for woft, youll have to interstate transfer as enlisted to that state then submit a packet there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fliesbecauseracecar Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 Lots of replies on the guard route, but you asked about AD as well. If you got good NCOERs I would imagine that can help offset the college events, as that is more recent and shows you have the ability to function as part of a team in a military environment. Lots of replies about the guard, and certainly if that's the way you want to go, then that's what you should do. However I think that a direct application to AD may be the quicker of the two if you are agressive and find a decent recruiter. Warrant Officer Career Center (google it, should be the first link) under the recruiting link should have enough info to get you started. I know you will have to submit your DD 214 and your evaluation reports from your military career/schooling. Of course that means if you get picked up you work for the army full time and live where they tell you for at least 6 years. Lots of folks then leave AD and move to a guard unit. Something to consider as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBuzzkill Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 (edited) If it makes you feel better I barely passed high school. 2.1 GPA or something like that. I made up for it with a year of college at a 3.3 and then scored very high on my ASVAB and AFAST. You just have to prove that you're smart, passionate, and willing to work for your goals. Even today I think you have a chance without a degree and good academics if you can show somehow that you are committed 110% to becoming a great aviator. Edited July 19, 2013 by SBuzzkill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UH60L-IP Posted July 20, 2013 Report Share Posted July 20, 2013 Also, I know there are some positions where you fly in the helo, but are not a pilot. My cousin was telling me about his job when he was in the Guard where he basically went through all the schooling pilot's did, however he just saw in the back and if the pilot got shot down or couldn't fly he took over, but he was enlisted. Does anyone know what this job is as I might look into it as well. I figure the experience might help when I do finally get the chance to put in a packet. Yes, I have met a number of people in this particular field. I'm pretty sure RAMBO was one of them. But other than actors they are simply referred to as "compulsive liars." Their (fictional) job description is glamorous but the pay stinks. The closest thing he could be referring to is a crew chief. Many 15T's (maintenance) fly in the back as crew chiefs. But the schooling they go through is not remotely close to what pilots go through. They understand the concept of how the sticks wiggle but their taking over as a pilot in a bona fide emergency is a near impossibility. First of all, we fly dual pilot aircraft. One guy dies there is another pilot already. Secondly, if both pilots die, anybody in the back is going to die as well - you aren't going to remove one of the two currently dead pilots from the now out of control aircraft and recover it in superhero fashion before burning a hole in the ground. Also, "if the pilot got shot down," by definition so did the crew chief. That is not to discount the importance of crew chiefs. It is only to say that such a "pilot in waiting" job does not exist. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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