Nov 2013 Civilian WOFT Board

[I3uller]

You're AD right McClain? Doesn't look like you have anything at all to worry about either.

 

Edit: Just saw AGR so I guess you're on the civilian board. Stuff competition this board, no doubt about it. What about deployments/CAB stuff McClain?

[mcclainm]

It goes to the active duty board as an AGR. I've got a deployment to Iraq and one to Africa. My time in Iraq also has joint work with the State Department.

 

 

You're AD right McClain? Doesn't look like you have anything at all to worry about either.

Edit: Just saw AGR so I guess you're on the civilian board. Stuff competition this board, no doubt about it. What about deployments/CAB stuff McClain?

[Lindsey]

It goes to the active duty board as an AGR. I've got a deployment to Iraq and one to Africa. My time in Iraq also has joint work with the State Department.

 

 

See you at Rucker hahaha.

[I3uller]

It goes to the active duty board as an AGR. I've got a deployment to Iraq and one to Africa. My time in Iraq also has joint work with the State Department.

 

 

Well that's good news for the rest of us. Definitely a shoe in on the AD board. Looking forward to seeing you at Rucker someday if I make it. Much respect to the CA guys too, I have a good friend who's working in Africa now at an embassy that has definitely been some places and done some things. Very underrated field of work.

[mcclainm]

Hopefully you're right.

[ShaneWey]

Hey guys/gals. Just a quick question about the flight physical:

 

I've read on most forums that results to come back from Rucker for your Class 1A take 4-6 weeks. It seems like this is what everyone waits the longest on (including myself) to wrap up their packet. However, I also read on this forum that you can get the results faxed with a stamp of approval back from Rucker in a matter of hours. Is this a special circumstance? If so, what factors come in to play?

 

I got my medical waiver approval today (very pumped) so I just need to pass my Class 1A to finish up my packet. I hope to have it done by the Oct. 28 deadline for the November board! Thanks for any response and good luck to those applying!

[I3uller]

If everything goes well with your exam the flight surgeon's office will forward it to Rucker and I would suggest following up in a week at this number: (334) 598-8955 It should take at most a week or two to be approved. I have heard lots of stories of people not hearing anything for a month, calling that number, and then being approved within a few days. Also, does your username have anything to do with Captain Janeway? Haha

[I3uller]

Oh and are you active duty?

[ShaneWey]

Thanks for the advice and timely response. I will just have to continue to be patient and wait how everything plays out. That phone number is to Mr. Garcia, correct? I will also double check with the flight surgeon as well as my recruiter to make sure it gets forwarded. No my name is a nickname I picked up in college lol. Also, I'm a non-prior.

[I3uller]

Yep that is Mr. Garcia. Have you done your battalion board interview yet? That's usually the last step for most people unless you've done it already which would be unusual. Also that Oct deadline is for active duty personnel. The civilian deadline is usually advertised as 10 days prior to the board which would be Nov 8. But I know of a guy that submitted about 3 days before the board on September and was selected so you definitely have some time.

[ShaneWey]

Oh wow. That's news to me! And good news! No I haven't done my Battalion board yet and yes, it will be my last step but getting the Class 1A is just my last step to get my entire packet together. My recruiter said that my battalion hasn't made a schedule for FY14 board dates yet (?) so I'm not sure what that means. From what I know there are civilian boards every month which I assumed was typical of battalion boards. So does this only apply to the USAREC boards (i.e. the one in Nov)? Now I feel like I have to dig further for a lot more information lol.

[I3uller]

Your battalion should have a schedule for when they conduct OCS/WOFT boards to fulfill the officer recommendation part if your packet before sending it to USAREC. Typically they hold them once a month. USAREC boards are usually only once every two months. The USAREC boards for FY14 have been scheduled so it's on your battalion to get their stuff straight. I'm a little surprised they haven't made a FY14 schedule considering we are now into FY14. I would get on your recruiters ASAP to get you a battalion board date before the 8th of November. That could potentially keep you from getting on November. Well, a lot of things could keep you but it's still possible.

[ShaneWey]

Thanks for the advice. I've been trying to politely annoy my recruiter as much as possible but it seems like I'm going to have to turn up the heat a bit if I want to make it before January. I was surprised too that he hasn't been able to give me dates about anything (battalion OCS/WOFT, flight physicals, etc.) but it's just how things have been going thus far! I just have to continue doing everything I can on my part!

[Ja88Af]

Is it just me or does it seem like it would be easier to get selected AD rather than street to seat as far as qualifications go?

 

I have talked to a few people who were AD and got selected that didn't have a degree like myself :/

 

Unfortunately prior service can't enlist anymore

[ShaneWey]

Granted, this was in FY11 but according to Selection Rates for WOFT that would not be the case. Civilians have a higher percentage of selection. Don't lose hope! Many experienced current and veteran pilots on this forum and others have stressed some great advice that has helped me:

 

don't worry about selection rates and comparing your packet to someone else's. You're still going to apply either way so just worry about making your packet as strong as possible. It doesn't help to get caught up on what is outside of your control.

 

Good luck applying! And thanks for your prior service!

[Osterhjm]

So I just got done with the battalion board and my recruiters are telling me I'll be going to meps next week to enlist (not really sure that's right). Anyone else have any experience with this? I know OCS goes up a week later but I think my recruiters aren't familiar with woft and are assuming that's the case. ....the main issue is one of the battalion guys said before the board I'd be doing that as well (but they also said I was their first woft guy in recent memory so who knows)

[wm200]

You don't enlist until you get selected by USAREC. I think OCS just needs batallion board and then they go enlist.

[I3uller]

Ya that's definitely not right. Battalion needs to forward your packet along with their recommendation forms to USAREC and you will be looked at November 18th. Get this sorted out as soon as possible, you don't want to have your packet sitting at battalion while you miss the board like what happened to me.

[Osterhjm]

Copy that. On my way home now so I'll have a little chat with my recruiter when I get there. Thanks

[pdg0411]

How's it going everyone, i should be g2g by the cutoff date and hopefully ill make the 18NOV board. got petersons S.G and FAA RW manual for sift.

 

AGE: 24
ASVAB AFQT/GT: 72/114
SIFT: TBD
APFT: TBD
EDUCATION: 57 credits no degree.
FLIGHT: None
BOARD: Hopefully NOV
LORS: 25th CAB visit this coming week, CO @ current unit, Avionics repair facility branch owner (civi. job)

Other: 5 years AD USCG, Tier 1 Group combat medic, Blackwater weapons course (now USTC), 12 month deployment (Middle east), 4 Month deployment (Caribbean).

[ShaneWey]

Have you scheduled your flight physical yet? Also, are you currently AD? Or prior service? I'm assuming prior service since one of your LORs is from your civi job.

 

The reason I ask is because your flight physical can take awhile to get done and to get the results back (especially if you're trying to make the November board). And with me, they wouldn't schedule that for me until I had all my testing in (so you need to take the SIFT asap). With that being said, take your time to study because once you pass, that's your score for life.

 

Also, you need to meet with your battalion board before the USAREC board in November and get the green light from the local level. If you are able to get all of that done over the next 2 and a half weeks, you should let everyone know who your recruiter is!

 

Unless I'm way off base here (and please correct me if I am) I think you'll be lucky to be shooting for the January board. Good luck tho, btw! Welcome to VR! It's a great resource with some extremely nice and helpful people!

[pdg0411]

Currently AD Coast Guard, The recruiter was saying i go through the civilian board though. according to him they convene on a monthly basis. I live on an army base and i have an AAB literally across the street which is where ill do my flight physical. I'm expecting my DD368 back this week which is what has been holding up my SIFT, after that i guess the flight physical would be the only thing holding me up. As far as the battalion board goes i was told that i didn't physically attend, they just evaluate the packet and go off that. Thanks for the welcome aboard! hopefully i can make use of the resources on this site.

[Ardo09203]

Currently AD Coast Guard, The recruiter was saying i go through the civilian board though. according to him they convene on a monthly basis. I live on an army base and i have an AAB literally across the street which is where ill do my flight physical. I'm expecting my DD368 back this week which is what has been holding up my SIFT, after that i guess the flight physical would be the only thing holding me up. As far as the battalion board goes i was told that i didn't physically attend, they just evaluate the packet and go off that. Thanks for the welcome aboard! hopefully i can make use of the resources on this site.

 

Not quite sure how the Coast Guard fits into the transition from one branch to another, nor if your supposed to be on the civilian or AD board. However, there are plenty of people that I'm sure will chime in and know those answers. What I can tell you is that it seems you have some conflicting information from your recruiter. The flight physical itself is not the hard part, you can go to any base with a flight surgeon an have it done, as long as it is done to the Army's standards. The hard part, that a lot of new applicants miss, is that the flight physical has to be signed off by the "US Army's Chief Aviation Flight Surgeon" at Ft. Rucker. (I totally just made that title up, I have no idea what his actual title is) From what I understand, the majority of the medical staff at Rucker is furloughed as they are civilian contractors. This is proving to be quite a hold up for some new applicants. Bottom line, go get the physical as soon as possible, like today, and get it to Rucker ASAP!

 

As far as the board goes, you have half of it right. Now this goes for the civilian board, not sure how it works on the AD side. Civilian boards are held every two months with the exception of March it seems. You do not physically attend THAT board, as all they are doing is evaluating packets. You do however, attend a battalion level board that will usually consist of a mix of officers and aviators (usually the same board attended by OCS candidates.) This board serves as more of an evaluation board. They will review your packet, as well as, interview you to make sure you know what you are getting into and seem competent enough to do it. They will then give you a recommendation that is part of your packet. This is usually everyone's last step in their packet process, your packet will not be on the USAREC board without this Bn. board score.

[ShaneWey]

How long do you have left on your current AD service obligation? I haven't gone through the process so I'm just going off of what I've read. The only reason I could see you not going on the AD board is if you have less than 12mo on your current AD service obligation. In which case, you would probably see the civilian USAREC board (I'm not exactly sure how that works with inter-service transfer but it's a thought).

 

But I think Ardo gave good gouge. You still have a few time consuming things standing in your way of the November board (Class 1A approval from Rucker, Btn. board meeting, etc.). Maybe a Coastie can shed some light on this but I believe CG still follows the same inter-service transfer criteria. With that said, if you're viewed as a prior service civilian, you still have to jump through all the same hoops as us non prior wannabes

 

Just my $.02, take it for what it's worth (which is probably less than that)

 

Oh, also, you probably already know this and being that you currently live on an Army post I don't see it being an issue BUT, whatever you do, don't go to a NAS or CG station to get your flight physical done there. There is a forum on here where a Marine got his done at a NAS in Florida and it was a mess!

[mcclainm]

I just submitted my packet. Made one minor mistake but now that is corrected. I am currently in an "H" status. How long until it is considered board ready "B" status? Also will they notify when it is a "B" Status?