Jan 2014 WOFT Board

[TriViper]

Has anyone been able to view the comments from their Battalion interview? My recruiter said my comments were strong, but he couldn't tell me what they said.

[ftxag76]

Technically you are not suppose to see yours. But I got to see mine at the time.

[I3uller]

I got to see mine as well.

[nomdeplumme]

How were your comments?

[d10]

1 is a "Long Form" flight physical

2 is a "short form", think no eye dilation, EKG. Just labs and pokes.

3 is for Flight Surgeons and ATC folks.

Hope that makes sense.

 

This isn't right for Army physicals. Class 1 is the initial rated aviator physical. Class 2 is all subsequent annual physicals for rated aviators, whether short or long (the class refers to the acceptable standards, not the frequency at which they need to be checked). Class 3 is for the nonrated guys (crew chiefs, medics, door gunners). Class 4 is for ATC.

 

1W is just the code assigned for warrant officer applicants. 1A is for commissioned applicants. Same physical though.

 

Things always come up with my recruiters. So many times I thought I was "good", then I'd have to stop by and sign another form they overlooked. I must have made 6-8 trips which could have easily been avoided.

 

This time I'm actually good though. After my recruiter said I was "board ready", I called the Battalion myself and spoke with the NCO that handles my packet. He's no slouch and confirmed I'm good to go.

 

They're just training you on what to expect when you go active duty.

 

A WO1 is a sort of probationary reserve appointment. It's a little weird but you aren't actually an active duty Warrant until you reach CW2. You're on active status as a W1 but you aren't technically in the AD Army. I'm sure someone has a better explanation.

 

Nope. I don't think anyone understands how it makes any sense or what impact it has, other than you check "Reserves" on your application. And now you don't even do that?

 

Just out of curiosity, what would happen if one were to turn down the CW2 commission (although I don't know why anyone would)? Also, does this mean your 6yr AD obligation starts whenever you get a CW2 commission? I always thought it was after you were pinned your wings, even if you're still a WO1

 

There's a 6 year active duty service obligation (ADSO) for finishing WOCS, another 6 year ADSO for completing WOBC, and also a 6 year ADSO for finishing flight school. The one when you finish flight school is obviously the one that will determine how long your commitment is, but it's good to know about the others because they will fuel rumors that your 6 year ADSO actually starts after WOCS/WOBC/whatever. Those rumors are technically true, but meaningless because they assume the 6 year ADSO is only applied after one of those schools.

 

It's also good to know how your ADSO works in general and that practically anything you do in the Army comes with one (promotions, PCS moves, schools). Early in your career it won't seem that way because your 6 year flight school ADSO extends far beyond the 1 or 2 year commitments that are incurred with every day Army operations, but that's something you need to pay attention to once that flight school ADSO starts to get short. There's no ADSO for promotion to CW2.

[TriViper]

After someone is selected, do they go to MEPs a day or two later and swear in? Or, do they swear in a few months later when they leave for Basic?

[I3uller]

I went back to MEPS to get my school date reserved and do the short medical thing but I didn't swear in. Lindsey swore in when she got her dates and then swore in again before she left. Depends on the MEPS I guess, but the real swearing in that matters is the one you do right before you leave.

[TriViper]

I'm curious how many were boarded and how many selected on the civilian side in Nov? I thought I read 24 out of 27 were selected. Any truth to this?

[skyreaper]

I think it was 21/24.

 

Still a pretty good spread either way.

[I3uller]

Reaper has the correct numbers. It was absurd.

[ShaneWey]

Right now they only have 4 boards set to convene for FY14. With a projection of 316 slots to fill, it's hard to imagine they don't add two more boards and/or continue a high selection rate through the year if those numbers continue.

[skyreaper]

Quick math, rough estimate, yields (316/4)=79(1/2)=39.5=civilians needed per the four boards to fill that with a 50/50 split between AD... Its prob closer to a 40/60 split... or about 31 civs per board.

[TriViper]

With only 21 selected in Nov, I suppose they're already behind pace. I'm curious why the Army Reserve has a target mission of "0" though.

 

Here's the article again:

 

http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140104/NEWS/301040002/Recruiters-pressed-meet-mission-despite-reduced-goals

[I3uller]

Reserve does things way differently than AD. If I'm not mistaken I think they do it like the guard does where they only open a slot when a pilot leaves. So technically their goal is 0 until 1 slot opens and then it's 1 haha

[Yamer]

Meanwhile, in az guard land, we have more slots than applicants... Not selectees, applicants...

[skyreaper]

And to add to that, while there are for sure people who go straight to the reserves or NG, I think many also go that route as a transition from AD.

[I3uller]

Meanwhile, in az guard land, we have more slots than applicants... Not selectees, applicants...

Wow. Lucky you huh? Haha

[LTF]

Reserve does things way differently than AD. If I'm not mistaken I think they do it like the guard does where they only open a slot when a pilot leaves. So technically their goal is 0 until 1 slot opens and then it's 1 haha

I3...I assume you are being facetious. Compos 2 and 3 i.e., the NG and USAR do not work that way. Flight training allotments are requested and allocated long in advance. TRADOC gives the allotments to the reserve compos that AD cannot use. All of this is predicated on SWAG coming out of PersCOM. If the reserve compo has all of its aviation slots filled, they have the ability to "double slot" aviators and classify them "overstrength". The reserves can go as high as 50% overstrength if necessary. There are many more considerations and players in this hierarchy but, this is the readers digest version.

[d10]

Wow. Lucky you huh? Haha

 

100% selection rates are great until you get in and you're stuck working with guys who could barely make the cutoff.

[I3uller]

I3...I assume you are being facetious. Compos 2 and 3 i.e., the NG and USAR do not work that way. Flight training allotments are requested and allocated long in advance. TRADOC gives the allotments to the reserve compos that AD cannot use. All of this is predicated on SWAG coming out of PersCOM. If the reserve compo has all of its aviation slots filled, they have the ability to "double slot" aviators and classify them "overstrength". The reserves can go as high as 50% overstrength if necessary. There are many more considerations and players in this hierarchy but, this is the readers digest version.

Apparently I was mistaken. I was told by someone in the reserves at some point that it was a one out one in sort of method. Seems much more complicated than that.

[I3uller]

 

100% selection rates are great until you get in and you're stuck working with guys who could barely make the cutoff.

I definitely agree. My comment was more sarcastic than anything haha

[smalltownguy]

There is nothing worse than getting stuck with the folks that made it in because a shortage meant there just needed to be a body in the seat! Happens in many career fields, sometimes they can pan out and surprise you though. Just like you can be shocked by someone good on paper but horrible at execution of the needed skill set.

 

As for the selection rates, the recruiting board continues to post they are short 153a applicants even during this time of cut backs. I think everyone who has posted their stats up has an excellent shot.

[2ndGen]

I had a guy in my WOCS class who was asked by his guard unit if he was interested in flying. They sent him here with a guarantee hawk slott, and told him if he got high enough on the OML they would give him his choice of a Lakota or fixed wing transition.

[d10]

I would make sure I landed at the bottom of the OML if those were my options.

[Gut]

USAREC site says this about the Jan. Board for 153A, as well as other MOSs:

 

"If you have the prerequisite experience for these Warrant Officer MOS' and the desire to submit a packet, then your chances of being selected on the second board of FY 14 is extremely HIGH!"

 

Is this to say you're almost guaranteed to be selected if you meet the minimum and don't have packet issues (like errors, or lying about something in your past, etc)? So they'd compromise 'quality' just because they are short applicants?