Civ. WOFT seeking LORs (yet another)

[Nrets]

Vitals:

Age: 29

ASVAB/GT: 99/145

SIFT: 80

AFPT: (>= 270 based on self-tests)

Flight Phys: Nov. 2nd

 

Other:

PhD. in Chemical Engineering

PPL ~ 75 hours

 

The soonest I'll have a prepared packet is probably November, but I want to get the ball rolling on my recommendations now, as these might take the longest to compile.

 

Currently, all my recommendations would be from academic-types (PhD advisor, professors, researchers), one from my work with an outdoor leadership program, but zero from active/former military.

 

My intent here is to connect with someone willing to interview me and provide a recommendation for my packet. I'll do all the leg work, and provide the written template to be modified/replaced as deemed necessary from the interview.

 

Feel free to PM me/respond and I'll happily provide requested information.

[Mr.Tickles]

Do you have any helo units in your vicinity?

[akscott60]

Jesus, a PhD in Chemical Engineering?

[ElJay]

Vitals:

Age: 29

ASVAB/GT: 99/145

SIFT: Scheduled

AFPT: Scheduled (>= 270 based on self-tests)

Flight Phys: TBD

 

Other:

PhD. in Chemical Engineering / Cornell

PPL ~ 75 hours

 

The soonest I'll have a prepared packet is probably November, but I want to get the ball rolling on my recommendations now, as these might take the longest to compile.

 

Currently, all my recommendations would be from academic-types (PhD advisor, professors, researchers), one from my work with an outdoor leadership program, but zero from active/former military.

 

My intent here is to connect with someone willing to interview me and provide a recommendation for my packet. I'll do all the leg work, and provide the written template to be modified/replaced as deemed necessary from the interview.

 

Feel free to PM me/respond and I'll happily provide requested information.

Are you smart or something?

[steve0]

Call up the nearest base with helicopters, and any others in your state or within reasonable distance, and ask to talk to a pilot. Also military units usually have Facebook pages. Find one nearby and shoot them a message.

 

There are bound to be pilots in your area. You just gotta find them. Even if one you get in touch with isn't willing to do it themselves, or isn't of sufficient rank, they might be able to put you in touch with someone higher up.

 

I know when I got my letters, it took tons of phone calls, emails, Facebooking. It might take some work to track them down, so it would help if you have any experience serving divorce papers or work part time as a bounty hunter

[Lindsey]

Why do you want to throw away your current career?

[ElJay]

You need to be designing helicopters. Then make enough money to buy one and learn to fly it.

[ElJay]

Call up the nearest base with helicopters, and any others in your state or within reasonable distance, and ask to talk to a pilot. Also military units usually have Facebook pages. Find one nearby and shoot them a message.

 

There are bound to be pilots in your area. You just gotta find them. Even if one you get in touch with isn't willing to do it themselves, or isn't of sufficient rank, they might be able to put you in touch with someone higher up.

 

I know when I got my letters, it took tons of phone calls, emails, Facebooking. It might take some work to track them down, so it would help if you have any experience serving divorce papers or work part time as a bounty hunter

A lot of my LoRs came from pilots at a medevac helicopter base. Try that out. Most of them are former military or fly guard on the side.

[Dmurray]

Why do you want to throw away your current career?

 

That's what I was thinking. You've got a lot of education to be jumping ship.

[Nrets]

These responses surprised me and now I'm genuinely curious: do you guys fly for the Army because you love it, or because it's a job and a means to an end?

 

Let me clear the air and be completely frank. I have lofty long-term goals, and I see Army Aviation as a way to get there. I'd like to go to throw my packet into the Test Pilot Program after I've done my Army gig, perhaps re-employing some aspects of my PhD with that work. Eventually I'll put it all together for a packet into NASA. Don't get me wrong though -- I've always wanted to serve my country and this is not a means to an end.

 

I'm out in Oregon, and I constantly hear guard helicopters on the radio when I'm flying, so I know there is at least a guard unit doing a lot of flying. Unsure on the active side of things. I'll see if I can find a contact at the guard base.

[steve0]

I used to live right next to NASA. I'm also hoping to someday get a Ph.D. or at least a masters and work at NASA or Boeing. I have friends who are engineers at both. When I was coaching martial arts, a couple of the kids dad's were astronauts. I just wish I didn't waste the first half of my 20s on an economics degree I did nothing with, then the second half living in South Korea making no progress in my life. My first step will be to get a B.S. in physics or engineering done while I'm active duty. I figure the progress will be slow, but I'm sure if I make the time and don't spend every weekend drinking like so many soldiers I knew in Korea, I can do it within a reasonable timeframe.

[StockTrader]

These responses surprised me and now I'm genuinely curious: do you guys fly for the Army because you love it, or because it's a job and a means to an end?

.

Because I love it. I would venture to say 90% of the people I've met will say the same thing. The remaining 10% are those who wanted out of their current MOS. I'd say we ask out of curiosity. Whats the drive behind such a drastic change kind of thing. If you do end up following through with WOFT, you will meet a multitude of people who came from different careers.

[UH60L-IP]

These responses surprised me and now I'm genuinely curious: do you guys fly for the Army because you love it, or because it's a job and a means to an end?

 

Because it's a job and a means to an end.

 

Flying is great. It's a great office with a window view. I realize it's something that very few get to do. I enjoy every day at work. In the end, it's still work.

 

The fact is that it pays quite well (I'm a civilian contractor and a Guard guy). That allows me to live in a nice house, pay the bills without worry, save for the kids' college, and know I'll live comfortably now and well into the future.

 

Very few, if any, pilots are so in love with flying after a few thousand hours that they just have to do it every day. Very few jump out of bed at 3:30am with never a desire to hit the snooze button. If I was independently wealthy I'd definitely not work but still fly for fun, just not every day.

 

Nothing wrong with the Army being a means to your end goal of being a NASA astronaut. To be honest, I'm not convinced Army aviation would be your fastest track there, or even a likely one by any stretch. I've heard of one guy going that route, but that's kind of legendary. There's faster routes for a guy like yourself.

[Nrets]

Nothing wrong with the Army being a means to your end goal of being a NASA astronaut. To be honest, I'm not convinced Army aviation would be your fastest track there, or even a likely one by any stretch. I've heard of one guy going that route, but that's kind of legendary. There's faster routes for a guy like yourself.

 

I have the credentials of a scientists, but the heart of a pilot. Hate to say it, but I honestly don't believe I can rise to the challenge of standing out among my peers in a research environment, and more importantly, I don't think I'd enjoy it one bit. With a selection rate of 0.7 percent, I'd rather choose something I'll enjoy along the way in the event it doesn't work out.

 

I'm not saying Id be the best pilot the Army has ever seen, but I would enjoy trying to be. I'm also likely to stand out (for better or worse) with my background.

 

Air Force was my first choice and I got hired with a guard unit, but that's a long story. Now, at my age, the Army is my only choice.

[jaswhee]

Nrets the Air Force does waivers up to age 35. Units like Utah, Alaska, and any others you might find could entertain you (Guard). You would be flying KC-135s but honestly the KC-135 is one of the best ways to build flight hours. Just food for thought.

[Nrets]

Nrets the Air Force does waivers up to age 35. Units like Utah, Alaska, and any others you might find could entertain you (Guard). You would be flying KC-135s but honestly the KC-135 is one of the best ways to build flight hours. Just food for thought.

 

I've barked up that tree -- the unit that hired me was the 106th out of Long Island to fly CSAR in HH-60s. Would have been a sweet gig. When things fell through, I was past the age most units will consider. From what I've seen, age waivers are extremely difficult to get these days, and most units won't even look at your packet.

 

It might be a blessing in disguise though, as there's no way to enter Test Pilot School through the National Guard.

[StockTrader]

 

I've barked up that tree -- the unit that hired me was the 106th out of Long Island to fly CSAR in HH-60s. Would have been a sweet gig. When things fell through, I was past the age most units will consider. From what I've seen, age waivers are extremely difficult to get these days, and most units won't even look at your packet.

 

It might be a blessing in disguise though, as there's no way to enter Test Pilot School through the National Guard.

Grew up about 10 minutes from westhampton. Those guys seem like they are ALWAYS flying.

[Nrets]

Any tips on contacting a unit in my area? I'm not sure exactly who to reach out to at the guard base in Salem.

 

Also willing to do this on Skype if anyone here is able/willing.

[steve0]

Any tips on contacting a unit in my area? I'm not sure exactly who to reach out to at the guard base in Salem.

 

Also willing to do this on Skype if anyone here is able/willing.

Find the base's website and call up their information number. Someone at the front desk should be able to connect you to the pilots office.

 

That should work, however when I tried the same thing, some Sgt on the phone told me he was certain they didn't have any helicopters stationed there. Yes, he was convinced he was working at a major army national guard airbase with no helicopters. I eventually had contact a pilot on Facebook and he put me in touch with the Apache pilot office

[ElJay]

Any tips on contacting a unit in my area? I'm not sure exactly who to reach out to at the guard base in Salem.

 

Also willing to do this on Skype if anyone here is able/willing.

Salem, Oregon to Fort Lewis is 3 hours. I bet Mr. Rutledge would be willing to put you in touch with some of his old buddies if you'd make the drive.

 

Salem to Yakima is 4 hours. I'm sure someone there would interview you, with the added bonus of meeting a forum celebrity.

[Nrets]

I'm based in Portland, and will actually be at Fort Lewis on Nov. 2nd for my flight physical.

 

Yakima is also not that far for me, and if the weather is good, I might be able to fly in.

 

Mr. Rutledge?

[ElJay]

I'm based in Portland, and will actually be at Fort Lewis on Nov. 2nd for my flight physical.

 

Yakima is also not that far for me, and if the weather is good, I might be able to fly in.

 

Mr. Rutledge?

http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/topic/19843-army-woft-letters-of-recommendation-question/?do=findComment&comment=183482

 

Stearmann. Former 160th pilot who flew out of Lewis if I remember correctly.

[Nrets]

http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/topic/19843-army-woft-letters-of-recommendation-question/?do=findComment&comment=183482

 

Stearmann. Former 160th pilot who flew out of Lewis if I remember correctly.

 

Awesome. Thank you.

[Brian101193]

If you're applying as a civilian can you get a letter of recommendation from a retired CWO or do they have to be active? I spoke to a retired CW5 who didn't believe he was eligible to write LoR since he wasn't active anymore.

 

Edit: To be more specific, he cited #9 http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/WOgeninfo_faq.shtml

 

But I thought this was only for people in the Army applying for Warrant Officer in general.

[Gramps]

Yeah, that's only for Active Duty where the mandatory CWO LOR writer can't be retired. I think the consensus out there is civilian applicants should still strive to meet the same requirements and seek an active CWO, though.