jaswhee Posted October 4, 2016 Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 Ladies and gents, I'm a little concerned I might have a recruiter who is in it for their own interest. I am in the Air National Guard and was a Crew Chief on KC-135s and am currently an In-Flight refueling specialist (my ets is December 5th this year). Having spent years as a maintainer and having logged a little over 1,000 hours as an enlisted crew member (about 500 hrs combat) I am trying to become a WOFT. The recruiter is telling me I need to enlist in the Army first, to be FRB into a 09W slot after BCT, and then I could board, go to WOFT and then finally to flight school. They are saying since I'm prior service I don't need to go to MEPS with an AIT. I am worried that if I enlist in the Army I will be forced into a career field and will never be able to fly. I just turned 30 this year and only have a few years left to do this. Recruiter is saying the state just got the green light to do Street to Seat from National Guard Bureau but they don't have any guidance on how to accomplish this. Also, non-traditional student wrapping up my undergrad in Computer Management Information Systems this December. I would rather not be a hard-bar but I will if I can get a flight spot. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted October 4, 2016 Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 Find the Army Guard Warrant Officer Strength Manager for your state of choice and deal solely with that person. They will know all of the correct and accurate answers to your questions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted October 4, 2016 Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 Start here with phone calls or emails. https://www.nationalguard.com/contacts/wosm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaswhee Posted October 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 Yamer, Thank you for you expedient response. That's the problem, the recruiter I'm dealing with is the Warrant Officer Strength Manager. The plan was laid out by the Warrant Officer Recruiter and I'm skeptical. If I am screwed out of a flight spot, after I have already done the SIFT, Flight Physical, LORx5, etc, I don't know how I'm going to handle the situation. After 11 years of service.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted October 4, 2016 Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 The process sounds okay to me, you have to enlist as a 09W, and go to BCT. Unless you have a certain job in the Air Force, you'll have to complete Army BCT. Then when you're back from that they'll send you off to Rucker when they have a school slot for WOCS as a TDY school. Then you'll come home again, until they send you back as a PCS move for the rest of flight school. They won't screw you out of anything you don't agree with and sign for. Part of your initial enlistment includes an MOS. Make sure it dad 09w before you sign it and you'll be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaswhee Posted October 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 I guess what I'm confused about is the WOSM told an Enlisted Recruiter to enlist me into "any position" and then they would FRB me into 09W when I got back from BCT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted October 4, 2016 Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 Then your state probably doesn't allow street to seat. Unfortunately it's state dependant. My state offers a street to seat route but it's not mandated so it varies by state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choppereng Posted October 4, 2016 Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 I second what Yamer said. Not all states treat street to seat the same way. What state are you in, btw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaswhee Posted October 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 Yamer what state are you in? choppereng I'm in Illinois atm. I'm looking into possibly going active duty or moving across the states. I just want to fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrets Posted October 5, 2016 Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 jaswhee, why are you doing WOFT over applying to ANG boards? If you're already in the ANG, I'd highly recommend applying to other ANG units for pilot slots -- or even your own, if you want to do -135s. If your reason for doing WOFT is because you want to fly rotary, then I'd look into one of the three ANG rescue wings first(106th - NY, 129th - CA, 176th - AK). They've got pretty sweet HH-60s that they get to fly on some pretty awesome missions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted October 5, 2016 Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 I'm AZ. And Davis Monthan has an AF reserve HH60 unit also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBuzzkill Posted October 5, 2016 Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 jaswhee, why are you doing WOFT over applying to ANG boards? If you're already in the ANG, I'd highly recommend applying to other ANG units for pilot slots -- or even your own, if you want to do -135s. If your reason for doing WOFT is because you want to fly rotary, then I'd look into one of the three ANG rescue wings first(106th - NY, 129th - CA, 176th - AK). They've got pretty sweet HH-60s that they get to fly on some pretty awesome missions. That's cool if you have a college degree. If not, the Army is your only choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaswhee Posted October 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 Nrets, long story short, I was pursuing a shorter degree path to fly KC-135's. I decided that I did not want to fly with my current unit (very toxic unit) but also that being in fixed wing and flying roughly 1,000 hours as a career enlisted aviator (sitting in the cockpit unless I'm in the back doing aerial refueling) that it wasn't really all that enjoyable. A lot of the pilots I fly with really don't enjoy flying fixed wing as much as they did rotary. I decided to study Computer Management Information Systems and went to college around the age of 26. Had to take a year and a half off for training and a deployment. Put me right at 30 (which I am now). I graduate this December with an undergrad but I also now need a waiver to fly for the AF. I also will be working full time IT on the outside. My goal was to make money doing IT and fly part time for the Army Guard. Southern Illinois, as you have indirectly mentioned, doesn't have any AF assets. Relocating would only be an option for me if they had IT job potential. Army seems to be much more flexible in regards to possible duty locations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stearmann4 Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 jaswhee, Its true, the Guard does not currently have an option to enlist directly for WOFT and follow on assignment to that particular unit's aircraft. While you may discuss your ultimate goals with the recruiters and destination unit well ahead of time, there are no guarantees, and no contracts stating you'll go to WOFT after enlistment. The more common scenario, is that you enlist in an applicable MOS for the host unit, serve a year or so until they hold a local board. if you make the cut, you'll be awarded one of their annual slots to IERW. It probably appears like a gamble, but the Guard is a different animal in that there is some unquantifiable and unofficial grade assigned to how you contribute to, and get along in the unit. Since you don't generally PCS, and can remain in the same company for years. That year you spend in your enlisted MOS is their opportunity to ensure their flight school slot is spent wisely. It's only a gamble if you're worried about not making yourself the #1, clear cut choice for flight school. The other option is to apply for active duty, which gives you the direct route. I spend a lot of time in central IL (Charleston), and I'm from Galesburg. Good luck. Mike- 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choppereng Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 Its true, the Guard does not currently have an option to enlist directly for WOFT and follow on assignment to that particular unit's aircraft. While you may discuss your ultimate goals with the recruiters and destination unit well ahead of time, there are no guarantees, and no contracts stating you'll go to WOFT after enlistment. ARNG does do enlistments straight to WOFT in some states. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwil7280 Posted October 12, 2016 Report Share Posted October 12, 2016 I was AF ANG as well, went street to seat in 2014 in Utah. Although I had to go to BCT, my initial enlistment paperwork from my recruiter clearly stated that my MOS was 09W. If I remember correctly I also had WOCS dates at the same time I received BCT dates. I've never heard that different states did it differently. I thought that if you were applying for AD Army that is was the same in all 50 states. I could be wrong, maybe I just was lucky enough to be in a good state for street to seat, but I've never heard of it being different between states for AD. PM me if there's anything you think I may be able to help with, I'll do what I can for you. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted October 12, 2016 Report Share Posted October 12, 2016 For AD there is no difference for what state you're applying in. If you're applying for a states NG street to seat however, almost every state has differences but all must meet the AD requirements at a minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwil7280 Posted October 30, 2016 Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 Ah I see. I misunderstood. I thought you were trying to get into the AD Army street to seat from the Air Guard. The Utah Army Guard also refused to take me street to seat when I talked to a recruiter. I was also told to enlist first into a flight MOS and apply from within. Because of that, I decided to go Active Duty instead to get a guaranteed flight slot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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